So, I was recently on the phone with my Mum and I was filling her in on an insane deal had got on a hotel because I was a Genius. Her response was “Hunny, I know you’re a genius but I don’t see how that can get you discounts on hotels”.
Then I had a sudden realisation, NOT EVERYONE KNOWS I’M A GENIUS!
Although it’s nice to know my Mum thinks I’m not stupid, what I actually meant was that I am part of the Booking.com Genius Program. Whereby, you book stays with Booking.com and in return, get discounts, freebies and other offers.
Sounds pretty good, right?
I personally am a very proud owner of a level-three Genius account on Booking.com and to tell you I’ve lapped up those perks is an understatement. You know that feeling when you’re eating a hotel breakfast? It’s damn good, eh? Now imagine that feeling knowing it’s free because… well, you’re a GENIUS!!
In this article, I’m here to help you understand how Booking.com’s Genius Loyalty Program works, how to join and what benefits you get in return.
So, without further ado, let’s get into our full and through Booking.com Genius Account Review.
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What is the Booking.com Genius Program?
So, what is booking.com’s genius program and how can you get in on these discounts and freebies?
The Booking.com Genius Program rewards frequent travellers with various discounts and offers. It is a three-tiered program, so the more you book, the higher your level and the more you receive. It’s one of the best budget travel hacks there is.
The greatest part about the loyalty program is that it is FREE to join; no signup fees or hidden costs. All you need is a Booking.com account and to be signed into it whenever you make a booking. It’s an absolute no-brainer, especially if you are already habitually booking accommodation through the platform.
How the Genius Program Works
Ok, there are three Booking.com Genius levels. Once you’ve created a Booking.com account (which is easy peasy) and you start to book your stays through your account – you’ll start to climb the Genius ranks. As you complete your stays, you’ll notice the discounts start to get applied automatically as your level increases.
Genius Levels Breakdown
Let’s break down each of the levels so that you know how to reach each level and what you can expect when you get there.
Genius Program Level 1:
- Requirement:
- All you have to do to reach the first level of the Genius Program is to complete 2 stays through booking.com within 2 years. If you’re a frequent traveller, this one is VERY easy to reach.
- Benefits:
- Up to 10% discount on selected properties.
- 10% off selected rental cars.
Genius Program Level 2:
- Requirement:
- To reach the second level of the Genius Program, you’ll need to complete five stays through booking.com within two years.
- Benefits:
- 15% discount on selected properties.
- 10% off selected rental cars.
- FREE room upgrades on selected properties.
- FREE breakfast on selected properties.
Genius Program Level 3:
- Requirement:
- To get to the highest rank, you’ll need to hit 15 bookings within two years. Yep, I know, that is a lot of holidays. But if anyone is up for the challenge YOU ARE (I believe in you).
- Benefits:
- 20% discount on selected properties that are marked as “Genius”.
- 10% off selected rental cars.
- FREE room upgrades and FREE breakfast on select properties (more properties available than with level 2)
- Early check-in/ late check-out on selected properties.
- 10% off rental cars.
- Priority support with Booking.com customer service.
The best part about all of this? You NEVER drop down in levels. It’s like earning a karate black belt or becoming President of Russia – it’s yours for life. So, once you hit level 3, a big congratulations will be in order as you’ll retain that highly respectable status forever (well as long as you keep your Booking.com account!)
Photo: @danielle_wyatt
Don’t Forget To Grab Your Insurance
Booking your accommodation is only part of the travel planning puzzle. Another highly important step to ensure all goes smoothly on your adventures is to take out some good travel insurance.
As you may know, there are a helluva lot of different travel insurers out there and choosing one can be seriously bloody tough. These days though, I usually use SafetyWing who offer a simply, subscription-style cover which provides some of the best travel medical insurance cover that I have ever purchased.
Either check out our full review, or maybe just hit the button below to get a quote.
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
How to Join the Genius Program
Joining the Booking.com Genius Program is one of the easiest loyalty program sign-ups you may ever do. There are no hidden fees or extra information needed. You just simply need a Booking.com account.
When booking properties, make sure you are signed in (don’t select “check out as a guest”). Once you’ve completed your stay, the system will automatically add it toward your total to calculate your Genius level. There is no need to check any tick boxes, add any codes or all the other extra steps some platforms require.
You can find out what Genius level you are by heading to your profile, it should very clearly be displayed below your name. To find out how far away you are from reaching the next level, you’ll need to figure out how many stays you’ve done in the past two years.
To do this you can head to “Booking & Trips”. You’ll be able to see your upcoming stays and your history. All of those listed under “Your History” will count toward your level calculation.
Benefits of the Genius Program
There are a few key benefits of the Booking.com Genius Program. Here are five benefits that stand out to me from the program:
- Saving on Accommodation: Depending on your Genius level, you’ll save between 10-20% off of selected properties. And I tell ya, it’s real. When my partner and I are booking properties, we ALWAYS book through my account because the prices that we see are very different (he is level one…).
- Saving on Car Rentals: Booking.com offer a 10% discount off selected car rentals, no matter your Genius Level. Car rentals can be hella expensive, so this is definitely one to lap up.
- Additional Perks: Again, depending on your Genius level, there is a selection of additional perks that you’ll find when booking. Including FREE breakfast, room upgrades, early or flexible check-in/ late check-outs, etc.
- Global Reach: The global reach of Booking.com means that no matter where you go in the world, with over 28 million listings… it is more than likely there will be properties available that offer Genius discounts/ offers.
- Lifetime Membership: Once you reach a level, you stay at that level forever. I think that is pretty f*cking cool. I remember I reached level 3 after a backpacking trip in 2018, and I was thrilled when I jumped back onto Booking.com a few years later to find that I was still a top-tier Genius.
Who Should Join the Genius Program?
The Booking.com Genius Program is also well suited for those travellers with no set loyalty to one hotel chain. If you are a luxury traveller and ALWAYS stay at say the Hilton or the Marriott, you may be best to book through them and join their elite loyalty clubs.
But if you fall into the realm of budget traveller (like me!) and you have no alliance to one hotel, travel to fairly “random” places and just want a damn good deal – the Booking.com Genius Program is top-notch.
However, you do need to be a fairly frequent traveller to maximise the benefits of the program. These are the main types of travellers who I believe the Genius Program will benefit:
- Frequent Travellers: If you travel regularly, you’ll climb through the levels faster than you’d expect. A hotel stay here, a few nights in a hostel there… and boom, you’ve made it to level 3 (forever!)
- Business Travelers: If you travel for work, be sure to book your stays through the same account. Even if you use it to book stays for multiple employees. You’ll soon find you climb the ranks and start seeing those level 3 genius savings ranking up.
- Occasional Travellers: It doesn’t take a lot to hit the first mile-stone… two stays to get to level one, and five for level two. Even if you only travel a couple of times a year, you could still get up to the first couple of levels.
How to Find Genius Discounts
It’s SUPER easy to see what offers are available for each property when you’re signed into your account. Booking.com don’t shy away from declaring their Genius deals to anyone who will listen.
These are the key ways to find the Genius discounts available:
- Using Search Filters: Once you’ve searched for a property, you can jump onto the filters and select”Deals”. This way, you’ll see all the properties with a blue Genius button next to them. Once you click on the property, you’ll be able to see the discount on the property + any additional Genius perks that are included.
- Mobile App: Booking.com also offer Mobile App specific discounts. Some of these are for Genius customers only but often, they are just for anyone using the app. It’s definitely worth downloading their app and comparing the web vs mobile price before booking. In the past, I’ve saved up to 15% on top of my Genius discount, just by booking through the app.
- Look for the Genius Icon: If you’re scrolling through properties on Booking.com, you’ll see they have a big Genius Icon on them if they offer discounts. If you’re not signed in, they will also encourage you to sign in to see the discounts. A helpful little nudge from Booking.com.
Top Tips for Maximising the Genius Program
Although Booking.com makes it pretty easy for us to get these deals, there are always ways to maximise them. So, as a lover of big discounts and free breakfasts, these are my top tips for making the most out of the Booking.com Genius Program:
- Book Strategically: Either by using the filters, or keeping an eye out for that Genius Icon. Try to book your stays with the benefits in mind.
- Make Sure You Are Logged In: If you’re not logged in, you’re not going to be able to redeem your discounts or see if you are eligible for a free breakfast.
- Monitor Promotions: Keep an eye out for special deals that Booking.com run just for their Genius members. You can sign up for their emails if you want to keep your eyes extra peeled.
- Check for Seasonal Deals: Shoulder seasons and off-seasons often present opportunities to nab yourself a bargain when it comes to all things travel-related. And it’s no different with Booking.com. It’s a great time to grab those extra Genius deals that are no doubt lurking around.
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Grab an eSIM!Final Thoughts on Booking.com’s Genius Program
So, what do we know about the program? It’s very little effort for some pretty decent rewards- especially if you get to the third tier. Simply put: if you’re a genius, you’ll sign up for Booking.com’s Genius Loyalty Program. Because who wouldn’t want to save money on something they were already going to book?
Let me do some travel math for you. Say you book a place for $500 for the week, and you save $100 on your hotel booking (because you’re top-tier GENIUS). Surely that means $100 more to be spent on other holiday perks? Not to mention the savings on a free breakfast or room upgrade. It’s like a sprinkle of fairy dust that can elevate your stay from good to out-the-gate GREAT.
Overall, if you were to ask me if I recommend signing up for the Booking.com Genius Program to a friend, I’d say hell yeah. It’s super easy to join and fair easy to unlock decent deals.
Enjoy a free breakfast or two and you can thank me later 🙂 Happy saving, friends!
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