SALT LAKE CITY — You may already be keenly aware of how airline points can save you money. But have hotel rewards been flying under your radar?
“There’s no cost or no real downside just for enrolling,” said Chip Lupo of WalletHub.
Read more: People are spending less on individual gifts but they’re chipping in more for group gifts
Lupo shared with the KSL Investigators their new study of the nine most popular hotel rewards programs.
WalletHub found that Choice Privileges — that’s Clarion, Comfort Inn and Radisson, among many other associated brands — offers the most in rewards value. Both moderate and light travelers will save over $13 for every $100 spent using the Choice Privileges rewards program. Heavy travelers will get well over $14.
“Choice Privileges, they’re looking to up their game,” Lupo remarked.
Hilton Honors — that’s Hilton, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and others — offered the lowest value at around $6.
But it’s not all about money.
“There’s just a wide range of perks that come in,” Lupo said.
We’re talking perks like room upgrades, free Wi-Fi, free parking, early check-ins, late check-outs, a free night if you book a certain number of nights, discounts if you pre-pay and more. Plus, the points can earn you free hotel stays.
But you can’t hold onto them forever.
“The points do expire,” Lupo advised.
WalletHub found that for most programs, points go away after 24 months. Best Western was the only major brand without expiring points.
Read more: Find out why your car insurance will likely go up and how you can save money
Other potential hurdles include blackout dates; some hotels require a minimum stay to redeem points; and booking on a third-party discount website probably won’t earn you points.
Still, Lupo said even light travelers will save money using hotel rewards.
But how much money will you save? Well, that answer hinges on what the different perks mean to you, earning rates, point values, how much you travel and many other factors. The WalletHub study breaks down 21 different factors to help you find a rewards program that’ll reward you the most.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.