The miles market, once restricted to an airline loyalty project, is “raising its own flights”. In Brazil, the strategy is already used by banks to consumer companies and the number of registered in points and miles reached 333.8 million in the first quarter of 2025, a 6.2% advance over the same period of the previous year, which totaled revenues of R $ 5.8 billion for companies in the sector, 11% increase over the first quarter of 2024, according to data from the Brazilian loyal company association. (ABEMF).
Last year, loyalty programs broke up revenues, totaling R $ 21.9 billion, a 17% growth compared to 2023. And it seems that the expansion should remain firm, since in the first quarter of the year, 219.8 billion points and miles were rescued, 14% more than in the same period of 2024. Most of the rescues, more than 73.6%, had a certain destination: the right destination: airline tickets. The rest got products, according to the entity’s survey.
Although they still take the name ‘Mile’, the main origin of the points is not travel, but retail purchases, banks, industry and services. More than 92% had a different origin of airfare, in an indication that the sector was extrapolated the universe of miles and gained space in consumer daily life, according to Juliana Assad, Head of the Santander Sphere program, the bank’s points and rewards program.
“Today, the customer can accumulate points with from the purchase of a soap powder to a smartphone. He has also learned that participating in clubs can further accelerate the generation of points, in a clear demonstration that they already understood the logic of this market,” he explains.
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Therefore, the bank has been betting on hyperpersonalization, including the use of artificial intelligence to create specific promotional campaigns for each client, according to his profile, as explained by Santander’s card director Gustavo Santos.
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Beyond the card
The credit card remains the main accumulation channel, but is no longer the only one, as new fronts are expanding. “We are evolving so that the customer accumulates benefits not only on their card, but also by Pix and the general relationship with the bank. The stronger the ecosystem, the more relevant the program becomes, ensuring long term loyalty on all fronts,” says Santos.
According to him, the integration between different payment means expands transparency and increases the advantage of the consumer to remain.
Accumulation strategies
On the side of consumers, the search for information also grows, according to the financial educator specializing in miles, Rodrigo Góes. Author of the book “The map to accumulate 1 million miles”, Góes stresses that the loyal logic can generate significant gains, if well used.
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“The accumulation of miles goes beyond the card. Today it is possible to score in gas stations and even building material stores, as well as bank shopping clubs. Thus, the consumer earns twice: points through the card spending and partnerships between programs. Upon understanding the operation of the system he takes advantage of the opportunities,” explains Góes.
The expert points out, however, that there are differences also in the form of rescue: turning points into miles is often more advantageous than using them within shopping ecosystems, where they can be devalued.
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Hyperpersonalization
The expectation of the sector is that loyalty programs increasingly advance to hyperpersonalization. For executives, the combination of data, artificial and social intelligence Commerce should allow increasingly tailored offerings, with the help of direct integration with social networks and message applications.
“The programs are increasingly complete, but AI will be the key to delivering tailored benefits. The idea is to turn points into a true currency of exchange, connected to consumer day to day,” projects Gustavo Santos.
Meanwhile, the customer base is still expanding. Today, each Brazilian participates, on average, in eight different programs, but still concentrates little on card spending. For experts, platform consolidation and the greatest clarity in the rules must be determinant for the maturation of the sector.
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See sector data:
- Number of entries in loyalty programs totaled 333.8 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 314.4 of the same period of 2024.
- Profile of registered in the loyalty program until the last quarters of 2024: 51% male and 49% female
- 35 % of registrants are between 26 and 40 years old and 34 % from 41 to 60 years.
- More than 73.6% of the destinations of the rescued points are for air tickets, the rest got products.
- More than 92% of points come from retail purchases, industry, banks and services. 7.3% come from air tickets
