Card-Linking: A new ally to strengthen the Direct Channel in Travel

Affiliate marketing is evolving towards more sophisticated, more measurable models that are more closely connected to real consumer behaviour. For years, many brands have associated the affiliate channel with links, coupons, cashback or sales attributed to the last click. But the partnership ecosystem is entering a new stage.

One of the trends attracting growing interest is Card-Linking, also known as Card-linked offers or CLO. For travel companies, this model can open up new opportunities to drive direct bookings, activate high-value audiences and reduce friction in the purchase process. Most importantly, it connects rewards, transactional data and measurable results within a more advanced affiliate strategy.

What is Card-Linking?

Card-linking is a mechanism that allows an offer to be linked directly to a user’s payment card.

The process is simple: the user registers or links their credit or debit card within a banking app, fintech, wallet, rewards platform, loyalty programme or benefits club. Then, when they make a valid purchase with that card at a participating brand, they automatically receive a reward, cashback, points, discount or associated benefit.

• No need to enter a promotional code.
• No need to rely exclusively on clicking a traditional link at the moment of purchase.
• The reward is activated through the transaction made with the linked card.

In other words, Card-linking connects the offer with the user’s actual payment, creating a smoother experience for the consumer and a more advanced measurement opportunity for the brand.

How do Card-Linked Offers work?

Although each partner or platform may have its own specific setup, the process usually follows a similar logic:

• The user links their card to a rewards programme, loyalty platform, bank, fintech, wallet or specialist app.
• The partner displays an offer from a participating brand within its environment: app, email, push notification, private area or benefits marketplace.
• The user activates the offer and purchases from the participating brand using the linked card.
• The transaction is validated through the card-linked partner.
• The user receives their reward.
• The brand can analyse campaign performance based on sales, transactions, segments or results.
• The main difference compared with other affiliate models is that the reward is not triggered only by a click, but by a purchase made with a previously linked payment card.

This does not mean that card-linking replaces traditional affiliate marketing. It means it adds a new layer to the partnership ecosystem: more transactional, more integrated and with less friction for the user.

Why is Card-Linking gaining relevance?

The growth of card-linking is connected to several trends that are transforming digital marketing.

• The first is the demand for simpler experiences: users want benefits, but they do not want complicated processes. If a reward is applied automatically when they pay, the experience becomes easier and more natural.
• The second is the rise of rewards and loyalty programmes: consumers are increasingly familiar with receiving cashback, points, miles, benefits or perks linked to their purchases. Card-linking fits naturally into this behaviour because it allows rewards to be activated without interrupting the purchase journey.
• The third is the need to work with more reliable data: in an environment where cookies, privacy and attribution remain key topics, models based on real transactions can add an extra layer of value.
• The fourth is the evolution of the affiliate channel itself: affiliate marketing is no longer limited to generating sales through links or codes. Increasingly, we are talking about partnerships, qualified audiences, rewards models, data, incrementality and traffic quality.

Coupons, Cashback and Card-Linking: three complementary ways to drive Direct Sales

Coupons, cashback and card-linking can all play a valuable role within a well-managed affiliate strategy. Rather than replacing one another, each model offers a different way to reach users, influence decisions and support direct sales depending on the campaign objective, market, audience and strategy.

Coupon

• How it works: The user enters a promotional code during the booking or purchase process.
• Main value for travel brands: Coupons are easy to communicate, familiar to users and highly effective for tactical campaigns.
• Best used for:Creating urgency, supporting seasonal promotions, activating specific markets or improving conversion at key moments.

Cashback

• How it works: The user purchases through a cashback platform and receives part of the amount back once the transaction has been validated.
• Main value for travel brands: Cashback is a strong conversion incentive and can help attract users with high purchase intent.
• Best used for: Reaching value-conscious audiences, increasing booking motivation and supporting direct sales through performance-based campaigns.

Card-Linking

• How it works: The user activates an offer linked to their payment card and receives a reward when paying with that card.
• Main value for travel brands: Card-linking offers a lower-friction reward experience, connected to transactional data and trusted environments such as banks, fintechs or wallets.
• Best used for: Reducing friction, activating rewards partnerships, reaching qualified audiences and supporting transaction-based measurement.

Card-Linking and Travel Direct Sales: why they work so well together

For many travel brands, direct bookings are a priority. It is not just about generating more bookings, but about having greater control over the customer relationship, improving profitability and reducing dependency on intermediaries.

Card-linking can support this strategy because it allows brands to activate partners that already have a trusted relationship with the user: banks, fintechs, rewards apps, wallets, benefits programmes or communities with segmented audiences.

When an offer appears within these environments, the brand is not simply offering an incentive. It is entering a space where the user is already checking benefits, managing payments or interacting with rewards. This can help create a more direct connection between the brand and the traveller, especially when the campaign is designed to drive conversion through the official website or direct channel.

The key is not to treat card-linking as a simple promotional action. Its real potential appears when it is integrated into a broader affiliate strategy, with clear objectives, the right partners and proper performance measurement.

The growth of card-linked offers is part of a broader evolution within the affiliate channel.

Affiliate marketing is moving from a channel focused mainly on links and final attribution to a much more diverse partnership ecosystem. In this new stage, traditional publishers, cashback, loyalty, creators, comparison sites, specialist media, fintechs, banks, wallets, technology platforms and transaction-based partners can all play a role.

For travel companies, this represents a clear opportunity: to work with more sophisticated partners, access new audiences and generate direct sales through results-based models.

But it also requires more expert management. Not all partners bring the same value, not all sales have the same level of incrementality, and not every campaign should be measured only by volume.

The future of affiliate marketing will not be about activating more partners for the sake of it. It will be about selecting better, measuring better and optimising better.

---

FAQ’s About Card-Linking

• What is card-linking?

Card-linking is a mechanism that connects an offer directly to a user’s payment card. Once the user activates the offer and pays with the linked card, they automatically receive a reward, cashback, points or associated benefit if the transaction meets the campaign conditions.

• How do card-linked offers work?

Card-linked offers usually work through banks, fintechs, wallets, rewards platforms, loyalty programmes or benefits clubs. The user links their card, activates an offer, makes the purchase with that card and receives the reward once the transaction has been validated.

• What is the difference between card-linking and cashback?

Traditional cashback usually requires the user to access the brand through a specific platform or link so the purchase can be correctly attributed. Card-linking, on the other hand, connects the reward directly to the payment card, reducing friction and making the benefit activation more automatic.

• Why is card-linking interesting for hotels and travel brands?

Card-linking can help hotels and travel brands drive direct bookings, reach qualified audiences, reduce friction in the purchase process and work within trusted environments such as banking apps, fintechs, wallets, rewards programmes or benefits platforms.