Sunwing Vacations has relaunched its STAR program, offering travel advisors up to 10X STAR Points on qualifying bookings as the operator leans on loyalty economics to defend share in Canada's package holiday market.

The return of STAR puts a concrete reward multiplier back on the table for agents selling Sunwing inventory. The program's headline mechanic — up to 10X STAR Points — signals where the operator wants booking volume concentrated, and sellers of travel will want to check which products, departure windows and booking channels the top multiplier actually applies to before reweighting their recommendations.

What does the relaunch change for advisors?

Loyalty programs of this type function as a de facto commission top-up. Points accrued on Sunwing bookings translate into redeemable value for agencies and independent advisors, effectively widening the margin gap between Sunwing and competing sun-destination operators vying for the same Canadian winter leisure wallet.

For agencies, the practical questions are distribution questions:

• Which booking categories earn the maximum 10X multiplier, and for how long?
• How do earned points convert into cash-equivalent value, and on what redemption timeline?
• Does the program reward direct bookings only, or do bookings made through retail and host-agency channels qualify at full rates?

Sunwing, a division of Toronto-based WestJet Group following the 2023 acquisition, competes in a vertically integrated package market where loyalty incentives increasingly determine which operator's inventory agents place first in a customer conversation. A 10X points ceiling is an aggressive lever by any measure, and it suggests the operator is buying advisor attention at a premium rather than competing on brochure price alone.

How should sellers read the 10X claim?

As with any multiplier campaign, advisors should treat the headline as a ceiling, not an average. Program terms will determine the realistic earn rate on typical bookings, and the redemption value of a STAR Point — not the multiplier itself — is what converts the promotion into revenue for the agency.

The relaunch also arrives as loyalty competition across North American travel distribution intensifies, with operators, consortia and host agencies all layering rewards onto base commissions. Sunwing's move keeps its advisor-facing proposition competitive with rival incentive schemes in the Canadian market.

Sunwing has not publicly attached an end date to the elevated earn rates in the announcement, so advisors planning winter 2025–26 sun inventory allocations should verify current program terms at the point of sale before committing volume.

The program's full terms, qualifying products and redemption details are available through Sunwing's advisor channels.