7 Professional Travelers Share Their Absolute Favorite Travel Rewards Program — and Why

Top experts pick their favorite travel loyalty program.

For frequent travelers, having a go-to loyalty program can be a game-changer. If you tend to fly on planes, stay at hotels, or spend on credit cards — or like me, you do all of the above — sticking with a program (or two) can make travel more accessible, enjoyable, and sometimes, downright luxurious. And if you play your cards right (pun intended), the rewards can add up relatively quickly.

Take my favorite travel rewards program of the moment, Bilt Rewards. Bilt lets me earn points on rent payments, my biggest monthly expense, without incurring additional fees. These points, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and Capital One miles, are considered a transferable currency. That means they are programs that are more versatile than traditional airline miles or hotel points since you can move them to a variety of loyalty accounts on an as-needed basis. In the case of Bilt, I can transfer my existing points to more than a dozen travel programs instantly, including the two that I am most loyal to. With Hyatt and American — my hotel and airline of choice, respectively — I can stay at luxury hotels or book business-class flights by transferring my Bilt points.

Wondering what programs other experienced travelers can’t live without? I asked eight professional jet-setters (and trendsetters) what their favorite loyalty programs are — and how they maximize those rewards.

World of Hyatt

“My love of luxury hotels had a very definitive start a little over 10 years ago when another miles and points enthusiast introduced me to the Hyatt loyalty program, now known as World of Hyatt. I had been deeply entrenched in the world of luxury airline travel with miles for several years at that point, but never cared where I stayed once I got to my destination — until my first stay at a luxury hotel, using Hyatt points, changed my perspective entirely. World of Hyatt offers a combination of value, strong loyalty recognition, and transfer accessibility. I regularly book award stays valued at over two cents per point, upgrade perks as an elite member are consistent, and what I don’t earn from stays, I can transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards for redemptions. While their global footprint isn’t the largest, they make continuous efforts to expand their portfolio through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, and their focus is very clearly on establishing a strong luxury positioning. The established Small Luxury Hotels partnership and the upcoming integration of Mr. and Mrs. Smith-marketed properties are both great examples of ways Hyatt thinks outside of the box to bring members additional opportunities to earn and redeem points on luxury stays.” — Michelle González, Luxury Travel Expert and Creator (@laxtoluxury)

American Express Membership Rewards

"My favorite rewards program is Amex Membership Rewards and has been since day one. I got my first Amex credit card over 10 years ago when I was fresh out of college and working as an executive chef, and it literally opened up the world to me. Thanks to Amex points, I learned very quickly that if you spend smarter, you travel better. I’ve traveled to almost 80 countries, flown across the globe in style on the most aspirational first-class airlines, and spent countless nights at the most luxurious hotels. Most importantly, I’ve created lifelong memories and had travel experiences that I never thought were possible. There are two main reasons why I prefer Amex above all others. First, you can earn a significant amount of points without needing to spend substantial amounts of money to earn them by using the Amex Platinum, Amex Gold, and Amex Green cards. I’ve done this all while living within my means and keeping my credit pristine. Secondly, there’s so much power behind these points when they are redeemed properly. When transferring Amex points to its airline and hotel partners, you are able to substantially increase the value of these points by leveraging the award charts and breaking away from the fixed value of the points when used directly with Amex Travel." — Tommy Lonergan, Partner at Freedom Travel Systems (@travelliketommy)

Delta SkyMiles

There is an airline loyalty program that I think pound for pound, knocks most of the other competition out. Delta’s SkyMiles program has so many benefits that I have discovered. I love how Delta makes it easy to earn miles which I can then use to book flights and vacation packages. Then, I really enjoy the perks at each status level, especially as I level up like being able to upgrade faster and easier. I appreciate Delta’s SkyTeam alliance partners and redeeming miles with over a dozen other affiliated airlines. Delta also makes me feel like I am appreciated because when I choose to fly with them, I receive personal greetings and have even gotten handwritten letters congratulating me on my new status placed in my seat before I boarded. They also sent me my own Delta location tag that will track my bag wherever. Outside of the loyalty programs, I enjoy their lounges, which are world-class and make my airport experience more relaxing. — Jeff Jenkins, Host of Never Say Never on National Geographic (@chubbydiaries)

Editor's note: Delta SkyMiles has recently changed how travelers earn status and its lounge admissions policies. Read more here.

American Airlines AAdvantage

"As a full-time traveler, my favorite loyalty program is American Airlines. Determining the best loyalty program is subjective. All loyalty programs, obviously, have their strengths and weaknesses — and it’s really about what you prioritize as a traveler and where you land when it comes to the tier. The first thing I tend to look at is the advantages of utilizing partner airlines, because I travel internationally so often. American has quite a number of partners in the Oneworld alliance; it’s a huge advantage to have partners all over the world to redeem miles. For instance, I love Qatar Airways Qsuites, it’s my favorite way to fly. In my opinion, it’s the best redemption of American miles. As an Executive Platinum Elite member, I receive free upgrades domestically, and that also includes flights to Mexico. Of course, these are subject to availability but I’ve received numerous upgrades between Los Angeles and New York. For the price of an economy ticket, I often get a lie-flat business seat for that journey." — Valerie Joy Wilson, Solo Travel Expert (@trustedtravelgirl)

British Airways Executive Club

"My favorite loyalty program is the British Airways Executive Club because I find the benefits to be amazing, especially as someone who is a British-American dual citizen. I live in New York and frequently travel to the United Kingdom. Plus, I don't have to spend a lot of money to earn top-tier status, because, with British Airways, I earn points toward status based on distance flown, not just the cost of the ticket. This makes it easier to achieve Oneworld Emerald status, which gives me a lot of great benefits, even on domestic economy flights on British Airways partner American Airlines. For example, I get exit row seats, three bags at 70 pounds each, and access to the exclusive Flagship First check-in area with American Airlines. Even better, I get to enter some of the best airport lounges in the world with this status, like the Qantas First Lounge at LAX, all complimentary." — Will Taylor, TV Host and Content Creator (@brightbazaar)

Air Canada Aeroplan

"I really like the Air Canada Aeroplan rewards program, because it offers so many benefits. Earning points is easy and redeeming them is incredibly flexible. I can accumulate points quickly by transferring credit card points from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and Bilt Rewards points at a one-to-one ratio to Aeroplan. Redeeming my Aeroplan points is also so flexible because they can be used for Star Alliance partner airlines, as well as non-alliance partners like Emirates, Etihad, Bamboo Airlines, and Oman Airlines. This opens up numerous options for finding award flights worldwide. The online search feature is quick, accurate, and user-friendly, making the process of redeeming points enjoyable. One of the best things about the Aeroplan program is that I can add a stopover for just an additional 5,000 points, and the stopovers are bookable online. This is perfect for me because I love exploring multiple destinations and maximizing my travel experience. Plus, transfer bonuses are occasionally available when transferring credit card points to Air Canada Aeroplan, which helps me earn even more points. Overall, I think Air Canada Aeroplan is an excellent rewards program that offers a wide range of benefits for its users." — Max Do, Loyalty and Rewards Expert (@maxmilespoints)

Alaska Mileage Plan

"As a videographer and owner of a media company that travels around the world, Alaska has been my loyalty program of choice for the last several years. I have held airline status on three different airlines, but never received anywhere near the same number of upgrades per flight taken as I do on Alaska. In the old days, airlines awarded you miles based on the distance flown (instead of the money spent), Alaska is one of the few that continues to do this, which benefits me when I fly on cheaper fares over longer distances. They partner with a unique group of airlines all over the world, which makes it easy to use their miles to travel globally for competitive rates. Plus, they have the best chocolate chip cookies." — Ian Agrimis, Founder of Capture Unlimited (@agrimisadventures)

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