by Andrew Kunesh, Senior Reporter, Cards & Loyalty
Redeeming points for an award night at a hotel instead of paying the cash rate can often be a no-brainer, especially in the ongoing peak summer travel season. I went to Newport, Rhode Island, for a last-minute getaway two weekends ago and found a Hyatt-affiliated property offering entry-level rooms for $800 a night — so I obviously went with the better option of redeeming 15,000 World of Hyatt points for the one-night stay (and got to enjoy a free breakfast for the two of us thanks to my Globalist status).
But redeeming points might not always be the best choice, especially heading into this fall. Coming off the recent hotel earnings seasons, executives at companies like Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton and Airbnb all noted a travel spending slowdown. While they aren’t expecting an outright collapse, there is definitely an industry expectation of a softer travel environment this fall before things pick back up again for the holidays. Do your homework, as softer demand usually translates to discounts and promotions, like third-night-free deals when you pay for the first two nights.
Save your points when you can find better cash rates, and then take advantage of award redemptions or free-night certificates when cash rates are higher toward the end of the year.
That’s all from me for today. I’ll catch y’all tomorrow!
Cameron
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