An overview of the top US travel points programs

When deciding which travel program is the best one out there, you have to take many things into consideration. Are you more interested in receiving Airline bonuses, or would you much rather have hotel benefits? Either way, we got you covered, as we will point out to three best programs for each option.

This is not a sponsored a sponsored article, and everything you will read here is a product of our research.

With that out of the way, lets focus on the best US travel points programs out there.

Airline Rewards Programs

Southwest Rapid Rewards - this program most benefits the travelers located in the southwest, who frequently travel to other major U.S. cities, Caribbean or Mexico. Southwest is a huge airline, offering more than 3,600 flights a day. If you join their travel rewards program, you will earn points for every dollar that you spend on their flights, as well as money spent with their retail partners, car rentals and airline’s hotels. Keep in mind that they only fly across Mexico, Caribbean and U.S. so choose carefully.

American Airlines Aadvantage - While the previous reward program from this list was only intended for national travelers, with this one, you can go around the globe. The best thing about this program is that it is connected with most of the largest Airline companies in the world, including US Airways, Qatar Airways and British Airways. With that also comes the connection with many hotels, car rentals and other partner companies around the world, and that means that you can rack up those points really fast. The only drawback is that miles can only be earned for one program per trip, and that your account will become inactive if you don’t use it for more than 18 months.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - What makes this reward program so special? To put it simply, it is the most flexible option out there with the most benefits. Seriously, just look at some of their partners. American Airlines, British Airways and Delta Air Lines are just some of them. In total, there are 16 carriers included. You want a nice hotel? How about Hilton, Marriott or Starwood? Furthermore, there are many retailers connected with this program as well, thus allowing you to rack up those free miles in a hurry.

Hotel Rewards Programs

Best Western Rewards - Looking for a way to save a few bucks while you’re traveling, but also earn some rewards points? Best Western Rewards is probably your best solution. Their program offers  hotels from over 100 countries, with a total of over 4,000 objects included. Furthermore, everything from car rentals to flower delivery also allows you to earn some of those precious points, which can be used for future stays at one of the Western Hotels. Also, because of the connection with some of the major airlines out there, these points can be used for miles.

Wyndham Rewards - With more than 7,500 properties and 14 brands under their belt, Wyndham Rewards is a program worth mentioning. Not only that, but once you see that this program is connected to carriers such as Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines, you begin to see why this is one of the best options out there. Where else can you earn free stays in awesome all-inclusive hotels and properties? Be careful though, as reward points can expire, so make sure you use them on time.

Marriott Rewards - This is the best option out there, and it’s not hard to explain why. With 18 affiliate brands, and more than 30 airline rewards programs, this should be your number 1 option. Apart from hotel stays and flights, reward points can also be used for car rentals. Let’s not forget that this program includes around 3,800 hotels in more than 70 countries with no blackout dates for redeeming free stays on standard rooms. Rooms at hotels of the highest category can cost a lot of points, but the good news is that you will get them quite quickly. What are you waiting for? Sign up and start piling up those points today!