Hotel points
 

135 Charter pilot here moving into a major after the new year. Do you get to keep hotel points? It’s a standard practice in the charter world to keep every point system available to you, the pilot. Not sure how it works for major airline pilots or ability to keeping statuses (diamond status at Hilton, titanium with Marriott). Just curious how some airlines operate!

Very few hotels will give you points. It’s not brand dependent but actually location dependent. Airlines get pretty deeply discounted rates for their crews so the hotel usually don’t give points in addition. But there’s a few that do. You can more often put your card on file and charge something to your room and end up getting a stay credit which helps build status.

Was 91k for years before 121. Platinum with several airlines, most hotels. Have given up on all of that. No point……

Triple your pay… give up hotel points.

It all evens out in the end

I just have a hotel credit card with Amex and charge stuff to it. Even more points when I use it at its properties. Last I remember it gave me Hilton gold or something like that.


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You are a ghost in the hotel - you don't exist. You sign into the wifi with a code - not your name and room number. I would be happy with no points and at least a stay credit but apparently that is too much for hotels and it would obviously bankrupt them. They may take your rewards number but it is rare the points stick. Some properties even go as far as not giving you points if you spend money at their gift shop or restaurants. I am going to guess that probably goes against their franchise agreements to take it that far. It was refreshing when the hotels at least pretended to appreciate your business and brand loyalty but not so much when you are on a direct bill corporate account. There are absolutely exceptions and those do stand out in a good way.

Some times you get lucky but that is rare. I've been to places that wouldn't let me do a room charge. When I ask if we will get any points for the stay they say - well you are staying on a direct bill corporate account. I ask them how is that different than a business person using a company CC they don't pay....not much of answer is given.

The rate obviously is the difference.

Well put, you’re a ghost. Sign in with your diamond number and you’ll be told that it won’t get you a crust of bread in the morning, for the company gets a discount rate, depriving your Diamond status.

Best get used to the phrase “what time is the continental breakfast tomorrow” and “what is the discount on the breakfast with the eggs?”

The airline pilot uniform is leprosy at a hotel. You may stay at a Marriott or Hilton 50-90 nights a year. But zero love…

If they hate us why do they have us? We help with min occupancy rates. Every night 2-50 rooms are already booked. So the computer algorithms can increase the rates for paying guests making reservations.

Just wish we could scrub nights for status so when I get dragged to a hotel on my day off I can get an upgrade. 20 years in the industry and I’ve never ever ever had a hotel room upgrade….

why would they care about us? Giving us status or points doesn’t incentivize loyalty. We stay where the company decides.

If you put a credit card on file when you check in and charge your food to the room, you earn points.

This. Some properties also give you a stay credit.

a couple of the hotels we stay at recently said they will not even give points for this - which is BS.

Call the corporate number. They have an email address that you can send a copy of your receipts to that will give you the points.

Had a holiday meltdown a year ago, ended up timing out in LAX and got tired of waiting for hours so booked both of us at the Marriott through my person app linked to my branded credit card (expensed it later).

At check in: I’ll take the welcome gift points and breakfast for each room. “I’m sorry we can’t do that for crew…” No see, I booked these rooms personally and paying with my own card. “We have strict instructions not to give points to airline crew for any reason”. This is a Halloween costume, let me speak to the manager.

Manager gives some verbal judo about owner and corporate policies and blamed Putin and covid etc. Bottom line, we are an annoyance to most hotels that are merely tolerated.

But yet, netjets and flexjet get unlimited points 🙄

I get points all the time, usually by booking via my personal account. I've also walked up to the desk in uniform and booked a room, with my personal CC. Never an issue.

If I use the company corporate account, then yeah no points.

I don't expect to earn points on airline hotels. I do expect to earn points when I pay.

Ask him to look at the rate. Airline rates are specifically excluded from any points. You pay with your CC on your own account. Damn sure you get the points.

Except during covid when airline crew literally kept the lights on in these hotels.

I guess the hotels already forgot about that.

Correct—if you use a discount crew rate they don’t usually issue points. Crown Plaza has a few different rates in PHX for example. The cheapest one is no points, the next cheaper “commuter” rate gets points. It’s about a $15 difference.

Agreed. It is amazing how quickly we went from being the most valued customer to the least almost overnight.

I'm glad you said that. I was wondering why points weren't showing up. [emoji848]

I was already a fan of Bonvoy before working here and as it turns out a vast majority of our overnights are Bonvoy properties here at NK. Awesome.

We absolutely have some hotels here that take your number and credit a stay and small amount of points. I care way more about the stay personally.

I got the AMEX Bonvoy card a couple years ago. I always put it on file and charge a drink or some food to it. This has definitely caused some other hotels to credit me with a stay (and I automatically get the points for what I bought (at 6x cuz of my CC).

My card starts the year out with 25 night stays. I commute, but only need 12-15 a year. I’d say another 10 personal travel. So that puts me around 50ish. I just hit Titanium at 75 nights this year for the first time. So I’ve gotten a solid 25-30 nights at work this year while
overnighting. YMMV.

And many cargo operators.....both 135 and 121. Same for rental car points/credits...
Yeah...not everybody is stuck riding the shuttle, and abandoned at the hotel!
It's a QOL thing....$$ might be good at many "airlines" but having a life beyond the hotel shuttles on a layover is kinda great!