The 8 best hotel loyalty programs for frequent flyers

If you have some extensive travel plans coming up, you can start racking up some serious points by sticking to one hotel chain. But to bag the best benefits, you will have to sacrifice an element of flexibility, and it can be frustrating if there aren't significant gains to be had from your loyalty program of choice. However, with a bit of planning and a few key considerations, you can set yourself up for success.

A great first port of call is to check if your credit cards partner with a hotel loyalty scheme. Booking with their points can often help travelers access better rates, plus using a hotel-backed credit card is undoubtedly the easiest way to obtain top-tier perks. Some cards even offer holders immediate elite status, such as the IHG Rewards Club Premier, Hilton Honors American Express, and World of Hyatt credit cards.

The first thing to consider is which destinations you travel to the most. As a corporate traveler, you may return to the same location multiple times to visit important clients or another branch of your organization. If these are in major cities, you will have many options to choose from for your accommodation. But if you travel to regional offices, you might be more limited in the hotels on offer.Scoping out the selection in your key destinations could save you many issues. No one is happy to face a half-hour trek across town to the Park Hyatt after discovering there's a Marriott hotel around the corner!

When thinking back on your previous business trips, which hotels stand out in your memory? Which trips had the best service or provided a great night's sleep? Which hotel do you remember having fantastic amenities or a delicious complimentary breakfast?Even if these don't fall into one specific hotel chain, they might help narrow down what factors are important to you when you travel.

Elite tier perks can be alluring, but it pays to be practical. Ascertaining which benefits suit your travel style can help you select a hotel loyalty scheme that will fast track you to your goals. For example, if having a free breakfast with every stay would be a helpful perk, seek out the loyalty programs which include this at the lowest level.Checking the T&C's of any prospective loyalty scheme can save a lot of heartbreak. You don't want to end up chasing elite status and only snagging free water or Wi-Fi. If you are a travel manager, you will undoubtedly have enough nights to bag top-tier benefits quickly.However, it still pays to make sure you are getting the most beneficial perks for your organization. No doubt executives will be hoping their loyalty gets them more than just an early check-in.

Under the business branch of Radisson Rewards, members can speed track their way to silver status by 50%, with entry after just 3 stays compared to the usual 6. If you are frequently on the hunt for event venues, then be sure to earmark this loyalty program as they offer 10,000 bonus points each time you host in their hotels.

All elite tiers of Marriott Bonvey come with their Ultimate Reservation Guarantee. A unique perk, members who Marriott cannot accommodate in their preferred hotels on their desired date will have alternative arrangements paid for and receive cash and hotel points as compensation for the inconvenience.

Hilton Honors have partnered with American Express to provide a credit card that's perfect for frequent travelers. With no annual fee and no charges on foreign transactions, cardholders can also secure a boost of 80,000 rewards points when they sign up.

If you are in the market for a new credit card, you can use the handy Wyndhams Rewards Calculator to determine how many points you could earn each year with your everyday purchases. If you have the scope to pay a small annual fee, you could start securing hotel stays in the double figures with ease.

IHG Rewards travelers can use their points to skip the lines at security with TSA Precheck. 96% of TSA PreCheck users streamlined their airport experience to a wait time of under 5 minutes, undoubtedly a fantastic perk for frequent travelers!

Want to stay fit and healthy while you travel? Whether you prefer to unwind with a relaxing Yoga class or get the heart pumping with a fast-paced HIIT session, globalist rewards members can sample complimentary fitness classes with an eligible stay at any Hyatt hotel.

At the time of writing, those signing up for the Choice Privileges Visa Signature credit card can swipe the equivalent of 9 free nights in bonus points (subject to terms and conditions). Plus, this credit card comes without the hefty annual fee of many of its competitors.

A fantastic feature of this hotel loyalty scheme is that your points will never expire. Additionally, if you are an elite member of another hotel loyalty program, you can automatically bag the same tier of perks with Best Western thanks to their status match promise.