It’s Not Always Best to Book Flights Through a Credit Card Rewards Portal

Not only are banks and credit card companies in the business of awarding points and miles when you spend money, they also act as travel agents with their own booking portals. As The Points Guy points out , booking flights, hotels, and rental cars through programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Travel, and American Express Travel offers some benefits even if you don’t use your rewards. But depending on your circumstances (and travel plans), sometimes it’s better to book directly.

Here’s when you should (and shouldn’t) book your trip through the rewards portal.

When to book travel through the rewards portal

You should consider booking your trip through a credit card portal if it offers good value for money:

• You have points or miles on your credit card that can be redeemed . You should use your travel rewards regularly, which will likely lose their value over time. We recommend storing only what you plan to use in the next year and spending the rest. Obviously, you want to get the most out of your points, which in some cases may mean transferring them to a partner before booking (more on this below).
• You have travel credits that you can use . Certain combinations of credit cards and rewards portals unlock significant travel credits that can be used to pay for airfare, hotels, and rental car reservations. For example, Capital One Venture X cardholders are eligible to earn $300 per year on travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal.
• Your earnings are higher . Likewise, some travel credit cards earn points or miles at an even higher rate when redeemed when booking through rewards portals compared to purchases made directly with hotels and airlines. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn 3 points per dollar on most travel; that figure jumps to 10 points per dollar on car and hotel rentals and 5 points per dollar on airfare booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• You are entitled to free benefits . By booking certain hotels, such as Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, through the credit card portal, you may have access to additional benefits such as free breakfast, cash credit, late check-out or room upgrades that are not offered for direct booking. reservations.

When booking through the Rewards Portal, be sure to read all the fine print as fare rules and restrictions on refunds or booking changes/cancellations can be strict.

When to book directly with an airline or hotel

However, in some cases it is better to book flights and hotel accommodations directly:

• You have hotel or car loyalty program benefits that you can apply for . Depending on your rewards portal, you may not be able to link your hotel’s loyalty program number to your booking, meaning you may lose out on benefits like mobile check-in, preferred rooms, and free nights. The same goes for renting a car: without express check-in, you may find yourself in a long line when picking up your car. Even if you are able to add your loyalty number, you may not be eligible to receive some benefits.
• You may have to change or cancel your flight . If you think there’s a chance your travel plans will change, you may want to consider booking directly with the airline, which can make refunds or rebookings easier than navigating a credit card portal and related items. Likewise, if your flight is canceled due to weather, you may need to go through a portal rather than the airline to rebook your tickets. You are also not guaranteed to have your points redeployed in lieu of receiving a voucher for a future trip.
• Transfer partners make your points or miles even more valuable . Credit card rewards portals allow you to transfer points to partner programs, including airlines and hotels, which you can then book directly. Chase Ultimate Rewards users have access to 11 airline and three hotel affiliate programs; American Express offers almost double that . In some cases, points become more valuable after transfer.

It’s also generally safer to book directly than through an online travel agency (OTA) such as Expedia or Kayak. These third-party sites often have stricter policies regarding changes, cancellations and refunds, as well as worse customer service than actual airlines or hotels. While they can sometimes be cheaper , OTAs generally aren’t worth it.