Loyalty programs

Almost all major hotel chains own a lucrative loyalty program that allow guests to enjoy exclusive perks at check in, earn hotel points (redeemable for discounted or free future stays), or earn airline miles (redeemable for free flights or upgrades). Everybody should participate in these programs as they can save you tons of money as well as offer you tons of other perks.

Deciding which hotel loyalty program is right for you will depend on 4 factors : (1) the number of hotels owned by the chain (as the larger chains offer more options to earn and redeem points); (2) the benefits that are most important to you; (3) the countries where you travels take you to (as some chains are better represented in certain countries as compared to others); and (4) the type of hotel you want to stay at (ranging from budget to ultraluxurious).

The high-end luxury hotel chains are rather reluctant to the idea of a loyalty program, with only very few of them offering one. I hereby present you an overview of the major hotel loyalty programs and what they offer (with pros and cons). Most of them are included in my top 10 list of world’s best hotel loyalty programs.

Marriott Bonvoy by the Marriott group, which includes The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, St Regis, W, and The Luxury Collection hotels (Bulgari hotels are excluded from the program)