Do Ski Resorts Earn a Travel Bonus?
Lodging codes as travel
A ski resort hotel, lodge, or booked condo rings up under a lodging category code, so a travel or hotel card earns its bonus on the room, the same as any hotel stay. If you book the lodging through the resort or a hotel program, that is the part of the trip most likely to earn an elevated rate. See how travel is defined in what a travel credit card covers.
Lift tickets and rentals
Lift tickets, season passes, equipment rentals, and lessons usually code as recreation or sporting activities rather than travel, so most cards earn only the base rate on them. A card with a very broad travel definition may count some resort charges as travel, but it is inconsistent, so do not assume the bonus applies to the mountain itself.
Getting the most on a ski trip
Book lodging on your best travel or hotel card to capture that bonus, and put lift tickets and rentals on a strong flat-rate card since they rarely earn extra. Value points at a flat 1 cent, and note that campgrounds follow similar logic for outdoor travel.
Stop guessing at point values. Look up the real award price and live availability for a specific trip before you transfer.
Search award stays on rooms.aero →Frequently asked questions
Related reading
