What’s a mattress run?

Even should you’re new to the factors and miles sport, you’ve got in all probability heard the time period “mileage run.” A mileage run is when a traveler takes a flight (or sequence of flights) primarily to earn rewards or airline elite standing.

Mattress runs are much like mileage runs. However as an alternative of taking a number of flights as you’ll for a mileage run, mattress runs contain spending a number of nights in accommodations primarily to earn rewards or lodge elite standing. So, here is what you want to find out about mattress runs and whenever you would possibly need to go on one.

What’s a mattress run?

A mattress run is whenever you guide and pay for a lodge room that you simply need not earn rewards or qualify for lodge elite standing. This concept would possibly sound ridiculous, however the price of the keep could also be a lot decrease than the worth of the rewards and different advantages you’d get hold of by means of the keep.

In its purest type, you won’t even use the room you booked for a mattress run. As a substitute, you test in after which go away the property. However, as we focus on on this article, there are many causes you could need to keep within the room you guide.

Associated: Final-minute ideas for locking in lodge elite standing earlier than the top of yr

Mattress run for elite standing

In the event you’re just some stays or nights in need of a given lodge standing stage, it could possibly make sense to mattress run as the top of the yr approaches and your window to qualify for elite standing closes. In spite of everything, lodge loyalty applications supply all types of precious perks for elite members.

For instance, you may be near incomes Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite standing. In the event you’ll have 48 elite-qualifying nights on the finish of 2024 based mostly in your at the moment booked stays, you’d want simply two extra nights to earn Platinum Elite standing. Platinum Elite standing provides many helpful perks, together with breakfast at many Marriott manufacturers, 4 p.m. late checkout and lounge entry. On this case, a two-night keep at a Marriott property close to your own home earlier than the top of the yr may be nicely price the fee.

Do not forget that many bank cards present elite standing (or the flexibility to earn towards elite standing by means of spending) as a perk. So, finishing a mattress run is not the one strategy to attain a better tier. For instance, the Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Categorical® Card provides complimentary Platinum Elite standing, and the World of Hyatt Credit score Card enables you to earn two tier-qualifying night time credit per $5,000 in purchases every calendar yr.

Associated: When does your lodge elite standing expire?

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You would possibly take into account mattress working to earn factors, particularly throughout a profitable lodge promotion. Nevertheless, make certain the worth of the factors you may earn is considerably larger than the price of your keep.

For instance, Alternative Privileges periodically provides a promotion the place you may earn at the very least 8,000 Alternative factors for each two stays. So, should you’ve stayed at a Alternative Resorts property as soon as through the promotion interval, it might be price mattress working one other keep to get the bonus factors.

Nevertheless, shopping for factors (ideally throughout a sale) or transferring factors is often extra helpful should you want extra rewards for an upcoming reserving. The rewards you may earn on a mattress run will hardly ever be price the fee.

Associated: How and why it is best to maximize your lodge stays through the use of a number of loyalty applications

Different mattress run issues

This evaluation solely captures a part of the decision-making course of relating to mattress runs. Earlier than reserving, it is best to take into account a number of different issues.

Further out-of-pocket prices

To finish a mattress run, you often must pay for one thing apart from the room fee. In the event you drive to your native lodge, this may be fuel on your automobile. Or it might be an extra meal you would not have paid for at house. You may additionally need to account on your time.

Turning a mattress run right into a trip

You would possibly need to flip your mattress run into an precise trip for you, your loved ones or your mates. In spite of everything, it is simpler to justify an additional lodge keep if you may get some worth past incomes the nights or rewards you search.

You will in all probability have to test in and keep

Resort loyalty applications often will not award factors or elite standing credit to confirmed friends who do not present up, even when the keep is pay as you go. As such, you may often have to test in on the property.

Even friends who’ve bodily checked in often face points on mattress runs. You will discover notes in most lodge loyalty program phrases and situations stating you could bodily keep at a property for a keep to be elite-qualifying. For instance, the World of Hyatt phrases and situations state, “Members should really check-in and full the keep for his or her reservation at a Level Property to earn factors. No factors might be awarded for any non-refundable pay as you go charges, cancellation charges, or no-show charges paid by a Member for a reservation that they didn’t really use.”

So, to keep away from points and guarantee your nights and rewards publish as anticipated, you may need to make it obvious that you simply checked in, used your reservation and accomplished your keep. This gives much more incentive to make a staycation or trip out of your mattress run.

Associated: Breakfast, upgrades and extra: 9 TPG staffers reveal their favourite elite standing perks