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Although the brand is nearly 100 years old, Sonesta hotels have long flown under the radar with very few properties. However, over the past few years, Sonesta Hotels and its loyalty program, Sonesta Travel Pass, have exploded to include over 1,200 properties worldwide. The brand's rise has been so impressive that it is now worth a closer look.
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Sonesta Travel Pass Program Overview
The Sonesta Travel Pass program is one of the less complex hotel programs around, and its features include the following:
- Sonesta Travel Pass is free to join.
- The program has four membership levels — from Bronze to top-tier Platinum.
- Earn 10 points per $1 spent on eligible stays.
- Reward redemptions start at 10,000 points per night. Unfortunately, Sonesta has eliminated its award chart, so travelers no longer can find how many points a particular property should cost.
Sonesta Travel Pass Elite Status Levels
The refreshed Sonesta Travel Pass program has four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each has its own set of benefits, as follows.
Bronze
This is the entry-level tier, which you receive when you enroll. Upon enrollment, you are eligible for a bonus. Bronze members receive the following benefits:
- Special rates and promotions
- Complimentary upgraded Wi-Fi during your stay
- Eligible for partner benefits and offers
- Earn and redeem points for free nights
Silver
Sonesta Travel Pass Silver is the first step on the elite status ladder. Reaching it requires 10 nights or 10,000 points. Members receive all the benefits of Bronze membership, plus the following:
- 50% tier bonus point multiplier
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Exclusive reservation line
- Complimentary room upgrades when available
- Welcome gift
Gold
Sonesta Travel Pass Gold is the penultimate step on the elite status ladder. Reaching it requires 20 nights or 20,000 points. Members receive all the benefits of Silver membership, plus the following:
- 75% tier bonus point multiplier
- Priority self-parking
- Complimentary continental breakfast daily for the member (provided as a voucher for up to $15, including tax)
Related: Best Mid-Tier Hotel Elite Statuses And How To Earn Them
Platinum
Sonesta Travel Pass Platinum is the program's top-tier status level. Reaching it requires 40 nights or 40,000 points. Members receive all the benefits of Gold membership, plus a 100% tier bonus point multiplier.
Interestingly, there is no significant difference between Gold and Platinum in terms of the benefits you receive. The only difference is receiving 30% more bonus points on stays. While this is nice, it raises a question: Is it worth doubling your investment in nights and points to earn an extra 30% bonus points? Arguably not; many members will likely not push past Gold for Platinum status without organically earning it.
Earning Sonesta Travel Pass Points
The number of points you earn depends on the Sonesta property you are staying at:
- Earn five points per $1 spent on qualifying room revenue at Sonesta Simply Suites hotels.
- Earn 10 points per $1 spent on qualifying room revenue at all other Sonesta properties.
Qualifying Room Revenue excludes taxes, fees, and other surcharges. It's also possible to earn points on up to two additional rooms outside the room you're staying in if they're included in your same reservation. There's a maximum of 100,000 points per stay per room.
The earning rates are excellent and make reaching status easy. Considering the status requirements, you only need to spend $2,000 to reach Sonesta Travel Pass Gold. This makes the Sonesta Travel Pass Program one of the easiest to hit elite status using points from stays.
Earning points through a co-branded credit card
You can also earn Sonesta Travel Pass points from purchases with your Sonesta World Mastercard® from Bank of America. The card earns points at the following rates.
- 3X on eligible spend at Sonesta properties.
- 2X on car rental, airfare, and dining.
- 1X on other purchases.
The card carries an annual fee of $75 (waived for the first year). While the network of available Sonesta Travel Pass co-branded credit cards is not as well developed as the cards that earn Hilton Honors points or the cards that earn Marriott Bonvoy points, it is still better than nothing.
Earning points through promotions
Sonesta Travel Pass doesn't offer nearly as many promotions as its heavyweight competitors like Marriott and Hilton. However, occasional Sonesta promotions can offer double points, bonus points on every stay, or other offers. It's worth checking the current offers before making a reservation.
Redeeming Your Sonesta Travel Pass Points
Historically, Sonesta Travel Pass published an award chart with 12 tiers. However, during the program changes in the summer of 2024, Sonesta abolished its chart and moved to what can only be described as an opaque and dynamic pricing model.
Sonesta does not actually state that it has switched to dynamic pricing. The company only states that you have to follow these simple steps to make a redemption.
- Log into your Sonesta account.
- Search for your desired room at the desired property.
- The price per night in points will be displayed below the cost in cash.
Sonesta Travel Pass does not state the relationship between cash and points prices. Therefore, it is hard to tell whether it is a fixed-value redemption rate or whether other factors are taken into account when calculating an award's points cost.
Sonesta Travel Pass points expiration
Your Sonesta Travel Pass points expire if your account has no activity for 24 months. Sonesta defines activity as earning or redeeming reward points or having a qualifying stay. You'll need to stay at least one night every 24 months to keep your points active.
What Are Sonesta Travel Pass Points Worth?
Budget-friendly properties
To assess the value of your Sonesta Travel Pass points, we looked at a few redemptions across the spectrum of the program's hotel properties. Take the Sonesta Simply Suites Detroit Warren, MI, for example. We found nights for $101 or 15,000 points. This works out at a less-than-inspiring 0.67 cents per point.
Mid-tier and upper-mid-tier properties
A night at the mid-tier Sonesta ES Suites Annapolis Hotel will set you back 17,500 points or $187 per night. Crunching the numbers, that is a more acceptable value of 1.06 cents per point.
Looking at the more upscale side of things, The Royal Sonesta Washington DC Dupont Circle's value is similar to lower-tiered properties. We found rates from 27,500 points per night or $272 per night. Again, the value holds steady at 0.98 cents per point.
Luxury properties
Heading overseas to the more luxurious end of the Sonesta portfolio, the Sonesta Ocean Point Resort in St. Maarten will set you back 50,000 points per night. The same rooms will set you back from $467 per night. This works out at a value of 0.93 cents per point.
We also looked at one of Sonesta’s most luxurious properties. The Gardens Sonesta ES Suites New York will set you back from 60,000 points per night. Again, we found rooms the same rooms for a whopping $887 per night. Crunching the numbers, this is the best value we have seen and works out at an impressive 1.47 cents per point.
You must be strategic and plan well to get decent value for your points. Judging by the point value spread, it seems you are better off targeting mid- and upper-middle properties to get the biggest bang for your points. The pricing for lower-end and luxury properties does not allow you to generate significant value from your awards.
Our Take
Although not the biggest or most lucrative program, Sonesta Travel Pass is still a good option for some travelers. The brand has a diverse portfolio of properties (which recently grew with the incorporation of Red Lion), giving you plenty of opportunities to book stays, especially if you travel a little off the beaten track.
Can you see the Sonesta Travel Pass program working for you? Let us know in the comments below.
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