If you value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents per point (which is on the low side) that's a return of 8.25 % back, which is actually a very competitive earning rate for bottom
tier status compared to Hilton, SPG, IHG, etc..
At a valuation of.4 cents per point, this amounts to an 8 % return which isn't very compelling for a top -
tier status compared with other hotel loyalty programs.
Not exact matches
Translating that into cents per mile to achieve Alaska's top
tier status results in a figure of 9.3 cents / mile, which is low
compared to the rest of the industry.
These returns are exceptional even when
compared to what I'd earn with even top
tier elite
status with Hyatt and Marriott.
To reach top
tier status with Delta (Diamond Medallion
status) travelers need to earn an extra 25,000 elite qualifying miles (or what Delta calls Medallion Qualifying Miles)
compared to what American and United flyers need to earn in their respective programs.
In the past the AAdvantage program has offered some of the more generous award charts in the US Airline industry, the top -
tier benefits were easily the best out of any US airline (I would argue they were the best in the world), awards weren't especially hard to come by, upgrades were plentiful and,
compared to its peers, AAdvantage was a pretty great program in which to earn miles and
status... especially if you traveled a lot.
So for a bottom
tier status, Discoverist gives you a very decent return on spending when
compared to other major hotel programs.
I'll
compare these returns to currently running promotions with Hilton and Marriott and keep my analysis to top -
tier elite
status comparison.
The highest
tiers offer enhanced benefits from the mid-tier levels, but many times the benefits aren't necessarily going to blow you away
compared to what's offered by mid-tier
status.
Obviously, reaching those
status tiers can be difficult, but if you look at the details, it's easier
compared to other airlines.
Compared to the Hilton Honors ™ Card, the annual fee on this card affords you the opportunity to accrue even more points — particularly for purchases from Hilton — as well as an increased chance of achieving Gold and Diamond Hilton Honors
status tiers.