I Prefer Hotel Rewards Evolves Suite of Member Benefits with Introduction of I Prefer Loves

New Partnership Series Offers Loyalty Program Members Monthly Drop of Unique Savings and Private Experiences from Hand-Picked Lifestyle Brands

I Prefer Hotel Rewards – the world’s largest points-based loyalty program for independent hotel experiences by Preferred Hotels & Resorts – continues to enhance its range of benefits catering to the varied interests of its members with the launch of I Prefer Loves. Each month, I Prefer will showcase a much-loved brand partner across the travel, fashion, food and wine, home, and wellness industries through promotions that unlock privileged access to bespoke gifts, offers, and experiences. The series kicks off tomorrow with I Prefer Loves Anatomie, a collaboration - inspired by women who love to explore - with luxury apparel brand, Anatomie, which rewards all I Prefer members with a $50 discount code* to redeem towards purchases made via the brand’s website.

“Arriving at a time when we are all excited to reconnect with the world and enjoy new experiences, I Prefer Loves represents the continuous diversification of member benefits offered through I Prefer,” said Jeri Salazar, Vice President of Loyalty for Preferred Hotels & Resorts. “We have always been committed to protecting the interests of our loyal guests, and this exciting new addition offers valuable savings and unique experiences for them to enjoy from the comfort of their own home or in exciting new destinations when they are ready to travel again.”

As the featured I Prefer Loves partner for April 2021, Anatomie is gifting I Prefer members with a $50 discount code to use towards a new look or as a token of appreciation for an inspirational woman in their life from now through June 30, 2021. The discount is valid towards purchases valued at or in excess of US$178. Anatomie offers a range of lightweight, wrinkle-free clothes to suit every travel occasion and season - ideal for active women seeking style and comfort, especially now with travel and exploration once again in reach. The May 2021 edition of I Prefer Loves will feature a collaboration with The Bicester Village Shopping Collection – a global family of open-air luxury shopping destinations known for deep savings across more than 1,300 luxury fashion house boutiques, renowned restaurants and cafés, and concierge services. I Prefer members will receive an invitation to a Private Sale taking place across seven of its European Villages in destinations such as London, Paris, and Milan. In addition to existing savings of up to 60% for designer goods and dining experiences, members will enjoy an additional 10% savings on purchases made in-person or via virtual shopping, among other perks. Future brand spotlights will include luxury leather goods retailers, a sparkling wine purveyor, and an aviation company, among others.

The launch of I Prefer Loves follows the January debut of I Prefer Auctions, an initiative that allows members to bid for one-of-a-kind travel experiences with earned points for a limited time period. One of the first major hotel loyalty programs to postpone points expiration in light of COVID-19, I Prefer made a subsequent announcement in November 2020 that any of its 3.8 million members with accrued points would have their validity extended through June 30, 2021 and maintain Elite Status through June 30, 2022.

For more information on I Prefer Hotel Rewards or to enroll in the program, visit www.IPrefer.com. Members can visit I Prefer Loves for additional details on current and future partnerships, including terms and conditions for I Prefer Loves Anatomie and I Prefer Loves The Bicester Village Shopping Collection.

Mandarin Oriental Launches Fans Of M.O. Guest Recognition Programme

Hong Kong- Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is well known for delighting guests with personalized, intuitive service. Now guests will be even better recognized by joining Fans of M.O. and receiving an elevated range of privileges designed to surprise and delight, whenever they stay at Mandarin Oriental hotels around the world.

With the user experience top of mind, joining Fans of M.O. is simple either online or at check-in. Members enjoy complimentary wi-fi, a welcome amenity and exclusive offers at Mandarin Oriental hotels around the world. By listing additional preferences, guests can further personalize their stay to ensure maximum comfort.

Guests who join Fans of M.O. and book their stay directly through the Group’s website at mandarinoriental.com, will not only be assured of the best and most flexible rates, but can also choose two additional privileges to enjoy during their stay. These may include early check-in, late check-out, a dining or spa credit, daily breakfast, a room upgrade, streaming wi-fi access, pressing services or a celebratory treat.

“We are delighted to launch Mandarin Oriental’s unique guest recognition programme, Fans of M.O., which we believe offers our guests a range of appealing and engaging benefits designed to make each and every stay with us a memorable one,” said Michael Hobson, Chief Marketing Officer for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “Our mission has always been to delight our customers, and this programme allows us to personalize each visit and anticipate guest needs, at every Mandarin Oriental destination,” he added.

For more information on how to become a Fan of M.O., visit mandarinoriental.com/fans-of-mo

ABOUT MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL GROUP

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences. Having grown from its Asian roots into a global brand, the Group now operates 31 hotels and eight residences in 21 countries and territories, with each property reflecting the Group’s oriental heritage and unique sense of place. Mandarin Oriental has a strong pipeline of hotels and residences under development, and is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

How To Keep Piling Up Points With Coming Changes To Some Airline & Hotel Reward Programs

Terry Allen

American Airlines is making international first-class award flights more expensive. Delta is making free upgrades to seats with more legroom more elusive for elites traveling with low-status companions. Marriott is acquiring Starwood, which will likely spell the end of a top hotel loyalty program.

As reward programs continue to be devalued, is it still worth being loyal?

“Times like these can be good,” said Brian Kelly, a miles expert and founder of Thepointsguy.com. “It forces people to be smart about their strategy.”

Here’s how.

Photo

Changes coming to Delta are likely to affect travelers with elite status.CreditChris Rank/Delta Air Lines, via PR Newswire

Airlines

Occasional fliers need not commit to a single carrier. Miles hobbyists advise playing the field. Choose flights based on practical factors (cost, desirable airports and times), but continue to sign up for and use frequent flier numbers. It’s easy, free, you might amass enough miles for an award ticket, and, if all else fails, you can use the miles to get a magazine subscription.

If, however, you fly 25,000 miles or more a year, you may want to stick with one airline, said Gary Leff, the author of the miles-and-points blogView From the Wing. Travelers who fly 25,000 miles a year, which is typically the lowest elite tier (the highest is usually 100,000 or 125,000 miles or more), can still obtain a few perks such as free upgrades on certain flights and a free checked bag — although you can sometimes get similar benefits simply by signing up for an airline credit card. The American Airlines Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select MasterCard, with a $95 annual fee, for instance, gives members traveling on domestic flights priority boarding (Group 1) and a free checked bag (for you and up to four companions).

Those who are already elite fliers on American will probably be most affected by some of the coming changes. They include new award prices (March 22) and, in the second half of 2016, the awarding of miles based on ticket price instead of distance flown. How many miles you receive will also depend on your status in the AAdvantage loyalty program. For instance, if you’re a “member” (the lowest status in AAdvantage), you’ll receive five miles for each dollar you spend. If you’re Executive Platinum (the highest status), you’ll receive 11 miles for each dollar spent. If you don’t have elite status, things won’t change much when it comes to redeeming award tickets. Some coach award trips will cost more; others will cost less. International business class award tickets will go up slightly. “It’s really international first-class awards that get much more expensive,” Mr. Leff said

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The changes coming to Delta are also more likely to affect travelers with elite status. For those traveling on or after May 16, 2016, the airline will treat its Comfort+ seats in the main cabin (which include more legroom, priority boarding and free drinks), as a separate fare class. Mr. Leff said that for now most elite passengers traveling on their own shouldn’t notice a big difference, but in the future the change Delta made to Comfort+ could allow the airline to capacity control upgrades, preventing elites from getting a Comfort+ seat even if they are eligible for one. Additionally, elites who want to travel with family or friends will have greater difficulty. That’s because in the past up to eight people traveling with you on your reservation could be upgraded to a Comfort+ seat at the time of booking. Now Delta Diamond and Platinum members can take one companion on their reservation, not eight, and eligibility for an upgrade to a Comfort+ seat is based on the lowest status in the reservation and will be confirmed only 24 hours before departure. In other words, a Delta Diamond (the airline’s highest status passenger) traveling with a spouse who has no status would be sent to the back of the upgrade line.

On the bright side, there are still many ways to earn miles, even from your couch.

For example, do your holiday shopping (heck, all your shopping) through airline portals that link to various retailers’ websites and give members miles for what they spend. For example, American Airlines hasAadvantageeshopping.com, where recent offers included 10 miles for each dollar spent at Saks.com, and 5,000 miles for certain smartphones onVerizonwireless.com. On the United Airlines shopping portal,Shopping.mileageplus.com, offers included 10 miles for each dollar spent atPetSmart.com, and two miles for each dollar spent at Apple.com.

Remember, too, that you can earn miles in many other ways including signing up for an airline dining rewards program (you get miles for what you spend at participating restaurants), or by purchasing Broadway show tickets through an airline partnership with the Audience Rewards program.

To get a windfall of miles or hotel points at once, you need a rewards credit card. A recent sign-up offer from Chase Sapphire Preferred included 50,000 points and the annual fee was waived for the first year. Cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred, which gives users double points on dining and travel-related expenses, allow you to transfer those points to multiple loyalty programs including United MileagePlus and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, helping you get closer to international award travel in a premium cabin.

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Marriott members will soon be able to choose from an array of more luxurious properties when using rewards points. CreditAndrew Kelly/Reuters

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Hotels

As with airlines, you should join the rewards program of whatever hotel you visit. It’s free to sign up and big chains have many brands under the same umbrella. The Hilton HHonors reward program, for instance, includes the Waldorf Astoria, Conrad Hotels and Resorts, Embassy Suites by Hilton, and DoubleTree by Hilton brands.

What will happen to the Starwood Preferred Guest program remains to be seen. Points experts predict that it will be absorbed into Marriott’s existing loyalty program. Marriott members will be able to choose from an array of more luxurious properties. Starwood members will be able to use their points at many more hotels, though as Mr. Leff put it: “There’s no world where Starwood elites are better off from this.” Marriott doesn’t do as much for its elite members as Starwood, he said, adding that “Marriott Platinum is not even guaranteed late checkout” (Starwood Preferred Guest Gold members receive a 4 p.m. late checkout at most properties). If you’re a Starwood elite, he thinks it’s probably best to redeem your points before changes are made. He and others estimate you have at least a year.

The Takeaway

Devaluations are, alas, par for the course. But there are still perks. So continue signing up for reward programs. Flying at least 25,000 miles a year? Consider committing to one airline. If you’re just meeting the lowest elite level requirements of the airline’s loyalty program, compare its benefits to those on offer from the airline’s credit card.

Earn miles and points when you shop online by registering with an airline portal, and when you eat out by signing up for a dining rewards program. And don’t hoard the miles and points you earn. Airlines and hotels can change their worth at any time. If you’re wondering, “Should I use my miles?,” said Mr. Kelly, the answer is yes.

“Stop stressing about what could happen,” he said, speaking from the Etihad lounge at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York before flying off to Abu Dhabi. “Plan a trip.”

Stephanie Rosenbloom

THE GETAWAY

A version of this article appears in print on December 6, 2015, on page TR2 of the New York edition with the headline: Loyalty Programs:

Marriott Rewards Now Available Across Africa At All 100 Protea Hotels

Protea Joins Over 4,000 Marriott International Hotels Where Members Can Earn And Redeem

 Points For Global Travel

 Marriott Rewards, the award winning

 global hotel loyalty program, is being expanded to all Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels 

across Sub-Saharan Africa, giving its 53 million members 100 more hotels where they can earn

 and redeem points.  Today's expansion follows an initial rollout of Marriott Rewards to 25 properties

 in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban and expands the program to Protea and African Pride

 hotels in Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Malawi.

"Marriott Rewards members--our most loyal guests--are seeking travel experiences that empower 

them to pursue their passions. Marriott Rewards' expansion to include all Protea Hotels allows

 members to enjoy the benefits of loyalty when traveling to Africa, whether for business or leisure,"

 explains Mark Satterfield, Chief Operating Officer for Marriott International, Middle East & Africa and

 Marriott International's Business Leader for Protea Hotels. 

For individuals who travel around Africa, this is the first time an African hotel brand has offered

 loyalty points for domestic stays that can be redeemed for travel internationally. Protea Hotels

 is positioned in the moderate and upper moderate tier categories, with properties situated in

 key business centers and sought-after leisure destinations. Protea Hotels offers accommodation

 ideal for both business and leisure travelers, with modern design and a unique blend of local style

 and personal service.

Marriott Rewards points can be redeemed for hotel stays, as well as for a range of other benefits, 

such as air travel, frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, and merchandise. In addition to earning 

points for their stays, Marriott Rewards members enjoy exclusive benefits, such as free Wi-Fi and

 mobile check-in and check-out through the Marriott Mobile app, as well as special  offers only

 available when booking direct on Marriott.com.

To learn more about Marriott Rewards, which is free to join, please visit: www.MarriottRewards.com.

About Marriott Rewards

Marriott Rewards is Marriott International's award-winning loyalty program spanning 16 brands and

 over 4,000 properties worldwide. Marriott Rewards is free to join and has no blackout dates and

 members can earn and redeem points at Marriott International properties around the world and at

 Marriott Rewards exclusive luxury partner The Ritz-Carlton®.  Members can also redeem points

 for frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, merchandise and more. By making rewards accessible

 with a modern, easy approach, Marriott Rewards continues to be a leader in the industry. Marriott

 Rewards has won the Freddie Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program in the Americas" eight years

 in a row and the 2011 and 2010 Frequent Travel Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program." In

 addition, the program has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of U.S. News

 & World Report, About.com, Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Executive Travel and

 BusinessWeek magazines. To enroll and for more information about Marriott Rewards, guests

 can visit MarriottRewards.com.

About Protea Hotels

Protea Hotels is Africa's leading hotel brand and has a footprint of more than 100 properties

 throughout South Africa and seven other African countries, including Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia,

 Ghana and Uganda amongst others. Each hotel is uniquely different in character and the

 collection ranges from urban accommodation to country retreats, all in the 3 and 4-star markets.

 Protea Hotels is the winner of 2 World Travel Awards for Best Hotel Group in Africa, winner of 3

 Sunday Times Markinor Top Hotel Brand Awards, the winner of 6 Coolest Hotel Group awards

 in the Sunday Times Generation Next surveys and the winner of the Ask Africa South African

 Customer Service Award 2013 and Icon Brand 2015. The hotel group was bought by Marriott

 International in April 2014 and forms part of Marriott's global brand portfolio made up of 19

 brands that operate more than 4 300 hotels in 81 countries. Follow us on twitter @ProteaHotels

About Marriott International:

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based

 in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,300 properties in 85 countries and territories. 

 Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company

 operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands,

 including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® 

Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive 

Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®,

 Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea

 Hotels® and Moxy Hotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and

 for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty

 program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass

 54 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com

Kimpton's Annual Sale Has Arrived With Rates Starting At $119, Plus Double Kimpton Karma/IHG Rewards

Rates from $119 + double stay credit. Book our best rates of the year now through Sunday, October 25. View this email on web.

You'll love what goes on behind closed doors.

Rates from $119 + Double Stay Credit

Stay October 22, 2015 - February 29, 2016  /  Rates & days of the week vary by hotel  /  14-Day Cancellation Policy  /  Blackout dates apply  /  Karma Rewards Exclusive Offer  /  At participating hotels  /  Subject to availability

Book by October 25, 2015

Terms & Conditions: Welcome to the terms and conditions, a.k.a. "small print" where we are obliged to let you know that this Kimpton Karma Rewards Exclusive is subject to availability and valid for stays October 22, 2015 through February 29, 2016. Offer must be booked by October 25, 2015 under this exclusive rate code. All reservations under this rate code must be cancelled 14 days prior to arrival to avoid a late cancellation fee. The world being the way it is, additional taxes and fees may apply. Not valid in conjunction with any other promotions or offers. Members will receive double credit for nights and stays for each paid reservation in their member profile. The bonus credit will appear in the member's account within 30 days after checking-out of their hotel stay. Not valid for discounted or negotiated rates, groups or to modify any existing reservations. Certain restrictions and blackout dates may apply. The following hotels are not participating in this offer: Palomar Washington D.C., Monaco Washington D.C., and The George. Finally, Kimpton Hotels reserves the right to cancel reservations booked with erroneous room rates.

Marriott Rewards Found to Offer Best Reward Payback Among Leading Global Hotel Loyalty Programs

IdeaWorksCompany releases results from the first

Switchfly Hotel Reward Payback Survey.

Marriott Rewards returns an average of 9.4%from room night spending as reward stay value in the first Switchfly Hotel Reward Payback Survey.That’sa 54% higher return than the reward value provided byStarwood SPG, which was ranked last among the four hotel loyalty programs at 6.1% for reward payback. This document provides results from the survey.

During July 2015, IdeaWorksCompany conducted 1,440 reward queries for key hotel brands in four global frequent guest programs: Hilton HHonors, IHG Rewards, Marriott Rewards, and Starwood SPG. For each query, the lowest reward price in points was recorded along with the corresponding price in US dollars. The value provided by points was adjusted to consider the different rates of point accrual for the programs. The result provides an average “reward payback” for each program as shown in the graph below. For example, the 8.9% rate for Hilton HHonors represents average reward value payback of $8.90 for every $100 spent on hotel room rates. By comparison, IdeaWorksCompany calculated reward payback for major US airlines ranges from 5.5% to 8.6% (see page 4).

Reward Payback for Hotel Loyalty Programs

Reward value returned for every dollar spent on hotel rates

10%		8.6%	8.9%	9.4%
9%
8%
7%	6.1%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
	Starwood SPG	IHG Rewards	Hilton Hhonors	Marriott Rewards

Best flexible room rate (with taxes) divided by reward point prices for 1,440 queries conducted July 2015 for July - February period. Adjusted for each program's accrual rate for hotel spending.

Hotel Rewards Payback

“Consumers want ‘apples-to-apples’ measurements from their loyalty programs to know who is being truly generous with their rewards,” said Switchfly CEO Daniel Farrar. “That’s why we launched the Switchfly Hotel Reward Payback Survey: to determine the average reward payback for each program and see how they compare against each other. Determining the average reward payback for each loyalty program will become increasingly important as more hotel chains allow customers to pay with points.

“There are several ways in which hotel loyalty programs can meet and surpass consumer expectations: frequent promotions with concierge-quality services available to lower-tier members, automated check-ins without staff interaction; Wifi (which is no longer an amenity, but a requirement). It’s a brave new world for hotels,” said Farrar.

All points are not created equal

Dividing the room price (including local taxes) by the number of points per query provides a simple valuation of the point currency used by individual programs (see below table). Think of it as the room night value that can be purchased with a reward point. However, points are naturally unequal in value because of differing rates of accrual. For example, Hilton HHonors usual accrual rate is 15 HHonors Points per dollar spent at a hotel, while Sheraton SPG provides 2 Starpoints per dollar spent a hotel. Knowing the value of reward points is helpful for members who wish to assess the value of their account balances.

Simple Value of Reward Points by Hotel Loyalty Program

Best flexible room rate (with taxes) divided by reward point prices

Hilton HHonors	IHG Rewards	Marriott Rewards	Starwood SPG
$0.006	$0.009	$0.009	$0.029

1,440 queries conducted July 2015 for July - February period; does not reflect accrual rates which vary by program.

However, point values don’t allow consumers to compare hotel reward benefits across different loyalty programs. For this purpose, IdeaWorksCompany offers “reward payback” as a simple benchmark to measure how these programs deliver their primary benefit to everyday travelers. Think of this as the reward value returned for hotel expenditures.

The survey used 360 queries per hotel loyalty program distributed among a chain’s three leading brands. For Marriott Rewards, this comprised Marriott Hotels, Courtyard, and Fairfield Inn & Suites. Queries for each program were performed for the same 18 dates (ranging from July 2015 through February 2016) and an identical list of US and global destinations. This included New York City, San Francisco, London, and Beijing. Queries outside the US relied on a chain’s signature brand, such as Holiday Inn for IHG Rewards or Hilton Hotels and Resorts for Hilton HHonors.

Hotel Rewards Payback

Most hotel loyalty members do not hold the program’s co-branded credit card and don’t have elite status. For these members, the reward payback method provides a good measure of reward value. Members that have elite status and use a program’s co-branded credit card to pay room charges benefit from a dizzying array of bonus point possibilities. These members might consider doing their own calculations based upon the simple value of reward points presented in the table above. The value provided by reward nights is traditionally the most important attribute for many members; the results presented in the survey don’t attempt to assess all the benefits provided by hotel loyalty programs.

Reward payback extremes were found to range from 2.5% to 24%

The best reward payback occurs when room rates are high and reward point levels are low. Of course, the opposite condition yields low reward payback. The 1,440 queries were ranked from low to high to determine extreme values among the cities, dates, and hotel properties queried. The reward payback statistics listed in the table below assume members limit their paid stays and reward redemptions to the same hotel.

Imagine a hotel that provides a 24% reward payback on paid stays. That’s the reward payback associated with a February 2016 stay at the Hilton Beijing Chaoyang. Booking a room for 18 February 2016 can cost $479 or a very modest reward night price of 30,000 points. That combination, and the Hilton HHonors base accrual rate of 15 points per dollar spent, delivers an unbelievably generous reward payback. The following are some examples from the highest and lowest reward payback rates found in the survey:

Best Reward Payback for each Hotel Loyalty Program

Program	Room	Hotel Property	Reward	Room	Reward
	Night		Points	Rate	Payback
Hilton HHonors	18-Feb-16	Beijing - Hilton Beijing Chaoyang	30,000	$479	24.0%
IHG Rewards	17-Sep-15	London - Holiday Inn London Mayfair	35,000	$561	16.0%
Marriott Rewards	22-Feb-16	NYC - Fairfield Inn & Suites, Times Square	40,000	$806	20.2%
Starwood SPG	22-Feb-16	San Francisco - Westin St. Francis	12,000	$926	15.4%

Lowest Reward Payback for each Hotel Loyalty Program

Hilton HHonors	6-Feb-16	Chicago - Hilton Chicago	50,000	$104	3.1%
IHG Rewards	16-Jul-15	Dubai - Holiday Inn Embassy District	20,000	$79	3.9%
Marriott Rewards	6-Feb-16	Chicago - Courtyard Chicago River North	35,000	$120	3.4%
Starwood SPG	6-Feb-16	Chicago - Sheraton Hotel & Towers	12,000	$150	2.5%

Best flexible room rate (with taxes) divided by reward point prices for 1,440 queries conducted July 2015 for July through February period. Adjusted for each program's accrual rate for hotel spending.

Low reward payback can be associated with hotel properties which are typically high-priced in terms of reward point prices and room rates. When these locations deeply discount their cash room rate - and don’t reduce the reward point level – the result is an unusually low reward payback. That’s what happened when the Chicago Hilton dropped its weekend room rate to $104 while maintaining its 50,000 reward night point price.

Hotel Rewards Payback

Pay with points will eventually replace fixed reward levels

IdeaWorksComany anticipates hotel chains will eventually implement the pay-with-points methods already used by Air New Zealand Airpoints, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and anticipated for Delta SkyMiles in 2016. Pricing reward nights using the inflexible metric of fixed-point levels generates the wildly varying results listed in the table above. Linking room night prices to prevailing room rates unites the economics of a hotel to the business of operating a loyalty program. As stated so eloquently by Southwest Airlines, “when fares go on sale, so do the points needed for redeeming a reward flight.” That’s a strategy that can benefit program members, hotel owners, and investors.

Key findings are summarized in an infographic available at the press release section of the IdeaWorksCompany.com website.

Notes regarding reward query methodology: Booking queries for a party of two travelers (one night stay)were made at hotel loyalty program websites during July 2015. 18 specific dates were selected for queries for Mondays (6 dates), Thursdays (6 dates), and Saturdays (6 dates) from July 2015 through February 2016. Hotel properties from three major brands (based upon global room count) for each hotel loyalty program were selected for the survey. US destinations in the survey: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco. International destinations in the survey: Beijing, Dubai, London, and Paris. The lowest point level and the associated cash room rate were recorded for each query.

The survey is based upon non-elite members accruing and redeeming points. Bonus points related to elite status and co-branded credit card use were not included in the calculations. In addition, some programs provide a free 5^th night when 4 reward nights are booked. All of these would increase reward payback for a hotel guest program above the levels listed in the survey. Sometimes hotels were completely sold out, or rooms were not available for reward night stays. These queries were not included in the results. No reward night incidence (over and above completely sold out dates) was noted for each hotel loyalty program: Hilton HHonors 0% (rewards always available), IHG Rewards (8.6% not available), Marriott Rewards (3.3% not available), and Starwood (1.9% not available).

Note regarding US airline reward payback: Calculations are based upon accrual methods used by American, Delta, Southwest, and United. Assumptions include $390 roundtrip fare ($274 for Southwest), 1,100 mile average flight length, and non-elite accrual level (Delta and United), and Wanna Get Away fares for Southwest. Reward payback for premium class fares and elite-status members will be higher.

About Switchfly: Switchfly, Inc. is a global technology company that powers travelcommerce and loyalty program engagement for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. Leading airlines, hotels, financial service providers and even retailers depend on Switchfly to power their omnichannel travel and loyalty experiences because it uniquely combines a highly scalable and secure SaaS architecture with deep product and content inventory. Powerful analytics and real-time decision engines allow them to foster contextually-rich customer engagement, even as they benefit from Switchfly’s continuously evolving SaaS platform. Headquartered in San Francisco, Switchfly generates more than $1.25 billion USD in revenue for its clients annually and facilitates the redemption of more than 35 billion reward points and miles each year. The company’s global client roster includes American Airlines, Emirates, JetBlue and LAN Airlines; IAG Avios, Lufthansa Miles & More and United MileagePlus; InterContinental Hotels Group and Starwood Hotels; Expedia, Priceline and Groupon. For more information, visit http://www.switchfly.com.Hotel Rewards Payback

Page 5

About IdeaWorksCompany.com: IdeaWorksCompany was founded in 1996 as aconsulting organization building brands through innovation in product, partnership and marketing, and building profits through financial improvement and restructuring. Its international client list includes airlines and other travel industry firms in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. IdeaWorksCompany specializes in ancillary revenue improvement, brand development, customer research, competitive analysis, frequent flier programs, and on-site executive workshops. Learn more at IdeaWorksCompany.com.