Status Matching at Hotels

When I first started earning miles and points I looked at some of the award charts for major hotels and thought that just with my personal travel there was no way I was going to ever make it to elite status with a hotel.

But once I did a little more investigating I discovered that hotel elite status is easier to get than you would think. For many hotel chains you can simply get it by having their affiliated credit card. For example, I have the Hyatt Visa Card and it gives me Platinum status with Hyatt as long as I have the card. The benefits of Hyatt Platinum are:

- Achieve rewards faster with a 15% point bonus when choosing points

-Enjoy a preferred room including rooms on higher floors or larger rooms, based on availability upon arrival

-Receive the confirmed bed type at check-in

-Stay connected with complimentary in-room Internet access

-Expedite check-in at a dedicated are for elite members

-Ensure a room is always available with our 72-hour guarantee

-Extend your stay until 2:00 p.m. with a late check out request

-Book reservations through an exclusive Platinum line

But before I had the Hyatt Visa Card I had no status with any hotel. Luckily for a time Hyatt was offering free Platinum status if you had a Visa Signature card. I signed up for this offer and received instant approval to Platinum status. I then leveraged that into a status match with Club Carlson at their  during their "Radisson Big Night Giveaway" promotion. This not only allowed me to get the offered 50,000 bonus points with one stay that Radisson was offering, but it also offered the following benefits: 

• Complimentary room upgrades as available
• 25% point bonus on every eligible stay
• 2,000 point online booking bonus at clubcarlson.com or any Carlson Rezidor hotel website
• Early check-ins and late checkouts as available upon request
• Roll Over Nights (unused elite-qualifying nights count again next year toward elite status)
• Elite Customer Service Line

When I went on my mattress run with Club Carlson to earn the 50,000 points it helped me get an upgrade to a king suite both times and late check-out when I requested it. 

Though these are the lowest levels of status in both of these hotel chains, the little benefits that come with it are enough that it makes the stay a bit better. 

If you are interested in other chains View from the Wing has a great post about the status challenge that Marriott will offer you to reach their top Platinum tier with 9 stays. I suggest you check this great article out. 

What's in our wallet?

JD:

As Chris mentioned in a post last week, I used to come to Happy Hour and plop down a new credit card almost every few months. Credit cards sign-up bonuses are the easiest way to increase your frequent flyer and hotel miles accounts. Many people ask me what I have in my wallet, so I thought I would share with you.

I am rocking the OneWorld Alliance credit cards:

British Airways Visa

AAdvantage Citi Visa Card

I signed up for British Airways card earlier this year. I received 50,000 Avios points after my first purchase and 25,000 more for spending $10,000 and $20,000 respectively for a total of 100,000 miles. My plan was only to hit the $10,000 spend and bank the additional 25,000 points and lay the card to rest. However, I have met the spend limits on my most recent credit card churn (more about that Friday), so I am going to go for the additional 25,000 miles by spending an additional $10,000.00.

I always like to keep two credit cards in my wallet, just in case one does not work. This is the reason for the American Airlines card. Once or twice I have been at the grocery store and my credit card did not work. I had no cash, debit card or other credit card. Embarrassingly, I would have to ask to come back to pay. I vowed never to have that happen again. Two credit cards with me at all times is now a new rule.

That is what I have in my wallet. What’s in your wallet? 

Chris:

Well JD I'm glad you asked!

I am a little behind JD as I just wrapped up my latest credit card spends last month. So if you would have asked me in July and August I would have said the Citi AAdvantage Visa and American Express cards. But now that those spends are over and 100,000 AAdvantage points are in my account I have moved back to an old stand-by and a new friend in the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Hyatt Visa.

I love the design of both of those cards...they are just great to look at and the perks are OK I guess ;).

Like JD I primarily use one card for most of my transactions and that is the Sapphire...it just has great benefits with the 2 points per dollar spent on restaurants and travel, one point on everything else, the 7% annual dividend and the 1:1 transfer ratio with some great programs such as United and Hyatt.

I keep the Hyatt Visa in my wallet in case something goes wrong and they won't accept the Sapphire.

Finally I take both of these cards when I leave the country because neither has a foreign transaction fee, which has saves me money.

OK, now it's your turn...what cards are you holding on to right now?