Utilizing one resort loyalty program for many, if not all, of your stays is tempting. You might end up primarily utilizing a specific program as a result of you’ve gotten a excessive tier of elite standing, you are feeling comfy incomes and redeeming its rewards or your favourite resort belongs to this system.
Nevertheless, even you probably have one of many finest resort elite standing tiers with a program and are loyal to it, you may additionally discover having a number of secondary applications useful. This is why and the way you must use a number of resort loyalty applications.
Why use a number of resort loyalty applications?
Earlier than discussing easy methods to use a number of resort loyalty applications, let me persuade you why you must.
Snag the best-value keep
The first motive why I take advantage of a number of resort loyalty applications as a substitute of sticking with only one is the worth doing so can present. Whether or not you are redeeming factors or reserving a paid charge, some applications will present higher worth than others for a given vacation spot and dates. That is notably true now that some resort loyalty applications use totally dynamic award pricing whereas others nonetheless use award charts.
For instance, I nearly all the time redeem Hyatt factors at one among two Class 1 airport accommodations once I want to remain close to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) earlier than or after a flight. At Class 1 Hyatt accommodations, you could redeem between 3,500 and 6,500 factors per night time. TPG’s September 2024 valuations peg the worth of those factors between $60 and $111, which is lower than the speed at which I would be capable of e-book a comparable resort within the space on most dates.
By contemplating award and paid charges throughout a number of loyalty applications, I’ve extra choices to e-book a great deal. Additionally, when I’ve a number of applications to select from for a selected keep, I can usually earn extra factors by 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 applications like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards have properties worldwide, there are nonetheless some locations the place you will not discover any properties in a number of of those applications.
For instance, if you wish to go to Kanab, Utah, you possibly can keep at an IHG or Hilton resort. Nevertheless, if you happen to solely wished to think about Marriott accommodations, 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 wished to think about Hyatt accommodations, you’d want to remain a 70-minute drive away in Web page, Arizona, or at an Beneath Canvas property close to Zion Nationwide Park.
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Take pleasure in variety in elite advantages
If in case you have elite standing or different advantages with a number of resort loyalty applications, you could select a specific program for sure stays to make the most of particular advantages.
For instance, suppose I need a assured 4 p.m. late checkout on a selected keep. In that case, I will often stick with World of Hyatt (which offers a assured 4 p.m. late checkout on most stays to top-tier Globalist members) or Marriott Bonvoy (which offers a assured 4 p.m. late checkout on most stays to Platinum Elite members and better).
Likewise, I will often keep away from Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors accommodations that present a food-and-beverage credit score as a substitute of breakfast for upper-tier elite members. Nevertheless, for stays the place I do not plan to eat breakfast on the resort however would take pleasure in a food-and-beverage credit score, I will take into account staying at a resort I do know will present such a credit score as an elite perk. For instance, I will usually use the meals and beverage credit score at Marriott’s Moxy accommodations for night drinks within the foyer.
Associated: What to do when a resort does not wish to honor your elite advantages
Defend towards devaluation
For those who use a number of resort loyalty applications, you may defend your self towards devaluation in any explicit program.
For instance, suppose Marriott Bonvoy is your major program, however you additionally often use World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards. In that case, you would 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.
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Make the most of completely different transferable rewards
If in case you have transferable factors — together with Chase Final Rewards factors, American Categorical 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 take into account World of Hyatt when searching for an award keep, you are restricted to transferring Chase Final Rewards factors and Bilt Rewards factors. Nevertheless, if you happen to take into account a number of resort loyalty applications, you may get higher worth by transferring different rewards for some stays. For instance, you possibly can 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 accommodations
Methods for utilizing a number of resort loyalty applications
If in case you have elite standing along with your major resort loyalty program, you could be hesitant to stick with a distinct loyalty program the place you would not get elite advantages. However bank cards supply some ways to snag at the least mid-tier resort elite standing with different applications.
Every traveler’s precise scenario can be completely different, however listed below are three conditions you need to use to encourage your technique.
Amex Platinum or Enterprise Platinum cardmember
If in case you have The Platinum Card® from American Categorical or The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical — together with a further Platinum Card — you possibly can enroll in complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold standing. If in case you have both of those premium American Categorical playing cards, you may discover that these two statuses are serving you effectively if you happen to primarily keep at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors properties.
However if you need the next tier of Marriott Bonvoy elite standing simply by holding a bank card, you possibly can add the Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Categorical® Card to your pockets. In spite of everything, primary Bonvoy Good cardmembers get complimentary Platinum Elite standing (and 25 elite night time credit annually towards the next standing tier). For those who want the next tier of Hilton Honors elite standing, you will get computerized Hilton Honors Diamond standing as a primary cardmember of the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card. Enrollment is required.
The data 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 supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Alternatively, you possibly can 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 applications.
Associated: Information to Marriott and Hilton elite standing with the Amex Platinum and Enterprise Platinum
At the moment centered on 1 program
For those who’re at the moment centered on one resort loyalty program, take into account turning into concerned with one other. This is likely to be easy, reminiscent of contemplating what different resort loyalty applications you possibly can switch factors to you probably have playing cards that earn transferable factors. Or, you possibly can take an even bigger step towards diversifying your loyalty (and choices) by getting a cobranded resort bank card with a distinct program.
For instance, if you happen to at the moment concentrate on World of Hyatt and have a number of Chase Final Rewards playing cards, you may wish 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. You may also switch Chase Final Rewards factors to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.
Or, suppose you at the moment concentrate on a resort loyalty program that makes use of dynamic award pricing. In that case, you may profit from making a program that makes use of award charts, reminiscent of World of Hyatt, your secondary program. You might add the World of Hyatt Credit score Card to your pockets to get computerized Discoverist standing and one free night time at any Class 1-4 Hyatt resort or resort each cardmember anniversary.
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Free agent
Maybe you are a free agent and have a tendency to e-book essentially the most handy or best-value resort in every vacation spot you go to. On this case, you may 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 night time that you must be capable of redeem for considerably greater than the cardboard’s annual price and low- to mid-tier elite standing that gives you greater incomes charges and a few perks throughout your stays.
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Backside line
I’ve written loads concerning the perks of resort elite standing. Between me and my husband, we’ve got excessive tiers of elite standing with World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards and Wyndham Rewards by holding some bank cards that provide elite standing and spending greater than 200 nights per yr in accommodations. However even if you happen to spend far fewer nights in accommodations annually, it is price at the least having a major and secondary resort loyalty program for all the explanations outlined on this information.
