It’s easy to forget there was a time when you didn’t know how any of this worked — before you cared about elite status, 5x categories, or which programs had the best transfer partners.
For me, it started over 30 years ago when my dad signed up for the Holiday Inn Priority Club. After that, it became a bit of a game — we joined every loyalty program we could. I think my first airline membership was with Continental OnePass, since that’s who we flew from Newark down to our usual vacation destination: Orlando.
Back then, I didn’t understand the value behind those programs, just that it seemed like a fun way to get free stuff. But over time, it started to click. And yet, even now, there are still so many people who don’t sign up for loyalty programs at all. Maybe they assume the perks are only for frequent flyers or corporate road warriors. Maybe it all seems too complicated.
Why People Don’t Join Loyalty Programs
Despite the obvious perks, millions of travelers still don’t bother signing up for airline or hotel loyalty programs. According to a Forbes report, the reasons are surprisingly simple. Some people just don’t see the value. If they’re not getting something right away, it feels like an extra hassle. Others are overwhelmed by the number of options — they don’t know which programs to trust, or where to start. And then there’s the skepticism: will the rewards actually be worth anything? Will they expire before you can use them?
Additional research backs this up. A ComoSense study found that 70% of customers abandon loyalty programs due to sign-up processes being too inconvenient or time-consuming. Even among millennials — a group often seen as more rewards-savvy, 58% said they’ve dropped out because the rewards didn’t feel relevant or valuable enough.
It’s no surprise, then, that many casual travelers assume loyalty programs are only for frequent flyers or business travelers.
What Non-Members Are Missing
Here’s what they don’t realize: even the basic perks can make a difference. A free bottle of water at check-in. Free Wi-Fi. A room away from the elevator. The ability to earn toward free nights or flights, even slowly, just for doing what you were already planning to do. Once you layer in simple strategies like booking directly or registering for promos, the value grows fast. They might think it’s not worth the effort. But if they ever got upgraded to a suite just because they were a member, they’d likely change their minds. We’ve covered exactly what you get just by signing up for hotel programs, and why it’s usually a no-brainer.
Why That’s Good News for the Rest of Us
As frustrating as it is to watch someone throw away value, it does work in our favor. Fewer people playing the points game means more award availability, better upgrade chances, and less competition for elite perks. It also helps programs maintain better value, since they aren’t as overloaded with redemptions. So while we may wish more travelers understood how much they’re missing, there’s a selfish upside — because the less they know, the more there is for the rest of us who do.
Final Thoughts
If you’re reading this, you already get it. You’ve taken the time to learn how loyalty programs work, and that knowledge pays off in smoother trips, better stays, and more free travel. While plenty of people still skip over those opportunities, that just means less competition and more availability for you. So take advantage of it. Book the award stay. Register for the promo. Use the upgrade when it’s offered. And if someone asks why you always seem to be flying up front or staying in nicer rooms, then you can let them in on the secret.
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