✈️ Benefits of Travel Loyalty Status: Why Brand Commitment Pays Off

Tanjong Jara Resort, Terengganu, Malaysia

Travel loyalty status offers significant benefits, turning an ordinary trip into a premium experience.

This includes valuable perks such as free upgrades, priority boarding, late checkout, spending credits, bonus points and miles, and more. The importance of loyalty status is so significant that many dedicated travelers will make one last trip at the end of the year to secure the necessary miles or stays for the next level of elite status.

This post will not focus on how to maximize your miles and points or which credit cards offer the most benefits—we leave that to resources like The Points Guy. Instead, this is about the power of brand commitment and how dedicated airline loyalty and hotel loyalty translate into real-world advantages.

Achieving and Leveraging Lifetime Status

Through years of professional and personal travel, I have achieved lifetime status with both United Airlines (Star Alliance) and Marriott Bonvoy. This means I am no longer chasing miles and hotel stays at year-end, which is a major benefit of long-term brand commitment. However, I may still take a few extra trips if I am close to achieving the next level of status or earning a substantial promotional bonus!

Earning a high level of loyalty status requires consistent commitment to a single brand. For me, a bit of luck helped, as the brands I committed to eventually consolidated: Continental merged with United, and Starwood joined Marriott, leading to my current Lifetime Gold Status and a coveted 1 Million Miler recognition.

While some credit cards give you automatic loyalty status (e.g., the American Express Platinum card currently offers Marriott Bonvoy Gold Status), consistent commitment to the associated brand is still needed to maximize the benefits. To truly reap the rewards and earn points for future travel, it is best to consistently fly with a specific airline or stay at a specific hotel chain.

Yes, brand loyalty may mean you occasionally miss out on the absolute cheapest plane ticket or the best hotel deal. However, you gain other rewards, some with real monetary value and some intangible, plus the benefit of earning points toward future free flights and hotel stays with that trusted brand.

United Airlines Million Miler Award

Maximizing Airline Loyalty with United

When booking air travel, I will always look for a United Airlines flight first. Because of my loyalty status, I know I will be in an early boarding group, receive free checked bags, be placed on the upgrade list, and earn significant bonus points.

All these things help reduce the stress of traveling. And when issues do arise, I have a dedicated phone number to call, avoiding the long hold times of the masses.

Since United doesn't fly everywhere, my next choice is a Star Alliance partner. The benefits vary by partner, but they usually include, at a minimum, priority boarding and often lounge access.

Sometimes, however, you have no choice but to fly another airline. In this case, you should still sign up for their loyalty account to earn points. While you may not earn enough points for an upgrade or flight solely through flying, combining these points with a credit card that allows point transfers (like AMEX) can work out in your favor. For example, on a trip to Bonaire, I was able to transfer American Express points to Delta, covering the flight cost and only paying for taxes.

The Value of Hotel Loyalty with Marriott Bonvoy

Similar to my airline choice, I will typically start by searching for Marriott Bonvoy properties. However, unlike with United, I am sometimes more willing to choose a non-Marriott hotel even if one is nearby. This is because I often consider the hotel part of the travel experience, and sometimes there is a more unique, historic, or boutique lodging option than a standard Marriott or Bonvoy property.

That said, checking into a Marriott property feels like coming home. I consistently know what to expect, receive room upgrades when available, have concierge-level access, and earn bonus points for my stay. On long work trips or after days on the road, this predictability and comfort are priceless.

Choosing Your Loyalty Brands

It doesn’t matter which airline or hotel chain you choose, but to maximize your loyalty status benefits, consider these factors when making your brand commitment:

Choosing an Airline for Loyalty Status:

• Which predominant airlines fly out of your closest airport(s)?

• Which airlines can get you to your most frequent destinations with minimal stops?

• Is your closest airport a hub for a major airline? (e.g., United made sense for me growing up in San Francisco, an SFO hub.)

• Do you have confidence in the airline's reliability and customer service?

Choosing a Hotel Brand for Loyalty Status:

• Does the hotel brand offer a large range of tiers, from roadside budget options to luxury resort options?

• Does the hotel brand have domestic and international locations to cover all the places you want to travel?

• Do their unique properties (such as the Autograph Collection by Marriott) align with your travel style?

Do you agree that brand commitment is the key to maximizing travel benefits? Leave a comment below and share your favorite loyalty status perk!