Pros
- Elite-level members receive discounts on bookings and amenities
- No blackout dates on standard rooms
- Elite status is relatively easy to earn
- Will match your status in another hotel's loyalty program
Cons
- Lower point values than the top competition
- Very few properties compared to top competitors
- Only one co-branded credit card
Sonesta Travel Pass Review Summary
Sonesta Travel Pass is the 9th best hotel rewards program, according to WalletHub research. Some of the Sonesta Travel Pass program’s best features include points that don’t expire, discounts and credits for members, and easy-to-earn elite status.
Sonesta Travel Pass Scorecard
| Category | WalletHub Rating | Rank vs Other Hotels |
|---|---|---|
| Earning Policies | 0% | #10 |
| Rewards Value | 50% | #5 |
| Redemption Policies | 92% | #1 |
| Geographical Coverage | 8% | #8 |
| Status Levels | 66% | #5 |
| Other Features | 69% | #6 |
| OVERALL | 50% | #9 |
Sonesta Travel Pass Snapshot
| Points Needed for a Free Night: | Min: 10,000 Avg: 30,000 Max: 50,000 |
| Average Point Value: | 1 point = 0.9 cents 1,000 points = $9 |
| Transfer Partners: | None |
Below, you’ll find an in-depth discussion of Sonesta Travel Pass, from how to earn and redeem points to the program’s status levels and perks. You can also see how Sonesta Travel Pass stacks up against some popular competitors.
How to Earn Sonesta Travel Pass Points
WalletHub Rating for "Earning Policies": 0% (0 / 15 points)
Sonesta Travel Pass members can earn points on purchases made through Sonesta, as well as on purchases made with a Sonesta credit card. Below, you can see the types of transactions that accrue points and the amount you’ll receive.
- 10 Sonesta Travel Pass Points per $1 Spent: Stays at Sonesta properties except Sonesta Simply Suites
- 5 Sonesta Travel Pass Points per $1 Spent: Stays at Sonesta Simply Suites
- 1-3 Sonesta Travel Pass Points per $1 Spent: Purchases on a Sonesta credit card
How Much Are Sonesta Travel Pass Worth?
WalletHub Rating for "Rewards Value": 50% (12.46 / 25 points)
Sonesta Travel Pass points are worth 0.9 cents each on average, according to WalletHub’s research. The average Sonesta Travel Pass point value is almost the same for both weekday and weekend reservations.
How to Redeem Sonesta Travel Pass
WalletHub Rating for "Redemption Policies": 92.28% (23.07 / 25 points)
The only way to redeem Sonesta Travel Pass points is for stays at Sonesta Properties. Redemptions start at 10,000 points.
Where Can Sonesta Travel Pass Points Take You?
WalletHub Rating for "Destination Coverage": 7.8% (1.17 / 15 points)
Sonesta Travel Pass is on the smaller side when it comes to hotel loyalty programs. But it still includes roughly 100,000 rooms across more than 1,200 properties in eight countries and territories. It also features seven different hotel brands, including Royal Sonesta, Sonesta Simply Suites and Sonesta Select, among others.
Sonesta Travel Pass Status Levels
WalletHub Rating for "Status Levels": 65.57%% (4.59 / 7 points)
The Sonesta Travel Pass rewards program is free to join, and most people will join as a basic member. Basic Sonesta Travel Pass membership benefits include complimentary upgraded Wi-Fi, special discounts and offers, and a $5 credit for drinks and snacks.
The more nights you spend at Sonesta hotels and resorts, and the more money you spend with a Sonesta credit card, the higher your status in the program will become and the better your benefits will be. Below, you can see exactly how many nights you need to stay to achieve and maintain each Sonesta Travel Pass status level, along with the benefits that come with it.
| Sonesta Travel Pass Levels | Nights Needed per Year | Points Bonus | Other Notable Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | None | None | Complimentary upgraded Wi-Fi Reach tier status with qualified nights or points Express check-in Exclusive member-only offers Enrollment Bonus |
| Silver | 10 | 50% | Bronze benefits Exclusive priority reservations line Early check-in / late check-out Welcome gifts Complimentary room upgrade (if available) |
| Gold | 20 | 75% | Silver Benefits Priority self-parking Complimentary club lounge access (or daily continental breakfast) |
| Platinum | 40 | 100% | Gold Benefits |
Members must satisfy a given status level’s qualifying requirements between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 to reach or maintain that status level and enjoy the corresponding benefits. Once you’ve earned a status during any calendar year, you will maintain that status through the end of the following calendar year.
If you have elite status with another hotel’s loyalty program, Sonesta will match it, as long as you provide proof of your status. This can help you get higher-level perks from Sonesta without first having to meet the requirement for the minimum number of stays.
In light of the above information, Sonesta Travel Pass' scores for this section are as follows:
Ease of achieving elite status: 96% (1.92 / 2 points)
- According to our study, the cost of achieving elite status with Sonesta Travel Pass is $4,240.
Valuable membership perks: 53.4% (2.67 / 5 points)
- Based on light and average spending profiles, new members can expect to receive member discounts and priority/express check-in as a valuable perk. Heavy travelers can expect to receive late check-out, member discounts, free room upgrades and priority/express check-in as valuable perks.
Other Features of the Sonesta Travel Pass Program
WalletHub Rating for "Other Features": 69.23% (9 / 13 points)
The "Other Features" component of this Sonesta Travel Pass program review focused on five sub-categories. Below, you can see how many points Sonesta Travel Pass earned in each category, along with the corresponding WalletHub Rating.
| Category | Points | WalletHub Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Points Expiration | 5 / 5 | 100% |
| Expired-point reactivation | 2 / 2 | 100% |
| Transferring points between accounts (without fees) | 2 / 2 | 100% |
| Number of Transfer Partners With No Fee | 0 / 2 | 0% |
| Purchasing points | 0 / 2 | 0% |
Sonesta Travel Pass Credit Cards
Opinions and ratings are our own. This content is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Some offers are from WalletHub partners.
The Sonesta Credit Card is the only Sonesta credit card available, as of January 2021. You can see how this card compares to offers from other popular hotel chains in the table below.
Sonesta Travel Pass Credit Card vs. Popular Competitors
| Hilton Credit Card | Annual Fee | Initial Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Sonesta Credit Card | $0 intro 1st year, $75 after | 60,000 points |
| Drury Gold Key Club Credit Card | $0 | 15,000 points |
| Best Western Credit Card | $0 | 40,000 points |
7 Tips for Sonesta Travel Pass Members
- The best way to redeem Sonesta Travel Pass points is for Sonesta stays. Points are worth 0.9 cents apiece that way.
- Pool or transfer points if it makes sense. Sonesta allows members to pool their points together for easier redemption. This is especially helpful for family members with individual Sonesta Travel Pass memberships who often travel together.
- Take advantage of status perks. The assorted small perks with which members are rewarded for their financial loyalty can be a big selling point for hotel rewards programs, but they are often forgotten by users as time goes by.
- Consider applying for a Sonesta credit card. The Sonesta Credit Card could save the average person roughly $1,400 over the first two years of use, according to WalletHub’s calculations.
- Try the Island Approach with your credit cards. The Sonesta Credit Card offers competitive earnings on hotel reservations (within the Sonesta family). On pretty much everything else, you’ll actually get a lower value. That’s why you should put an everyday rewards card into your wallet as well. Doing so rounds out your rewards arsenal, making it so you get your money’s worth on every transaction.
- Make sure to read Sonesta reviews & Sonesta Travel Pass FAQs. Learning from experts and fellow travelers will help you pick up some helpful tips as well as avoid tricks and pitfalls.
- Compare your hotel options if you’re not wedded to Sonesta. Sonesta is not the only worldwide hotel chain with a rewarding loyalty program. You can see how Sonesta Travel Pass compares to a couple of popular alternatives below. You can also check out WalletHub’s rankings of the Best Hotel Rewards Programs to learn more.
Sonesta Travel Pass vs. Drury Rewards vs. Best Western Rewards
| Category | Sonesta Travel Pass | Drury Rewards | Best Western Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| WalletHub Rank | 9th | 10th | 7th |
| Average Point Value | 0.9 cents | 0.87 cents | 0.71 cents |
| U.S. Properties | 280 | 135 | Nearly 2,000 |
| International Properties | 920 | 0 | 2,300 |
| Countries/Territories with a Property | 8 | 1 | 100 |
| Point Expiration | After 24 months of inactivity | After 18 months of inactivity | N/A |
| Credit Card to Consider | Sonesta Credit Card | N/A | Best Western Credit Card |
Sonesta Travel Pass Review Methodology
Overall program rankings are based on the same methodology as WalletHub’s annual study on the Best Hotel Rewards Programs. Editor’s ratings reflect the sum of each rewards program’s scores across the study’s 6 major categories – earning policies, redemption policies, rewards value, geographical coverage, status levels and other features – adjusted to a 5-point scale and to create a representative distribution of ratings.
WalletHub calculated Sonesta Travel Pass point values by comparing room rates in 20 popular travel destinations – 10 domestic and 10 international – to the number of points needed to book a rewards night. We did this for all Sonesta-owned hotel locations within 50 miles of the city center in each destination, applying the process to weekend and weekday dates in each destination’s high and shoulder tourist seasons.
