I’m writing a collection of posts about a number of the instruments and companies I most use for managing, incomes, and redeeming factors. Whereas I typically point out these web sites and companies in passing, I’ve by no means written devoted posts about them, in order that’s what I’m doing now.
On this publish I wished to speak about how and why I take advantage of MaxMyPoint, which is a web site that makes discovering lodge award availability simple. In separate posts I talked about Google Flights, AwardWallet, ExpertFlyer, level.me, Seats.aero, and aeroLOPA.
What’s MaxMyPoint?
MaxMyPoint is a web site that makes it simple to search out lodge award availability. Now, in equity, lodge award availability isn’t almost as restrictive as airline award availability, since most main lodge loyalty applications have a no blackout dates coverage. Nevertheless, many lodges do have a really restricted variety of normal rooms, so there’s a variety of competitors for award nights.
I discover MaxMyPoint to be most helpful for World of Hyatt redemptions, as a result of World of Hyatt doesn’t have a calendar show that exhibits award availability. in the meantime I discover it much less helpful for Hilton Honors redemptions and Marriott Bonvoy redemptions, since each applications have award calendars that precisely present availability. If you wish to redeem factors at one in every of Hyatt’s properties the place award availability might be robust to return by, MaxMyPoint is for you.
MaxMyPoint can be superior as a result of it helps you to set availability alerts, which can warn you if award availability opens up for a specified lodge.
How a lot does MaxMyPoint price?
Simply viewing award availability doesn’t require a membership, as you are able to do it simply by visiting the web site. Past that, MaxMyPoint has three membership tiers:
- You could be a member without charge
- You could be a Gold member for $3.99 monthly, and might cancel anytime
- You could be a Platinum member for $7.99 monthly, and might cancel anytime
There’s loads of worth to simply utilizing the location at no cost, as you will get a calendar view of award availability at varied lodges. The place the Gold and Platinum tiers actually shine is on the subject of having the ability to set alerts, as a way to be pinged when award availability opens up for a selected lodge.
How do you employ MaxMyPoint?
MaxMyPoint helps you to search award availability with Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt. The way in which I view it, there are three important areas the place MaxMyPoint is helpful, so let me cowl these.
Search Hyatt award availability with MaxMyPoint
Since Hyatt’s web site received’t present you a calendar view of award availability, MaxMyPoint can actually turn out to be useful, as you may see a 12 months of award availability in a matter of seconds. While you’re on the web site, you may search by particular lodge title, if you’d like.
In any other case, you may simply choose which of the key lodge teams you’re fascinated about, and also you’ll see a number of the hottest and onerous to get redemptions listed first.
MaxMyPoint will present you what p.c of nights have award availability, and the common worth you’ll get per level. For instance, the Park Hyatt Kyoto is a troublesome property at which to search out normal room award availability. As you’ll see above, there’s award area 40% of the time.
You’ll then see a calendar characteristic that exhibits you each the factors worth (if obtainable) and the money worth for every night time. Primarily based on trying on the calendar, you’ll see {that a} overwhelming majority of area is both obtainable approach prematurely, or near the keep date.
For those who don’t like that sort of visible, it’s also possible to as a substitute get a listing view with pricing and availability.
For my upcoming journey to Japan, the Park Hyatt Kyoto didn’t initially have award availability. However based mostly on MaxMyPoint, I noticed that it steadily opens up within the weeks main as much as a keep. Certain sufficient, it opened up a few weeks after I deliberate my journey.
Search IHG award availability with MaxMyPoint
I don’t see an excessive amount of worth to looking out Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy award availability with MaxMyPoint, because the Hilton and Marriott web sites even have a helpful calendar perform exhibiting award availability. MaxMyPoint does turn out to be useful with IHG One Rewards, although, since IHG doesn’t have an award calendar (effectively, there’s a hidden one, but it surely’s a trouble to search out).
Luckily MaxMyPoint can even provide you with an outline of availability and pricing for IHG awards, which is effective, since pricing is dynamic. Nevertheless, I discover IHG to have the worst worth program of the “large 4” on the subject of premium redemptions.
Set award availability alerts with MaxMyPoint
The realm the place MaxMyPoint might be worthwhile for all applications is with the power to set alerts. MaxMyPoint helps you to set three sorts of alerts:
- You possibly can set a full keep alert, whereby MaxMyPoint will monitor for availability of award nights for the complete length of a keep (so that you enter a check-in and check-out date), and warn you if it opens up
- You possibly can set an any day alert, whereby you may set a variety of dates, and MaxMyPoint will let you understand if any nights open up for awards
- You possibly can set a day by day change alert, whereby each day, MaxMyPoint will notify you when new normal reward dates turn out to be availability within the subsequent 12 months
Above I coated MaxMyPoint pricing, and as you may see, Platinum provides you entry to essentially the most alerts, with essentially the most frequent alerting. Nevertheless, even free members can set one lively alert.
Setting an alert is straightforward. Simply click on on the little “bell” icon subsequent to a property, after which you may choose the lodge, the check-in and check-out date you need, and the value vary. The factors worth vary is helpful with Hilton Honors, for instance, provided that this system has dynamic award pricing, so there’s nearly all the time availability, however typically at a really excessive price.
It goes with out saying that the worth for locating factors availability at a luxurious property might be enormous.
Backside line
MaxMyPoint is a helpful web site for locating lodge award availability. For one, it affords a calendar view with each award and income pricing. I discover this to be particularly helpful for World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards, since these applications don’t in any other case have simply accessible calendars for locating award availability.
MaxMyPoint will also be helpful for setting lodge award alerts, as you might be alerted if award availability opens up at a selected lodge. This characteristic is extra strong for paid members, as you may set extra alerts, and be alerted of recent availability sooner.
For those who’ve used MaxMyPoint, what did you make of it?
