7 Reasons You Should Join a Hotel Loyalty Program (and How to Choose the Right One)

As you work on summer travel plans, a key decision will be where to stay. Finding a hotel with a great loyalty program may weigh heavily in your decision.

Hotel loyalty programs can help you reduce travel costs, which is important given that most of us are considering how to deal with inflation right now.

Following are seven reasons to join a hotel loyalty program, and some things to consider that will help you find the best choice for you.

You may feel that a loyalty program is just another thing you have to pay for with little or no reward. But most loyalty programs are actually free.

So, depending on how often you stay at a certain hotel or hotel chain, it may be a simple sign-up that can lead to big rewards.

Instead of using travel sites that compare different hotel rooms, you might better save money at hotels by booking directly with the hotel chain using your loyalty rewards account.

Being a member can get you surprisingly great rates in many cases.

Instead of just a boring breakfast with some bagels and dry cereal, your loyalty program membership might allow you access to an upgraded morning meal.

This can include eggs, bacon, and other delicious breakfast treats that might not be available to customers who haven’t signed up for the program.

When you check in for your stay, find out if the hotel’s loyalty program entitles you to additional perks.

Does the hotel property you’re staying at include a spa? Or perhaps it has a pool with cabanas you can reserve. Maybe you can use loyalty points to get discounts there, or at the hotel restaurant or bar.

Plans can change sometimes, and that could mean being charged for a cancellation. But if you’re part of a loyalty program, hotels may waive your cancellation fees or reduce them.

Pro tip: Some of the best travel credit cards may have cancellation insurance in case you have to change plans after making reservations for hotels, airlines, and other travel bookings.

Flash your loyalty program membership and see which benefits it can get you once you enter your room. Some hotels may allow you to have a late checkout, or the loyalty program might earn you free Wi-Fi in your room, for instance.

Hotel brands may own a variety of different properties under their umbrella, which could help when it comes to earning points for your unique stays.

Check the list of properties a hotel brand owns to find out which hotels make sense for you. You might be surprised that you can earn hotel rewards with the same loyalty program when you stay at either a high-end hotel for business or a lower-priced hotel when you’re on a road trip with the family.

Pro-tip: To get even more out of a hotel loyalty program, you might consider using one of the best hotel credit cards to make your purchases. You can earn rewards and also get access to even more perks.

Take a look at the hotels you stay at during a regular trip. Are you going to the same hotel chain for business trips? Is there a particular hotel you like to stay at when on a family vacation or road trip?

These questions can help you narrow down which loyalty programs are best for you and help maximize your travel rewards.

Look into all the hotels that a loyalty program may cover. You may be surprised by the variety of price points that a brand owns.

So, make the right choice depending on what you need out of a hotel for a specific trip.

When choosing a loyalty program, check to see what you can get for your loyalty. If you want to use your points for spa treatments and the program does not offer that, you might be disappointed.

Benefits can be a big factor when deciding which program to go with.

If you like staying at luxury properties, don’t sign up for a loyalty program with one luxury hotel and a bunch of midrange or low-range properties that won’t interest you.

Instead, research all the properties that are covered by a particular loyalty program to see if it’s a good fit for your lifestyle.

As you get out and travel more, you should be rewarded for your loyalty. But choosing the right loyalty program is crucial to getting the most from this type of benefit.

Do some research on which programs best fit your travel budget and plans. When you find the right program, pair it with one of the best rewards credit cards to maximize the points you can earn and the benefits you can receive.