The Loyalty Newswire December 1, 2025

The Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer

From the Editor

The world is full of contrast.

On the bright side:

World Loyalty Giving Day is December 2. Don’t miss the opportunity to sweep out some of your unused loyalty point balances and support a worthy cause.
There is still an opportunity to enter your brand for recognition at the International Loyalty Awards. Entries close on December 12, 2025.

On the darker side:

Subway relaunched its Sub Club, but franchisees are not at all pleased with the result. Anonymous comments from franchisees ranged from “Buy 3 get 1 free is financial suicide” and “this is a brand-destroying decision”.
Clever consumers discovered a loophole in GM Rewards that allowed some members to make large payments on GM car loans. The program was temporarily shut down as a result.

The news reminds us of the importance of applying rigor to the financial planning and operational governance of loyalty programs. There is complexity in both areas that escapes many marketers and program operators.

We are here to help you succeed. Let us know how we can help.

Bill Hanifin, Managing Editor, The Wise Marketer

Short Takes

World Loyalty Giving Day (WLGD) is December 2nd

The 2^nd Annual World Loyalty Giving Day happens on Dec 2, and it’s bigger than ever. Taking place on Giving Tuesday, World Loyalty Giving Day is the capstone of the Black Friday / Cyber Monday / Giving Tuesday trilogy of events that mark the official kickoff of the holiday shopping season.

WLGD is a day where loyalty points can literally change lives. Visit this link to learn more about WLGD and how you can participate. Please support the cause by posting about it on LinkedIn using this link and sharing across your network using #PointsForGoodChallenge.

Entries Due December 12 – International Loyalty Awards 2026

The International Loyalty Awards (ILA) has announced that entries are now officially open for its 17th annual celebration. Entries are due by 12 December 2025. For the first time, the awards ceremony will take place in the United States, with Atlanta, Georgia, confirmed as the host city for 2026.

The ILA recognizes outstanding achievements across industries, from retail and travel to financial services and digital innovation. A new category has also been introduced for 2026 – Best Supplier / Vendor – highlighting the essential role of solution providers and technology innovators within the loyalty ecosystem. Full details of categories and entry requirements can be found in the official information pack, available to download here.

Sub Club Is Back and Better Than Ever at Subway®, Get Every Fourth Footlong Free

Subway is bringing back Sub Club after 20 years and the official press release says that “it’s bigger, bolder and more rewarding than ever.” The brand is centering its value proposition on making every fourth footlong free to loyalty program members.

“Subway’s original Sub Club card set the standard for restaurant loyalty programs, and we’re committed to ensuring our current program continues to deliver meaningful rewards and experiences for our guests. Our top priority as we rebuilt Sub Club was to reduce the number of visits needed to earn something of real value. With that focus, we’re introducing our richest loyalty program ever,” said Dave Skena, Chief Marketing Officer, North America. “That’s why we’re also giving Sub Club members a chance to earn some extra bread this holiday season.”

Subway franchisees say the chain’s new loyalty program is too aggressive

Subway is bringing back a modernized “Sub Club” program, giving customers a free footlong sub with the purchase of three footlong or six 6-inch sandwiches. To operators, the program is too generous and could exacerbate a problem many of them have with profitability.

“F that,” one operator said, via text, when asked about the program. “The basic concept is fine. The execution is 100% bullshit.” We’ll pause on that comment and encourage you to read the full article here.

GM Rewards Has a Factory Recall

GM Rewards is the loyalty program offered by General Motors to encourage repeat vehicle purchase and brand loyalty across Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac brands. The program is free to join and members earn 1 point per every $5 spent on new GM vehicles and 3X points on eligible purchases. Members were rewarded for various promotional actions like watching videos, completing surveys, or engaging with GM content. Points can be redeemed for GM merchandise, auto parts, accessories, or applied to loan balances with GM Financial.

It was recently reported that clever consumers identified a “loyalty hack” where points could be earned quickly on non-purchase activities and then aggregated into one account using an instant transfer. Apparently there were gaps in verification and no limits clearly enforced. Reports surfaced on social media of members paying off large car loan balances – as much as $59,000 – with accumulated GM Rewards points. The program has been paused for the moment. We are digging into this further.

Mesa Partners with Omni Hotels & Resorts to Launch New Loyalty Transfer Program

Mesa, a leading homeowner membership platform, announced a new partnership with Omni Hotels & Resorts, introducing a points transfer program that allows homeowners to turn their biggest investment into memorable getaways.

Now, members can convert Mesa Points into Omni Credits, which are redeemable for hotel stays. This collaboration marks the first time Omni Hotels & Resorts has partnered with a credit card platform to enable points-based transfer redemptions.

Mesa is a leading homeowner membership platform—combining credit cards, mortgages, and rewards to make homeownership more affordable and rewarding. With the Mesa Mortgage and Mesa Homeowners Card, members can earn value back for every dollar spent on their home. In a market that Mesa estimates represents $8 trillion in annual homeowner spend, Mesa brings credit card–style loyalty and benefits to America’s largest household expense. Learn more at mesamember.com.

Trip Advisor Rewards Offering Holiday Promotion

Tripadvisor rolled out Tripadvisor Rewards in the United States during August 2025. The free loyalty program gives members the chance to earn 5% back in “Trip Cash” on hotel and experience bookings. It also offers a 1:1 dollar redemption ratio for future in-app bookings.

Currently Tripadvisor Rewards is offering a $50 activity credit for enrollments through December 2. Consumers only need to download the Tripadvisor app, create an account or log in to an existing account and verify your phone number.

[AUS] Fitell Corporation Announces Shareholder Loyalty Program

Fitell Corporation (NASDAQ:FTEL) announced Tuesday that its board of directors has declared an interim dividend of $0.10 per share and introduced a one-time shareholder loyalty program offering up to an additional $0.15 per share.

The shareholder loyalty program will provide eligible investors who transfer their shares into book-entry form with the company’s transfer agent by December 29, 2025, the opportunity to receive payments in three tranches of $0.05 each. Shareholders must maintain continuous ownership for 30, 60, and 90 calendar days respectively to receive each payment.

[Europe] RyanAir Shutters Loyalty Program Trial

Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 airline, announced on November 28 that it will close its Prime member offering following an 8-month trial period. All existing 55,000 Prime members will continue to enjoy exclusive monthly low fare offers until Oct 2026, but no new members will be allowed to sign up after Fri, 28 Nov.

Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady explained that a lack of profitability killed the program, saying “Over the years, customers have asked for a Ryanair members scheme, so we trialed this ‘Prime’ scheme over the last 8 months. To date, we have signed up over 55,000 Prime members, generating over €4.4m in subscription fees. However, our Prime members have received over €6m in fare discounts, so this trial has cost more money than it generates. This level of memberships, or subscription revenue does not justify the time and effort it takes to launch monthly exclusive Prime seat sales for our 55,000 Prime members. We are grateful to our 55,000 Prime members who signed up to this Prime trial over the last 8-months, and they can rest assured that they will continue to enjoy exclusive flight and seat savings for the remainder of their 12-month membership.”

[India] Jindal Stainless announces India’s largest loyalty program for the stainless steel sector

Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL), India’s largest stainless steel manufacturer, has announced the launch of ‘JSL Saathi Pragati’, a first-of-its-kind initiative for the company and the country’s largest loyalty programme for the stainless steel Pipes & Tubes (P&T) segment.

‘JSL Saathi Pragati’ builds on the company’s previously launched Jindal Saathi Seal, a co-branded initiative aimed to protect customers and trade partners from counterfeit products, ensuring easy identification of genuine stainless steel pipes and tubes.

[Vietnam] LynkiD Pioneers Blockchain-Powered Open Loyalty Platform

LynkiD’s Open Loyalty model connects brands across industries, from banking, aviation to e-commerce and retail, into a unified loyalty network. Instead of operating separate reward systems, partners can integrate directly, allowing customers to earn and redeem points seamlessly across brands.

Powered by big data and artificial intelligence (AI), the platform helps businesses better understand customer behavior, personalize offers, and maximize customer lifetime value. For consumers, it delivers a transparent, frictionless experience, where every transaction brings tangible benefits.

[CMO Perspective] From Points To Purpose: Building Loyalty Is The Next Evolution Of Customer Experience

Toni Stoeckl, Chief Marketing Officer at Starwood Hotels writes in this article that the next evolution of customer experience is not about transactions. It’s about connection.

As Starwood launched its new 1 Hotels brand, the company recast its vision for loyalty, saying that “for us, loyalty isn’t a punch card or a points chase. It’s a relationship rooted in purpose, belonging and shared responsibility.” Read this insightful article.

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