Level Up Your Stays: How to Maximize Q1 2026 Hotel Promos

Welcome to 2026, fellow travelers! If you’re already plotting out your escapes for the year, you've come to the right place. Before you hit "book" on that next getaway, we need to talk strategy. The first quarter of the year is historically the golden window for racking up hotel loyalty points, and right now, the major brands are running some highly lucrative promotions.

Leaving bonus points on the table is basically leaving free vacations behind. Whether you’re hopping on a long-haul flight across the globe or packing the car for a sunny road trip from Orlando down to Miami to kick back at the InterContinental, registering for these offers should be your very first step. Here is how you can hack the current promotions to get the maximum value out of every single night you spend away from home.

Hyatt’s Bonus Journeys Returns

Hyatt is rewarding consistency this quarter. With their Bonus Journeys promo, you get 3,000 Bonus Points for every three nights you stay. If you route some of your travel through a Hyatt Place or a Hyatt Select property, they’ll toss in an extra 1,000 points per three nights. If you have an extended stay or a few weekend trips lined up, these points will compound incredibly fast.

Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Brand Hoppers

Marriott is taking a slightly different approach this year. Instead of just rewarding volume, they are rewarding exploration. You’ll get a flat 2,500 Bonus Points for every paid stay, but the real kicker is the Elite Night Credits. You get a bonus elite night for every different Marriott brand you stay at. If you like mixing up your aesthetic—maybe an Aloft one weekend and a JW Marriott the next—this is a brilliant shortcut to fast-tracking your elite status for the year.

IHG’s 2X Unlimited

IHG is keeping it simple and highly effective: Double points on everything, with absolutely no earning cap. The only catch? The 2X multiplier kicks in on your second stay. If you travel frequently for work or have a few short layovers, get that first stay out of the way quickly so you can start doubling your points on the bigger trips later in the quarter.

GHA DISCOVERY’s Instant Gratification

If you prefer immediate value over point-hoarding, GHA DISCOVERY is the program to watch. Operating on DISCOVERY Dollars (D$) where D1 equals US1, the rewards are refreshingly transparent. Instead of calculating redemption charts, you simply apply your earned D$ directly to your bill at checkout. Keep an eye on their app this quarter for targeted, brand-specific discounts that stack beautifully with your D$ earnings.

The Golden Rule of Hotel Promos

The most important takeaway? Always register. Even if you don’t think you’ll hit the requirements, take thirty seconds to click "register" on the promo pages in your loyalty apps. Travel plans change, last-minute trips pop up, and you never want to look back at a completed stay realizing you missed out on thousands of points.

Tap into these promos, play the game right, and those Q1 business trips and weekend getaways will easily fund your dream vacation by Q3. Safe travels, and happy earning!