Points for Business Travelers is a series aimed at helping business travelers maximize miles and points without a lot of effort. Have a suggestion or question? Email roadwarriorette @ gmail.com.

We’ve talked about goals, loyalty programs, credit cards, and shopping portals. You may think we are running out of ways to earn points, but that’s not the case! Today’s topic is dining and other partner programs.

Dining Programs

I heard about dining portals for the first time a couple of years ago. But I didn’t do anything about it because it all sounded so complicated! However, just like with shopping portals, it turns out that it’s simple to sign up. As far as getting points from it—you decide how much effort you’re willing to put in.

Basically, the way it works is that you sign up for your rewards program’s dining program (like Aadvantage Dining or Rapid Rewards Dining, for example). Part of the sign-up process is that you enter the credit cards you most often use. Not so that they will be charged, but so that when you eat at a restaurant that is part of the program and use the credit card, you are automatically given points. Then you can look up restaurants in your area and areas you are traveling to that are part of the program, and get points every time you dine! The entire process took me ten minutes to set up. Best case, you go out of your way to eat at participating restaurants and get lots of points. Worst case, you don’t pay any attention to places that participate, but end up getting points here and there. You will usually get an email afterward giving you the opportunity to get even more points by writing a short review.

For example, I signed up and then a few weeks later went to Biga on the Banks in San Antonio (highly recommend!!). I had no idea they were in the Aadvantage Dining program until I got an email from the program asking how the dinner was.  I then wrote a review, and got bonus points! It was so easy and took almost no time.

Partner Programs

Another easy way to get points is by taking advantage of partner programs. Most loyalty programs have partner programs. To participate, simply make sure that your account numbers are entered into all of your loyalty programs. For example, Hertz has my Rapid Rewards number, and I get RR points (in addition to my Gold Club points) for every rental. Hilton has my Aadvantage number, and I get Aadvantage points with every stay. Again, it just takes a few minutes to set up, and once it’s all set up you get points automatically.

You can also get extra points by clicking on partner links to make reservations. For example, if I get to the Hertz site from a link on the Rapid Rewards site I get extra points. However, this doesn’t work for everyone because many business travelers have to use their company’s travel agent. For those of you who make your own reservations, though, this is just another simple way to maximize your points!

For both dining and partner programs there are often promotions to get bonus points. Watch out for those and you will earn your way to a vacation even faster!

Readers, any other advice on using dining and partner programs for points?

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In November the Home Warrior, Mini Warrior, and our dog went to Fort Worth to visit family. Turns out the only dog-friendly Hilton hotel with availability was the historic Hilton Fort Worth in downtown. It was very nice, so I was surprised it was dog-friendly—plus we got a pretty good points rate. (It’s also the hotel where JFK stayed the night before he was assassinated.)  I had requested early check in and had been assured over the phone that wouldn’t be a problem.

We arrived around 2, so I went to check us in while Home Warrior unloaded all of our stuff. (Btw it is AMAZING how much crap you need when traveling with a baby. Wow.) When I gave the clerk my name, he told me my room wasn’t ready yet. I told him we really needed a room that was ready, since I had a baby and dog with me. His face fell, and I could tell he was super disappointed. “But you’re the guest of the day!” he exclaimed. The what?

Apparently being The Guest of the Day means that you get randomly upgraded to the executive floor, with access to the lounge for breakfast and happy hour. You also get a free drink, good at any of the restaurants or the Starbucks. Pretty good deal! The man assured me the room would be ready in just a few minutes, so of course we waited. It was indeed ready quickly, on the executive floor, and very nice.

It just surprised me—you’d think after staying in Hiltons for as long as I have I would have heard of this! Has anyone else been awarded Guest of the Day?

Happy New Year!

2012 passed in a blur of work, travel, conferences, pregnancy, and babies. Was it a crazy year? Yes indeed! And I wasn’t able to travel for several months. So I was about 50-50 with my 2012 travel resolutions:

Get to Chicago and South Texas. Visiting family is always a priority! I was able to visit Chicago three times last year! That’s a lot of sister time. The Home Warrior and I traveled to South Texas to visit my grandmother twice, and took the Mini Warrior once. As a bonus, we also went to North Texas to visit the Home Warrior’s family twice. I’m sure the Tours of Texas will continue this year!

Take at least one fun vacation. With all the conferences and work trips this year, it’s a wonder the Home Warrior and I had a chance to see each other, much less go on a fun trip. But we managed it! Some good friends of ours got married in Playa del Carmen this year, and we managed to get there for the festivities (and a little fun time before). At seven months pregnant there were definitely challenges, but it was a great trip nonetheless.

Make Executive Platinum. Well, not being able to fly for five months made this one nearly impossible. Maybe next year!

Get the Companion Pass. While I wasn’t able to make this happen in 2012, I am pretty certain that it will happen early in 2012. I don’t want to jinx myself though, so I’m going to hold off on talking about it too much for now.

Looking forward: Travel resolutions for 2013.

1. Visit family. Same as previous years, I want to go see our family all over Texas and in Chicago, plus we have family in New York now.
2. Companion Pass. Get it and USE it. This is the year!!!
3. Get Gold status with Hilton. I’ve been Silver for years without being able to cross that threshold. I am currently doing the Gold Challenge, so should have it soon!
4. Master travel with baby. Or at least learn to travel with baby without losing my mind.
5. Visit Wine Country. For a blissful year and a half, I was able to get to Napa every couple of months. The last time was three and a half years ago and I want to go back!!!
6. Visit one new place in the US. Hopefully the Companion Pass will help us out here! If not, well, we’ll make it happen another way.

My two main resolutions aside from the travel ones are to start getting ready to leave ten minutes before I think I need to (trying to deal with being chronically late to stuff) and do another triathlon.

(Pictured: Photo booth props from Etsy shop The Manic Moose.)

Readers, what are your resolutions this year? How did you do on last year’s?

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Friends, today is the last day to enter our awesome contest! It’s not too late to enter to win a vacation for two from Home2 Suites by Hilton. The winner will be drawn tomorrow and announced on Friday. Don’t miss out!!!

Home2 Suites by Hilton, the award-winning, all-suites extended stay brand, is celebrating one year since opening the doors to its first hotel, and introducing guests to its innovative “hip and humble” concept. Many guests have already made Home2 Suites their go-to home away from home, coming back every time they have to visit one the seven destinations across the United States where it has locations. The brand already has nine new hotels under construction and more than 70 in the works including Canada.

They have a lot of great features, including free breakfast, free wifi, in-room kitchen facilities, outdoor spaces, and more. My two favorite items are that it is pet-friendly (yay!) and has a number of sustainable features.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Home2 Suites by Hilton opening, we are holding a contest. Hooray! The winner of this contest will get a three-night stay for two in the Home2 Suites by Hilton property of their choice, roundtrip airfare, and money for food. Wow!

Now you’re probably all asking, how can I win? It’s simple, as it usually is here on Road Warriorette. Simply leave a comment answering the following question: What is your best tip for someone going on their first extended business trip? We will draw a winner at random next week. Only one entry per person.

Since I am on my first extended business trip right now, this contest seems very appropriate for this week. I will post my best tip next week, once I have the experience to back it up!

For more first birthday fun, check out Home2 Suites by Hilton on Facebook and Twitter (@Home2Suites)!

Thanks for entering!!!

Last month, I stayed in the Hilton Santa Clara for a few days. As promised, I made specific note of whether or not they replaced my towel when I didn’t want them to. How did they do? They did very well!! They did not replace my towel, which I had hung up. Well done! That’s two for two, Hilton Family!

(All of my other stays have been only one night, and they are going to replace your towel for the next guest, regardless.)

Anyone else have updates?

My mom asked me this weekend, “Why do you love Hiltons so much? It seems like you are always staying at a Hilton or a Hampton Inn. I like Holiday Inn better!” People like hotels for all kinds of reasons; comfort, location, amenities, food can all play a part.  I have a different reason for staying in Hilton hotels. Sure they are comfortable, their amenities are just fine, and they are located all over the place. But the main reason I stay in Hilton brand hotels are because of the Hilton HHonors program. Not only do they give me a lot of points for staying in their hotels, but I also get those points deposited into my American Aadvantage account. They reward me in both places, which I LOVE.

I used to stay primarily in Marriott properties, which, to be honest, I actually like a little bit better. The Marriott Rewards program would either give me points for them, or points to my Aadvantage account, but not both. And in fact, Marriott doesn’t even allow that anymore–you only get Marriott points. Lame.

Hilton properties encompass many brands–Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Embassy Suites, and more. They are located in virtually every town I have ever stayed in. My favorite Hilton was the one in downtown Charlotte, but they are nice everywhere. However, regardless of who your favorite hotel is and why you love them, make sure you register for their reward program and then consistently stay there. Points are one of the perks of business travel, and we all need to take advantage!!