Parents Travel rewards

[Committed]

It looks like we will be doing quite a bit of traveling soon...... and, apparently, continuing throughout her gymnastics career.

Anyway, what travel program do you have or like the best? I have an American Airlines credit card, but I don't feel you get much bang out of your buck for it.
Do you have hotel rewards? Air rewards?

Thanks!

 

[htimcj]

We have a Marriott and Hilton reward card, not the credit card versions. Pretty much have to travel and stay over night at EVERY SINGLE meet. Always end up with at least one free night by the end of the sesason.

 

[skschlag]

I agree..hilton/marriot ANY reward card. We just use Chase card and rack up points that way and we can use them on plane tickets.

 

[mommyof1]

I agree with the previous two responses. I travel a fair amount on business and have standard hotel reward cards (not credit cards) for every chain where I've ever stayed. It's free to sign up, so it can't hurt to sign up for all of them. When I have a choice I stay with Marriott because their hotels tend to be the cleanest and I think their mattresses are the most comfortable, but I also stay frequently with Hilton. In some places it can be difficult to find a decently priced room, or any hotel at all, at your preferred chain, so you just have to be flexible. Eventually you will rack up enough points for a free room at each chain you use. Several times over the past couple of years, Marriott has run a promotion called "MegaBonus" where you can earn a free night in a low rewards category hotel with just two stays, while also earning points. That was the fastest way to rack up the free nights, but unfortunately I haven't seen a MegaBonus yet this year.

A few other things I have learned about hotels over the years: If you are a AAA member, always search for the AAA rate. If you are offered a group or convention rate, immediately reserve all the nights that you might possibly need and then cancel what you don't need once you have finalized your flight and other plans, since room blocks can sometimes fill up quickly. Always check the age of the hotel and/or the last renovation date (usually on the "room information" or "room details" page)--a brand-new budget hotel can actually be much newer and nicer than a musty old full-service hotel. Be cautious about "boutique" hotels, which are usually not geared towards families and may not be particularly family-friendly even if they advertise themselves to be. And always be VERY careful about checking a hotel's cancellation policy when booking--I was once accidentally booked (by another person at work who was arranging my travel) at a nonrefundable prepaid rate.

Free breakfast is a huge time- and money-saver on family hotel stays. Embassy Suites (Hilton) tends to have one of the best free breakfasts.

For airlines, I have a frequent flyer membership on every airline I use. If you can manage to do enough flying on a single airline to get frequent flyer status you'll get free baggage and a multiplier on your miles so you earn them faster. But I always choose price and convenience (better flight times, fewer plane changes, more reasonable layovers) over airline loyalty.

I don't pay extra for an airline credit card, but I like to use my regular credit card points to pay for airline tickets. This method is much more flexible, and often "cheaper" in terms of points/miles, than using airline miles.

 

[profmom]

Free breakfast shouldn't be underestimated! Especially if you're at a higher end hotel (Hilton, Sheraton, Marriott, etc.), those breakfasts can be outrageous!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

and gymnast can eat a lot !

 

[profmom]

Especially if only one of them is competing and the other one has no pre-meet nerves with which to contend!

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Marriott has run a promotion called "MegaBonus" where you can earn a free night in a low rewards category hotel with just two stays, while also earning points. That was the fastest way to rack up the free nights, but unfortunately I haven't seen a MegaBonus yet this year.
.

There was one earlier this year, I earned 2 free nights this season! I think the last one ended in March/April.

I do all the same things you do... and I'm too cheap to pay annual fee for a Marriott Chase card

With the AAA rate I always get cheaper than what Coach books as Group and I usually get free breakfasts!

 

[magmom]

We put most of our expenses on a Capitol One rewards card that gives us 2% back toward travel expenses. It has an annual fee, but we more than make it back. The best part is that you don't have to use any particular airline or hotel; you can just go with whatever works best on that trip and get reimbursed afterward.

I second the AAA and the free breakfast recommendations.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Even as a Canadian I belong to most major hotel chains.... Marriott and Hilton being my fave as well. Breakfast included is Sooooo handy when u have an early start (unless everyone else does too).

I collect airmiles with one airline in Canada and one in the states. My CC is linked with the airline. We've had free flights every 2 years or so (volume on the card sure helps)

 

[gwenmom]

We do Marriott and Hilton as well, although I usually end up at Mrrriott

 

[skschlag]

I prefer Marriott, but the Happy HOur and Embassy Suites is fantastic

 

[GymMom67]

My husband's job is almost 100% travel, so he flies just about every week and stays in hotels 4 nights per week most nights. He gets tons of frequent flyer miles with United. As for the airline, of you live in a city that has a hub for an airline, try to fly that one. If not, it is best to stick with one airline as much as possible, so your miles will add up more quickly. As for hotels, if the client he is working for does not have a specific hotel they want him to stay at, he tries to go with whichever chain is offering the best promotion at the moment. We have points with Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn, and Sheraton.We're going on a big road trip vacation in a couple of weeks and we are staying in all of them over the course of the week. LOL Marriott is doing one of their MegaBonus promotions right now, so he'll stay with them until he earns that. When nobody is having a promotion, he usually stays with Hilton, mostly because his dad lives in a kind of small town and there is a Hampton Inn there, but not many other chains. When we have the kids with us, our favorite is probably Embassy Suites, which is in the Hilton chain. Their breakfast can't be beat, and the rooms are nice and spacious. Also, if you're flying places, don't forget to sign up for rental car points. My husband usually rents from National. They have the Emerald Isle, where he just walks out and chooses whichever car he wants. But he is renting with Hertz right now because of a promotion they're having. He says you get a nicer car with National, but much better customer service with Hertz. It all really does add up. We'll be on our vacation for 8 days and our plane tickets, hotels, and rental car are all free. Also, when you're looking at airlines, check who they are in an alliance with. With our United miles, we can also fly Air Canada and Lufthansa, among others. We were able to fly U.S. Airways until very recently, but they are merging with American now.

 

[Becauseisaid]

A few other things I have learned about hotels over the years: If you are a AAA member, always search for the AAA rate. If you are offered a group or convention rate, immediately reserve all the nights that you might possibly need and then cancel what you don't need once you have finalized your flight and other plans, since room blocks can sometimes fill up quickly. Always check the age of the hotel and/or the last renovation date (usually on the "room information" or "room details" page)--a brand-new budget hotel can actually be much newer and nicer than a musty old full-service hotel. Be cautious about "boutique" hotels, which are usually not geared towards families and may not be particularly family-friendly even if they advertise themselves to be. And always be VERY careful about checking a hotel's cancellation policy when booking--I was once accidentally booked (by another person at work who was arranging my travel) at a nonrefundable prepaid rate.

Free breakfast is a huge time- and money-saver on family hotel stays. Embassy Suites (Hilton) tends to have one of the best free breakfasts.

And always check the Bed Bug registry before booking. Expensive doesn't mean clean. *shudder* I have had no trouble at all calling a hotel and mentioning what I saw on the registry and asking what they have done to correct the issue.

 

[Gymmomto2]

Becauseisaid, lol! I do the SAME thing! My husband had a bed bug nightmare once while on businsess, so now I always ck!