Award Travel Points: Beginner Questions Answered by a Hotel Manager

Standing behind the front desk, you hear the same questions over and over. "Can I really get a free stay with points?" "Which program should I sign up for?" Every time someone asks me this at the check-in counter, I pull up their account on my screen and think — if only they'd known a little sooner.

Running a hotel in Atlanta, I've processed thousands of check-ins. The gap between guests who make the most of loyalty programs and those who don't is surprisingly wide. I've pulled together the beginner questions I hear most often and answered them from my side of the counter.

"What's the first thing I should do to start earning points?"

The very first thing to do is sign up for a loyalty program before your stay. It sounds obvious, but what I see in practice tells a different story. Every week, dozens of guests ask me at check-in, "Can I sign up right now?" Signing up on the spot is possible, but if you link your membership number when you book in advance, you may qualify for promotional bonuses or member-exclusive rates. Signing up at the check-in desk means missing out on those opportunities.

• Choose one or two hotel brands you use most and join their loyalty programs.
• Always enter your membership number when making a reservation.
• At check-in, ask the front desk to confirm your membership information is properly linked.

Following these three steps eliminates most point-tracking issues.

"Should I focus on airline miles or hotel points?"

It depends on how often you travel for work and your travel style. Personally, I focus on hotel points. The reason is simple — I work inside a hotel every day, so I see the real value of points firsthand. Whenever I watch a guest book a $250 room during peak season with points, it reminds me that spending them wisely can dramatically stretch the value per point.

Airline miles, on the other hand, have a clear advantage when it comes to seat upgrades. If you spread your efforts trying to earn both, it's hard to hit a meaningful reward tier in either program. My advice is always this: if you stay at hotels more often in a year, prioritize hotel points; if you fly more, prioritize airline miles.

"Do I really need to get a co-branded credit card?"

Honestly, you can earn points without a co-branded card. But the difference in earning speed is significant. I've watched this pattern play out in real life. Two guests were staying at the same brand a similar number of times per year, but the one using a co-branded card reached upper-tier status within a year, while the other was still a basic member. The sign-up bonus alone changes your starting line entirely.

One thing to watch out for, though. Many of these cards carry annual fees in the $95–$250 range, so you need to figure out whether your stay frequency will generate enough benefits to offset the fee. If you stay fewer than five nights a year, you're better off starting with a no-fee card.

"What are the most common mistakes people make when redeeming points?"

The most painful thing I see at the counter is guests exchanging their points for gift cards or low-value merchandise. In most programs, the value per point is highest when you use them for award stays. When you redeem them for gift cards or online shopping, the value often drops to less than half.

Another common issue — people don't realize their points have an expiration date and lose their entire balance. It varies by program, but the general rule is that points expire after a certain period of inactivity. I've made it a habit to log into my account once a quarter to check my remaining points and their expiration dates. It takes five minutes, yet the number of people who skip this and end up losing tens of thousands of points is higher than you'd think.

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Award travel may look complicated, but the core idea is simple. Pick one program, earn points consistently, use them for stays, and keep track of expiration dates. After standing behind the front desk for over 20 years, what I've learned is this: the guests who benefit the most aren't the ones with the most points — they're the ones who know their accounts inside and out.