A recent industry survey on credit card rewards preferences found that a clear majority of rewards cardholders continue to favor cash back over travel points or airline miles, according to reporting from Bankrate's ongoing rewards research series.
The survey cited simplicity and flexibility as the top reasons cardholders gave for preferring cash back, noting that unlike points which can be restricted to specific travel partners or redemption windows, cash back can offset any type of expense without conversion friction.
Analysts covering the survey noted that this preference has remained fairly stable over multiple survey cycles, even as travel rewards programs have expanded their marketing and co-branded partnerships in recent years.
For readers evaluating their own card strategy, our Cash Back vs Travel Points comparison breaks down the numbers behind this preference in more detail, including when points can still outperform cash back for frequent travelers.
The survey adds to a growing body of consumer research suggesting reward program design increasingly needs to account for a majority preference toward straightforward, flexible cash value over complex point systems.