Square 1: Joining Programs & Registration Bonuses

Recently, I’ve had a few posts on how to get free miles or points (or other perks, like elite status) simply by joining a program.  These promotions come and go, but in the meantime, I thought I’d share all of the current goodies in case you aren’t a member of these programs yet.

I’m a big supporter of signing up for every program so you can grab all the free miles you can get (like answering five easy questions to earn 300 Priority Club points).  The five hundred miles you earn here and there are wonderful (and over time truly do add up).  Eventually, you might have enough miles for a transfer bonus or one-way award flight, or at the very least, a headstart if you ever decide to get serious about that program.

Because these joining bonuses come and go, I’d recommend joining now if there’s a great bonus or holding off if they’re offering nothing (unless you actually require membership for your upcoming travel plans).  TIP: For those that require travel, if you have nothing planned, hold off until you do.  Hopefully, you’ll be able to get something of value just by joining!

• Accor Hotels: Free Elite Status for Joining
• Alaska Airlines: 500 Miles for Joining and Completing Your Profile
• American Airlines: 500 Miles for Joining and Referencing Promotion Code ADV30 **might be expired, give it a shot!
• Amtrak: 500 Points for Joining and Completing Your First Trip Within 90 Days
• Choice Hotels: 500 Points for Joining  and Completing Your First Stay
• Club Carlson: 2000 Points for Joining (Reference Code NSB2K12) and Completing Your First Stay Within 90 Days
• Czech Airlines: 2000 Miles for Joining and Completing Your First Trip
• Jet Airways: 2000 Miles for Joining
• LAN Airlines: 1000 Kilometers for Joining
• Marriott Hotels: 2000 Points for Joining and Completing Your First Stay
• Southwest Airlines: 750 Points for Joining and Opting In to Emails for at least 3 Months
• Virgin Atlantic: 1000 Miles for Joining and Taking Your First Flight in Economy Class (2000 Miles for Premium Economy / 3000 for Upper Class)

Once you’ve joined, be sure to store and track your account numbers online.

Marriott MegaMiles

Marriott and is teaming up with its airline partners for a “MegaMiles” promotion which will run through April 30.  You’ll earn 2000 bonus miles with every stay beginning with your second stay, up to a maximum of 50,000 bonus miles.

Simply:

1. Register for the promotion.
2. Change your Marriott Earnings Preference to Miles.  Participating airlines include Delta, United, US Airways, JetBlue, British Airways, and more.  American Airlines is not participating.
3. Make at least two separate stays with Marriott during the promotion period.  A separate stay can be achieved by either making sure your nights are non-consecutive and/or by switching properties.
4. Sit back and relax for 4-6 weeks after the promotion ends and then check for your bonus miles.

You will continue to earn your usual base miles (1 mile per dollar spent) in addition to the bonus miles.  However, this promotion is mutually exclusive with their MegaBonus promotion (Buy 2 Stays, Get 1 Free) since a qualifying stay for that promotion requires you to have your earnings preference set to points.

I think the best plan of attack is to go for the MegaBonus promotion since you’ll receive a free night after two stays, which is worth more than 2000 airline miles (by my valuation).  However, since there is a maximum of two free nights (four stays) in that promo, after you’ve already completed the required stays for MegaBonus, it would certainly be worth switching over at that point to earning miles for the MegaMiles promotion.

If you don’t yet have a Marriott Rewards account, you can register here and we will both earn 2000 bonus points after your first stay.

Double Tier Qualifying Points with Southwest

Awhile back, I posted on how American Airlines was offering double elite qualifying miles on travel during January, typically a somewhat slow period for travel.  These are not miles that you use toward an award, but miles that count toward qualifying for elite status.  I don’t personally book “mileage runs”, or flights taken for the sake of qualifying for higher elite status, but I still think it’s worth it to register for these promotions if you already have travel plans anyway.  As always, if they’re giving it away for free, don’t leave it on the table!

A few other airlines have also jumped on the bandwagon, so I wanted to pass on the information to you.

United

United is offering double award miles on most round-trip flights operated by United and Continental.  Flights must be booked and flown after registration but before January 31 (previously booked travel is ineligible).  Unfortunately, you have to be targeted for this promotion with United in order to take advantage of this.  You can find out if you were targeted by logging into your MileagePlus page and clicking on the My Promotions tab.  From there, you will be able to read more details and register through your own account. (Hat Tip to Just Another Points Traveler)

Southwest

Everyone is eligible to participate in Southwest’s promo for double tier-qualifying points.  Registration is required in advance, and flights must be booked and flown  after registration but January 31. (Hat Tip to The Points Guy)  Furthermore, you can get double points if you are flying into or out of Boston, Manchester, Providence, Orlando, Newark, or LaGuardia.  Registration is required by December 30.  Flights musts must be booked after registration but before December 30, though travel can be completed through February 15.  These bonus points don’t qualify for status, but do qualify for reward travel, so it’s worth registering for both promotions.  (Hat Tip to Online Travel Review)