All frequent travelers know all about rewards programs offered by hotels. Because there are so many perks for those who stay at hotels, it’s important to understand the programs and how they work. There are some really good deals hiding there which can truly enhance a vacation!

But are the rewards points worth it?

What To Know About Rewards Programs At Hotels

There are several hotel chains that participate in rewards programs, encompassing thousands of hotels worldwide. Rewards programs are mainly used to encourage people to stay with a certain chain, and they can have amazing perks such as free food and drinks, cheaper rooms, and no blackout dates for booking rooms.

With there being so many different reward programs, travelers have to be sure to pick the one which works best with what they want from their experience. With thousands of hotels being included in these rewards, there are plenty of options for even the busiest traveler. These programs usually work off of a points system. It’s different for each hotel chain, but they all will definitely add up over time.

Point System

These rewards programs run off of a points system, which is slightly different for each hotel chain. The points will add up so that travelers can earn different rewards and redeem them on what they want to. Points are added up by a certain amount per dollar. Some examples of how much travelers can earn include:

  • 20 points per dollar (Radisson)
  • 10-15 points per dollar (Best Western)
  • 10 points per dollar or 1,000 per stay (Wyndham)
  • 10 points per dollar (Marriott)
  • 5 points per dollar (Hyatt)

There is a wide variety of bonus points to be earned based on different stays, with events known as award nights that some of these chains do. These award nights will give a larger amount of points to visitors who stay on those nights. For example, Hyatt will do awards nights with the ability to earn points ranging from 5,000 to 40,000, depending on the hotel. Travelers also should keep an eye on those points, because some hotel chains will have points that expire.

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Know The Best Rewards Programs

There are a lot of hotels that have rewards programs, and at first glance, they all look relatively similar. But a lot of things go into a successful rewards program. Some of the hotels with the best rewards programs that travelers should get into include:

  • Wyndham Rewards
  • Radisson Rewards
  • IHG Rewards
  • Marriott Bonvoy
  • World of Hyatt

All of these hotel chains have successful rewards programs, with great rewards for travelers to choose from. They are in different countries and all have different points systems but are all excellent for travelers. But travelers do need to look for differences in the systems, such as if points expire or if they have hotels in the cities that they want to visit eventually. These play a big part in picking a program.

Other Hotels With Rewards Programs

While those are five of the best rewards programs that travelers can join, there are several others that may be better suited for others. This could range from price to just preferred hotels, or for people who travel a little more or less than other people. Some of these could also include more countries than others and makes it easier for travel in general. Some of these include:

  • Choice Privileges
  • Best Western
  • Hilton Honors
  • iPrefer
  • Leaders Club

Some of these may be a little more expensive or a little cheaper than others, so travelers should pick one that they prefer. There are also people who prefer certain hotel chains in general, such as Best Western or Hilton because it is more well known than other hotels on the list. Some of these are just the names of the hotel rewards system, but actually include several hotels that are under a multitude of names. Research is key to picking the perfect program.

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Best Rewards

After travelers have earned their rewards, they start wondering what they can spend those points on. The answer is that it depends on the number of points and what travelers are wanting. A lot of these programs will let visitors choose what they want to redeem their points for. Some of these rewards include:

  • Free hotel stay
  • Free food and drink
  • Room upgrades
  • Airline tickets
  • Restaurant deliveries

There are a wide variety of things that travelers can choose to redeem their points on, with varying degrees of expense. Travelers must be sure to use points before they expire, and enjoy them! A lot of these rewards would cost much more than most people would want to spend on their vacations. These are super useful for travelers that want to save a little money because a free night in a hotel can go a long way when on vacation. Even for people who want to just have a small staycation, these are awesome rewards.

For both the frequent travelers and the once-a-year vacationers, these programs are worth looking into and getting started in. The rewards that eventually amount over time are worth the amount that people have to spend, especially if they get into a program that rewards a higher amount per dollar spent. There is a lot to choose from, but there are both rewards and a program for everyone. Safe travels!

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