Booking.com - The Guide
- Tim
- 1. Jan. 2024
- 5 Min. Lesezeit
Aktualisiert: 6. Dez. 2024
In today’s digital world, online booking platforms have become essential for many travelers. One of the most popular and widely used platforms is Booking.com. Since its founding in 1996, this Dutch company has grown into a global leader in the travel industry, offering millions of accommodations worldwide—from cozy guesthouses and luxurious resorts to unique vacation rentals.
But Booking.com goes beyond just accommodation options, providing numerous benefits that add value to each booking. Through special loyalty programs, rewards, and partnerships with well-known bonus programs like Miles & More or Payback, the platform stands out among its competitors. These additional offerings allow users to enjoy not only competitive prices and flexible booking options but also attractive discounts and rewards. In this article, we take a closer look at the extensive offerings of Booking.com.
Contents
Overview
Genius Rewardsprogram
Collect Points & Miles
Conclusion
2. Overview
Booking.com is one of the largest and most well-known online booking platforms worldwide. It offers users the chance to choose from a vast range of accommodations, including hotels, vacation rentals, hostels, and bed & breakfasts. With over 28 million properties listed globally, Booking.com is a go-to destination for travelers who value choice and flexibility.
The platform’s user interface is clear and intuitive, allowing users to filter their search by various criteria such as price, star rating, location, or guest reviews. Particularly helpful are the detailed reviews and comments from other travelers, offering realistic insights into the accommodations and surrounding areas. Beyond accommodations, Booking.com also provides options for booking flights, car rentals, and airport transfers, making it an all-in-one solution for travel planning. Additionally, there are frequent special offers and deals, providing even more opportunities for savings.
Auch das bekannte Four Seasons in Paris lässt sich über booking.com buchen
Booking.com offers significant flexibility in bookings, with many accommodations providing free cancellation up to shortly before arrival—a valuable feature during uncertain times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Users can easily manage their reservations through the platform, including modifying travel dates or communicating special requests to the property.
Additionally, Booking.com provides a comprehensive mobile experience through its app, encompassing all the functionalities of the desktop version. The app allows users to manage their bookings on the go and offers exclusive mobile deals.
3. Genius Rewardsprogram
The Genius loyalty program by Booking.com is an exciting offer for frequent users of the platform, providing exclusive discounts and benefits. The program is divided into three tiers, each offering more and better perks as you book more frequently on Booking.com.
Genius Level 1 is easy to reach—all you need to do is register on Booking.com. Members at this level receive an immediate 10% discount on selected accommodations and rental cars worldwide. This discount applies to a wide range of hotels, apartments, and vacation homes and is automatically applied at booking.
Genius Level 2 is achieved after completing five or more bookings within two years. In addition to the 10-15% discount on stays and a 10% discount on car rentals, Level 2 members enjoy free breakfast and complimentary room upgrades at many hotels.
Genius Level 3 is the highest tier of the program and offers the most comprehensive benefits. To reach this level, members must complete 15 bookings within two years. Level 3 members receive all the perks of the previous levels, along with additional exclusive offers, such as higher discounts and priority customer service.
Je nach Hotel werden zahlreiche Vorteile gewährt - in diesem Fall ein kostenfreies Zimmer-Upgrade
Participation in the Genius Program is free and activates automatically once the required booking criteria are met. A major advantage is that you can make bookings on behalf of others without needing to be a guest yourself. This allows you to book accommodations for friends, family, acquaintances, etc., helping you reach the highest Genius tier more quickly. I personally achieved the top status fairly quickly this way, as the length and cost of each stay do not matter.
4. Rewards & Wallet
Booking.com not only provides its users access to a wide variety of accommodations worldwide but also offers a convenient rewards program and digital wallet feature that enhance the travel experience. These features are designed to make the booking process more rewarding and seamless by offering financial incentives and easy management of earned rewards.
Booking.com offers a comprehensive rewards program that allows users to earn various types of benefits through specific actions or partner programs. These rewards range from monetary credits applicable to future bookings to exclusive offers available only to certain user groups.
The integration of rewards with the Booking.com Wallet simplifies the process of saving on future bookings. Users can easily track their accumulated rewards and strategically apply them to maximize their travel budget.
5. Collect Points & Miles
Another great perk is the ability not only to book attractive accommodations but also to earn valuable Payback points and Miles & More miles. Several times a year, Payback offers coupons that you can use when booking a hotel. These usually range from 4x to 10x points, allowing you to quickly accumulate points in the thousands or even tens of thousands. Exceptionally, there are promotions offering up to 40x points, though these typically occur just once a year.
Miles & More, the frequent flyer program of Lufthansa and its partners, also occasionally offers promotions that allow you to earn extra miles with your bookings, though these are rare. One of the recent highlights was the 30th-anniversary promotion, where they offered 30 miles per 1€ spent. This was the most rewarding offer yet, and we took advantage of it several times. For instance, as shown in the screenshot below, we paid €924 for a hotel in the Philippines and received 25,884 Miles & More miles in return. That’s nearly half the miles needed for a business-class reward flight—a truly incredible deal, though it was limited in time. We’re hopeful that similar promotions will come up again soon! Until then, it’s certainly worth enjoying the exclusive benefits of Booking.com and building up your Genius Level 3 status.
By integrating these two bonus programs into the Booking.com platform (even though the coupons and promotions are relatively rare), travelers can enjoy double rewards: not only securing a great accommodation but also collecting points or miles to use on future trips. This added advantage makes Booking.com especially appealing to frequent travelers looking to maximize their bookings.
Should another attractive Payback coupon or Miles & More promotion come along, you’ll be the first to know on our blog. To stay up-to-date, we recommend subscribing to our newsletter!
On Booking.com, you can book everything from 1-star hotels to some of the world's finest luxury resorts.
6. Conclusion
Booking.com is more than just an online booking portal—it's a comprehensive tool for travelers, offering a wide array of features and additional benefits. While we often choose Hilton or Marriott hotels due to the extensive perks of our Hilton Honors Diamond Status, it's worthwhile to explore Booking.com when your destination lacks a Hilton property that meets your preferences. With a vast selection of accommodations worldwide, the attractive Genius loyalty program, and the ability to accumulate rewards in the digital wallet, the platform offers numerous advantages. Notably, during certain promotions or with specific coupons, you can earn additional Miles & More miles or Payback points alongside Genius benefits.
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