MakeMyTrip and GoIbibo Co-branded Travel Cards and their relevance during pandemic

When COVID-19 lockdowns decimated India's travel industry in 2020, MakeMyTrip faced an existential crisis. The market leader's revenue plummeted to near-zero for two consecutive quarters, but the real problem emerged during recovery: their co-branded travel cards —designed for frequent travellers—suddenly offered benefits customers couldn't use. Travel cashbacks and promotional perks became meaningless when flights were grounded and hotels were closed.