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Thrifty Traveler now has hotel alerts to help you find great points deals

July 17, 2024
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3 min read
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Thrifty Traveler now has hotel alerts to help you find great points deals
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We love to tell you about airfare and award alerts that can save you money on your travels. Thrifty Traveler is one of the companies we frequently use to uncover those deals. Recently, it added hotel alerts to its Thrifty Traveler Premium service perks.

The optional add-on, available exclusively for Premium Flight Alert subscribers, costs an additional $24.99 per year (an annual subscription of Thrifty Traveler Premium is $99.99). Subscribers to the add-on will get a heads-up on award and points deals on some of the world's top hotels and resorts.

For now, Hotel Alerts will focus on accommodations that are bookable with points from the Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott brands. According to Thrifty Traveler, its team will search globally for award availability at top-rated hotels, brand-new properties and all-inclusive resorts. Once it finds a deal, it will send out an alert and let subscribers know when they can book with points. If you subscribe, you can expect one to two weekly alerts.

Early adopters have already received a tip-off to some great deals. They include:

  • Availability at the bucket list-worthy Conrad Bora Bora Nui resort in French Polynesia, bookable with Hilton points for a trip during peak season.
  • Award nights through spring 2025 at the Luxury Hotel Collection Midtown Manhattan, bookable for just 34,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That's about a third of what it would take to book now.
  • Stays at the all-inclusive Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun, with availability for the fall and spring of next year from 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

Each hotel deal alert will include detailed reservation instructions, advice for transferring credit card points and other useful travel tips to help you plan your trip.

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“We’ve built Thrifty Traveler Premium to help members find the cheapest fares and award flights, but we know travelers are increasingly looking for savvy ways to redeem their hotel points and use credit card perks, too. That’s what these new Hotel Alerts are all about,” Jared Kamrowski, founder and CEO of Thrifty Traveler, told TPG in a statement.

Another great example of Thrifty Traveler's Hotel Alerts is availability at the Kimpton Virgilio. This new luxury property in Mexico City costs less than 60,000 IHG points per night; if you're paying cash, it typically costs around $600 per night.

Cost to book Kimpton Virgilio in Mexico City using points
THRIFTY TRAVELER

The alerts also tipped off subscribers to points availability at Hilton's Canaves Oia Suites in Santorini, Greece. The hotel was earmarked at 140,000 Hilton points per night. While that is a lot of points, this resort typically costs $1,600 per night.

THRIFTY TRAVELER

Hotel Alerts are only available to Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers; the service is not sold separately. First-time Premium subscribers can add Hotel Alerts to their plan after signing up for Flight Alerts. Current Premium members can opt-in by logging into their online account and selecting “Hotel Deals” in the main menu.

To sign up, visit ThriftyTraveler and follow the registration instructions.

Related reading:

Featured image by CONRAD BORA BORA NUI/ADAM BRUZZONE/FACEBOOK
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.