We’ve all got a friend who loves to share the amazing deals, great bonuses or fabulous savings they got on their latest trip. What’s their secret? For those in the know, it’s all about loyalty programmes.
Qantas loyalty programme is all smiles
Be the friend sharing the savings and making more for your family
Having the right memberships for your family’s travel can make a big difference in costs when planning your next trip. Leveraging membership rewards to get the best benefits for flights and hotels will make booking your next holiday a snap, and there’s nothing more satisfying than turning those membership rewards into beautiful memories.
When choosing your loyalty programme, firstly consider where in the world you will be travelling to most frequently. It’s important to select a hotel chain with properties in locations around the world you plan to visit, so check presence in your area of interest. Different chains have a varying presence on continents across the world, and you don’t want to end up with benefits that don’t benefit you!
The same goes for your air carrier – select the one with the most flights to your destinations of preference. Some premium airline brands offer budget versions that give you more destination options. For example, Singapore Air is the company’s premium flagship brand, whilst Scoot provides a low-cost alternative, adding plenty more options into the mix.
Get excited about Cathay Pacific Loyalty Programme
Step 1: Choose your air carrier membership loyalty program
Cathay Pacific and its loyalty programme price promise
Headquartered in Hong Kong, with just a free sign-up to membership you can start flying to one of the 170 destinations it services worldwide. Don’t delay earning those Asia Miles! For thrifty parents with eyes on the family budget, Cathay Pacific offers a price promise. So if you find a lower price for the same flight on another website Cathay Pacific will price match and refund you the difference.
For the family with an ever-evolving calendar, they also provide free cancellation within 24 hours of booking. Up to eight members can join a family account including parents, children, grandparents and in-laws. This permits families to pool their Asia miles into a single-family account to redeem rewards like flight upgrades more quickly.
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- Singapore Air KrisFlyer
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- Qantas
KrisFlyer loyalty programme by Singapore Airlines
Singapore Air is consistently rated one of the world’s top airlines alongside Scoot (its budget carrier), servicing 120 destinations across the globe. KrisFlyer has excellent family value, and Kris miles generated on Singapore Air flights can also be redeemed on Scoot.
Love retail therapy? Check out the Kris Shop, where you can use points to shop for everything from Lego and Jellycat toys to Bacha Coffee. Family-friendly benefits include children earning their own KrisFlyer miles, with a family transfer option (up to 5 individuals in redemption group). What’s more, high-tier members enjoy priority seating for families, extra baggage, priority boarding and lounge access. You can redeem your miles for flight upgrades or hotel stays via the KrisFlyer portal. And make sure you look out for KrisFlyer Milestone rewards advancing you to the next KrisFlyer membership tier.
Qantas – safe, and that goes for its loyalty programme too
With a reputation as one of the world’s safest airlines, Qantas offers membership benefits that make travel more rewarding and convenient for your family. Qantas also offers free Frequent Flyer membership for children under 18 years of age, making them also able to earn points on eligible flights. Qantas also facilitates family points transfer. Transfers are free with a minimum of 5000 points and can be shifted to parents, siblings, grandparents or inlaws. Qantas allows advanced seat selection for frequent flyer families (free for Silver members and above). Check out their offerings which also include extra checked baggage, priority boarding and lounge access depending on your tier of membership.
Accor Sofitel, Krabi, Thailand
Step 2: Choose your hotel loyalty programme
The all-rounder loyalty programme from Accor Plus
With a range of accommodation options and brands from budget-friendly Ibis, and mid-range Novotel to ultimate luxury at Raffles or Banyan Tree, Accor Plus has a hotel for every family’s needs. The family benefits of Accor Plus are all about enhanced experiences. Most Accor Plus memberships include a complimentary stay plus a free night at a selected Accor property. They also offer 50% off dining at Accor hotel restaurants (for groups of 2 adults and 2 children). At participating properties, get up to 10% off the best rates. Family bonuses include possible room upgrades, discounted stays for children under a certain age and access to kids’ clubs.
Cooking class at Marriott Sheraton Hanoi, Vietnam
Marriott Bonvoy for some great kids’ perks
Offering exclusive perks and discounts for families, many Marriott Bonvoy properties allow children under a certain age to stay free when sharing a room with parents (check the age limit depending on the property). Complimentary kid’s meals when dining with paying adults are also on the table. Use your points to redeem free nights, dining or family-friendly experiences. For stays of over 5 nights, the fifth night is free! Marriott Bonvoy also offers babysitting, kids clubs, treasure hunts, movie nights and cooking classes. Points can be redeemed anytime with no blackout periods.
Hilton Singapore Orchard
Doing the honours with Hilton’s sparkling loyalty programme
Hilton Honors memberships are designed to benefit families by being cost-effective and providing top-notch services. Offering family packages which can include complimentary breakfast and dinner for children, resort credits for spa treatments or kids club and discounts on extended stays. Hilton offers excellent bang for your buck. Gold and Diamond members are eligible for free room upgrades including family suites. This tier of membership also allows access to executive lounges where families have a space to relax and enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks. What if your plans change and you arrive early, or the kids sleep late on the day you leave? Not a problem at Hilton with early check-in and late check-out for Gold and Diamond members.
Osteria Mozza, Hilton Singapore
What to look out for to maximise your loyalty programme value
- Book directly through the hotel or airline websites. Third-party bookings often don’t allow you to claim loyalty points
- Hotel and flight bundling – Some programmes reward you for booking both together. Add on care hire and insurance depending on the programme offer.
- Be strategic with your points for the best value. Use airline points for long-haul or business/first-class flights. Use hotel points for luxury properties during the high season.
- Plan for the perks – make sure you book your free night, or 5th night free well in advance to ensure maximum availability for property of choice.
- Level up your tier – Stay loyal to gain unlock access to better benefits when you hit higher tier memberships. Elite status can offer even more flexibility and family perks.
- Leverage credit card memberships, some loyalty programmes have affiliated credit cards that offer bonus points on sign-ups and purchases allowing you to generate points with your normal spending, this builds your points more quickly.
- Promotions – subscribe to stay in the know. Be the first to hear about deals and sale information as soon as promotions (often seasonal) are released from your airline or choice hotel.
- Check terms and conditions for benefits of loyalty memberships in your region (these can vary depending on global location).
By Julia Henry
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