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Elite status in hotels and cars rental companies can bring a series of benefits, from free breakfast to improved vehicles.
But achieving these high levels are an exaggeration for the average traveler. Or are they?
The improved loyalty status and other travel benefits come with some credit cards, and banks promote many of these advantages that issue them.
But some benefits are less announced. You can find them directly to the credit card company itself.
Find your card
In this report, we are accessing the benefits of two credit card companies: MasterCard and Visa.
If you have a credit card from any of the companies, take a look at the card to see if you have one of these:
- MasterCard: Standard U Gold Mastercard, Mastercard Platinum or Titanium, Mastercard World, Mastercard World Elite
- Visa: Visa Classic, Visa Gold, Visa Platinum, Visa Signature, Visa Infinite
The benefits and conditions of the card differ in the country, but here are some that CNBC trips found that they are available in Asia-Pacific.
Advantages of entry level
For those who think that decent advantages only come with higher level cards, do not fear. Credit card companies give benefits to entry level card holders as well.
The holders of a standard mastercard have the right to a complementary Extra night at Capella Hotels and Resorts (With certain restrictions and in selected properties) and automatic “Gold” state at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Loyalty program, which comes with gains of accelerated points and late outputs.
Visa Classic card holders can get a 20% discount on participating restaurants under their “Dine and Save” program, among other discounts with airlines and travel reserve portals.
First level advantages
Holders of Mastercard World Elite Cards quality for the state of “titanio” in GHA discovery The highest level of the Loyalty program of the Global Hotel Alliance hotel. The alliance includes 45 brands of hotels, including Capella, Parkroyal and Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.
Meanwhile, Mastercard World card holders can obtain the status of “platinum” at Gha Discovery, the second highest level.
Normally, the qualification for the titanium status requires that a traveler stay 30 nights, or spend $ 15,000 or stay in three different brands in a calendar year. This level gives members a “double update” in rooms, free breakfast and up to 7% in “rewards currency” that can be applied to future stays.
In the same way, Visa signature and Visa Infinite card holders can reserve hotels in the Visa luxury hotels collectionThey come with gastronomic credit of $ 25, backward payments and automatic room updates, when available, in more than 900 luxury hotels worldwide. The brands in the collection include Oriental Mandarin, Park Hyatt, Shangri-La and Six Sensses Hotels.
Is there a capture?
It depends. CNBC discovered that the terms and conditions linked to some offers can be restrictive.
For example, some offers should be reserved through a specific destination page, or are subject to blackout dates. Some “complementary” offers require a client who pays, before the “free” benefits are delivered.
For elite status programs, memberships choose after specific periods; Subsequently, card holders must be reassigned through normal routes. For example, registration in the Gha Discovery program begins the year it is registered and then lasts one more calendar year.
Awareness
Having these benefits is excellent, but if emitting banks are not pressed, are they being used?
When asked, Mastercard told CNBC that a “fair percentage of card holders is aware of the benefits of the card, find them relevant and enjoy using them.”
The credit card network also said that its world -world elite card holders, which tend to be rich, are more likely to use the benefits compared to other card holders.
Adeline Kim, Visa Country manager for Singapore and Brunei, said that discounts on reserves in Klook, a travel reserve platform, have “used effectively.” Klook discounts tend to be well announced and can be found on websites for DBS, HSBC and Citibank Singapore.
“Compared to similar travel platforms, the expense in the card holder in Klook doubles, and we see almost four times the number of transactions compared,” he said.
He also appointed another benefit that is popular among card holders. Visa Infinite card holders in Singapore enjoy golf discounts in Sentosa Golf Club and Tanah Merah Country Club from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. “This is used 100%,” Kim said.
