Quick Rewards: Signup Bonuses for Travel Programs
Make your next trip more enjoyable with free perks that are available just for signing up for a loyalty reward program!
Airlines were some of the first companies to enter the loyalty space by awarding “Frequent Flyer Miles” to their passengers. They understood that loyalty to their airline meant more profit, so they set out to make these programs attractive enough to retain the business of the most frequent fliers.
Use Loyalty Programs for Perks and Free Trips!
Today, the business practice of retaining customers with loyalty rewards has caused an explosion in the number of companies with loyalty programs. It is also easier than ever to comparison shop for the best price, flight schedule, and airport location. Knowing this, companies have added great perks to entice customers to choose them over the competition.
Even if you are not a very frequent traveler, there are loyalty programs that start you off with an incentive to try their company. Take advantage of these immediate rewards by signing up before you book your next trip and find deals and bonuses on hotel rooms, car rides, car rentals, and even flights!
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Travel Programs with Loyalty Signup Perks
Loyalty reward perks have been organized below by type of travel for your convenience.
Hotels & Lodging Bonuses
Even if you are not a frequent traveler, it is worthwhile to sign up for hotel loyalty programs that provide benefits immediately. Some hotel perks start even before you have a qualifying night stay (get free wi-fi code from the front desk when in the lobby, at hotel restaurants, etc.)!
Most of the major hotel brands have been consolidated into a handful of hotel ownership groups, so joining one program will provide benefits at multiple hotel brands. Enjoy your next trip even more with perks like free wi-fi, late checkout, and free welcome amenities at your favorite hotels!
Hotel Room Service in City
- Best Western brands (includes brands Glo, SureStay + more)
- Early check-in (subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
- Choice Hotels brands (includes brands Comfort Inn, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Clarion, Econolodge, Rodeway Inn + more)
- Choose an “extra” perk for all weeknight stays (Sun – Thu nights) from: 400 Choice Privileges points, 100 airline miles, $0.20/gallon in Fuel Rewards, $2.50 Amazon credit, $5 coffee card, or $2.50 Uber trip discount
- Hard Rock:
- Free welcome amenity
- Late checkout (based on availability)
- Hilton (includes brands DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites + more)
- Free wi-fi
- Check-in, check-out, choose your room, and unlock your door with the Hilton App
- Hyatt
- Free standard internet
- Free breakfast at participating Hyatt Place hotels
- IHGÂ (includes brands Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza + more)
- Free internet
- 1 Free Amazon Kindle eBook Biannually (US and UK members)
- $30 In-Room Spa Credit (only at Kimpton hotels)
- Marriott (includes brands Sheraton, Westin, Springhill Suites, Residence Inn, W Hotels, Ritz Carlton + more)
- Free in-room internet
- Use mobile key
- Radisson (includes brands Country Inn & Suites, Park Inn + more)
- 5% discount at participating hotel restaurants
- 2 complimentary bottles of water with every stay
- Red Roof Inn:
- Complimentary bottled water every night during your stay
- Up to 20% off our best available rate when you book up to two days in advance with Advance Purchase
- $2 discount on Premium Rooms AND 500 bonus points for each paid stay in a Premium Room
- Guaranteed 8 PM check-in**
- Members-only information/reservation line
- Wyndham (includes brands La Quinta, Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, Travelodge + more)
- Free wi-fi
NOTE: the program benefits above are available when you book a “qualifying night”, which is typically for nights booked via the hotel’s own website or 800-number. You are unlikely to receive loyalty program perks when staying on super-discounted room rates that were booked through discount sites including Expedia, hotwire, Priceline, kayak, Orbitz, and other online travel agents (these discounters may have their own loyalty programs where you can earn free stays).
Car Rentals
Navigating with Map in Car
Enjoy discounts and time-saving amenities when renting autos with your loyalty membership at these companies:
- Alamo: 5% discount on standard retail rates
- Avis: Earn 100 bonus points when you opt in to Avis Preferred Points and rent once within three months
- Budget: Fastbreak members can register to earn $25 in Budget Bucks (now through December 31st, rent twice, and we’ll email you $25 in Budget Bucks) plus earn up to 52 coupons each year – that’s over $1,000 towards future rentals!
- Dollar: Skip the counter and go straight to the lot plus free Authorized Additional Driver (Spouse or domestic partner)
- Enterprise: members-only check-in at select locations
- Hertz: skip the counter for pick up and drop off
- National Car: choice of cars from Emerald Aisle, no second driver fees, faster checkout
- Thrifty: Skip the counter and go straight to the lot, free Authorized Additional Driver (Spouse or domestic partner), skip the line & priority counter service at select locations
Car Rides via Smartphone Apps
New members can take advantage of signup bonuses/discounts on their first rides with these discount incentives:
- Lyft: up to $25 off your first rides for new riders
- Uber: up to $25 off your first rides for new riders
Car Sharing
Large cities are starting to offer services that provide short-term rentals / shared car ownership. There are many programs and they all operate differently, so you will need to do some research to find the best one to suit your needs. Fortunately, there are incentives while you familiarize yourself with Zipcar:
- Zipcar (shared car ownership program): join free for 30 days in participating cities (Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC), until 9/30/19. Valid for first-time members only or past Zipcar members whose account expired on or before 12/31/18. Not valid with any other offers. University and Zipcar for Business Rate Plans do not qualify for this offer.
Train Moving on Tracks
Trains
- Amtrak: join Amtrak Guest Rewards and receive 500 bonus points when you travel within 90 days of enrollment
Airlines
While most frequent flier programs provide the most benefit to those who actually do make frequent trips, there are a couple that will be worth the signup just to get some basic perks. All frequent flier programs allow you to earn free trips with your travel, but the programs below offer perks from Day 1 (before you have acquired miles).
Airplane Window Seat View
- Alaska Air: Club 49 Mileage Plan (Alaska residents only)
- 2 free checked bags
- 2 “Travel Now” discounts per year
- Discounts on freight shipping
- British Airways: Executive Club
- free seat selection 24 hours before departure (not including travel on basic fare)
- stored preferences for seating and meals
- App for easy communicating with airline
In addition to these offers that are available to everyone, there are additional perks for certain groups of people. Check the separate posts for discounts and perks for traveling Students, Seniors, and Military Veterans.
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While you travel, make sure to get the most out of your trip with handy travel accessories like these!
very nice post
thanks
Thanks for the feedback Jack!
thanks for sharing really this is very useful please keep on update.
Hi William! Thanks for the feedback!!
Wow thank you for your effort in compiling this list! You really listed many different areas in travel (eg hotel, airline, transport etc), the companies associated with them and the perks for using their service. However, for someone who travels at most once or twice a year, it would be a waste for me to sign up for those with loyalty points/perks as I don’t travel frequent enough. I should look at those that offer incentives for new sign ups instead.
One helpful area in this post is the list of car rentals. I like to drive when travelling abroad, so your list would really be of a great help in choosing the company that benefits me the most!
Hi Idris, although you don’t travel very frequently, you may be surprised at the perks that you could qualify for by joining the loyalty program. They are not all super-amazing, but hopefully this article helped you to spot a few gems that would be worth your time to sign up!
hey there, I always found that even though I travel a lot that the rewards just never seem to add up to anything worthwhile , but reading this article I am determined to make sure I now make the most of any and all rewards on offer. I just need to get organised and this post has given me both some ideas and also the inspiration to make the most of them
Cheers paul
Hi Paul, It can be frustrating to have to wait for the rewards to accumulate when you are ready to travel NOW… but fortunately many of the loyalty programs have started adding extra ways to spend your points / miles for things like upgrades, gift certificates, magazine subscriptions, and more.
I’m amazed at the free perks available in the travel industry just for signing up. In the 1980’s and 90’s I travelled a lot for business. The best deal we ever got was from TWA. For only 50k miles we got 1st Class upgrades. We qualified for the Gold Card that provides us with Business Class upgrades if Space was available without using miles. We were very disappointed when TWA was acquired by American Airlines as these perks went away. The miles needed for 1st Class upgrades rose to 100k.
The latest loyalty program we like immensely is from Cunard. After our first cruise we now qualify for free stateroom upgrades and spending credits. We are now Gold class guests and get invited to special parties on board.
I like the idea of perks just for joining loyalty programs. Do these companies publicize them? Would they offer them when signing up or would you have to know about them and ask.
You’ve provided a comprehensive list that will come in very handy.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hi Edwin, Each company is a little different, but generally they do try to “push” their programs to their customers because in the end, the loyalty programs will have a net positive effect on their bottom line.