TFC responds. If I book Hilton/Marriott and the like not directly, do I get benefits and points?
If I could have 1,000 points every time I answered this question, declined in different ways, but where the [...]
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If I could have 1,000 points every time I I answered this question, declined in different ways, but where the gist is always the same, I would be constantly on the road thanks to readers' points.
If I book a hotel through an online or physical travel portal, do I get status benefits and accumulate points? The answer is NO in 90% of cases.
Booking through booking and other OTAs
When you book a hotel room through any online travel portal. you will never receive benefits related to booking. That means you won't accumulate points, you won't get upgrades, and you'll be treated like any other guest. Not even talking about getting free breakfast or late check-out.
Of course "your cousin" can also tell you that he instead receives them all the time, but he does not. Then if, out of Christian piety, some attendant is softened and grants you something, he is doing it at his own expense.
The reason is simple your reservation "costs" the hotel between 15 and 20% commission, if that money pays it to the middleman he will not give it to you in the form of benefits.
The excuse of lower price also doesn't hold up, because all chains have a strict and serious Best Price Guarantee (BRG) policy so if you find the same room at a lower price you get discount and reward.
Booking on the American Express travel site
The answer doesn't change much, but there is an afterword that applies only to American Express Platinum customers (personal or corporate). Even if you book on the Amex travel site, perhaps to use the discount voucher provided in the card fee, you won't get anything because the hotel will see the reservation as coming from Expedia or another portal.
Only in the case of a stay Fine Hotels & Resort you will get all the benefits provided from the united status to those in this sales channel.
Booking in travel agency
Virtual or real doesn't change much, the chains want to force you to skip the middleman. So you either book through app, site or call center or you're left high and dry.
Again there is a though and it is called Virtuoso. If you book through these agencies, as well as with FHR you will receive status benefits and perks, combined also with those of the Virtuoso channel, indeed often this channel also has promotions that further enrich the benefits for loyalty program members.
All TFC readers, regardless of the credit card they own (even Poste Pay will suffice) can take advantage of the partnership we have opened with the Exclusive team of ACI blueteam and Request a quotation for the desired hotel among the leading luxury chains around the world.
If you have any other questions, write to us and we will try to answer them in the next installment of TFC responds.
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