“If you travel a lot, you can also get a lot of discounts. This time I took a closer look at the`World of Hyatt‘ hotel bonus programmes and in the mobility sector, Deutsche Bahn‘s BahnBonus.“
Ulf-Gunnar Switalski
There are many options when it comes to hotel bonus programmes, but I think World of Hyatt stands out. The bonus programme for including over 1,350 hotels in aboot 70 countries really delivers the benefits it promises to members at the highest elite level. Others are not as consistent there. The 26 brands are varied, even if they are often expensive. -Anyone looking for the right hotel for Workation will find what they are -looking for at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House or Home & Hideaways, among others. In Germany, it has become easier to achieve Hyatt status since the integration of the 35 Lindner Hotels.
Member, Discoverist, Explorist, Globalist – the latter in particular making many things possible. Available from 60 nights per year, Globalists benefit from free breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, lounge access and upgrades to the suite. If you check in and a suite is available, you‘ll get it. Guests can also earn Globalist status for life if they have spent USD 200,000 at the hotels. Miles and points can earn simultaneously via a partnership with AAdvantage from American Airlines. And: with a bit of luck, you will be invited to the Globalist Fast Track and will need fewer nights to achieve top status.
Globalists can also share their benefits with others: The “Guest of Honour“ then receives the same benefits for up to seven nights. And if you have not yet achieved the status yourself, but have stayed 40 nights, you can appoint yourself Guest of Honour, as a kind of “Test the Globalist“.
Earning points is not so easy at Hyatt, even in comparison to other programmes. Although you receive five points per US dollar spent on every hotel booking, services in the -restaurant and hotel spa also top up your points account, however they expire after 24 months of inactivity. And while other programmes with high elite status offer up to 100 % bonus points, here you have to be satisfied with a
30 % Globalist Bonus. There needs to be some improving done here.
But there will also be benefits from 2024: while other -hotel chains are downgrading their programmes, Hyatt is -expanding them. New options and improved rewards offer members more options to earn and share. A successful improvement.
BahnBonus: Quick many advantages for train travellers
Delays, missed connections and cold platforms – who hasn‘t experienced the ups and downs of a train journey with Deutsche Bahn? But in the midst of this rollercoaster of emotions, I find, this railway company has something great to offer:: BahnBonus, the loyalty programme for frequent travellers.
BahnBonus rewards loyal customers with bonus and status points. You can earn up to 350 bonus points when you sign up for the programme. Business travellers benefit twice over, as they can also use BahnBonus points collected for business purposes for private journeys and DB Fernverkehr AG pays the flat-rate tax. At the heart of the programme are the Silver, Gold and Platinum status levels, which can be viewed via the well-designed app. Frequent travellers in the higher status levels are rewarded with benefits such as access to the DB Lounge, free drinks in the on-board catering, dedicated seating areas or free Call A Bike usage. It starts off with 1,500 status points, i.e. 1,500 euros in ticket sales per year. Reward points are awarded for every train journey and the purchase of BahnCards. You can also collect points with many partners such as hotels. And: If you buy your train journeys via gift cards from Rewe or Penny, you will receive Payback and BahnBonus points. Rewards are offered for as little as 250 points, and free travel is available from 1,000 points.
In 2024, BahnBonus will switch its entire range to sustainable rewards and give participants of the programme an insight into their CO2 savings.
I am a BahnBonus fan. There are already good benefits from Silver upwards, such as eight day passes for the lounge or eight free drinks (including wine) on the train. There is one fly in the ointment – from Gold level upwards, I would have liked a status bonus when earning reward and status points. But that‘s only a minor issue, overall Deutsche Bahn is making the railway world more attractive and greener with BahnBonus.
Ulf-Gunnar Switalski …
… ist Buchautor, Editor von „Upgrade Guru“, Gründer der
Deutschen Bonus Awards und reist selbst ständig um die Welt. Seit mehr als 30 Jahren beschäftigt er sich mit Bonusprogrammen zur Kundenbindung und Loyalty.
Fotos: © istock.com/prettyvectors
