Point Me To First Class 79. Hotel Award Travel Fundamentals with Ben Komenkul
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Sep 2, 2024 Join Ben Komenkul, founder of Ben’s Big Deal and a travel rewards expert with over 10 years of experience. He dives into the key differences between using points for hotel stays versus flight bookings. Discover the true value of various hotel point currencies and practical tips for selecting the right hotel brand. Ben also reveals how to earn great treatment from hotels—even without elite status—and shares strategies to maximize the value of free night certificates. Elevate your hotel award game with his expert advice!
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Avoid Transferring to Hotels
- Transferring transferable points to hotels rarely yields better value than transferring to airlines.
- It's usually better to earn hotel points through co-branded credit cards than by transferring banks' points.
Transferring Marriott Points to Airline
- Devin transferred old SPG/Marriott points to Alaska Airlines to book hard-to-access award flights on Condor.
- This was a unique and effective use of old Marriott points he had not otherwise redeemed.
Redeem Points for Unique Experiences
- Marriott Moments offers valuable experiences like VIP access to concerts or F1 events using points.
- Consider redeeming hotel points for unique experiences beyond just hotel stays to maximize value.