Airline credit cards: the high-flying loyalty game

From Dubai to Dublin to Dallas and back, air carriers are cashing in on a big business: credit cards. 

In fact, analysts note that growth in the sector “significantly outpaces the overall credit card industry.” One carrier alone can profit billions from its cards in a calendar year and, in tandem, build loyalty by tying them up in frequent flier programs. 

Why did airlines build out a business line through these little scraps of plastic? 

What’s the history of these co-branded cards? 

How did credit rewards come to make sky-high profits? 

Fasten your seatbelts and put away your tray tables as the fourth episode of season 8 takes off, with a co-pilot who’s made a business of this business: The Points Guy himself.