Knowledge Hub · Glossary
Co-Branded Card
A co-branded card is a credit card issued with a specific airline or hotel, earning that brand's own points or miles directly. The rewards are locked to that program rather than transferable to others. In exchange, the card often bundles perks tied to the brand, like free checked bags or annual free nights.
What it means in practice
The appeal of a co-branded card is the brand benefits and the simple earn. If you fly one airline or stay with one hotel group often, the perks can outweigh the lost flexibility. Free nights, priority boarding, and elite night credits all live on these cards.
The drawback is the points only go one place. Where a transferable currency could route to many partners, a co-branded balance is stuck with its program, fully exposed to that program's devaluations.
Example
An airline co-branded card might earn 2 miles per dollar on that airline and include a free checked bag, but those miles only work for that one program.
Related terms
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