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http://elliott.org/the-navigator/travelers-giving-loyalty-programs/
THE NAVIGATOR|By Christopher ElliottonJuly 27th, 2014
It’s finally happening.
After years of putting up with blackout dates, broken promises and bait-and-switch games, American travelers — particularly air travelers — are saying “Enough!”
They’re refusing to play the loyalty-program game, jettisoning blind brand allegiance in favor of a more pragmatic view of travel. Price and convenience are trumping mindless devotion to an airline, a car rental company or a hotel.
In a recent survey, a plurality of travelers (38 percent) said that finding the best deal topped their list, a tectonic shift from previous years, when collecting credits in a frequent-flier or frequent-stayer program was more important. Only 9 percent of travelers will book their trips based on loyalty to an airline or hotel chain, according to the poll conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Capital One.