loyalty programs Archives - Your Mileage May Vary

Why We Stay Loyal To Airline Brands (And Why We Sometimes Shouldn’t)

Why do we stay loyal to airline brands? I guess that depends on how you define loyalty. For points and miles people, their first reaction may be to think about loyalty programs. Now, I’ve argued that these programs aren’t really about loyalty anymore and more about incentivizing you to change your current habits.

I’m not talking about this type of loyalty. I’m simply asking why do we to stick with a particular company. I’d bet that you have a go-to airline that, all other things being equal, you’ll book first. Now, if that’s because you’re a part of the loyalty program and need to keep your status, maybe it’s time to hop off that hamster wheel.

Continue reading “Why We Stay Loyal To Airline Brands (And Why We Sometimes Shouldn’t)”

Why Did Frequent Flyer Programs Start?

If you dabble in the world of points and miles, chances are you’re a member of one or more airline loyalty programs. But have you ever wondered why loyalty programs started in the first place? I did. Here’s what I found out.

Continue reading “Why Did Frequent Flyer Programs Start?”

How To Sign Up For Las Vegas Loyalty Programs & What You Get When You Do

You can oftentimes get perks for just signing up for loyalty programs. Hotels will give free WiFi to even base members of their program, and having a rental car membership can help you skip the line at the airport counter. While people will usually sign up for these if they travel occasionally, one other place to join loyalty programs is often overlooked. Las Vegas.

Now, this article isn’t for the people who spend hours upon hours at the casino. Those people already know to get a club card to track their gambling. After all, that’s how casinos can tell how much you’re spending and provide you with comps for meals, shows, rooms or all three depending on how much money you ~~lose~~ bet.

I’m also not talking to those who know how to parlay one type of hotel status into top tier status at one casino and then match that status at all the casinos by hopping from one to another and then turn that back into a different top tier hotel status. For those of you who do this, I salute your dedication.

This article is for people like Sharon and me. The ones who don’t really care that much about Las Vegas. We’ll visit every couple of years, spend a few days checking out some shows and seeing some sites we’ve never visited before, like the Neon Museum and the Pinball Hall of Fame. For people like us who don’t gamble, what’s the value in signing up for the Vegas loyalty programs? Turns out, quite a lot.

Here’s a breakdown of the five most common programs you’ll find in and around Vegas:

Continue reading “How To Sign Up For Las Vegas Loyalty Programs & What You Get When You Do”

Loyalty Programs Don’t Actually Reward Loyalty Anymore

When you hear the term Loyalty Program, what do you think? I’d imagine that images of a program that rewards you for being a loyal customer, right? I mean that’s the definition of loyal.

Loyal – faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product

But let’s be honest. Do programs really reward us for being loyal anymore?

Continue reading “Loyalty Programs Don’t Actually Reward Loyalty Anymore”

What’s The Big Deal About Getting A Free Breakfast?

For as long as I’ve been reading travel websites, one of the biggest advantages of having status with a hotel chain was getting free breakfast. At first, I wondered what all the fuss was about. I mean, I’d received free breakfast at hotels before. They consisted of some stale bagels, bread and pastries, powered eggs, flimsy bacon, one flavor of yogurt, a vat of oatmeal and maybe some unripe bananas. Oh, don’t forget the really bad coffee.

The breakfast rooms were usually packed at the normal eating times and the food wasn’t refreshed nearly enough. Why were people so excited with this benefit? Continue reading “What’s The Big Deal About Getting A Free Breakfast?”