Executive Summary

Co-brand card issuers and brand partners have an opportunity to reimagine their offerings in the pandemic’s wake. Leaning on newfound digitization and shifting spending habits can help providers tailor their offerings in ways that widen their net, grow volume, and appeal to the maximum number of customers.

3 KEY QUESTIONS THIS REPORT WILL ANSWER

1. What is the state of the co-brand credit card market in the US, and what are its leading categories?
2. How did the pandemic shift the way retail, airline, hotel, and digital co-brand cards drive loyalty for partners, contend with competition, and bring in revenues and spend?
3. How can issuers and co-brand partners leverage pandemic-driven changes as a springboard to grow and improve their offerings in the future?

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? Insider Intelligence zooms in on the state of co-brand credit cards and sketches the industry’s post-pandemic future. We size the market and examine how co-brands drive loyalty, confront competition, and attract volume within the retail, airline, hotel, and digital cards sectors. We then discuss best practices that keep issuers and program partners at the industry’s cutting edge.

KEY STAT: Synchrony Financial’s co-brand spend declined by 5.9% in 2020, while American Express’ shrank by 14.0%. However, the sector’s share of overall business grew despite those dips, indicating its resilience.