Travel reward programs, affinity credit cards, and gift cards and certificates all have the potential to save small business frequent travelers time and money during the holidays, reported the American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA). ASBTA is a national, non-profit alliance that provides valuable services and functions focused specifically on the travel needs and interests of small business owners.

"As the holidays approach, frequent travelers have an unique opportunity to use the miles and points they've accrued throughout the year to purchase or offset the cost of gifts for friends, relatives, clients and employees," said Chet Gray, ASBTA vice president. "We're not just talking travel-related gifts either, since many reward programs give members the option to redeem points or miles for dozens of other products and services."

While the idea of giving the gift of airline miles, free hotel stays and car rentals is becoming increasingly popular, in many cases it's possible to use miles or points to pay for or offset the cost of magazine subscriptions, merchandise, gift cards and reward certificates, just to name a few. Members of the Hilton HHonors(r) program, for example, can even use points to purchase diamond jewelry. (Visit www.hilton.com for more information.)

Affinity Credit Cards Proliferating

The growing number of affinity credit cards offered by travel providers is further expanding the opportunities for earning points or miles and saving money on other products and services. American Airlines' American Express(r)/Business ExtrAA(r) Corporate Card, for instance, includes automatic enrollment in American's Business ExtrAA corporate loyalty program. Members of the program earn points that can be used for air travel, Admirals Club memberships and other rewards, in addition to what they can earn as members of the AAdvantage program. Similarly, Delta's SkyMiles(r) Business credit card enables cardholders to earn miles on everyday purchases and receive special discounts when making purchases with partners like FedEx(r) and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM(r). (For more information, visit www.delta.com and www.aa.com.)

Outside the realm of reward programs and affinity credit cards, travel providers are increasingly offering gift cards and certificates for purchase. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines are two companies that recently announced the availability of gift cards good for air travel purchases. The cards do not expire and are available in different denominations. Marriott sells gift certificates good for free weekend night stays or dinners for two, as well as debit-type $50 and $100 gift cards that can be used for hotel services such as spa treatments, golfing and dining. In both cases, the gift cards and certificates can be purchased online. (Visit www.southwest.com, www.aa.com and www.marriott.com for more details.)

"Who would have thought that all the business travel we do could ultimately help us fulfill our holiday shopping lists?" said Gray. "But the travel programs out there really do have the potential to do just that and even help save us some time and money in the process."

About ASBTA:

ASBTA is dedicated to educating the small business traveler and promoting the travel industry at large. The American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA) is a national, non-profit organization serving small business travelers by providing information to enhance your travel experience. If you're a small business owner and would like a free membership visit our site at www.asbta.com or by phone at 469-648-0190.

The ASBTA logo is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1907

CONTACT:
ASBTA
Jim Vanorden
(469) 648-0190
www.asbta.com