Tips For Fueling Your Frequent Traveler Points And Miles

Saturday, March 1, 2008

offers three different earnings options, which impacts how mem- (NAPSA)—Asfuel prices continue to rise and traveling becomes more expensive each day, bers earn points and miles. You can also concentrate your earnings into one currency by convert- people are finding ways to de- crease the cost of their vacation plans because they are strapped for cash. In a recent survey by Kayak.com, 79 percent of respondents said that while the recent economic downturn caused them to alter their vacation plans, they are still planning to get away. Of those who changed the destination of their vacation, 28 percent said they will stay closer to home, 23 percent will drop a star from their usual standard and 20 percent will choose a location where friends and family can offer room andboard. While Americans are consider- ing alternative ways to cut back on their travel costs, one often overlooked way to bring down the cost of a vacation is to utilize frequent traveler points and miles from loyalty programs. Travelers can take advantage of their hotel and airline rewards programs to redeem for discounts, upgrades and free roomsandairfare. “I think that many travelers don’t maximize their hotel point earnings because hotel rewards programs often seem more compli- cated than they actually are,” said Adam Burke, senior vice president and managing director, Hilton HHonors Worldwide. “Mosttravelers are well aware of the opportu- nity to earn and redeem airline mileage, but travelers who are truly interested in maximizing the earning power of their travel should enroll in a hotel rewards program in addition to their frequentflyer programs.” ing your hotel points to miles or airline miles to points. 3. Don’t Get Blacked Out— Since hotel rooms can be more Frequent travelers who have points or miles sitting in their program accounts should consider redeeming their points to help expensive during peak travel seasons, redeeming your points for a free night during these peak periods saves you more money. Look for a hotel rewards program that allows you to redeem during the times of year alleviate the cost of future travel expenses. Travelers who haven’t taken advantage of customer loy- you want to travel the most and a world of rewards andfree travel. policies. alty programs are missing out on From vacation packages to car rentals, members can use their points and miles as a new form of currency to plan for their next trip. When planning for your next vacation, consider the following tips on how to make the most out make sure to check the fine print on the program’s blackout 4. Redeem Points for Vacation Packages and Experience Rewards—In addition to vacation packages to exciting and exotic locations, some programs also offer a variety of one-of-a- gram Carefully and Stay Loyal—All customer loyalty pro- kind experiences that you can redeem for rewards. For example, Hilton HHonors offers members the chance to soar above New York City in a helicopter or testdrive their dream job while on hotel and airline programsare the 5. Other Ways To Earn Points—Staying at a hotel is not of frequent traveler points and miles: 1. Choose A Rewards Pro- grams are not created equal, so take the time to research which best fit for your travel needs. By vacation. staying loyal to one hotel and one airline program, you will earn the only way to earn points. Most loyalty programsoffer a variety of credit cards that allow you to special recognition. mally spend. You can even earn more rewards faster and can receive various VIP privileges and 2. Choose Your Preferred Currency—Whether you want free nights or free flights, choose a program that gives you the flexibility to earn the way you want. Hilton HHonors, for example, earn points or miles for just spending money you would nor- points by renting a car from one of your reward program partners. Some programs, such as Hilton HHonors, also offer an Earnings Mall that allows you to earn bonuspoints for each purchase.

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