Enhancing Your Stay: Tips for Making the Most of Reward Points

Uncover the secrets to enhancing your hotel experience using points from loyalty programs, allowing you to indulge in a lavish getaway without any additional costs.

Maximizing Rewards with Credit Card Points

Upgrading your hotel using your travel card is an affordable way to have a great stay! Photo by Freepik.

Hotel Enhancements: Travel credit cards are increasingly popular for everyday use. They come packed with benefits like substantial savings, upgrades for flights and hotels, access to exclusive airport lounges, and much more.

This is primarily because users of travel credit cards can concentrate their routine spending on these cards, continuously earning points. These points can then build up and be exchanged for various rewards as mentioned.

What Does Hotel Upgrade with Points Mean?

Understanding Upgrades with Points

Upgrading, whether for a flight or accommodation, means using your earned points to claim rewards. This is a widely accepted practice and serves as a great strategy to save money.

This approach makes it much easier to secure upgraded, and occasionally complimentary, stays. Travel cards often have affiliations with hotel chains, which benefits cardholders significantly.

Advantages of Upgrading with Points

When you upgrade your accommodation using points, you can enjoy more spacious and improved rooms, options with bathtubs, breathtaking views, lavish layouts, and so much more.

This allows you to experience your trip in a more remarkable way, creating cherished memories.

How Does the Hotel Upgrade with Points Process Work?

Upgrade-Offering Loyalty Programs

Many loyalty programs permit members to enhance their accommodations using points. Here are some of the most recognized:

Marriott Bonvoy: With more than 7,000 hotels, Marriott Bonvoy enables you to use points for upgrades to suites and premium view rooms. Platinum and higher members enjoy enhanced chances for complimentary upgrades based on availability.
Hilton Honors: Provides automatic upgrades for Gold and Diamond members, featuring options like spacious rooms, better vistas, and access to executive lounges. Points can also be used to secure upgrades.
World of Hyatt: Members can utilize points for room upgrades, and Globalist members automatically receive upgrades based on availability, including suites and premium categories.
IHG One Rewards: Points can be used for enhancements to premium rooms. Platinum and Diamond members have priority for complimentary upgrades at check-in, which may include suites.
Accor Live Limitless (ALL): Members can enhance their rooms using points, and depending on the property, gain access to VIP lounges and other exclusive benefits.

These loyalty programs provide a blend of automatic upgrades along with those redeemable for points, particularly advantageous for elite status members.

Guidelines for Upgrading

Before seeking a hotel upgrade, there are a few important things to consider. Make sure to verify availability during check-in, as many upgrades depend on what’s available. Also, having a higher loyalty tier can make it easier to land an upgrade.

The points required for an upgrade vary by hotel chain, room type, length of stay, seasonality, and more. Be cautious of promotional restrictions, as bookings via online travel sites often don’t qualify for upgrades.

Top Credit Cards for Earning Points and Securing Hotel Upgrades

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 2x points on travel and point transfers to major hotel programs.
The Platinum Card from American Express: Offers Gold status and point transfers to top hotel chains.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass: 12x points on Hilton stays with Gold status for possible upgrades.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: 6x points for Marriott stays and Silver Elite status for upgrade chances.
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Up to 9x points at Hyatt properties and Discoverist status for upgrades.
IHG Rewards Premier: 10x points at IHG hotels and Platinum Elite status for complimentary upgrades.