15 Best Loyalty Programs in the US

The US loyalty market is worth $27 billion in 2026 and growing at 15.7% annually (Queue-it). Yet the average American consumer is enrolled in 14.8 programs but actively uses only 6.7 (DontPayFull). Enrollment has never been higher. Engagement has never been more fragile.

The brands that get loyalty right are not just giving away points. They are building structures that change how customers think, spend, and identify with a brand. The programs below are some of the best examples in the US market, organised by type, with the clearest lesson your brand can take from each.

Why getting US loyalty programs right has never mattered more

81% of US consumers say seeing progress toward a reward motivates them to engage more (Attentive). A simple progress bar is one of the highest-ROI design decisions in loyalty program UX, yet most programs still bury it.

Paid programs outperform free ones on retention when upfront value is obvious. Amazon Prime members average 10.9x ROI on their annual fee, creating a commitment that free programs cannot replicate.

The best programs keep members active between purchases through gamification, community, and experiential rewards. Engagement that does not require a purchase is what separates high-retention programs from high-enrollment ones.

Program type should also match your brand's core promise. Nike does not offer points because Nike's customers do not buy Nike for value. Matching program structure to brand identity is what makes loyalty feel genuine rather than transactional.

Points-based loyalty programs: the most common type for a reason

Points programs work because they make every transaction visible and cumulative. The key is ensuring the earn rate feels meaningful and the redemption threshold is not so high that members give up before reaching it.

1. Starbucks Rewards

Members earn Stars on every purchase and redeem for free drinks and food. The mobile app drives over 30% of US transactions. A closed ecosystem where the loyalty currency is only redeemable at Starbucks creates habit. Members do not comparison-shop; they complete their Star balance.

Lesson: Build the loyalty experience inside the product, not alongside it.

2. Walgreens myWalgreens

Members earn Walgreens Cash rewards on health and beauty purchases, with bonus earn on Walgreens brand products. Over 100 million members make it one of the largest US loyalty programs by enrollment.

Lesson: Bonus earn on private label drives both margin and loyalty simultaneously.

3. Target Circle

Target Circle gives 1% back on every purchase, plus access to personalised deals. It is free to join and requires no credit card. Target reports Circle members spend significantly more per visit than non-members.

Lesson: A no-friction entry point converts casual shoppers into loyalty participants faster than any sign-up bonus.

4. Southwest Rapid Rewards

Southwest awards points per dollar spent rather than per mile flown, making the program accessible to occasional travellers. Points never expire and can be used for any available seat.

Lesson: Removing blackout dates and expiry anxiety increases redemption confidence, which drives earning behaviour.

5. My Best Buy

Best Buy's points program gives members early access to deals and free shipping. The program is tiered by annual spend, moving members from base to Plus and Total levels with increasing perks.

Lesson: Combining points with access-based perks gives members two reasons to stay active: the earn and the status.

Tiered loyalty programs: building aspiration into your structure

Tiered programs work because they create a destination. Members who can see a higher tier are more likely to consolidate spend to reach it. The tier itself signals status, which carries social value that points alone cannot.

6. Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy runs eight tiers from Member to Ambassador Elite (The Points Guy). Higher tiers unlock suite upgrades, lounge access, and dedicated service lines. The program spans 30+ brands and 9,000+ properties globally.

Lesson: Cross-brand currency makes tiers more achievable without diluting the aspirational quality of the top tier.

7. Sephora Beauty Insider

Three tiers (Insider, VIB, and Rouge) unlock progressively better birthday gifts, exclusive product access, and events. Rouge members at $1,000+ annual spend receive early access to new launches before the general public.

Lesson: Exclusive product access is a more powerful tier benefit than discounts for a brand where newness is the draw.

8. United MileagePlus

United's MileagePlus tiers reward frequent flyers with upgrades, priority boarding, and bonus earn. The program's co-branded credit card drives the majority of miles issued, keeping the program active for members who fly infrequently.

Lesson: A co-branded card extends your loyalty program beyond the purchase occasion to everyday spending.

9. Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors has five tiers and over 190 million members. Diamond members receive complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, and a dedicated phone line. The program allows points transfers between members, increasing perceived flexibility.

Lesson: Flexibility in how points are used, including gifting, increases the perceived value of the currency without increasing cost.

10. Nordstrom Nordy Club

Nordy Club has four tiers linked to annual spend, with the top tier (Ambassador) offering personal stylists, alteration credits, and private events. Fashion retail loyalty succeeds when the program mirrors the shopping experience: personalised, attentive, aspirational.

Lesson: Tier benefits should reflect the service promise of the brand, not generic discounts.

Paid loyalty programs: when members invest upfront, they engage more

Paid programs create a different psychology. A member who has paid to join has already made a commitment. They are motivated to justify that payment through use, which drives the active engagement that free programs struggle to sustain.

11. Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is the benchmark paid loyalty program. $139 per year buys free two-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and exclusive deals. Members spend an average of $1,400 per year on Amazon, versus $600 for non-members.

Lesson: When the value of membership is obvious on day one, the retention curve inverts. Members stay not because they cannot cancel, but because cancelling would clearly cost them more.

12. REI Co-op Membership

REI charges a one-time $30 lifetime membership fee and gives members 10% back on eligible purchases, plus access to member-only gear sales and used gear discounts. Over 23 million members have joined.

Lesson: A lifetime fee with ongoing dividends creates a sense of ownership, not subscription. Members feel they belong, not that they subscribe.

13. Costco Membership

Costco's entire retail model is built around its membership fee. Executive members pay more and earn 2% back on Costco purchases. The renewal rate consistently exceeds 90% in the US.

Lesson: When the membership fee funds the price advantage, the loyalty program and the value proposition are the same thing.

Experiential and community loyalty programs: beyond the transaction

The best programs keep members active between purchases. Experiential and community programs create touchpoints that do not require a spend event, which builds brand attachment that purely transactional programs cannot generate.

14. Nike Membership

Nike does not run a points program. Nike Membership offers free workouts, early product access, personalised training plans, and member-only events. Members buy more frequently, but they are not being rewarded for buying. They are being rewarded for being Nike people.

Lesson: If your brand identity is about who your customer is rather than what they buy, structure your loyalty program around identity, not transactions.

15. My Starbucks Rewards Community

Beyond the core rewards program, Starbucks runs a community layer where members can share feedback, vote on new products, and join local events. This layer creates emotional attachment that the points mechanic alone cannot produce.

Lesson: Community turns loyalty program members into brand advocates. Advocates recruit new members at zero acquisition cost.

What separates the best US loyalty programs from the rest

Five patterns appear across every program on this list.

The programs that fail share the opposite of each: invisible progress, high redemption thresholds, generic benefits, purchase-only engagement, and no personalisation.

How Xoxoday Loyalife helps brands build programs like these

Loyalife is the loyalty infrastructure platform built for brands that want the sophistication of the programs above without building the technology stack from scratch. It covers the full program lifecycle: earn rules, tier configuration, reward catalog, gamification, and real-time analytics, all in one platform.

• 10mn+ reward options across 150+ countries. Members redeem for what they actually want, from gift cards and experiences to travel and wellness, in their local currency.
• Flexible program architecture. Run points, tiers, paid membership, or any combination. Change the rules without rebuilding the platform.
• Real-time dashboards. See redemption rates, tier movement, and member engagement by segment, not just total enrollment.
• API-first integration. Connect to your existing ecommerce, POS, CRM, and marketing stack. Loyalty triggers fire from the tools your team already uses.

Loyalife is used by brands in retail, BFSI, travel, and telecom across the GCC, Southeast Asia, and the Americas.

Your next step

The programs that win are not the ones with the largest budgets. They are the ones designed around visible progress, relevant rewards, and engagement that extends beyond the purchase. Start with the type that fits your brand. Build the infrastructure that makes it scale.

See how Loyalife powers loyalty programs with flexible earn rules, a 10mn+ reward catalog, and real-time ROI analytics.