Discount culture has long been a part of commerce in the UK, but in 2026 it is travel discounts driven by loyalty apps and mobile-first offers that best show how it has evolved. Rather than solely relying on seasonal sales, the travel industry rewards repeat customers with things like early deals and app-based pricing.
Travel Discounts and Rise of Loyalty Apps
In the UK, travel is embedded in discounts and cost-cutting. Airlines such as British Airways and low-cost providers like EasyJet, who offer savings up to £500, and Ryanair run sales throughout the year, providing exclusive offers through their apps. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic also offers reduced fares on long-haul destinations with its Flying Club scheme, providing members with discounts of up to 30% and early access to promotions.
Package travel providers have also learnt about loyalty-led or early-booking discounts. Club Med has advertised up to £600 off package ski deals in early 2026, while Crystal Ski have also promoted limited-time offers with £200 off their packages. Experience-based travel is also being shaped by loyalty schemes. Attractions like zoos and wildlife encourage local tourism, with off-peak pricing and membership programmes reinforcing the idea that value comes from timing and engagement.
Hotel Loyalty Programmes and Member-Only Pricing
Hotels in the UK and abroad rely increasingly on membership schemes to attract and retain guests. These schemes reward repeat bookings through points-based systems and allow guests to take advantage of better pricing or upgrades. Moreover, members can receive exclusive access to deals or promotions, such as double points for booking multiple nights within a specific period.
Major chains like Marriott Bonvoy are leaders in the industry and provide access to rooms that otherwise are not available on comparison websites. Discounts can be modest, up to 5% with Marriott, but this can increase with longer stays; customers can take advantage of savings of 10% for 3 nights, 15% for 4 nights, and 20% for 5+ nights.
Discounts in the Digital Age
As travel has transformed into an industry that is reliant on web bookings, companies have leveraged digital technology to attract and retain customers. This is something we have seen across sectors as they have shifted online. A strong point of comparison, and from which the travel industry learned, is the gaming sector, which experienced a mass migration to digital platforms.
There are a number of companies who have refined their discount-driven strategy to reward users. For example, Buzz Bingo in the iGaming sector allows users to sign up for free to access their wide range of slots and other online games. New players are greeted with promotions such as bonus credit or free spins, while existing users can be rewarded based on their prior play and engagement with the site. Recent data shows 35% of UK travellers belong to a reward programme, according to Mintel, while roughly 75% of online gamers engage with promotional offers, illustrating how both industries rely on digital discounts.
In the travel sector, offers can shape our behaviour in the long run, rather than simply encouraging one-off, impulsive purchases. This means loyalty and membership schemes are increasingly important and help all aspects of the travel industry connect people with the travel that they want.
