Award nights 101 - Revision history

Editor at 20:42, 28 October 2021

2021-10-28T20:42:24Z

Editor: /* Seeing which award hotels are located at your destination */

2021-04-28T18:36:58Z

‎Seeing which award hotels are located at your destination

Editor: /* Seeing which award hotels are located at your destination */

2021-04-28T18:36:36Z

‎Seeing which award hotels are located at your destination

Editor: /* Getting points to use for award nights */

2021-04-28T18:35:49Z

‎Getting points to use for award nights

Editor: /* Getting points to use for award nights */

2021-04-19T01:41:58Z

‎Getting points to use for award nights

Editor: Editor moved page Award Nights 101 to Award nights 101 without leaving a redirect

2021-02-19T00:11:43Z

Editor moved page Award Nights 101 to Award nights 101 without leaving a redirect

Editor: /* Determining if booking an award night is a good use of your points */

2021-02-14T01:01:47Z

‎Determining if booking an award night is a good use of your points

Editor at 19:20, 12 February 2021

2021-02-12T19:20:16Z

Editor at 19:19, 12 February 2021

2021-02-12T19:19:20Z

Editor at 02:37, 12 February 2021

2021-02-12T02:37:04Z

Show changes

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 <blockquote>
-Hotel points are easy to use. Unlike frequent flyer programs, availability is not an issue. If there is a standard room available, you can almost always book it with your points. And since the number of points you need doesn't change very much based on demand, you can often save a lot of money by using your points when hotel rates are more expensive than normal.
+Most hotel points are easy to use. Unlike frequent flyer programs, availability is not an issue. If there is a standard room available, you can almost always book it with your points. And since (with most programs) the number of points you need doesn't change as much based on demand, you can sometimes save a lot of money by using your points when hotel rates are more expensive than normal.
 </blockquote>
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 <ul class="bulletlist">
-<li>'''You might not immediately recognize the names of a couple of the largest hotel programs'''. The largest hotel company in the world is called the “Intercontinental Hotel Group” or “IHG”. They are the parent company of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and a few other hotel brands; but are named after their high-end Intercontinental brand. The Marriott program encompasses dozens of different hotel brands that you might not associate with Marriott. Most hotel brands with multiple locations belong to one of a small number of major hotel programs. </li>
+<li>'''You might not immediately recognize the names of a couple of the largest hotel programs'''. The largest hotel company in the world is called the “Intercontinental Hotel Group” or “IHG”. They are the parent company of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, and a few other hotel brands; but are named after their high-end Intercontinental brand. The Marriott program encompasses dozens of different hotel brands that you might not associate with Marriott. Most hotel brands with multiple locations belong to one of a small number of major hotel programs. </li>
 {{Image|HotelBrands.png|360}}
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 This is quite different from the world of frequent flyer miles, where most airlines require roughly the same number of miles for the same type of award tickets.
-<li>'''The number of required points is based on the “category” of the hotel'''. For example, Marriott currently has eight categories of hotels with standard rates ranging from 7,500 to 85,000 points per night. There is often a slightly lower cost during off-peak dates and potentially a slightly higher cost during peak travel dates.</li>
+<li>'''Until the last few years, the number of points required was based on the "category" of the hotel'''. For example, Marriott currently has eight categories of hotels with standard rates ranging from 7,500 to 85,000 points per night. There is often a slightly lower cost during off-peak dates and potentially a slightly higher cost during peak travel dates.</li>
-Hotel programs generally keep the point cost for each category constant, but periodically move the hotels from one category to another. A hotel that was in category 5 one year, might be in category 6 the next. As you might expect, many more hotels move up to more expensive categories than move down into less expensive categories, so a typical hotel award night has gradually required more points over time.
+Hotel programs generally kept the point cost for each category constant, but periodically move dthe hotels from one category to another. A hotel that was in category 5 one year, might be in category 6 the next. As you might expect, many more hotels move up to more expensive categories than move down into less expensive categories, so a typical hotel award night has gradually required more points over time.
 {{Image|MarriottRewardChart.png}}
-Some hotel programs, like Hilton and IHG, vary the award prices for each hotel in a wider range. But, behind the scenes, each hotel still belongs to a category that constrains the maximum award price.
+<li>'''The recent trend is to vary the award prices for each hotel within a wider range'''.  With Hilton, the most expensive nights for standard rooms at each hotel are capped based on a "hidden award chart". With IHG, award prices vary in a wider range. Starting in March 2022, Marriott will be moving towards very dynamic pricing, but will keep things in a range based on their current award chart for most hotels for the duration of 2022.</li>
-<li>'''Unlike frequent flyer programs, it is easy to redeem your hotel points'''. If there are rooms available, you will almost always be able to use your points. You can even use your points during peak travel periods and special events (like New Year's Eve or a college football game weekend), when regular room rates are much higher than normal. However, this only applies to regular rooms. If the only thing left at the hotel are deluxe rooms, junior suites, etc., you may not be able to book an award night or you may need to use a larger number of points.</li>
+Of the major hotel loyalty programs, only Hyatt is currently sticking to a traditional award chart, albeit one with peak and off-peak pricing. But several of the next most important programs are sticking with award charts.
-The occasional hotel will "cheat". They will treat most of their regular hotel rooms as special "view" rooms that aren't available for award stays and only have a tiny number of official "standard" rooms. This can make it nearly impossible to use your points, but this is the exception not the rule.
+<li>'''Unlike frequent flyer programs, it is usually easy to redeem your hotel points'''. If there are standard rooms available, you will almost always be able to book an award night.</li>
 <li>'''Award nights are refundable'''. However, just like refundable cash rates, you'll still need to change or cancel your reservation before a hotel-specific deadline. In extreme cases, this could be a month or more before your stay.</li>
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 {{Logo|Ultimate Rewards}}
 <li>'''Free Wyndham hotel nights and even more so, free Vacasa vacation rentals, are good use of your Capital One points'''. While many Wyndham hotel award opportunities will provide less than 1 cent per point, certain vacation rental values can often be as high or higher than 2 cents per point. The sweet spot are shorter-term 1 bedroom rentals which cost 15,000 points per night and include all of the fees.
-<li>'''Other than using Ultimate Rewards points for Hyatt redemptions and Capital One points for Wyndham redemptions, it rarely makes sense to transfer flexible credit card points to hotel programs'''. For example, you can also convert your Ultimate Rewards points into Marriott points, but Marriott points are typically only worth about {{Value|Marriott}} cents each, which is lower value than the other uses of your points. Likewise, Membership Rewards can be converted into Marriott, Hilton, and Choice points, which are all worth under 1 cent each. You are better off saving your points for frequent flyer tickets or even using them to purchase travel at 1 cent each. {{Link|Transferable Points}}.</li>
+<li>'''Other than using Ultimate Rewards points for Hyatt redemptions, ThankYou points for Choice redemptions, and Capital One points for Wyndham and Vacasa redemptions, it rarely makes sense to transfer flexible credit card points to hotel programs'''. For example, you can also convert your Ultimate Rewards points into Marriott points, but Marriott points are typically only worth about {{Value|Marriott}} cents each, which is lower value than the other uses of your points. Likewise, Membership Rewards can be converted into Marriott, Hilton, and Choice points, which are all worth under 1 cent each. You are better off saving your points for frequent flyer tickets or even using them to purchase travel at 1 cent each. {{Link|Transferable Points}}.</li>
 <li>'''You can always book award nights at hotels in the IHG and Choice programs by using the “Cash & Points trick” to purchase points at low prices'''. Every hotel program allows you to buy additional points. However, the price is normally too expensive to be worthwhile. But with both IHG Rewards Club and Choice Privileges, you can take advantage of the “Cash & Points trick” to buy last-minute points at lower-than-normal rates.</li>
@@ Line 104: / Line 112: @@
 {{Box|Programs to Check}}
-Remember that you can look for hotels that belong to any of the hotel programs where you have a point balance. In addition, you can always book '''IHG''' and '''Choice''' hotels by taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced last-minute points through the Points & Cash trick.  And if you have Ultimate Rewards points or Capital One points, it also makes sense to look at your '''Hyatt''' or '''Wyndham''' options.
+Remember that you can look for hotels that belong to any of the hotel programs where you have a point balance. In addition, you can always book '''IHG''' and '''Choice''' hotels by taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced last-minute points through the Points & Cash trick.  And if you have Ultimate Rewards, ThankYou, and/or Capital One points, it also makes sense to look at your '''Hyatt''', '''Choice''', and/or '''Wyndham''' options.
 {{/Box}}
@@ Line 128: / Line 136: @@
 <ul class="bulletlist">
-<li>'''Point-based stays are most valuable during periods of top demand, such as during festivals and events, ski season, or school breaks'''. The number of points required for a hotel room is based on the normal rates for the hotel. While some programs require more points during “high season”, award rates don’t fluctuate nearly as much as regular room rates or don’t fluctuate at all. As a result, the most valuable time to use your points are when hotel rates are high than normal—during ski season, school breaks, conventions, special events, holidays, and peak travel season.</li>
+<li>'''Point-based stays, from most programs, are most valuable during periods of top demand, such as during festivals and events, ski season, or school breaks'''.  While some programs require more points during “high season”, award rates in most don’t fluctuate nearly as much as regular room rates or don’t fluctuate at all. As a result, the most valuable time to use your points are when hotel rates are high than normal—during ski season, school breaks, conventions, special events, holidays, and peak travel season.</li>
 {{ImageX|Skiing.jpg}}

@@ Line 104: / Line 104: @@
 {{Box|Programs to Check}}
-Remember that you can look for hotels that belong to any of the hotel programs where you have a point balance. In addition, you can always book '''IHG''' and '''Choice''' hotels by taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced last-minute points through the Points & Cash trick.  And if you have Ultimate Rewards points or Wyndham points, it also makes sense to look at your '''Hyatt''' or '''Wyndham''' options.
+Remember that you can look for hotels that belong to any of the hotel programs where you have a point balance. In addition, you can always book '''IHG''' and '''Choice''' hotels by taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced last-minute points through the Points & Cash trick.  And if you have Ultimate Rewards points or Capital One points, it also makes sense to look at your '''Hyatt''' or '''Wyndham''' options.
 {{/Box}}

@@ Line 104: / Line 104: @@
 {{Box|Programs to Check}}
-Remember that you can look for hotels that belong to any of the hotel programs where you have a point balance. In addition, you can always book '''IHG''' and '''Choice''' hotels by taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced last-minute points through the Points & Cash trick.  And if you have Ultimate Rewards points, it also makes sense to look at your '''Hyatt''' options.
+Remember that you can look for hotels that belong to any of the hotel programs where you have a point balance. In addition, you can always book '''IHG''' and '''Choice''' hotels by taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced last-minute points through the Points & Cash trick.  And if you have Ultimate Rewards points or Wyndham points, it also makes sense to look at your '''Hyatt''' or '''Wyndham''' options.
 {{/Box}}

@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 {{Logo|Ultimate Rewards}}
-<li>'''Other than using Ultimate Rewards points for Hyatt redemptions, it rarely makes sense to transfer flexible credit card points to hotel programs'''. For example, you can also convert your Ultimate Rewards points into Marriott points, but Marriott points are typically only worth about {{Value|Marriott}} cents each, which is lower value than the other uses of your points. Likewise, Membership Rewards can be converted into Marriott, Hilton, and Choice points, which are all worth under 1 cent each. You are better off saving your points for frequent flyer tickets or even using them to purchase travel at 1 cent each. {{Link|Transferable Points}}.</li>
+<li>'''Free Wyndham hotel nights and even more so, free Vacasa vacation rentals, are good use of your Capital One points'''. While many Wyndham hotel award opportunities will provide less than 1 cent per point, certain vacation rental values can often be as high or higher than 2 cents per point. The sweet spot are shorter-term 1 bedroom rentals which cost 15,000 points per night and include all of the fees.
 <li>'''You can always book award nights at hotels in the IHG and Choice programs by using the “Cash & Points trick” to purchase points at low prices'''. Every hotel program allows you to buy additional points. However, the price is normally too expensive to be worthwhile. But with both IHG Rewards Club and Choice Privileges, you can take advantage of the “Cash & Points trick” to buy last-minute points at lower-than-normal rates.</li>

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 While buying points to use for an award isn’t really a free night, it essentially allows you to purchase rooms at what is often a significant discount. You can book an award night at any hotel in the IHG and Choice programs, whenever rates are high, even if you don’t have any points in your account.
-For example, using the Cash & Points trick you can purchase IHG points for {{Value|ihgcash}} cents each (and sometimes less). If you are interested in staying at a Holiday Inn that costs 15,000 points per night, the required points would cost around ${{Value|ihgcash|15000}}. This might be significantly cheaper than the normal price for the room. {{Link|cash & points trick}}.
+For example, using the Cash & Points trick you can purchase IHG points for {{Value|ihgcash}} cents each (and sometimes less). If you are interested in staying at a Holiday Inn that costs 15,000 points per night, the required points would cost around {{Value|ihgcash|15000}}. This might be significantly cheaper than the normal price for the room. {{Link|cash & points trick}}.
 <li>'''It can sometimes make sense to stock up on hotel points when they are running good promotions'''. While the normal purchase prices are too expensive, hotel companies sometimes have sales where you receive bonus points for every purchase. In some cases, this bonus rates can be as high as 100%, meaning that you’ll get double the normal number of points. When they are running a particularly good sale, it can make sense to buy points and have them on-hand for future redemptions. {{Link|Hotel Point Purchase Promotions}}.</li>

← Older revision	Revision as of 00:11, 19 February 2021
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 {{DISPLAYTITLE:{{Title|award nights 101}} (2021)}}
 {{seo|description=Everything you need to know to get free hotel nights using credit card points and free night certificates.}}
-{{Page|article|Earn Points|Hotel Strategies}}
+{{Page|article|Use Points|Hotel Strategies}}
 {{Image|HotelRoom2.jpg|full}}