Gen Z and Millennials are leaning hard into a life philosophy that prioritizes memories over materials. According to research from MERGE, 86% of Gen Zers say they overspend at live events due to the allure and atmosphere of the experience. This experience-first mindset has major implications—not only for travel and live event brands, but for the financial institutions that enable and often power these moments. Credit card companies have quietly become essential players in the experience economy. But now, they’re aiming for center stage. Because facilitating the experience is only half the game. If they can own the booking, offer curated access, and deepen loyalty through perks and partnerships, they gain something more valuable than transaction fees—they gain relevance and customer intimacy. Adam Rossbach, President at TFL and an expert in the experience economy and technology trends commented, “The real competition isn’t about who issues the card—it’s about who owns the moment. Gen Z doesn’t want points. Zers want proof that their loyalty unlocks experiences worth remembering.” American Express alone reported $376 billion in travel spending in 2025, with 54% of total Amex cardholder spend falling into the T&E category. Visa and Mastercard, while more diversified, still clocked in with massive figures: Visa saw between $920 billion and $1.2 trillion in estimated T&E spend, and Mastercard tracked hundreds of billions more, fueled by a 15% rise in cross-border transactions and strong live event demand. As competition heats up, Chase and Capital One are making bold plays to lead the future of travel and entertainment. Chase, long dominant in premium cards with its Sapphire Reserve, has invested heavily in its Chase Travel platform, offering portal-only deals, VIP access, and flexible redemption models. The company recently announced that bookings through its portal are up over 50% year-over-year, signaling strong demand for integrated experiences. Capital One, once a challenger, has become a serious contender through strategic investments like its Capital One Travel platform (powered by travel powerhouse Hopper) and branded venues like the Capital One Arena and Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage.