THE WORLD UNFOLDING

Read time: 2 min 29 sec

I Have Been a United and Southwest Member Since I Was 12.

My parents signed me up.

I did not fully understand what that meant at the time. I was 12. But somewhere along the way, those points turned into free flights. And those free flights turned into a philosophy I apply to every single trip I take.

Never book a flight, hotel, or rental car without signing up for their loyalty program first.

Not sometimes. Every time.

It Is Free. There Is No Excuse.

This is the part that genuinely baffles me.

Most travelers skip the loyalty program signup because they think it is not worth the effort, or they do not plan to use that airline again, or they just want to get the booking done and move on.

That is leaving free money on the table every single time.

A few years ago my wife and I flew Flair Airlines from Palm Springs to Vancouver. Flair is a small Canadian budget carrier. Not exactly a household name. We signed up for their loyalty program anyway.

Did we think we would fly Flair again? Honestly, probably not.

But that is not the point. Every mile, every point, every night counts somewhere. Programs merge. Points transfer. Status adds up. And the signup takes 90 seconds.

The Rule Is Simple

When you travel, sign up.

Every airline. Every hotel chain. Every rental car company. Hertz Gold. Marriott Bonvoy. United MileagePlus. Southwest Rapid Rewards. Hilton Honors. They are all free. They all have no annual fee to join. And they all reward you for spending money you were already going to spend.

The traveler who signs up for everything and uses it strategically flies free. The traveler who skips it pays full price forever.

Where to Start If You Have Nothing

If you have zero memberships and are starting from scratch today, here is the move:

• Airlines: Sign up for every airline that flies routes you actually use. If you fly United, Delta, Southwest, and the occasional Spirit, sign up for all four. Today.

• Hotels: Pick one hotel ecosystem and lean into it. Marriott Bonvoy covers the most brands globally. Hilton Honors is excellent for mid-range travel. Both are free to join.

• Rental cars: Hertz Gold, Budget Fastbreak, and Avis Preferred. All free. All let you skip the counter. Sign up before your next trip.

You do not need to be strategic about it on day one. You just need to be signed up. The strategy comes later.

The Mindset Shift

Most people think loyalty programs are for road warriors and business travelers racking up 100,000 miles a year.

They are not. They are for anyone who travels at all.

The family taking two international trips a year, booking hotels, and renting cars is leaving thousands of dollars in unredeemed points on the table by not being enrolled. That is a free flight. That is a free hotel night. That is real money.

Sign up when you travel. Every time. No exceptions.

Know someone who travels and is not signed up for a single loyalty program? Forward this to them.

Help me get to 1,500.

Until next Thursday, Jeff

The World Unfolding | theworldunfolding.com