I’m writing this as something I wish I would have read about 10 years ago. I had this mentally of, unless I’m going to earn elite status or utilize a brand exclusively (it’s “loyalty” after all…), I didn’t think it was worth it to sign up for their loyalty programs. I probably lost thousands of points this way. Don’t be like past me. 

Often, signing up for a loyalty program is as simple as entering your email address and basic information (that you likely need to input in order to book the room or ticket anyway). If you’re concerned about marketing emails, consider creating a separate email address just for your loyalty accounts. 

You might be thinking, “Well, I don’t stay/fly with this brand enough to make a loyalty account worth it,” but the truth is I think circumstances can change and those loyalty points may still come in handy. 

When people talk about flying or staying places for free with only points, it’s very likely that they either have a co-branded credit card or transferred points from a transfer partner credit card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve or the Amex platinum). Nothing wrong with that, but I think it’s misleading to say that it’s easy to accumulate that many points, especially without a credit card. 

Also, as you stay with a hotel more frequently, there’s a chance you could move up in status tier, which often comes with points earning bonuses. 

So while you might be saying, “Why should I sign up for a (free) loyalty program?” You might want to be asking yourself, “Why not?”