-LSB-...] offers a recap of
hotel points devaluations in 2013 and focusing specifically on the big changes at Marriott and Hilton (and the less drastic changes at Starwood, like increasing the price of cash and points -LSB-...]
Not exact matches
While some
hotel loyalty programs have been riding the
devaluation wagon for years — making their loyal patrons wonder how to use
points that are worth less and less — the Hyatt Gold Passport program has exercised an enviable self - restraint.
This is really the only time that you'll want to buy
points as we don't recommend stockpiling a specific airline or
hotel point as they're very prone to
devaluation.
Unfortunately, they have typically been a
devaluation of
points with many more
hotels becoming more expensive rather than going down in category!
And there are plenty of reasons to be upset about loyalty programs: From massive
devaluation of your hard - earned
points to the elimination of perks without notice and broken promises, the airline and
hotel loyalty programs don't seem to show much loyalty to their frequent customers.
But unlike fixed - value
points cards, like the Discover It card or Barclays Arrival Plus card, or co-branded airline cards, Ultimate Reward
points are flexible and more valuable since you are protected from
hotel and airline
devaluations.
For our
hotel stay, we cashed in thousands of Hilton HHonors
points right before the program
devaluation earlier this year to make reservations.
And with good reason, as these
points tend to give you the most options for redeeming with various airline and
hotel partners, which protects you from sudden
devaluations in any one program.
Now that a
devaluation has been announced, everyone will be looking to use their
points up — this will mean there will be less standard availability at popular
hotels, making it harder to use your
points.
Not all the great InterContinental
hotels took a hit in the recent IHG
devaluation and you can still book some of them (like one of my favorites — The InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam) for 50,000
points.
Here is an IHG
devaluation: Starting Feb 17, 2016, redemption rates will change 5,000 - 10,000
points across 399 properties in IHG portfolio (about 8 % of
hotels).
It offers a reward rate of 10 % at more
hotels than all the chain
hotels combined, redeemable after 10 paid nights with few restrictions and no effort to hunt down promotions, watch
point levels are worry about
point devaluations.
Most importantly, as I always say, do your math and make sure you can beat the cash price on a
hotel booking you are making RIGHT NOW and do not buy
points to bank for the future as
devaluations always loom.
Airlines,
hotels, and the banks that offer bonus
points know their most frequent customers and many others are well aware of these
devaluations.
Despite the recent rewards
devaluation, rewards
points can still be redeemed for some valuable
hotel stays.
Devaluation of airline miles and
hotel points is an ongoing thing — it's one reason I suggest you should earn»em and burn»em rather than holding on to large balances.
Transferable
points can be a better hedge against future
devaluations for future international travel, since these
points can be transferred to several different frequent flyer and
hotel loyalty programs.
Not sure when the last Marriott
devaluation was, but I try not to hold too many
hotel points purely to avoid
devaluations.
A
devaluation is when an airline,
hotel, or loyalty program makes changes that make your
points / miles / avios less valuable.
It is a
devaluation but not nearly as severe as frequent flyer miles or
hotel points.