TWO CRITICAL FACTORS IN EXPANDING A CO-BRANDED CARD PROGRAM INTERNATIONALLY

Airlines and hotels seeking to expand their co-branded credit card programs to other countries are faced with regulatory, competitive and cultural challenges that need to be navigated before market entry.  These challenges can be so overwhelming that two critical factors for negotiating a successful co-brand overseas are often overlooked:

• Definition of reasonable objectives for what the co-brand program should achieve.
• Grasp of market-specific credit card economics that would impact the commercial terms and structure of a partnership agreement.

Although these factors are equally important at home, they are almost second nature.  When a co-brand group goes overseas, how it addresses the issues of limited market presence and unique card economics can drive the success or failure of a program.  This holds true in both directions: for U.S. airlines or hotels seeking to co-brand abroad, and for those venturing out of their country of origin to co-brand in the U.S.

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