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Editor’s notice: This can be a recurring publish, commonly up to date with new info and affords.
Utilizing one resort loyalty program for many, if not all, of your stays is tempting. Chances are you’ll end up primarily utilizing a selected program as a result of you’ve gotten a excessive tier of elite standing, you’re feeling snug incomes and redeeming its rewards or your favourite resort belongs to this system.
Nonetheless, even you probably have one of many greatest resort elite standing tiers with a program and are loyal to it, you might also discover having a number of secondary packages useful. Right here’s why and the way it is best to use a number of resort loyalty packages.
Why use a number of resort loyalty packages?
Earlier than discussing use a number of resort loyalty packages, let me persuade you why it is best to.
Snag the best-value keep
The first purpose why I exploit a number of resort loyalty packages as a substitute of sticking with only one is the worth doing so can present. Whether or not you’re redeeming factors or reserving a paid price, some packages will present higher worth than others for a given vacation spot and dates. That is significantly true now that some resort loyalty packages use absolutely dynamic award pricing whereas others nonetheless use award charts.
For instance, I virtually at all times redeem Hyatt factors at one among two Class 1 airport motels after I want to remain close to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) earlier than or after a flight. At Class 1 Hyatt motels, you have to redeem between 3,500 and 6,500 factors per evening. TPG’s September 2024 valuations peg the worth of these factors between $60 and $111, which is lower than the speed at which I’d have the ability to e book a comparable resort within the space on most dates.
By contemplating award and paid charges throughout a number of loyalty packages, I’ve extra choices to e book deal. Additionally, when I’ve a number of packages to select from for a particular keep, I can usually earn extra factors via present resort promotions.
Associated: 8 errors to keep away from when redeeming resort factors
Keep in locations unserved by your major program
Though main resort loyalty packages like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards have properties worldwide, there are nonetheless some locations the place you received’t discover any properties in a number of of those packages.
For instance, if you wish to go to Kanab, Utah, you may keep at an IHG or Hilton resort. Nonetheless, if you happen to solely needed to think about Marriott motels, you’d want to remain an hour away at a resort close to Zion Nationwide Park (the SpringHill Suites Kanab is slated to open subsequent month). And if you happen to solely needed to think about Hyatt motels, you’d want to remain a 70-minute drive away in Web page, Arizona, or at an Below Canvas property close to Zion Nationwide Park.
Associated: 8 ideas for locating a resort in sold-out locations
Get pleasure from range in elite advantages
In case you have elite standing or different advantages with a number of resort loyalty packages, you might select a selected program for sure stays to make the most of particular advantages.
For instance, suppose I desire a assured 4 p.m. late checkout on a particular keep. In that case, I’ll normally stick with World of Hyatt (which gives a assured 4 p.m. late checkout on most stays to top-tier Globalist members) or Marriott Bonvoy (which gives a assured 4 p.m. late checkout on most stays to Platinum Elite members and better).
Likewise, I’ll normally keep away from Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors motels that present a food-and-beverage credit score as a substitute of breakfast for upper-tier elite members. Nonetheless, for stays the place I don’t plan to eat breakfast on the resort however would get pleasure from a food-and-beverage credit score, I’ll contemplate staying at a resort I do know will present such a credit score as an elite perk. For instance, I’ll usually use the meals and beverage credit score at Marriott’s Moxy motels for night drinks within the foyer.
Associated: What to do when a resort doesn’t need to honor your elite advantages
Shield in opposition to devaluation
For those who use a number of resort loyalty packages, you’ll shield your self in opposition to devaluation in any explicit program.
For instance, suppose Marriott Bonvoy is your major program, however you additionally sometimes use World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards. In that case, you’d be much less affected than somebody who went all in on Marriott if this system had been to devalue its elite advantages or factors worth.
Associated: Why factors and miles are a foul long-term funding
Make the most of totally different transferable rewards
In case you have transferable factors — together with Chase Final Rewards factors, American Specific Membership Rewards factors, Citi ThankYou Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Bilt Rewards Factors — you seemingly know you possibly can switch these rewards to pick airline and resort companions.
For those who solely contemplate World of Hyatt when on the lookout for an award keep, you’re restricted to transferring Chase Final Rewards factors and Bilt Rewards factors. Nonetheless, if you happen to contemplate a number of resort loyalty packages, you would possibly get higher worth by transferring different rewards for some stays. For instance, you may switch Citi ThankYou Rewards factors, Capital One miles, Wells Fargo Rewards factors or Amex Membership Rewards factors to Alternative Privileges to e book high-value Alternative stays.
Associated: Bank card switch companions: Information to transferring factors and miles to airways and motels
Methods for utilizing a number of resort loyalty packages
In case you have elite standing together with your major resort loyalty program, you might be hesitant to stick with a special loyalty program the place you wouldn’t get elite advantages. However bank cards provide some ways to snag a minimum of mid-tier resort elite standing with different packages.
Every traveler’s actual state of affairs shall be totally different, however listed here are three conditions you should utilize to encourage your technique.
Amex Platinum or Enterprise Platinum cardmember
In case you have The Platinum Card® from American Specific or The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific — together with a further Platinum Card — you possibly can enroll in complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold standing. In case you have both of those premium American Specific playing cards, you would possibly discover that these two statuses are serving you nicely if you happen to primarily keep at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors properties.
However if you would like a better tier of Marriott Bonvoy elite standing simply by holding a bank card, you may add the Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Specific® Card to your pockets. In spite of everything, primary Bonvoy Good cardmembers get complimentary Platinum Elite standing (and 25 elite evening credit every year towards a better standing tier). For those who favor a better tier of Hilton Honors elite standing, you will get computerized Hilton Honors Diamond standing as a primary cardmember of the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card. Enrollment is required.
The knowledge for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Alternatively, you may add the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card or the World of Hyatt Credit score Card to your pockets to get some perks and bonus earnings when staying with these packages.
Associated: Information to Marriott and Hilton elite standing with the Amex Platinum and Enterprise Platinum
At present centered on 1 program
For those who’re presently centered on one resort loyalty program, contemplate turning into concerned with one other. This could be easy, similar to contemplating what different resort loyalty packages you possibly can switch factors to you probably have playing cards that earn transferable factors. Or, you may take an even bigger step towards diversifying your loyalty (and choices) by getting a cobranded resort bank card with a special program.
For instance, if you happen to presently concentrate on World of Hyatt and have a number of Chase Final Rewards playing cards, you would possibly need to get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card. Cardholders of the IHG Premier get computerized Platinum Elite standing and benefit from the fourth-night-free reward perk when redeeming IHG factors for stays of 4 nights or longer. It’s also possible to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.
Or, suppose you presently concentrate on a resort loyalty program that makes use of dynamic award pricing. In that case, you would possibly profit from making a program that makes use of award charts, similar to World of Hyatt, your secondary program. You would add the World of Hyatt Credit score Card to your pockets to get computerized Discoverist standing and one free evening at any Class 1-4 Hyatt resort or resort each cardmember anniversary.
Associated: Fast Factors: 3 causes you want a bank card together with your favourite resort model
Free agent
Maybe you’re a free agent and have a tendency to e book probably the most handy or best-value resort in every vacation spot you go to. On this case, you would possibly profit from including a number of of the next playing cards to your pockets:
- World of Hyatt Credit score Card: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, obtain as much as 30,000 extra bonus factors by incomes 2 bonus factors per greenback spent on purchases that usually earn 1 bonus level (on as much as $15,000 spent) within the first six months from account opening.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card: Earn 125,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card: Earn 140,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Every of those playing cards affords an annual free evening that it is best to have the ability to redeem for considerably greater than the cardboard’s annual charge and low- to mid-tier elite standing that offers you greater incomes charges and a few perks throughout your stays.
Associated: My prime 3 picks for the most effective cobranded resort bank card
Backside line
I’ve written so much concerning the perks of resort elite standing. Between me and my husband, we now have excessive tiers of elite standing with World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards and Wyndham Rewards via holding some bank cards that provide elite standing and spending greater than 200 nights per 12 months in motels. However even if you happen to spend far fewer nights in motels every year, it’s price a minimum of having a major and secondary resort loyalty program for all the explanations outlined on this information.
