Brand Loyalty Rates

Brand loyalty rates connect directly with hotel chain loyalty programs, allowing guests to earn points and receive elite benefits on their bookings.

Overview

Brand loyalty rates are special rate types that integrate directly with hotel chain systems. When a guest books a brand loyalty rate, the reservation is created in the hotel chain's system under their loyalty account, enabling full program benefits.

Key characteristics

Benefits

Brand loyalty rates provide several advantages for guests compared to standard NET rates.

Loyalty program integration

• Guests earn points and elite night credits directly with the hotel chain
• Elite status benefits apply (upgrades, late checkout, welcome amenities)
• Reservations appear in the hotel chain's app and website
• Confirmation numbers are issued directly by the hotel chain

Cancellation flexibility

Brand loyalty rates typically offer more generous cancellation deadlines compared to standard wholesale rates. The cancellation terms follow the hotel chain's policies for loyalty bookings.

Direct confirmation

The confirmation number provided on brand loyalty bookings is issued directly from the hotel chain's system. Guests can:

• Add the reservation to the hotel chain's mobile app
• Manage preferences and requests through the chain's platform
• View booking details alongside their other direct reservations

Commission structure

Brand loyalty rates include a commission that is passed through from our hotel partners.

Commission timeline

Commissions are paid 8-12 weeks after the guest's checkout date. This timeline reflects the reconciliation process with hotel chain partners.

Rate object fields

Payment methods

Brand loyalty bookings are fulfilled by transmitting payment information directly to the hotel chain's reservation system.

Tokenized card (preferred)

The primary payment method passes a tokenized credit card PAN directly to the chain's system. This approach:

• Ensures the guest's card is charged by the hotel
• Maintains PCI compliance through tokenization
• Enables the guest to manage payment directly with the hotel if needed

Virtual cards (alternative)

Virtual card payment is supported but not preferred for brand loyalty rates. This method is useful when:

• Loyalty points are being "redeemed" to cover a brand loyalty booking
• The booking should be funded from your account rather than the guest's card

Transaction-based credits

For programs that want to issue rewards when the hotel charge occurs, you can integrate with card network partners to:

• Monitor transactions using MCC (Merchant Category Code) matching
• Detect when the hotel charge posts to the guest's card
• Issue a credit or cashback to the guest based on the transaction

This approach enables real-time rewards tied to the actual hotel charge rather than the booking event.

External cancellation handling

Because brand loyalty reservations exist in the hotel chain's system, guests have the ability to cancel directly through the hotel chain's app or website.

Cancellation risk

When a guest cancels directly with the hotel chain:

• The reservation is cancelled in the chain's system immediately
• TripEdge is not notified in real-time
• The booking status in your system will not reflect the cancellation immediately

Status synchronization

Externally cancelled reservations are updated in TripEdge 8-12 weeks after the original checkout date. This delay corresponds to the commission reconciliation cycle when cancellation data is received from hotel partners.

Mitigation strategies

To manage external cancellation risk:

1. Set clear expectations with guests about where to manage their booking
2. Monitor brand loyalty bookings more closely as the check-in date approaches
3. Contact the hotel directly if you suspect a booking may have been cancelled externally

Implementation

To book a brand loyalty rate, include the guest's loyalty number in the booking request.

Identifying brand loyalty rates

Filter for rates where brand_loyalty_eligible is true:

const brandLoyaltyRates = rates.filter(rate => rate.brand_loyalty_eligible)

Required booking fields

When brand_loyalty_required is true, the loyalty number must be provided:

const bookingRequest = {
  rooms: [
    {
      lead_first_name: 'John',
      lead_last_name: 'Smith',
      loyalty_number: 'ABC123456789' // Required for brand loyalty rates
    }
  ],
  email: 'john.smith@example.com',
  phone: '+1234567890'
}

Response fields

Brand loyalty bookings return the chain-issued confirmation number:

{
  "data": {
    "id": 98765,
    "status": "confirmed",
    "booking_reference": ["MRW-123456789"],
    "brand_loyalty_name": "Marriott Bonvoy",
    "price_commission": 45.00,
    "price_commission_currency": "USD"
  },
  "success": true
}

The booking_reference contains the confirmation number that the guest can use with the hotel chain directly.