Brightline Loyalty

Launched a multi-phase loyalty system to reward riders and drive retention

Overview:
Brightline set out to launch its first-ever loyalty program — a web and native app system for train passengers to earn, view, redeem, and share rewards. Designed to reward frequent riders, encourage referrals, and build long-term brand loyalty, the project began with no existing framework, giving us a blank canvas — and a tight timeline.

Impact:

The redesigned loyalty flow achieved a 55% opt-in rate at signup. Looking ahead, I projected 35% campaign engagement, 20% reward redemption, and 12% referral link shares, which together could drive a projected +18% increase in repeat bookings among members. These projections were benchmarked against industry norms to demonstrate both user engagement and business growth potential.

My role: Led the UX/UI design of the program from zero to phase 2. Worked closely with PMs, developers, brand, loyalty, and marketing teams.

Team: 20+ people: scrum master, PM, engineers, QA, product analyst, designers, etc.

Timeline: September 2024 - August 2025

The Challenge

From Zero to Loyalty Hero

Business Need

📈 Improve customer retention

🚆 Reward high-frequency riders

🎁 Enable referrals and campaigns

UX Challenge

Multi-platform (web + app)

Serve all rider types equally

Enable easy earn, view, redeem

The Build

We tackled the launch in two phases, prioritizing the most visible touchpoints first — from showing rewards at checkout to creating a clear dashboard in profile. Once the foundation was set, we layered in referral features and campaigns.

The Moments That Matter

Member Opt-In

To maximize engagement with Brightline Rewards, we designed multiple entry points for users to seamlessly join the program. Instead of limiting enrollment to account creation, opt-in opportunities were embedded throughout the customer journey.

Earn, Redeem & Confirmation

The checkout flow integrates rewards directly into the payment step, where users are most value-conscious. Points earned and redemption options are shown clearly in the wallet and cost summary, reinforcing benefits without adding friction. The confirmation page highlights rewards gained, creating a positive feedback loop that encourages future engagement.

View Rewards

Users can easily track rewards activity across mobile and desktop, keeping engagement consistent across platforms. The wallet view surfaces points balance, past transactions, and redemption options at a glance, reinforcing transparency and encouraging return visits.

Refer A Friend

The referral experience adapts to each user state—whether sending a link, joining rewards as a new user, or claiming benefits as a member. By tailoring touch points to context, the flow minimizes friction, highlights rewards at the right moment, and drives both opt-ins and repeat engagement.

Rewards Campaign

While member opt-in rates were strong, revenue lift from loyalty campaigns lagged. As Brightline, I needed guests to explicitly opt into campaigns so reward points were only distributed to those who actively chose to participate—avoiding blanket giveaways. I studied user psychology to uncover what motivates sign-ups, and observed behavior to identify natural touchpoints where rewards could be woven into existing flows. Based on these insights, I designed a unified campaign hub across app and web, making offers more visible, easier to activate, and seamlessly embedded in booking and account journeys. By keeping rewards top-of-mind without disrupting the experience, the hub motivates members to not just join, but actively engage and convert through targeted campaigns.

What I Bring Forward

Designing incentive-driven flows that work for both users and business

Balanced user delight (easy enrollment, clear rewards visibility) with business needs (higher engagement, repeat bookings).
Ensured the program didn’t distract from the core booking flow but added value at key touchpoints.
Used opt-in data (>50%) to validate that incentives resonated with real user behavior.

2. Creating modular systems for phased rollouts

Built a loyalty experience in layers (enroll → view → redeem → refer), enabling incremental launches without rework.
Designed components that scale—new reward types or referral logic can be added with minimal redesign.
Structured rollouts so early learnings informed future phases, reducing risk and accelerating adoption.

3. Navigating complex cross-functional collaboration

Partnered closely with product, engineering, and marketing to align incentives, data requirements, and brand consistency.
Translated ambiguous business goals into concrete UX flows while keeping technical feasibility in mind.
Advocated for user needs in discussions that leaned toward business priorities, ensuring the experience stayed intuitive.