About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of British Airways' new spend-based loyalty status and the acquisition of SessionM by Capillary, highlighting shifts in loyalty technology.

Loyalty is shifting… but not in just one place. In this episode, Rob Burgess (Head for Points), Ben Lipsey (Air France-KLM) and Phil Gunter (Loyalty Status Co) explore what British Airways’ move to spend-based status means — and why competitors are already moving to take advantage. At the same time, Jan Pieter Lips (Capillary) and Tom Shapira (Wellesley Hills Financial) unpack Capillary’s acquisition of SessionM, and what it reveals about scale, valuation and the future of loyalty technology. If you run a loyalty programme, this episode matters. Sponsored by Loyalty Status Co.

People in this episode

Guests: Rob Burgess, Ben Lipsey, Phil Gunter, Jan Pieter Lips, Tom Shapira

Topics covered

• loyalty programs
• status wars
• technology consolidation
• acquisitions
• business strategy

Sponsors

Loyalty Status Co

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: British Airways, Air France-KLM, Capillary, SessionM, Wellesley Hills Financial

More episodes of Loyalty Wired

• Podcast 89 - Loyalty - The Case for Change · May 12, 2026 · 44 min
• Podcast 87 – Retail Media, Loyalty & the Future of Commerce Media · February 23, 2026 · 35 min
• Newscast 27 - Measuring What Matters · February 10, 2026 · 32 min
• Podcast 86 - Rory Sutherland on Behavioral Science and Loyalty · January 19, 2026 · 52 min
• Podcast 85 - Predictions for 2026 · January 5, 2026 · 32 min
• Review of 2025 - How did our predictions go? · December 15, 2025 · 43 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Loyalty Wired podcast page.