Marshadubose

Not all points are created equal.

There's a particular kind of heartbreak familiar to frequent travelers: you've stockpiled points for years, you finally search for that overwater bungalow or beachfront suite, and the dates you want show "no availability" while the cash rate sits at $1,800 a night.

When elite status and stacks of points fail to deliver, what actually separates a great hotel loyalty program from a mediocre one is how its people treat you when things go sideways.