A handful of hotel loyalty programs stand out from the rest for family-friendly perks like room upgrades and free breakfast. These may not necessarily be the same programs that would appeal to business or solo travelers, which is why it’s important to decide where your loyalty should lie when you travel as a family.
Related: (no longer open to new applicants)
The information for the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. But if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you actually get instant Marriott Platinum status. This is very useful, especially with its included breakfast benefit at some brands. Sadly, it doesn’t extend to more than two people per room, but some properties do go above and beyond the stated rules. Only a handful of Marriott brands — including Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott — offer free breakfast without elite status. But that’s another way to score complimentary bacon and eggs when you stay with Marriott. Related: Marriott elite status: What it is and how to earn it You aren’t out of luck if you’re a family traveler whose loyalties lie outside of these three programs. While they are the best in our book, other programs do have standout features that benefit travelers with kids. These include: IHG One Rewards: You can save on family vacations when you redeem IHG One Rewards points using IHG’s fourth-night free benefit (available with select IHG credit cards). Participating Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Resort locations also offer free breakfast for kids ages 11 and under when dining with a registered adult. Wyndham Rewards: If your family travels often, bringing you to small towns across America, you’re likely to find a budget-friendly Wyndham property along the way. Best Western Rewards: Most Best Western, Plus and Premier properties offer complimentary breakfast. Menu items vary by location, but you can expect standard continental and hot breakfast items at most locations. It doesn’t matter if you sign up for a free base-level account or travel often enough to climb a hotel’s elite status tiers; there are several hotel programs that can improve your family’s travels. You can further bolster your status — and perks — with several of the hotel loyalty programs in this guide when you sign up for one of their cobranded credit cards. Whether you are looking for free breakfast as your kids grow up or connecting rooms as your family grows larger, each of these hotel loyalty programs excels for families. Related reading:Other programs worth a look for families
Bottom line
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.