The Long Tail of Luxury Travel Rewards

Remember when redeeming points felt like choosing from a predictable menu? Dining credits, room upgrades, business class seats — It was luxury, sure, but not exactly thrilling. Now, premium loyalty programs are rewriting the rules, taking a cue from the airline industry’s endless upgrades and add-ons. 

Luxury travel is moving beyond traditional indulgences like high-end resort stays, lavish dining, and extravagant splurging. According to Skift Research, high-income households earning over $150,000 are increasingly prioritizing adventure and meaningful experiences. In 2025, luxury travel will become synonymous with the ability to access a long tail of hyper-personalized experiences and more intimate accommodations. The days of one-size-fits-all are over — luxury is whatever you want it to be.

As this trend gains momentum, online booking platforms for travel credit cards are offering an expanding selection of curated experiences and premium vacation rentals. In 2023, Capital One Travel introduced its first luxury accommodation program, the Premier Collection. This program for Venture X cardholders features a tailored mix of luxury vacation rentals and hotels, each handpicked by Capital One for their exceptional quality, unparalleled service, and unique destinations.

SkiftX spoke with Jenn Scheurich, managing vice president, head of Capital One Travel, lounge, and retail experience, about the shifting definition of luxury as it becomes more atomized, individualized, and seamlessly integrated into credit card loyalty frameworks. 

SkiftX: How do you define luxury travel in 2025? 

Jenn Scheurich: Luxury is evolving as new generations become a greater share of the market. Millennials and Gen Z are projected to account for 80 percent of luxury purchases by 2030, and they have specific preferences that are currently and will continue to shape the market. Our cardholders are prioritizing personalized, unique, and seamless services above more traditional notions of luxury. Within the Capital One Travel portal, the Premier Collection reflects this shift with a curated selection of boutique and premium properties chosen for their character and quality. With on-site perks and elevated rewards, we’re creating stays that are not just luxurious but uniquely tailored to each traveler.

How does Capital One’s Premier Collection cater to the individual needs and expectations of today’s travelers?

Privacy and curated experiences are becoming more important to travelers. Each property within our Premier Collection is selected for its exclusivity and ability to offer unique and catered experiences, ensuring our travelers enjoy their privacy in amazing settings. We’ve been excited to introduce vacation rentals to the Premier Collection this year, reflecting expanding traveler preferences — whether that’s more space for a family to spread out or amenities like a private pool for friend getaways.

Separately, Velocity Black, which Capital One acquired in 2023, is our luxury digital lifestyle concierge service that harnesses the power of human experts and technology to offer members world-class experiences. Whether travelers are seeking a quiet retreat or an adrenaline-fuelled adventure, Velocity Black helps ensure every detail aligns with what each traveler envisions for their trip. Our approach centers on creating memorable experiences that resonate deeply with personal desires and expectations. We want to make sure our customers feel like VIPs every single time.

As the long tail of luxury travel rewards grows to include more boutique stays and unique accommodations, how do vacation rentals expand the possibilities for loyal customers to access personalized luxury?

We saw our cardholders seeking something different — private, elevated stays that feel special, whether for a family trip, a romantic getaway, or just a change of scenery while working remotely. Expanding into luxury vacation rentals was the natural next step. As with our Premier Collection hotels, each stay comes with a $100 experience credit (or the local equivalent), which can be used for amenities like fridge stocking, private chefs, spa services, or other select activities at the home. This integration not only fits perfectly within our loyalty ecosystem by making aspirational experiences attainable with rewards but also adds an extra layer of value, allowing cardholders to stay somewhere incredible and feel smart about it, too.

You say that Capital One Travel curates “end-to-end travel experiences” — how do you define “end-to-end travel experiences” in the context of long-tail luxury? 

It means we’ve got you covered from the moment you start planning to when you’re back home sharing your stories. It’s not just about making a booking — it’s about making every part of your journey seamless and special. For example, even before our travelers leave, we help pinpoint the best time to travel with our price prediction tools through our Capital One Travel portal, ensuring they get great value without compromising luxury. Then, as their journey begins, our Capital One Lounges and Landings offer a slice of comfort and luxury right at the airport — like a pre-vacation relaxation zone. Once they arrive, the VIP treatment continues. Through our Premier Collection, we ensure they enjoy perks like room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, and experience credits. It’s all about ensuring that their trip feels effortless and exceptional from start to finish.

Millennial and Gen Z travelers are increasingly focused on value alongside luxury. How does Capital One Travel balance exclusivity with accessibility in its offerings?

Millennial and Gen Z travelers aren’t just chasing luxury — they’re after experiences that really stand out, especially when it’s for special occasions like birthdays or group trips with friends. We know that this demographic is up for spending on premium travel if it means getting something truly special. Our Premier and Lifestyle Collections open up access to upscale hotels and resorts that usually might be a bit of a splurge, but with the added benefits we include — things like experience credits, better earn rates, special services, and travel credits — these stays become smart, exciting choices. And with benefits such as an annual $300 travel credit and 10 miles per dollar on bookings for Venture X cardholders, luxury travel and one-of-a-kind experiences become that much more in reach. 

We also partner with PRIOR, a leading authority in luxury travel and cultural immersion, to create bespoke trip itineraries that allow customers to experience destinations like locals, and get access to off-the-beaten-path activities. Next year’s trips will give cardholders the chance to visit popular destinations like Rome and the South of France in new and uniquely intimate ways, with itineraries that cater to specific passions and interests like food, design, sports, and art, featuring unique experiences with talented experts.  

How does your use of data enable you to unlock the long tail of preferences for travelers, making even the most specific or unconventional experiences accessible?

We use a lot of smart tech to make booking trips really straightforward and personalized for each traveler. Through data analysis, like travel trends and customer preferences, we help pinpoint the best times to book so customers are always getting great value. We also offer features like Price Freeze and Cancel for Any Reason, giving everyone more flexibility in their travel plans. Our collections offer a selection of vacation rentals and hotels that are not just luxurious but also tailored to what our customers love, thanks to real-time feedback and booking data.

How do you think about loyalty? 

Loyalty should feel like more than just earning points. We want our cardholders to see our benefits as a way to unlock unique experiences. Our Premier Collection is a great example. It’s an elevated offering that feels exclusive but remains attainable through rewards. These offerings provide more than just perks — they create lasting impressions and a deeper connection with our cardholders. What sets us apart is the flexibility of our rewards, which appeal to travelers looking to explore new destinations. When cardholders use these programs, we see increased engagement across our ecosystem — higher card usage, deeper loyalty, and a stronger connection to Capital One Travel. By focusing on in-destination value and elevating what a “loyalty program” can offer, we’re creating travel experiences that truly resonate with our cardholders.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the next big opportunity for travel reward booking platforms to provide high-touch, curated experiences to customers?

The future lies in combining cutting-edge technology with personal, high-touch service. Travelers want platforms that can anticipate what they need — suggesting the ideal property or planning a unique activity — while still offering that personal, concierge-level support when it matters most. We’re focused on creating experiences that feel effortless yet unforgettable. 

For more information about the premium offerings from Capital One Travel, click here.

This content was created collaboratively by Capital One Travel and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.