Hotel Points

Sisson2011

Well-Known Member
I have a questions for the airlines crews out there that collect hotel points. I have been collecting hotel points for about 6 months now. Most of the time we don't get any points, however, I do have some. It never hurts to ask if it is free.

I'm curious what is the best way to maximize the points I gain? Especially considering I have the points sscatteredall over different reward programs. I have considered doing a few things. I have thought about putting them all into an airline program. I get free flights, but it would allow me to take a vacation and be able to know that I'm going to get there and back. I have thought about just keeping them and just using them for a free hotel room when I get enough points, no matter how long it takes. I have considered getting one of the reward credit cards for either a hotel brand or airline brand to help boost the points.

What do you do to maximize the points? Does it work good?

Thanks for sharing..
 
Being at an airline you don't have too many options. The best ways to get tons of points is to find the 2X and 3X points specials that hotels put out for certain periods of time and then use that hotel. Unfortunately your airline will only put you up in the contract hotel they have in each location.
 
Watch expirations on the point. Hilton and Marriott expire after a period, Priotity club (holiday inn group) doesn't.

Watch for the deals when spending them as well to maximize. We got a private villa on Koh Sumoi, Thailand for 50k Hilton points, normally is 200k or $2200 a night.
 
I've been on some killer vacations paid for with points.

There's a bit of "inflation" though, used to be 40k miles would get a round trip to europe, more like 150k now.

Hilton & starwood are great, but it takes years to get enough to do anything cool. Flyertalk.com has great ways to scam points. Most of them are cheap enough that they should have been pilots :)
 
Points are awesome. I haven't paid for an airlne ticket or hotel room in years. Right now, Hilton has triple points going on and we have been staying with them whenever possible. Also, if you're just starting out, pick one rewards program (ie, Priority Club, Southwest Airlines) and stick with those. The airlines are pretty easy if you have to fly other carriers as most have agreements with each other and you can use the same rewards program for multiple carriers. My top two favorite/easiest to deal with hotel rewards programs are Priority Club and Hilton Honors. Southwest Airlines probably has the easiest and most favorable program of all air carriers IMO.
 
Get a rewards card for a hotel and stick with just that brand as much as possible. I've been using a Marriott Card for about a year now and the points add up pretty quickly. Most hotels I stay at for work don't give points (none in the Marriott family do) but occasionally they will give you credit towards a stay which will improve your level within the program and give you bigger bonuses for the points you do accrue. Hilton seems to be the most generous with giving points for work overnights, but that may just be the ones we happen to stay in. Also, you can sign up for TopGuest which will track your twitter, facebook and foursquare checkins and give you 50 to 100 points at many hotels just for checking in.
 
Also, you can sign up for TopGuest which will track your twitter, facebook and foursquare checkins and give you 50 to 100 points at many hotels just for checking in.

Nice! I had no idea about that, thanks for mentioning it.
 
Hotel points have paid fully for my last two vacations, as well at St. Croix in a couple months. Luckily I do just enough RON's each year to renew Marriott Platinum status and get enough points for the years vacation.

Also, the marriott platinum premiere credit card is a good one. +15 platinum elite nights each year, free stay each anniversary, and at least when I signed up 50k points.
 
I dont get to stay in the wonderful fancy hotels. But ive had great luck with Best Western. earned a bunch of free nights thru their promotions and by the time my vacation rolls around next year ill have enough points for a week at a BW.

Also I rent a car for work frequently and Hertz rewards program is by far the best. It cost $60 to sing up or it, but if you have an AOPA membership its free to sign up. The have offers frequently where you earn an extra 100 points a day when you rent. And redeeming points has been super easy as well.
 
I dont get to stay in the wonderful fancy hotels. But ive had great luck with Best Western. earned a bunch of free nights thru their promotions and by the time my vacation rolls around next year ill have enough points for a week at a BW.

Also I rent a car for work frequently and Hertz rewards program is by far the best. It cost $60 to sing up or it, but if you have an AOPA membership its free to sign up. The have offers frequently where you earn an extra 100 points a day when you rent. And redeeming points has been super easy as well.

We don't stay in BW's that often, but I am sitting in one right now and it's brand new and better than some rooms we normally stay in. Nothing wrong with a BW! Hertz is nice as well (especially the #1 Club Gold program) and by far the best car rental provider we work with.
 
I've been in a holiday inn now for two months. Ends up being a free night about every 13-14 nights, Hilton for my coworkers about 10-13. Depends on what you like. Now that I'm platinum elite I get a free bottle of water and a granola bar. Big roller right here...

...YEAH...
 
I've been in a holiday inn now for two months. Ends up being a free night about every 13-14 nights, Hilton for my coworkers about 10-13. Depends on what you like. Now that I'm platinum elite I get a free bottle of water and a granola bar. Big roller right here...

...YEAH...
Being Platinum with Priority Club lands me a free upgrade to a suite whenever a place has them. It does have its advantages!
 
We don't stay in BW's that often, but I am sitting in one right now and it's brand new and better than some rooms we normally stay in. Nothing wrong with a BW! Hertz is nice as well (especially the #1 Club Gold program) and by far the best car rental provider we work with.
from my stays in BW's its about half average hotel and half really nice. they have 3 teirs of hotels standard, plus, and premier. The Premier ones are as nice as it gets, the Plus is great too, Standard can be hit or miss. Im not complaining about it at all because the points system is great. But Hilton or Marriott would be better as far as quality of hotel goes.
 
from my stays in BW's its about half average hotel and half really nice. they have 3 teirs of hotels standard, plus, and premier. The Premier ones are as nice as it gets, the Plus is great too, Standard can be hit or miss. Im not complaining about it at all because the points system is great. But Hilton or Marriott would be better as far as quality of hotel goes.

I must be in a Premier one right now then. I have noticed that BW's are really hit and miss like you said. But this particular location is just as nice as the Hampton Inn I stayed in a few nights ago. Hampton and Fairfield Inn's are my favorite locations to stay (in their price class) while on the road.
 
But Hilton or Marriott would be better as far as quality of hotel goes.

I don't have much going on in the Hilton program so I don't know, but Marriott can be pretty hit or miss as well. The brand runs down to the Fairfield Inns which for the most part are pretty low end. Once you get into the Courtyard level it's ok and then the straight Marriotts and Renascences are nice. And of course obviously the Ritz Carletons are super nice.
 
I'm pretty perturbed that we don't get points.

Now if I stay at a Hilton, I don't get points, however if that Hilton employee was flying to Georgia for business,he would get miles. Wtf!?


Sent from my TRS-80
 
I don't have much going on in the Hilton program so I don't know, but Marriott can be pretty hit or miss as well. The brand runs down to the Fairfield Inns which for the most part are pretty low end. Once you get into the Courtyard level it's ok and then the straight Marriotts and Renascences are nice. And of course obviously the Ritz Carletons are super nice.

Fairfield are low end? All the ones I've stayed in have been quality. On the othe hand, I've been to some questionable Residence Inns though.
 
I'm pretty perturbed that we don't get points.

Now if I stay at a Hilton, I don't get points, however if that Hilton employee was flying to Georgia for business,he would get miles. Wtf!?


Sent from my TRS-80

Exactly!
 
You know, I always give them my rewards number at check-in....put a card on file for incidentals as well (if I think I'm going to eat/ drink there). Even if I'm only getting a few points per stay, they all add up.

I really don't use credit cards much.......but, I'm seriously considering getting a Marriot card or something similar and use it for everything and pay off in full monthly. We'll see......
 
<---- doesn't always join loyalty programs, but when I do, I PREfer... Marriott.
 
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