The Benefits of Hotel Loyalty Programs for Business Travelers

Business travelers are on the road a lot. The good part about business travel is that you normally aren’t paying for the trip yourself. What most business travelers don’t know is that they can still earn points.

Hotel loyalty programs are great for anyone, but they’re wonderful for business travel. They basically let you earn extra money while working.

There are lots of benefits to signing up for a loyalty program. Here are just a few of the things you can gain from joining.

1.Points

You’ll earn points with every single stay.

The way points work differs from hotel to hotel.

Some hotels add up points with nights stayed. Others calculate based on the amount of money that you’ve spent. Some use a hybrid system.

No matter what, you will be rewarded every time.

It doesn’t matter if you’re paying or not. You can usually still add points to your account. Just make sure the reservation is in your name.

Hotel points work like air miles. Once you get enough, you can pay with points instead of cash. Points add up pretty quickly.

If you travel a lot, it won’t take long before you’ll earn a free stay.

You can also earn points in other ways. Eating at the hotel restaurant or even getting drinks at the bar will earn you points.

Sometimes you can even buy points and get a cheaper rate that way.

2.Better Service

Loyalty members get VIP service.

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re traveling with. Loyalty members will be rewarded no matter what. The staff will treat you better.

You can even use loyalty to get good deals on housing. Traveling nurses, construction workers, and even freelancers count as business travelers.

Here is good information from Hotel Engine on how to find the best housing.

When it comes to business travel, using a booking service is always a good idea. Your main priority should be business.

Don’t waste time dealing with all the dirty work. Finding the best prices and options takes time. And as any good business person knows, time is money.

Booking services will also help when things go wrong. They have better connections in the hospitality industry. And hotels know how important they are for their business.

You’re more likely to get better service when you hire professionals.

3.Upgrades

Upgrades are usually built into rewards programs.

Once you reach a certain status, you will automatically qualify for upgrades.

These upgrades could be a bigger room. Or it might be a room with a view. There could also be a free dinner or extra drinks at the bar.

Even if you don’t qualify for an upgrade, you’re more likely to get one as a member. When hotels are running low on space, they’ll bump you up.

That way they have more rooms for people who aren’t members.

Upgrades are always subject to availability. Hotels can’t create rooms that they don’t have. Don’t expect an upgrade automatically.

There’s no harm in asking for freebies so long as you’re nice about it. Just be aware that the staff can say no. And if you’re rude, they probably won’t be very nice back to you.

Being polite will get you far in life.

4.Flexibility

You might have to cancel plans at the last minute.

It happens to the best of travelers. When this happens, having a refundable rate is nice. Loyalty members can usually cancel at the last minute.

Traveling can be extremely stressful. That’s why it’s important to stay flexible and calm when things change. Stressing over finding a new location is just a waste of time.

Here’s some advice from Forbes about other ways you might be wasting time at work. Increasing productivity is extremely important, especially when you’re on the road.

Wasted time is wasted money.

5.Price

You want to save money wherever you can.

Members always get better prices than regular customers.

These discounts go beyond just the room. Members get discounts in restaurants, at bar, and on other services.

Hotels can book more for you than just dinner. They can help you get tickets for events and concerts. Members are more likely to get discounts.

Business travelers will also get these perks when traveling for leisure. Bleisure, a mixture of business and leisure, is on the rise.

Making the most of your money is more important than ever.

Conclusion

Saving money is key to success. For business travelers, and for any traveler, hotel loyalty programs are the best way to save money.