BIZ BUZZ: How far can SMAC points go?

If loyalty is the new battlefield, the SM Investments Corp. just packed its bags.

The retail giant’s rewards arm, SM advantage card (SMAC), has teamed up with global travel platform Trip.com, giving members a new way to earn points—this time from flights and hotel stays.

On paper, it’s simple: Spend on bookings via Trip.com and rack up SMAC points. But behind the fine print is a bigger play—keeping customers within SM’s ever-expanding ecosystem, from shopping bags to boarding gates.

It’s a familiar script. Conglomerates are no longer just selling products; they’re building “closed loops” where every swipe, stay, or spend feeds back into their universe.

For SM, that means linking retail, banking property—and now travel—into one sticky experience.

The timing isn’t random either. Travel demand is rebounding, and loyalty programs are fast becoming a quiet currency. The more touch points, the harder it is for customers to leave.

SMAC already has tie-ups with airlines and hotels. Adding Trip.com—an international platform with a wide network—signals a push beyond local borders and deeper into the global travel wallet.

The real question: How far can points go?