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You’ve probably gotten an offer to collect hotel points upon check-in at a hotel during one of your travels. It may seem trivial to bother signing up for a hotel’s reward system—after all, what benefits will you get from it?
The thought of spending a significant amount of money on hotels may not bother you, especially if it’s worth the experience. But if you’re a regular traveler who prefers to book a hotel room at the same hotel chain, then you should maximize the opportunity to gain hotel points since it can serve you several benefits.
What are Hotel Points?
Hotel points are reward points you earn every time you stay at a hotel or purchase anything from a hotel chain’s accredited partners. Typically, you’ll gain points for a specific amount you spend, and you can exchange these points for other items or perks, such as a room upgrade for your next hotel stay, a freebie, or even an entire travel package.
If you’ve frequented the same hotels, then you should take advantage of their reward system and gain points for the following reasons:
1. You Can Use It To Book Hotel Stays For . Free
Well-known hotel chains with branches located in many countries, like Marriot, award points to customers every time they book a room or purchase from their travel partners such as restaurants, shops, and airlines.
Some point systems are even tied with credit cards, so every time your credit card is used, points can quickly accumulate. If you’re an avid traveler who holds a membership card from a specific hotel chain, then you should take advantage of the hotel points you can gain.
You can use the points you earn to book hotel stays for free. Big hotel chains usually have branches across the globe, and if you need to travel and book a room, you can stay at one of their branches for free. You’ll also save up on additional hotel fees since you can use the rewards you’ve incurred during your past stays.
Hotel points are also flexible, so if you have extra Marriot points, you can sell them to those who are planning to stay at the hotel as well. If you have no reason to travel often, you can simply refer a person you know to join the program so that you earn more points and sell them—either way, you’ll always get your money’s worth.
2. You Can Use Points To Rent A Car Or Book A Flight
The perks of saving up hotel points aren’t limited to just getting free nights at a hotel. You can also use your points for other things, such as booking a flight or renting a car.
The reward system for hotels is usually large scale, making it more convenient to use for frequent travelers who travel around the globe. In case you need to book a car or flight in a rush, but don’t have enough cash on hand, you can use your hotel points instead.
3. You Can Book A Travel Package
Planning your next getaway can sometimes be stressful as you need to find a hotel to stay in, book a flight, and plan your itinerary. However, you can simply skip all the hassle with enough hotel points, since these points can also be used to book a travel package, which includes both airfare and hotel stay.
This perk makes it even more convenient for you to go on a last-minute trip. You’ll also be more at ease when traveling, since you can avoid any inconveniences such as processing a refund for a plane ticket in case of last-minute cancellations or failure to secure a confirmed hotel room booking.
4. You Can Redeem Gift Cards
You can also claim gift cards from partner shops or brands through your hotel points. Reward systems are tied with several establishments that offer benefits to those who have points, so you can redeem the same for rewards.
You can redeem a gift card and use it for yourself or as a gift to others. This way, you won’t need to spend any more money, since your points will serve as your purchasing power. It will also let you make the most out of your expenditures from a previous trip, since you can use a gift card to book a dinner at a restaurant or shop at partner stores.
5. You Can Combine Your Points With Other Accounts
If you have a friend or family member who books hotel stays just as much as you do, you can combine your points to claim better rewards.
The reward system of hotels consists of a breakdown of the number of points you need to claim a specific item or experience. The better the prize, the more points you’ll need. Combining your points with someone else’s means you can claim and share better rewards.
How Do You Gain Hotel Points?
The easiest way to gain hotel points is by booking a room, but you can also earn a point every time you purchase from the partner brands of that hotel.
Additionally, a hotel will typically have many partner brands, and whenever you spend the minimum requirement, you gain a point.
The more money you spend, the more points you earn. The best way to make the most out of your purchases is by choosing to buy from the accredited partners. That way, you can maximize the rewards you get through your purchases.
If you often travel and regularly book a room at the same hotel chain, you can check out its accredited brands and actively earn points when you shop or dine from its partners.
Takeaway
If you’re a frequent traveler who wishes to make the most out of every penny you spend, then consider collecting hotel points every time you book a hotel, instead of letting them go to waste. Your hotel points can be used for a lot of perks, and nothing beats knowing that the money you spend for every stay is worth it.