Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal

[adelphi_sky]

So let me get this straight, if I book through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, I got NO tier benefits from IHG OR Hilton? Sorta makes owning the Chase Reserve pointless. Pun not intended. When booking through UR, I don't get treated as a Platinum Member through IHG or a Diamond member through Hilton. And Chase and IHG are partners. Which is odd. 

Why should I keep the Chase Reserve if I have the American Express Platinum and get the Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits in addition to Hilton tier benefits? I stay in hotels more often than I fly. Any opinions? I'm staying in a Doubletree as a Diamond member and all I got was cookies because I decided to use Chase UR points for the stay. What the hell am I being brand loyal for? Thought all money was green no matter where it came from? 

ANd I really don't appreciate the, "Oops, you should have booked through OUR portal. Sorrryyyyyy. Read our Terms and Conditions. Better luck next time." Is this how people are treated when they spend thousands on a brand? 

[K-in-Boston]

This isn’t a Chase issue. Most hotels won’t recognize elite status or perks when you book through an OTA. It would be the same if you booked through Amex Travel rather than FHR. FHR is considered a travel agency. Travel agencies and booking direct are both good for elite perks.

Move your URs over and book an award stay, or just use Chase for airfare. (Airlines so far honor all elite statuses and treat OTA purchaes equally to direct purchases.)

[adelphi_sky]

THanks. This is news to me. I assumed that your benefits applied every time you walked through the door no matter where the reservation was made. :-)  The gave the Hilton rep a chance to explain but knew I would get a better explanation here. :-)

So, I just have to keep in mind, use a travel agency or book direct. I did transfer my Chase points to Virgin Atlantic and will transfer those points to Hilton. 

[K-in-Boston]

No problem.  It is an extremely common "mistake" for elite members to make... usually only once for obvious reasons. 

I didn't become aware of it myself until I was planning to product change to the Citi Prestige for the 4th night free.  Because of the OTA (online travel agency) vs travel agency thing, if you book through Citi's portal you get the 4th night free but it's treated like an OTA by the hotel.  If you actually call or email the concierge to do the booking, they'll attach your loyalty number and it gets full elite credit since they're considered a travel agency.

[SouthJamaica]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

No problem.  It is an extremely common "mistake" for elite members to make... usually only once for obvious reasons. 

I didn't become aware of it myself until I was planning to product change to the Citi Prestige for the 4th night free.  Because of the OTA (online travel agency) vs travel agency thing, if you book through Citi's portal you get the 4th night free but it's treated like an OTA by the hotel.  If you actually call or email the concierge to do the booking, they'll attach your loyalty number and it gets full elite credit since they're considered a travel agency.

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Let me get this straight.

1. They distinguish between brick and mortar travel agencies and online travel agencies?

2. If I am using Thank You points to book a hotel room, instead of making the booking on Citi's Thank You portal I should call the card's concierge to do the booking, and that way I'll get full credit?

[K-in-Boston]

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@SouthJamaica wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

No problem.  It is an extremely common "mistake" for elite members to make... usually only once for obvious reasons. 

I didn't become aware of it myself until I was planning to product change to the Citi Prestige for the 4th night free.  Because of the OTA (online travel agency) vs travel agency thing, if you book through Citi's portal you get the 4th night free but it's treated like an OTA by the hotel.  If you actually call or email the concierge to do the booking, they'll attach your loyalty number and it gets full elite credit since they're considered a travel agency.

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Let me get this straight.

1. They distinguish between brick and mortar travel agencies and online travel agencies?

2. If I am using Thank You points to book a hotel room, instead of making the booking on Citi's Thank You portal I should call the card's concierge to do the booking, and that way I'll get full credit?

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1.) Yes.  Amex Travel, Chase, Citi, etc. are looked at no differently than Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, etc.  It's due to the pricing structure.

2.) I only see Premier in your signature, but if you have Prestige and have the concierge book your stay, it currently avoids the OTA issue.  That's for getting the 4th night free on paid stays; I'm not sure the concierge has the ability to use TYPs as those redemptions are actually processed by Connexions Loyalty Travel Center on behalf of Citi.  (Similarly, on one occasion DW was told she booked her room with a view of a brick wall through "Expedia" by the desk clerk a few years back when she paid for a room through Amex Travel.  Not sure if they are (or were) just using the same back-end software.)

[Revelate]

Isn't Chase Travel via UR portal explicitly Expedia anyway?

[Shadowfactor]

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@Revelate wrote:

Isn't Chase Travel via UR portal explicitly Expedia anyway?

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It is now but it’s wasn’t until recently

its the same thing with Amex travel and Amex platinum travel service. Amex travel is considered a OTA but platinum travel is considered a full fledged travel agency 

[greasypeanut]

I am a spire elite ihg member and I've gotten all the tier benefits even when I paid entirely with UR points. Last year for the NYE holiday in Seattle, they even gave me a suite room upgrade