Hotel points for airline pilots

[USC***]

Do airlines (regionals and majors) allow crew members staying in hotels to keep the points for the nights stayed, when the company is paying for the stay?

It may sound like a dumb question, but I'm new at this. Seems like with all the over nights pilots have, you could rack up some nice vacations for the family.

 

[cl-65link]

It depends on the hotel. The hotels that won't give you points use the reasoning that the airline gets a special rate anyway, so you're not entitled to any points. Of course, the individual pilot is not paying for the room, the airline is.

 

[kevdog]

I generally do, but as cl-65link pointed out, sometimes you get special rates for your company that disqualify you for points.

I believe it is illegal for your company to use your hotel points, and frequent flyer milage for their own use...you are the one staying in the hotel and flying.

Have fun with it!

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Good Question USC***

Of course, the individual pilot is not paying for the room, the airline is.

However, all of our airlines give business travelers mileage even though their company is paying for their tickets.

I'd be happy if they gave me reduced "points" at the hotels we stay at.

I can only recall one hotel that I overnighted at that gaves us points, but of course we switched hotels soon after. Go figure.

And who said pilots were cheap?

 

[KC-10 Driver]

I've found that some hotels do let you keep points, and some don't (actually, most don't).

But, just about all let you keep points for non-room expenses (such as room service, bar & restaurant charges, in-room movies, etc) that you charge to your room and pay for yourself upon checkout,

 

[TurboS7]

Points for room service and moview, wow I will really rack the points up.My wife, "a thousand dollars for movies..." me "but you can stay free at a Holiday Inn Express.....yeha." Most hotels that give you a good airline discount won't give you points. A few do and they are the favorites.

 

[Buckeye]

Hi!

We get points at more than 95% of the hotels we stay in.

Some don't, as we have a special rate.

Some don't, because they don't issue points to everyone.

I think I'm in about 14 frequent stay programs.

CLiff
DTW

 

[Buckeye]

Hi!

I just looked at my last post and realized that a guy I know was logged in and forgot to log off.

I will correct that now

Cliff
DTW

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I just looked at my last post and realized that a guy I know was logged in and forgot to log off.

I will correct that now

Cliff
DTW

 

[Snoopy58]

What we need to do is find a way to get airline miles for the flights we crew...

Why? So you can get free tickets on your own airline??? Or so you can get free upgrades to First Class in your Windy City birds?

j/k,

Snoopy

 

[328dude]

Ah, good ol Steve. Such a Moron. LOL

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

U can use your points at hotels for a lot of stuff, including airline miles, hotel stays, magazines, merchandise, savings on rental cars, etc, etc.

Cliff
DTW

 

[TxPilot0878]

Hotel Points!

The point system differs with each hotel...but the fact is you can still acquire points.

The problem is for some reason pilots get a bad name with the check-in desks, most will help you if you offer a smile, compliment, and comment on if they can keep this banana in the fridge because it's the only food you have had in two days and you don't want it to spoil overnight!

A lot of times it is management trying to save the "organization," from loosing X amount of dollars, so they tell their staff to tell pilots to FAQ off in a nice way (since we stay all the time...justified by we are not paying the bill)!

Regardless, when and if they use the classic,..."well sir/mam you are at the reduced rate we can't give you the points!" Then you tell them that you want credit(points) for the reduced rate! That is perfectly legal as long as you are a rewards member...but it is extra work for them...so their cure all is to blow you off!

It's figured at a % of the normal rate and so you don't get all the points of a normal night,...but at our "on the road" schedule,...it adds up.

Tex

 

[dondk]

If you read the program info for all hotel program's they state "air crews" are not eligible for points.

Although....
some hotels will give them to you, some are arrogant like TxPilot0878 states.

What I have found is...
always ask for a copy of the invoice upon checkout. At a later date (about a week) file a missing stay request with the program. Most programs really do not do that much research and just give you the stay and or points, some do the research and ask for the invoice (which you have).

I ask for the invoice for two reasons, first is to make sure the bill has a zero balance. I have personally seen dudes get to do a carpet dance for charges on the hotel bill they did not charge. The carpet dance is like 2-3 months later and it is like we can remember WHAT we did that night . It is CYA.... The second reason is for the points...,

 

[Diesel]

comon over to the fractionals you get all the miles and hotel points you want.

We usually stay in 150-200 a dollar a night hotels. That's a ton of hotel points. Then we airline usually twice a tour on a Y class fare and that adds to airline miles. We usually stay at hiltons which means we get to double dip, airline and hotel miles.

The regional my wife works for has negotiated such a low rate that the hotels won't even move them out of the janitor's closet. Her and i stayed at the same hotel one night. I had a huge room on the concierce floor and she had one next to the vending machines and elevators about 10 floors down.

I've given up non reving. It's just a lot easier to use the miles and hotels points to spend a couple of weeks in europe with buisness class tickets.

 

[AA717driver]

Diesel--Please tell me you let your wife stay in your room that night?

Or did the 'riff-raff' detector go off when an airline pilot showed up on the concierge floor... You know, the siren goes off and all the free papers disappear and the bar closes. TC

 

[DTWFO]

Holiday Inns are notorious for not giving you points for your stay and even printing out bills with no rate printed on them so you can't send it in to Holiday Inn for points later. Hampton Inn's however will always give you points. I have never had a Hampton Inn refuse to give me points and they are part of the Hilton club.

 

[LAXSaabdude]

Holiday Inns are notorious for not giving you points for your stay

You're right about that! The one in Fresno, CA would always swipe my card every time I asked them. After a month of numerous overnights in Fresno, every one of my overnights showed up on my account, for a grand total of....ZERO POINTS!

Wish they woulda told me at checkin....

LAXSaabdude.