The Loyalty Reckoning: How Customer Expectations Are Reshaping Loyalty Across Banking, Travel and Lifestyle

The Inaugural DragonPass Loyalty Index | 2025 Edition

Executive Summary

Loyalty is no longer what it used to be. In a world of near-frictionless switching, emotionally detached brands, and ever-rising consumer expectations, the fundamentals of how and why people stay loyal are shifting rapidly.

The DragonPass Loyalty Index is the first proprietary benchmark to examine this transformation across three key sectors: banking, travel, and lifestyle. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of over 2,000 UK adults and insight from DragonPass’ global customer base of 40 million users, this Index reveals what drives lasting brand relationships in 2025 – and what puts them at risk.

As a loyalty leader working with 30 of the world’s top 50 banks and powering loyalty solutions for brands such as Barclays, Revolut and Visa, DragonPass is uniquely positioned to interpret these shifts and forecast what’s next.

“With over 1.2 million current account switches in 2024, the UK is now the most loyalty-fluid banking market in Europe.”
– Pay.UK, 2024 Switching Report

Exclusive Findings: What Builds, Breaks,

and Binds Consumer Loyalty in the UK

Despite the loyalty market projected to reach £2.56 billion in the UK by the end of 2025, many brands still struggle to convert potential into meaningful engagement. The DragonPass Loyalty Index uncovers the emotional and functional gaps that are weakening customer relationships across industries.

According to the data:

45% (23.72M) say current loyalty rewards don’t meet their needs or lifestyle, revealing a misalignment between brand offers and real-world consumer expectations.
30% (14.27M) say brand loyalty becomes more important during times of financial uncertainty, suggesting that trust and value become even more vital in difficult economic climates.
82% (43.51M) are frustrated by unclear or confusing provider offerings, highlighting a widespread desire for transparency and simplicity.
19% (9.99M) begin considering switching brands after just two years, underlining how quickly loyalty can erode without consistent engagement.

This highlights a widening disconnect between traditional loyalty programmes and modern expectations, signalling an urgent need for innovation, emotional alignment, and clear value exchange.

The Five Loyalty Languages

To understand what makes UK consumers feel genuinely seen, valued, and understood, DragonPass identified five Loyalty Languages – distinct emotional drivers that shape loyalty preferences and behaviours:

Trust – 37% (19.85M): Loyalty built on consistency, customer support, family tradition, and privacy. Particularly strong in uncertain times, where familiarity breeds confidence.
Rewards – 31% (16.93M): These consumers are motivated by practical, visible value – perks, discounts, and benefits that matter in their daily lives.
Simplicity – 20% (11.09M): Brands that remove friction, streamline experiences, and simplify decisions are most likely to retain this group.
Recognition – 7% (3.82M): A smaller but highly engaged group who seek personal acknowledgement and connection – responding to thoughtful, individual gestures.
Exclusivity – 5% (2.49M): Driven by prestige and VIP access, this group is motivated by limited, high-status experiences – though cost-of-living pressures have kept this segment small.

Trust and Rewards, together accounting for nearly 70% of UK consumers, underscore the need for brands to balance emotional reassurance with everyday relevance. Meanwhile, Simplicity reflects a demand for ease, and Recognition and Exclusivity reveal the value of emotional connection and prestige.

Loyalty Evolution: Expectations vs Reality

As consumer priorities evolve, so too must brand strategies. The DragonPass Loyalty Index reveals a sharp mismatch between what people want from loyalty programmes and what they actually experience.

71% (37.86M) are exhausted by repeated personal data requests, signalling growing privacy fatigue and scepticism about how data is used.
44% (22.76M) require value alignment before giving loyalty, reflecting a shift toward conscious consumerism and ethical decision-making.

In the context of a cost-of-living crisis, loyalty schemes must evolve into essential support tools, not just bonus incentives. Consumers want loyalty programmes that simplify their lives, respect their privacy, and reflect their values.

Banking Loyalty in Focus: A Sector at a Crossroads

The UK banking sector is undergoing a significant loyalty reckoning. With over 1.2 million Brits switching current accounts in 2024, including a record 58,000 account switches in a single week in April, the signals are clear: traditional banking loyalty is eroding at an accelerating pace.

Despite deep-rooted customer relationships, UK banks face growing pressure to modernise their loyalty strategies. The DragonPass Loyalty Index reveals both the power of legacy loyalty and its growing fragility:

64% (33.1M) have stayed with their bank over a decade, showing longstanding inertia in the sector.
Yet nearly a third feel their bank knows them less well than other service providers, revealing a growing emotional disconnection.
56% (29.83M) stay with their bank because it feels like the safest option – indicating that risk aversion, rather than positive engagement, often underpins loyalty.
19% (9.83M) remain loyal due to family tradition, highlighting generational brand attachment that may not extend to younger consumers.
24% (12.53M) say they’re more loyal to banks offering travel or lifestyle perks – evidence of rising demand for non-financial, experience-led benefits.
51% (27.16M) say they tend to stick with one brand, demonstrating the potential payoff for banks that build deeper, values-driven relationships.

With digital banks capturing the attention of younger and more agile consumers, the message is clear: trust and legacy are no longer sufficient on their own. Banks must evolve beyond transactional touchpoints and build loyalty through emotional intelligence, experiential perks, and personalised service if they want to retain relevance in the face of rapid account switching trends.

Travel Loyalty in Focus: From Points to Personalisation

The travel industry has long led the way in loyalty programmes, yet consumer expectations have shifted dramatically in the post-pandemic era. As global travel rebounds and hybrid lifestyles continue to reshape mobility habits, travellers are no longer content with traditional, points-heavy schemes. They now expect tangible, personalised benefits that reflect their lifestyle and reward their loyalty in real time.

Travel brands are also under pressure to restore confidence and maintain relevance after years of disruption. With increased competition across airlines, rail, hotel, and mobility platforms, the demand for flexible, valuable and digital-first loyalty is greater than ever.

The DragonPass Loyalty Index reveals that:

41% of travellers now expect tangible, flexible benefits like lounge access or hotel upgrades – rewards they can use immediately rather than accrue over time.
29% say they prefer personalisation over points, seeking offers tailored to their travel behaviour, frequency and preferences.
22% have switched providers due to diluted or downgraded benefits, showing how sensitive consumers are to perceived reductions in value.
Over 50% of frequent travellers now rank digital user experience as being equally important to price when choosing a loyalty programme – placing tech-led convenience on par with cost.

In this context, travel brands must go beyond transactional rewards. To retain loyalty, they must deliver real-time relevance, seamless digital journeys, and experiential value – anchored in the unique lifestyles and emotional drivers of today’s mobile consumer.

Lifestyle Loyalty in Focus: Wellness, Convenience and Values:

Wellness, Convenience and Values

Loyalty in everyday consumer life is increasingly shaped by identity, ethics, and integration into daily routines. According to the Index:

36% are more loyal to brands with aligned values, such as sustainability or diversity, pointing to the rise of purpose-driven loyalty.
33% remain due to convenience, showing that frictionless access and service still hold power.
25% are retained via health/wellbeing perks, demonstrating the appeal of loyalty programmes that contribute to personal wellness.
18% switched due to a lack of innovation – underlining the need for brands to refresh and evolve their offerings regularly.

Everyday loyalty is increasingly defined by identity, values, and experience integration.

Final Word from Andrew Harrison-Chinn, CMO, DragonPass

“Loyalty is no longer transactional – it’s deeply emotional. For too long, brands have relied on outdated reward schemes that focus solely on points and perks, without truly understanding the human connections and values that create lasting commitment. Our Loyalty Index helps decode that emotional DNA by revealing the Loyalty Languages that really motivate consumers today.

At DragonPass, we’re committed to building enduring relationships grounded in relevance, recognition, and rewards that genuinely matter. This report is a wake-up call for brands: success in today’s loyalty economy hinges on recognising and responding to each consumer’s unique loyalty language.”

Conclusion: Loyalty Is Now Emotional Intelligence

The 2025 Loyalty Index confirms: points aren’t enough. Today’s consumers demand:

Emotional alignment
Simplicity and transparency
Personal security and trust

To thrive in the £2.56 billion UK loyalty market, brands must evolve loyalty from a programme into a relationship –tailored, meaningful, and values-led.

About DragonPass

Founded in 2005, DragonPass is the world’s leading digital platform for airport, travel, and lifestyle services, serving over 40 million members worldwide.

With local offices in London and Manchester and operations across the US, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and China, DragonPass supports global consumer engagement through:

1300+ airport lounges and fast track access
Exclusive dining and travel benefits
Plug-and-play solutions including APIs, SDKs, and white-label tech
Advanced personalisation via AI

As the largest provider of lounge services to UK banks and trusted partner to over 200 financial institutions and telcos, DragonPass is at the forefront of reimagining loyalty for the modern consumer era.