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CORA Physical Therapy

What Is Travel PT? CORA’s Ultimate Guide to Travel Physical Therapy

Aug 04 2022 | CORA Development Team

Travel PT has traditionally been used by independent physical therapists to pursue contract work in different locations. CORA’s Travel PT program takes that concept to the next level, helping young PT professionals expand their horizons.

If you are thinking about, training for, or just entering the physical therapy profession, congratulations on choosing this in-demand field. Between now and 2030, the number of PT job openings in the U.S. will grow by nearly 20%, creating ample opportunities for both stationary and travel PT clinicians.

What’s the difference? Traditionally, physical therapists have chosen a location and worked their way up through a corporate structure or private practice. The advantages of staying stationary include steady income, reliable benefits, roots in the community, and specialization to meet the unique needs of the client base.

Conversely, travel PT clinicians pursue contract roles in different communities across the country or around the world. The advantages of being a travel PT include the flexibility of location, and the choices of timing and commitment. The primary disadvantage is not knowing when or where the next opportunity will arise.

CORA Physical Therapy is one of the largest U.S. providers of PT services and recently unveiled an in-house Travel PT program. Our Senior Vice President of Operations oversees the program and explains why now is the perfect time for its launch.

“Travel PT is becoming even more popular and attractive to new grads, who have the freedom to explore new areas while paying off school loans. Therapists can enjoy the perks of traveling while also enjoying the benefits of working with one stable and growing company. We consider this program to be the best of both worlds!”

CORA’s 250+ locations span from the white sandy beaches of Fort Myers to the shores of Lake Michigan, covering 10 states in the Southeast, mid-Atlantic and Midwest. In each community it serves, CORA clinics tend to specialize in different types of injuries and rehabilitation services. While shoveling snow may cause back pain in Illinois and Wisconsin, Florida and Georgia might see more fishing and watersports injuries. At each stop along the way, travel PT clinicians learn something new.

“Therapists can grow their clinical skills through exposure to a variety of programs, including pediatrics, sports medicine, worker’s comp, industrial rehab, lymphedema and hand therapy. They can also gain firsthand knowledge of the area from our local team, including the best places to eat, live and cool things to do.”

Travel PTs operate on a 13-week cycle, and are offered options for where they would like to be placed next. Each clinic uses the same EMR system, which helps to ease the transition between assignments, empowering therapists to hit the ground running in a new market.

Hopefully, after rotating through several communities, travel PT clinicians will find a full-time position in a clinic that they love. With dozens of new CORA clinics opening each year, there are also many opportunities to manage a new clinic full-time.

Learn more about Travel PT

All the fun of travel, plus the benefits!

Therapists accepted into the travel PT program receive the same great benefits as stationary clinicians, including:

• Retirement, healthcare and an extensive career pathway;
• CORA’s one-on-one year-long mentorship program;
• Tuition reimbursement for advanced certifications;
• Accrued paid time off, which can be used at any time;
• Free internal continuing education;
• Free MedBridge subscriptions for continuing education;
• Additional mentorship from different clinic managers and local leadership.

Travel PT is already a success for CORA, both in attracting the next generation of industry leaders and sharing knowledge among different clinics in the organization.

“This program is a home run for CORA. The clinics have a trained therapist that can walk in and contribute to the team very quickly. The clinics also benefit from learning new best practices, tips, exercises, and innovative approaches that the travel PT picked up from other clinics.”

Ideal travel PT clinicians are flexible and team-oriented. They should easily build a rapport with patients and coworkers, embracing life in the communities that CORA serves. They need to have great communication skills, building trust and working relationships easily. If this sounds like a challenge you’re ready to accept, please consider applying to CORA’s Travel PT program today. Click here for program details and to contact our Talent Acquisition Team.

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Travel physical therapist career guide

Travel physical therapists are valuable members of the healthcare workforce who are growing in demand for their vital skills; according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) , the physical therapy profession is projected to grow 15 percent in the next 10 years. This increase in demand will also drive more opportunities for physical therapists to travel to facilities across the country. With Nomad, travel physical therapists have the opportunity to earn higher pay and explore new cities while continuing to have a meaningful impact on patient lives.

What is a travel physical therapist?

Travel physical therapists, or travel PTs, are healthcare professionals who help people recover from injury and illness through movement, pain management, and hands-on care. They travel to different locations, usually every 13 weeks, to provide their much-needed skills to facilities experiencing staffing shortages.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) , physical therapists can work in a wide range of settings such as:

• Outpatient clinics
• Home Health
• Sports and fitness facilities
• Nursing homes

Similar to their traditional counterparts, travel PTs are able to work in a variety of settings depending on their previous clinical experiences and training. To qualify for a position with Nomad, travel PTs are typically required to have at least 24 months of experience in their chosen clinical specialty.

The conditions treated by travel physical therapists are as diverse as the settings where physical therapists work. Travel physical therapists are able to treat patients of all ages, from neonatal to geriatric. Some care for post-op orthopedic patients in the acute hospital setting, while others focus on helping patients recover from surgeries or illnesses at home. Travel physical therapists in the hospital setting can also work in multiple clinical areas, from critical care to med-surg. You can see a complete list of the conditions treated by travel physical therapists here .

Ultimately, the main goal of a travel physical therapist is to restore function, reduce pain, prevent injury, and promote the patient’s ability to move. They can provide care at any stage of a patient’s journey, whether it be an acute stay in the hospital, or in an outpatient clinic setting.

Looking for travel physical therapist jobs?

Travel physical therapist job responsibilities.

According to the BLS , the general responsibilities of travel physical therapists include, but are not limited to:

• Reviewing patients’ medical history and referrals or notes from doctors, surgeons, or other healthcare workers
• Diagnosing patients’ functions and movements by observing them stand or walk and by listening to their concerns
• Developing individualized plans of care for patients, outlining the patient's goals and the expected outcomes of the plans
• Using exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease patients’ pain, help them increase their mobility, prevent further pain or injury, and facilitate health and wellness
• Evaluating and recording a patient’s progress, modifying the plan of care, and trying new treatments as needed
• Educating patients and their families about what to expect from the recovery process and how to cope with challenges throughout the process
• Overseeing the work of physical therapist assistants and aides
• Consulting with physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other specialists

Travel physical therapists have the additional responsibility of understanding the physical therapy practice act of each state where they take a travel job. These laws can vary, which can affect the travel physical therapists’ scope of practice as they travel from one location to another. Travel PTs are also expected to hit the ground running and adapt quickly to new environments, charting systems, and workflows.

Types of travel physical therapists

Like traditional staff physical therapists, travel physical therapists can be generalists or specialize in different clinical areas. Nomad currently offers 13 different categories for travel physical therapy. These include:

• Cardiovascular and pulmonary
• Clinical electrophysiology
• Orthopedics
• Women’s Health
• Wound management

Travel physical therapists fulfill the same roles and responsibilities of staff PTs but on a temporary basis.

Travel physical therapist salary

The current average total compensation of a Nomad travel physical therapist, including stipends, is $2,102 a week. In terms of the weekly average hourly pay rate with Nomad, the current range is $40 to $92 an hour.* This is higher than $1,579, which is the current average weekly pay of staff physical therapists according to Indeed .

Choosing high-paying locations, obtaining more work experience, and specializing as a travel physical therapist may positively impact total compensation.

*Based on the average compensation data of travel physical therapists with Nomad as of September 26, 2023.

Highest-paying travel physical therapist jobs

With Nomad, the highest-paying travel physical therapist job is $3,640 a week, including a travel stipend. The locations that feature the highest pay are currently New York, Massachusetts, and Montana.*

*Based on compensation data of travel physical therapists with Nomad as of September 26, 2023.

Pros and cons of being a travel physical therapist

While traveling as a physical therapist offers many benefits, it's important to consider the whole picture and understand the potential challenges that come with traveling, especially if it’s your first time.

Some of the pros of traveling as a physical therapist include the potential to increase pay, explore new locations, experience new facilities and healthcare systems, and be exposed to new patient populations and clinical situations.

Some of the cons of traveling as a physical therapist include having to relocate often, having less time to acclimate to new work environments, incurring extra expenses related to traveling, obtaining new licenses, and at times, dealing with loneliness.

How to become a travel physical therapist

The road to becoming a travel physical therapist involves obtaining an advanced degree and passing a national exam. From there, you must gain work experience to qualify for most travel positions. Read a detailed overview of the steps to becoming a travel physical therapist below.

Earn an undergraduate degree

The first step in becoming a travel physical therapist is to obtain an undergraduate degree. The qualifying degree to be a physical therapist is a doctorate; you’ll most likely need a bachelor's degree with completed prerequisites to apply.

According to the APTA, some programs have specific pathways that allow early admission to a doctorate program through the successful completion of set preprofessional courses; even fewer programs may allow direct acceptance from high school pending the completion of specific undergraduate courses, amongst other requirements.

Obtain a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree

Once you earn an undergraduate degree, apply for and get accepted into a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program from a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) -approved program. Most DPT programs take three years of full-time study to complete.

Pass a state-licensure exam

Once you earn your DPT degree, pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and comply with state licensing board requirements. Once these two steps are complete, you’ll be fully licensed to practice as a physical therapist!

Gain clinical experience

In order to qualify for most travel PT jobs, you’ll need at least 24 months of physical therapy experience in your chosen specialty. Gain hands-on experience and build your skills so you can step into traveling as confidently as possible.

Get licensed and apply for travel jobs

Once you have the minimum years of required clinical experience, you’re ready to start searching and applying for travel physical therapy jobs! If you intend to work in a state you’re not licensed in yet, be sure to visit that state’s physical therapy board website to check for any requirements.

Travel physical therapist skills

Working as a travel physical therapist requires core skills that are made up of a mix of hard and soft skills. These are acquired through extensive schooling, continuing education, and hands-on clinical experience.

Hard skills

• Some of the hard skills required of travel physical therapists include:
• Deep knowledge of anatomy and physiology
• Understanding pharmacology and pathophysiology
• Manual therapy techniques
• Exercise therapy techniques
• Knowing rehabilitation principles and practices
• Keen assessment skills
• Ability to implement different teaching techniques

Certain hard skills may be necessary depending on the clinical area. For example, travel physical therapists working in intensive care units may be required to treat patients who are medically unstable and have multiple critical medical devices attached to them. PTs will have to learn how to safely manage critical medical devices when providing treatment and notice when patients are decompensating or not tolerating interventions.

Soft skills

Some of the soft skills needed by travel physical therapists include:

• Cultural sensitivity and awareness
• Time management
• Interpersonal skills
• Flexibility
• Adaptability
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking
• Physical dexterity and stamina

Travel physical therapist certifications

Travel physical therapists can demonstrate their competency in specialized knowledge and advanced clinical skills by obtaining board certification in various specialties. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties currently offers board certification in 10 specialty areas:

• Cardiovascular and Pulmonary
• Clinical Electrophysiology
• Orthopaedics
• Women's Health
• Wound Management

While certifications aren’t required, they can increase your expertise and solidify your skills as a travel physical therapist. Having these can also make you a more attractive candidate to future employers and facilities.

Frequently asked questions about travel physical therapists

How can i make a lot of money as a travel physical therapist, are travel pts in high demand, is being a travel physical therapist worth it, travel physical therapist healthcare resources.

• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). (n.d.). Becoming a Physical Therapist. Retrieved from https://www.apta.org/your-career/careers-in-physical-therapy/becoming-a-pt
• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). (n.d.). Board-Certified Clinical Specialist. Retrieved from https://www.apta.org/your-career/career-advancement/specialist-certification
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). What Physical Therapists Do. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm#tab-4
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020: 29-1123 Physical Therapists. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291123.htm
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Physical Therapists. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Work Environment. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm#tab-2
• Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from https://www.capteonline.org/
• Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). (n.d.). National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Retrieved from https://www.fsbpt.org/Secondary-Pages/Exam-Candidates/National-Exam-NPTE
• Indeed. (n.d.). Physical Therapist Salaries in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.indeed.com/career/physical-therapist/salaries

Author profile

Dr. Jess here!

I help new grad pts thrive as travel therapists, (and beyond…), freebies & resources, get started with your dream career, the travel therapist’s starter guide.

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• How to make TWICE as much $$$$ as a perm employee in the EXACT same job.

Hey There, Wanderlusting Soul,

Dr. jess, here. i’ve been a travel pt & coach x 10 years. .

Travel Therapy changed my life, and I know it will change yours too! But the truth is, I made every mistake in the book:

• nightmare assignments 
• deceitful recruiting companies
• missed negotiations
• overpriced housing 
• botched interviews
• just to name a few…

It took 8 years to finally dial- in a repeatable process that consistently land me great jobs, that paid me what I wanted, and allowed me to live on my terms.

Everywhere I go, I meet aspiring Traveling PTs who wish they could do the same and that’s why I created this blog & WanderlustPTs – so you can build the life and career you’ve always dreamed of ( without the overwhelm, fear, or uncertainty ).

After coaching 100s of aspiring travelers, I’ve realized travel therapy fears, mistakes, and red flags can be avoided with the proper education, support, and mentorship.

And now, you can shortcut the whole process too, avoid the mistakes I made, and be living your dream life as a Traveling PT ASAP.

Grab my free resources, poke around the blog, follow me on insta, watch the free masterclass, or for those of you committed to this lifestyle~  join the bootcamp! 

Cheers to Creating a Life that Lights You Up~ 

“ I went from not knowing what the hell I was doing as a travel therapist to being totally in the driver’s seat! Kris, PT, DPT New Grad Travel PT

“ You’re like a Jedi Master for travel therapy, and I’m just over here trying to figure out how to turn on the damn lightsaber. Travis, PT, DPT Traveling Physical Therapist

“ After being travel therapists for 14 months, we’ve paid off $133,000 in student loan debt! Jess has helped us every step of the way. Geena, PT, DPT Travel PT Team

The Top-Ranked, Traveling Physical Therapy Blog

As a former struggling new travel therapist, I created WanderlustPTs, to help others like you pursue this unconventional lifestyle with ease. My goal is to educate, inspire, and entertain with invaluable insights, actionable how-tos, and first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a travel PT.

Find what you need…

The travel therapy blog, 1: start here travel therapy 101, 2: the job search, 3: thriving as a travel pt, join our facebook community.

Connect with other like-minded, adventurous travel PTs by joining our Free Facebook Community, the WanderlustPTs Tribe!

Introducing…

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Are you more of a “show me how it’s done and save me time and headaches” kind of person?

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Join the waitlist below to be notified when enrollment opens for the next session and kick-off your travel therapy career with confidence.

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Picking a travel pt company.

Hi everybody! Let's talk about your #1 priority if you're looking into traveling companies. There's a lot to look at when you're searching for the right company, and every one says they're the best because of A, B, C, and whatever else. Well, I'm here to tell you not to worry about it. All those random perks sound great, but when it all boils down, you're interested in the job. I mean, what good is mentorship if you get stuck at the worst clinic ever for 3 months?

So here it is: your #1 priority as a new travel physical therapist :

Find the right recruiter.

Thats it. It's that simple. Don't pick a company. Just pick the best recruiter.

Pick a recruiter who gets you, what you want, what you prioritize. Pick one who will fight for you. This will definitely not come as a surprise to anyone who's traveled before, but nobody told me when I started, and I think it's worth passing on to you.

Your recruiter (not the company) gets you the job, interview, and salary. They’re your teammate in a game you’ve never played. It helps to have someone good.

Summer's almost over, but the vacation doesn't have to end! 🌴 Apply to these travel PT jobs from Preferred Healthcare Staffing and Fusion Medical Staffing.

Find a recruiter who doesn’t laugh, groan, or sigh when you ask for something. I’ve asked to travel to some ridiculous locations, but I was never told no (I’m still waiting on Alaska, but I was never told “no”). I also was a huge thorn in my recruiter’s side when it came to the payment breakdown. Phone conversation after phone conversation lead to me finally understanding that I would make a lousy accountant. But I now understand everything about the payment breakdown for our company, and my recruiter still takes my calls, so she can’t hate me yet!

I got an incredible recruiter early on, and she has made all the difference. She got me a job lined up before my passing NPTE scores came in. So instead of waiting, we got working a month early!

She got us a location that’s okay taking new grads – this is huge. Not only are you new at traveling, but you’re also a new grad. Facilities that take new grads might not advertise mentorship, but they’re unofficially offering it. The director and staff know what you know…and probably what you don’t. They're saying that they will work with you. You can take this opportunity to show what you’ve got, but if you ever don’t know the answer, the other PTs have your back.

Your recruiter can also get you into a site that has worked with travelers before. Life is tons easier when somebody else has paved the trail. The orientation will be smoother. The introductions won't be littered with explanations of what a traveler does. And *sometimes* housing is easier because the site will just tell you where the last travelers lived. This is probably the best perk, trust me.

So put everything else on the back burner. It’s still important to consider all the slight differences when it comes to the different staffing companies, but your recruiter will be the one who makes all of that happen. My advice is to test them out. Ask difficult questions, and see how they handle it. I met with every company possible at CSM 2015, and I was 100% confident in just one recruiter, and I picked her. The rest fell into place perfectly.

Take your time, ask questions, and pick your recruiter. Don’t get too worried; you can always switch company whenever you want! But pick a recruiter who will work for you. It’s worth your time to get a good one.

When to start looking for a recruiter

Whether you want a job in a private practice, a hospital, or want to travel, the best time time to start developing relationships is always NOW. If you are a student who is about to graduate, begin reaching out to recruiters today so that you have the relationship built and your recruiter can go to work for you. The more information they have about what you want in a position, and the more time they have, the better the odds they will get you the position you desire most in the location (Alaska) you want to work.

Where to begin

A great way to find recruiters is to ask your friends and colleagues. Another place to begin reaching out is on Linkedin. You can also browse the websites of recruiting companies to learn more about their team and what they have to offer.

Have a specific location in mind? We have travel nursing, travel allied, Locum Tenens, and permanent healthcare career opportunities in all 50 states. Search our healthcare job database to find the 

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At Core Physical Therapy & Performance, we offer the highest standard of patient care. We serve people in and around the South Shore and Greater Boston Area, with two convenient locations in Randolph and Weymouth. We have a unique treatment approach that combines manual hands-on techniques and progressive exercise programs to optimize movement and guide you through the recovery process.  Our goal is to help the active community in the South Shore live a high-performance pain-free life! 

Testimonials, "cannot say enough good things about my experience with lauren and the core team. after hitting a wall with my pt and not getting the answers i needed to return to sport i visited core and everything changed. their knowledge and commitment to helping me get to where i wanted to be was unmatched and i can’t thank them enough for getting me to 100%.", "working with core physical therapy & performance has truly improved my quality of life. before working with dr. dina lucchesi, i suffered chronic back pain. she was the first pt to take a holistic approach to my assessment instead of just focusing on the problem areas. she was able to build a personalized program to address my issues that has produced long term results - still pain free i cannot thank her enough and highly recommend her and her practice.", "i came to core pt looking for help with workouts during my pregnancy as well as special consideration to pelvic health for a smooth labor and delivery and quick postpartum recovery. i started seeing jess with no knowledge about working out while pregnant, especially properly engaging my core. i have been involved in fitness my entire life and for the first time i was scared and unsure of myself in the gym. after just 1 session with jess i gained confidence and was able to continue building strength in the gym without having to modify my lifts. i have learned so much about connecting with my core during pregnancy. jess has developed a plan for me throughout the remainder of my pregnancy and will work with me to get back into the gym after i give birth. i can’t thank jess enough for instilling a sense of confidence, reassuring me throughout this pregnancy, and allowing me to have nothing to worry about postpartum knowing that i will have her to guide me back to 100% performance. jess is a wealth of knowledge and more women should benefit from her valuable service.", want to learn more.

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Disney shares fall 9.5% despite first profit in core streaming business

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Disney shares tumbled 9.5 per cent on Tuesday even as it reported the first profit in its core streaming business since it leapt into a battle with Netflix five years ago.

The Disney+ and Hulu streaming unit earned an operating profit of $47mn in the quarter to the end of March, compared with a $587mn loss a year earlier. Disney achieved the milestone months earlier than expected thanks to cost-cutting and the popularity of Hulu programmes including Shōgun and The Bear .

But investors appeared to be more focused on a potential slowdown in the company’s theme parks, which have rebounded strongly since the coronavirus pandemic restrictions began to lift.

Bob Iger , chief executive, highlighted the quarterly improvement in streaming and its experiences division, where theme parks outside the US, including Shanghai Disney, performed well. “We are turbocharging growth in our experiences business with a number of near- and long-term strategic investments,” he said.

In a call with investors, Hugh Johnston, Disney’s chief financial officer, said higher expenses from the launch of two cruise ships would limit growth in the current quarter. He also said the post-pandemic travel boom could be running out of steam.

“While consumers continue to travel in record numbers and we are still seeing healthy demand, we are seeing some evidence of a global moderation from peak post-Covid travel,” he said.

Rich Greenfield, an analyst at LightShed Partners, said that message was jarring to investors who have been “counting on the post-Covid normalising of demand” at the theme parks to continue.

“The parks have been so strong and so solid quarter after quarter,” he said. “Now they have introduced concerns about that growth slowing.”

The improvement in the streaming business came as Disney reported a net loss of $20mn — owing largely to goodwill impairments — on $22.1bn in revenue in the quarter to the end of March.

Excluding those impairments, Disney’s adjusted earnings of $1.21 a share were up 30 per cent from a year ago and topped the $1.10 Wall Street had expected. The company also raised its adjusted earnings target for the full year.

The group’s total direct to consumer streaming business, which includes sports service ESPN+, narrowed its operating loss to $18mn in the quarter.

The streaming business has lost more than $11bn since its launch, but Disney has cut costs and raised prices in an aggressive push to achieve profitability.

“Crossing the profitability threshold early is something that we can feel very good about,” Johnston told the Financial Times.

Forrester analyst Mike Proulx said: “It’s extremely rare in streaming to hear the word ‘profitable’ but Disney finally achieved it, kind of. This is a big turning point for Disney and for the streaming market in general.” 

Disney+ would lose money in the current quarter because of Disney+ Hotstar in India, though the combined streaming business was expected to be profitable in the fourth quarter, the company said, as it forecast further improvements in streaming profitability next year.

The earnings report was the first since Iger fended off a proxy challenge from Trian Partners’ Nelson Peltz, who was seeking two seats on the board. Iger said the latest results were proof that the “turnaround and growth initiatives we set in position last year have continued to yield positive results”.

Iger’s plan to reinvigorate the company’s film studios will be put to the test with upcoming releases including Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes this month, Pixar’s Inside Out 2 in June and Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine in July.

On a call with analysts, Iger said he was “working hard” to restore Disney’s creative output after a string of box office disappointments.

“I’ve been working hard with the studio to reduce output and focus more on quality. That’s particularly true with Marvel,” he said. “We’re going to about two TV series a year, down from four, and reducing our film output from four a year to two, or the maximum [would be] three.”

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Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) define a position on the Earth’s surface. Coordinates are angular units. The canonical form of latitude and longitude representation uses degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″). GPS systems widely use coordinates in degrees and decimal minutes, or in decimal degrees.

Latitude varies from −90° to 90°. The latitude of the Equator is 0°; the latitude of the South Pole is −90°; the latitude of the North Pole is 90°. Positive latitude values correspond to the geographic locations north of the Equator (abbrev. N). Negative latitude values correspond to the geographic locations south of the Equator (abbrev. S).

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Elektrostal , Moscow Oblast, Russia

Travel invented loyalty as we know it. Now it’s time for reinvention.

Travel brands didn’t invent loyalty programs, which have been traced to as far back as the 18th century . 1 James J. Nagle, “Trading stamps: A long history,” New York Times , December 26, 1971. But ever since the first major airline frequent flier programs appeared in the early 1980s—soon to be followed by similar programs from hotel chains—the travel industry has become known for letting customers accumulate redeemable “miles” and “points.” Modern-day voyagers are deeply familiar with loyalty-related concepts such as status tiers, members-only lounges, and point-earning credit cards.

Travel loyalty programs were originally designed to influence travelers’ behavior. By offering rewards such as free flights and hotel rooms to frequent customers, a company might convince power users to consolidate their travel spending with its brand. Why fly airline X when you’re halfway to earning a free perk for remaining faithful to airline Y?

Over time, many travel loyalty programs became wildly successful—not just as a way to boost sales or strengthen customer relationships but as major profit centers in their own right. Travel companies found they could sell loyalty points in bulk to, for instance, banks, which in turn offered the points to their credit card customers as rewards for spending. In 2019, United’s MileagePlus loyalty program sold $3.8 billion worth of miles 2 Brian Sumers, “How is United Airlines’ loyalty program worth $22 billion?,” Skift, June 15, 2020. to third parties, which accounted for 12 percent of the airline’s total revenue for that year. In 2022, American Airlines’ loyalty program brought in $3.1 billion in revenue, and Marriott’s brought in $2.7 billion. 3 Form 10-K, fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, American Airlines Group, Inc.; Form 10-K, fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, Marriott International, Inc. Many loyalty programs have evolved into discrete divisions with their own profit-and-loss ledgers.

Along the way, however, some travel players have shifted their focus away from the original purpose of these programs. As loyalty programs have become powerful bottom-line enhancers, companies have sometimes been tempted to view them first and foremost as revenue generators instead of tools to sway customers’ behavior or to improve customers’ experiences . The postpandemic resurgence of travel demand has also pressured companies to shore up their loyalty programs’ viability by devaluing members’ points and miles and enacting rule changes that have at times caused customer frustration. At the same time, innovative loyalty programs in other industries are raising the bar, opening customers’ eyes to the value that loyalty programs can offer.

As a result of these factors, travel loyalty program members have become increasingly disloyal. For some customers, reaching the top tier of a loyalty program is still almost a facet of their personal identities—“Just a couple of more flights, and I’ll reach elite status!” But many loyalty program members now seem more inclined to play the field. The warm feelings at the heart of loyalty, which lead travelers to show allegiance to a brand and trust that their faithful behavior will be noticed, seem to fade when brands let their focus drift away from rewarding their most valuable and consistent customers.

Loyalty is about more than a program, a department, or a tangible redemption offer.

Loyalty is about more than a program, a department, or a tangible redemption offer. True loyalty is won through a genuine desire to forge bonds with customers and thereby maximize each customer’s lifetime value to the brand. Travel brands, therefore, should consider rethinking and reinventing their loyalty programs in ways that frame loyalty as something more than points and miles. A mindset shift, coupled with three practical actions, could help restore the luster of loyalty programs while bringing straying customers back into the fold.

A mindset shift, coupled with three actions, could restore the luster of loyalty programs while bringing customers back into the fold.

How we got here: Disruption, devaluation, and dissatisfaction

When travel came to a halt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many travel brands—hoping to keep customers happy—“froze” the loyalty program status levels of members who might have otherwise lost perks due to a lack of travel activity. When travel spending was slow to resume, brands changed their program rules to make status tiers significantly easier to reach and maintain. These moves made sense in the face of an unprecedented disruption, with far fewer miles and points being redeemed.

But as travel recovered, loyalty programs became burdened by increased redemptions and overpopulated high-status tiers (evidenced, for example, by the lines outside the doors of airport lounges). Some major travel brands have responded by adjusting loyalty program rules. They’ve ended the status extensions that were granted during the pandemic, and they’ve devalued points and miles—raising the bar to redeem them for free flights and rooms.

All these changes have, understandably, been made with an eye toward programs’ profit-and-loss statements. But collectively, they’ve resulted in widespread customer dissatisfaction. Program members have chafed at having their points devalued and benefits clawed back. Meanwhile, successful loyalty programs in other sectors have opened customers’ eyes to other types of value that these programs can provide, such as better customer experiences, richer communities, more tailored personalization, and exclusive access to events or offers.

Loyalty surveys conducted by McKinsey in 2021 4 The 2021 loyalty survey of roughly 10,000 American consumers covered multiple sectors (including airlines, hotels, cruise lines, banks, retail, grocery, and others). and 2023 5 The 2023 loyalty survey of 3,200 American travelers covered the airline, lodging, and cruise sectors. revealed a steep decline in the likelihood that a customer would recommend airline, hotel, and cruise line loyalty programs to a friend or colleague—even though the likelihood that customers would recommend the airline, hotel, and cruise line brands remained relatively steady (Exhibit 1).

A focus on a loyalty program’s bottom line can distract from its higher purpose

A travel loyalty program might be able—at least temporarily—to disappoint its members while inflicting minimal damage on its company’s earnings. This is because so much of a modern travel loyalty program’s importance comes from B2B sales of batched points or miles. The programs’ most relevant customers in terms of generating revenue are credit card companies, not individual travelers. And these B2B deals generally involve long-term contracts that guarantee sales years in advance. A travel brand can unilaterally issue more loyalty program points to sell to third parties at any time, as well as raise the redemption levels for flights or rooms if margins become undesirable.

Meanwhile, airline travelers have fewer options than they did in the past. Consolidation of major airline brands means it’s harder for frequent fliers to abandon one airline and its loyalty program for another without losing access to convenient flight routes or departure times. And customers who have already banked a large number of miles or points with one airline or hotel program can feel locked in.

For all these reasons, loyalty programs appear to be in a position of strength. But a narrowed emphasis on revenue and costs could lead to brands’ losing focus of the big picture. Travel loyalty programs were originally conceived as a clever way to influence customer behavior—and encourage customer loyalty. But it’s not clear if the programs are currently fulfilling either mandate as successfully as they could.

McKinsey research reveals that airline loyalty programs’ ability to change fliers’ behavior declined between 2017 and 2021, and again between 2021 and 2023 (Exhibit 2). During those time frames, it became less likely that a customer who was a member of a given airline loyalty program would report that they chose the associated airline over other options or increased the frequency of their spending with that airline. If this trend continues, it could eventually create a vicious cycle: airlines would cut loyalty program budgets if they deemed them ineffective at influencing customer behavior, lower budgets would lead to reduced program benefits, and less attractive benefits would result in customers perceiving program participation as having less value.

McKinsey research further shows that loyalty program members these days aren’t especially loyal (Exhibit 3). Hotel, cruise, and airline travelers are typically members of about three or four different loyalty programs within a given sector, our analysis finds. On a yearly basis, they consider traveling with about three different brands within that sector and ultimately transact with more than one of them. Travelers don’t even consolidate their spending with the brand they say they “prefer” within a sector: the median share of the customer’s wallet for preferred brands is only about 50 percent in lodging, 60 percent in cruise lines, and 60 percent in airlines—with the remainder of the customer’s spending spread around to other players within the same sector.

Evidence suggests this trend will persist. According to our 2023 survey on travel loyalty, younger generations are more likely to consider and transact with multiple travel players. Gen Zers and millennials consider about 1.7 times as many brands as do baby boomers and the Silent Generation and transact with about 1.3 times as many brands.

All this comes at a time when the travel loyalty market is becoming more competitive. Consumer banks, which were once content to offer cobranded credit cards featuring travel brands as the marquee partner, are now launching their own self-branded travel awards ecosystems and booking platforms. Travelers might wonder why they should put all their loyalty points in one basket with a single airline or hotel brand when a consumer bank might offer more flexible rewards redemption and possibly a better user experience. (It’s worth noting that our research suggests the likelihood that a customer would recommend some of the major consumer banks with travel loyalty initiatives to a friend or colleague is far higher than the likelihood that a customer would recommend a cruise line, lodging brand, or airline.)

How to reshape loyalty for a new travel landscape

Our research finds that experience —far more than tangible, “earn and burn” benefits—is what wins customers’ loyalty. Experiential factors, including “offering an experience worth paying more for” and “feeling taken care of,” have become more important over time and now account for three of the top five (out of more than 40) drivers of loyalty to cruise lines, hotels, and airlines. For hotels, experience has four times more impact than tangible benefits on purchase frequency, while for airlines, experience is more than twice as likely to influence frequency. Positive past experiences are the biggest factor in customers’ desire to travel more with a company in the future.

The following three steps could help travel brands adjust to this changing landscape and engender loyalty that goes beyond a mere quest for redemptions and perks.

Put experience at the core of loyalty programs

When our 2023 survey asked American respondents which company they’re most loyal to, Amazon received more votes than the top six travel players combined—despite the absence of any traditional, points-based loyalty program. How does Amazon win loyalty? By providing a frictionless experience.

How can travel brands learn from this and win customers’ love even when points and miles are worth less? By offering distinctive, satisfying experiences: making customers feel delighted is the key to their hearts, but McKinsey’s 2023 loyalty survey showed that only 20 percent of travelers were delighted by a recent travel experience.

Companies should strive to design loyalty programs around experiential benefits that make travelers feel special. This can be win–win, such as when Delta offered free in-flight Wi-Fi to loyalty members, which led to a better experience for the members while also boosting enrollment in Delta’s loyalty program. In retail, some programs bring together engaged communities of like-minded brand loyalists. Advance notice or exclusive access to offers can send loyalty members a signal that the brand considers them VIPs.

Brands should seamlessly integrate customer experiences between desktop, mobile, and physical locations—meaning that frontline workers have an important role to play. Proper execution of customer service is vital for getting experiences right, so companies should try to keep frontline workers top of mind. Workers should be given the proper training and tools to satisfy customers, and the effectiveness of this training should be measured.

When it comes to mitigating, or avoiding, a negative customer experience, saying “sorry” can go a very long way. Companies should proactively engage customers after service shortfalls, as a service challenge can actually lead to an increase in customer satisfaction if handled well. The form an apology takes might be made commensurate with a customer’s status level in the brand’s loyalty program, and any recompense can be informed by a predictive analysis of its impact —considering factors such as the magnitude of the lapse and the nature of the customer’s other recent interactions with the brand.

(Finally) use data to offer personalization to members

Travel brands have long had access to reams of customer data. Loyalty program members surf on travel companies’ Wi-Fi, sleep in their hotel rooms, fly on their planes, and cruise on their ships. But many travel brands haven’t yet captured the opportunity to use these unique data to offer their members personalization on par with other industries. Likewise, although airlines and hotels have incredibly sophisticated, lightning fast, AI-enabled pricing algorithms, they aren’t consistently harnessing their technology capabilities to power real-time customer personalization.

Nontransactional engagement opportunities, such as the daily interactions fostered by social communities, offer rich troves of data that can be used to hone personalization. In turn, personalization can drive engagement, as seen in Sephora’s Pocket Contour Class initiative, which lets users upload a selfie to get personalized makeup tips.

Personalization can be employed to tailor both experiences and offers for loyalty members. Our research has shown that 78 percent of consumers are more likely to make a repeat purchase when offered a personalized experience . The goal should be to achieve a hypersegmentation of program members that’s so nuanced, it results in a “ segment of one .”

Rethink partnerships to protect self-interests while delivering customer value

Since the 1980s, travel companies have been partnering with banks to launch cobranded credit cards. But several credit card brands now offer their own, self-branded travel rewards ecosystems. These ecosystems sometimes direct bookings to airlines, hotels, and cruise lines—but they can also serve as a way for credit card brands to steal away travelers’ loyalties. These types of transactional partnerships with consumer banks might eventually cease to be a winning play for travel companies. In time, travel loyalty programs could be driven to seek alternate sources of funding.

The best kinds of partnerships build richer connections with consumers while boosting engagement through thoughtful collaborations. Uber’s partnership with Marriott gives users the option to link the brands’ loyalty programs, tapping into two large customer bases and providing more convenient travel experiences.

One promising recent example of collaboration is a travel media network. A hotel company might, for instance, launch a media network that allows third-party brands to place relevant, nonintrusive, personalized advertisements in the hotelier’s owned spaces—websites, hotel lobbies, guest room TVs, and so forth. This type of partnership can offer travelers an elegant, curated experience while providing the travel brand with an alternate monetization route.

In general, travel companies should cultivate collaborations that protect their interests, generate new revenue streams, add personalization and value for loyal customers, and diversify touchpoints with those customers. Early action could prove vital here, as the travel space will not accommodate infinite partner ecosystems.

As other industries raise the bar and consumers grow increasingly dissatisfied with travel loyalty programs as they are designed today, travel industry leaders may need to ask themselves some hard questions. How can points and miles be paired with experiences and excitement? Which partners are truly adding value? What is causing customers to stray, and how can their loyalties be won back?

Travel brands were loyalty innovators. But travel loyalty programs might soon hit an inflection point. Now is the time to innovate and win back customers’ allegiances.

Lidiya Chapple is an associate partner in McKinsey’s Atlanta office, where Jillian Tellez Holub is a partner; Clay Cowan is a partner in the Dallas office; and Ellen Scully is a consultant in the Seattle office.

The authors wish to thank Bella Alfaro, Alex Cosmas, Marilyne Crépeau, Oren Eizenman, Austin Hack, Ryan Mann, Jacob Miller, Afiya Romeo, Matthew Straus, and Jamie Wilkie for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

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