Add Reservation Codes to Loyalty Accounts
When someone else books your work flight and hotel, your loyalty program numbers might get left out. After you've got your reservation confirmations, log in to your airline and hotel accounts and add the reservations manually to ensure you're earning those points.
If you encounter reservation codes that don't fit with the airline or hotel systems, call their customer service and ask them to add your reservation to your loyalty program. They can usually sort it out quickly.
While you're at it, make sure your Known Traveler Number is visible if you've got TSA PreCheck. It's a bit of work, but it ensures you don't leave those rewards on the table. Keep that frequent flyer number handy and those hotel loyalty accounts updated.
Use Credit Cards That Earn Travel Rewards
Using the right credit card can significantly boost your travel rewards. By strategically using a card that earns travel rewards, you can double-dip on extra expenses like Wi-Fi, checked bags, and even in-flight snacks. Yes, even that overpriced airport coffee can contribute to your next vacation fund!
Pull out your travel rewards credit card for:
- In-flight Wi-Fi
- Food on the plane
- Additional baggage fees
- That must-have neck pillow in the airport shop
Every dollar you spend earns you miles or points.
Hotel stays offer another great opportunity. When checking in, give them your rewards-earning credit card for "incidental" expenses. Charge all these to your room and then settle the final bill with your travel rewards card to maximize your rewards potential.
Over time, these points add up faster than you'd think. While you're busy attending meetings or conferences, those rewards are working behind the scenes to bring you a future vacation. Imagine telling your significant other that next year's trip is on points—talk about turning work expenses into personal wins!
Choose Airlines or Hotels with Elite Status
Booking with airlines or hotels where you have elite status can turn a routine trip into a luxury experience. Imagine landing and being able to waltz past everyone straight to the front of the line or getting a room upgrade that makes you feel like royalty.
Elite status comes with tangible rewards:
- For airlines: complimentary seat upgrades, extra legroom, or additional baggage allowance
- For hotels: early check-in, late check-out, complimentary breakfast, and free snacks or drinks at the hotel bar
When you've got elite status, maximize its impact by choosing to stay or fly with those brands. Even on work trips where the primary goal is meetings, coming back to a luxurious room or getting pampered with premium services can make it all worthwhile.
Keep in mind that these benefits aren't just perks; they contribute to accumulating more points at a faster rate. Many elite statuses offer higher earning rates, meaning those work trips will yield even more miles and points.
Pro tip: if your employer's policy gives you the latitude to choose your flight or hotel, consider the long-term value you'll get from leveraging your elite status. It might be worth paying a bit more upfront to rack up those premium perks and points which, in the long run, can translate into a lavish vacation or a first-class experience—on points, of course.
- Global Business Travel Association. Global Business Travel Spending Report. 2022.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index – August 2023. U.S. Department of Labor; 2023.