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One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about how award travel has affected their lives — the exotic vacations they’ve planned, the trips they’ve made to be with family and friends, the premium seats and suites they’ve experienced and so much more, all made possible by points and miles. I love to travel and explore, and it’s an honor to be able to help so many of you get where you want to go.
Recently, I posted a success story from Mike, who explored Southeast Asia in business class using Membership Rewards points. Today I want to share a story from TPG reader David, who took advantage of several Starwood Preferred Guest promotions to book hotel rooms on New Year’s Eve. Here’s what he had to say:
David’s story isn’t flashy, but it’s a clear example of how you can get great value from promotional bonuses. Without the various Starwood promotions, his stay in Chicago would have earned him just 226 Starpoints. By registering for the various promotions and meeting the requirements, he earned almost 20 times as much. Best of all, he didn’t have to go out of his way to collect. Before you book your next hotel stay, poke around and see which promotional offers can help you save money and/or maximize your rewards.
Signing up for loyalty programs is the first step toward award travel, and in some cases (like Starwood’s current bonus for new members), joining can be fairly lucrative. I also recommend setting up your account to receive promotional emails, since you may be targeted for special offers like the ones David mentioned. If you’re anxious about having your inbox bombarded, most programs will let you specify exactly which kinds of messages you want, so you can filter out most of the less useful material.
I love this story and I want to hear more like it! To thank David for sharing his experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I’m sending him a $200 Visa gift card to enjoy on his travels (purchased from Office Depot with my Chase Ink Plus, of course), and I’d like to do the same for you.
Again, if the strategies you’ve learned here have helped you fly in first class, score an amazing suite, reach a far-flung destination or even just save a few dollars, please indulge me and the whole TPG team by emailing us with your own success stories (see instructions above). You’ll have our utmost appreciation, along with some extra spending money for your next trip.
Safe and happy travels to all, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Source: thepointsguy.com