With Singapore currently in phase 2 of reopening, what better time to start planning for your next trip, even if it is just a staycation in our homeland? Here at CardsPal, we would love to help by consolidating a list of ‘Pay Now, Travel Later’ deals just for you! Look no further and read on to find your next dream vacation!
1. Hotels
Mastercard is offering a complimentary night for guests who book a 3-night stay at participating hotels and resorts under the Banyan Tree group. This offer is valid for bookings made from now till 31 December 2020 and is an incredible steal considering how the package also includes attractive add-ons such as 20% off their Spa and Gallery as well as complimentary breakfast. Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts consists of a number of luxurious hotels and resorts mainly in Asia Pacific, making it your ideal lodging to enjoy a well-deserved vacation to end off the year!
Check out the offer here for more details on how to make your booking.
In a bid to stand out from the competition and generate some revenue amidst the barren travel industry, Marriott International took a different approach by making use of their loyalty program. The hotel chain, which has over 7,000 hotels internationally, offers exclusive benefits to members through their Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program by allowing individuals to earn and redeem points through hotel bookings, car rentals, dining etc. Due to the current economic climate, Marriott has started to sell these points at a fraction of the price. Originally, 10,000 Marriott points sells for roughly $125. However, at the same cost, you will now receive a 60% bonus, giving you 16,000 points instead. This is certainly a great deal considering that the points can be used to redeem hotel stays or pay for your dining expenses once travel is allowed to resume.
So what are you waiting for? Check out this amazing offer here now!
2. Airlines
In light of the current COVID-19 situation, airlines are facing an even greater uncertainty in terms of when they can actually resume operations. As such, many are turning to unconventional methods to encourage travellers to continue booking their next holiday.
For instance, Singapore Airlines is offering unlimited rebookings for all bookings made by 30 June 2020, regardless of fare type. For bookings made after 30 June, travellers will also be entitled to a one-time complimentary rebooking. This helps to retain some of the revenue Singapore Airlines receives as there are likely to be fewer cancellations.
Conversely, Qatar Airways takes this up a notch by introducing unlimited date changes as well as destination changes, provided the new destination is within a 5,000-mile distance from their original travel destination. However, customers can only make changes 14 days after making the original booking. Nevertheless, this initiative offers incredible flexibility and encourages more travellers to jump at this great opportunity in these uncertain times since they may get a great deal out of it. To illustrate, based on this new policy, a booking made from Singapore to Hokkaido can now be changed to a flight from Singapore to California instead, at no extra charge.
3. Some Considerations
Beyond looking at these deals and their features, it is also equally important to consider factors such as expiration dates, flexibility and stability of the company. Since many of these deals are unlikely to be refundable, it is crucial to check when the deals have to be utilised by. For instance, if some of these deals require you to travel by the end of 2020, it may not be advisable to commit due to the uncertainty surrounding the lifting of travel bans. Nevertheless, many hotels are offering packages that extend till the end of 2021, making them reasonable options for travellers.
Additionally, always take the time to compare the deals offered by multiple companies to find the best deal for yourself. If we take a look at both Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, it is easy to see that the latter offers greater flexibility in terms of ticket changes. However, you should also take note of the stability of both companies and the likelihood of either going bust as this could potentially mean that your money will not be returned to you. As such, it will be prudent to seek out the safest deals during this time of uncertainty, instead of only considering which deal offers you the greatest value and savings.
Check Out Our CardsPal App!
Save yourself the hassle of constantly searching for deals online by keeping updated with the latest travel deals on our CardsPal app! CardsPal is the convenient one stop app where we show you the best deals in town so you never have to miss a deal again! Get to know us here. Download the app on the App Store or Google Play Store now and get the latest deals, tailored according to the cards you own.
