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The loyalty space continues to evolve, and a new player has joined. Journey, a recently launched loyalty program that focuses on high-end hotels and residences, has officially introduced its 2026 Points Match program.
What Is Journey? – Create an Account Here
Journey is not your typical hotel rewards program tied to one brand. Instead, it focuses on independent properties from boutique hotels and glamping sites to treehouses and private villas, with over 1,900 locations worldwide.
Rather than competing directly with big loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors, Journey takes a different approach. Many of their properties are small, independently owned, and focused on experiences, such as staying in a tiny home in Waco, Texas, or a ski chalet in Park City, Utah.
Journey’s focus is less on rigid elite tiers and more on flexibility. Journey points can be redeemed not only toward stays, but also for on-property experiences, such as dining, spa services, and other curated guest amenities. This makes the program appealing to travellers who value experiences just as much as free nights.
Key program highlights/member benefits include:
- Flexible point earning: members typically earn at least 5 points per USD on direct bookings (and usually 1 point per USD on third-party bookings)
- Point pooling and transfers: Journey lets members pool points with friends or family and transfer points with no fees or limits
- Point value floor guarantee: Journey guarantees that point redemption value will never fall below $0.01 USD per point, protecting members from devaluation
- Elite status tiers: members progress through multiple status levels (Nomad, Navigator, Ambassador, Legend, and invite-only Icon), unlocking enhanced benefits like waived fees, suite upgrade awards, flexible check-in/check-out, and bespoke experiences
In order to join the Points Match program, you must first create a Journey account, which is free and easy to do.
How the Journey Points Match Works
Journey’s 2026 Points Match onboards new members and rewards the loyalty they’ve already built across other programs. New Journey members can submit screenshots showing their points balances from existing loyalty programs, including hotel, airline, and credit card rewards programs. For each verified program, Journey awards 500 Journey points.
There’s no requirement to transfer or convert points. This is simply a verification-based match designed to recognize your existing loyalty across other ecosystems.
Monthly 1 Million Point Draws
In addition to the guaranteed points, Journey is adding a compelling incentive: every month, it will award 1 million Journey points to verified Points Match participants.
Each month, Journey randomly selects verified applicants until the full 1 million points have been distributed. Depending on how many programs a participant submits and how balances are verified, this could result in dozens of winners per month, making it a surprisingly generous ongoing draw rather than a single grand prize.
How You Can Use Journey Points
Even though the program is still in its early stages, Journey points are already usable across participating properties. Members can redeem points for eligible hotel stays, dining and bar charges, spa treatments and wellness experiences, and other on-property guest experiences. This makes Journey points particularly useful for travellers who may already have stays booked or who prefer flexible redemptions beyond just room nights.
Why This Matters for Points Collectors
For anyone already earning points through hotel stays, flights, or credit card spending, Journey’s Points Match is a low-effort way to diversify your rewards portfolio. There’s no downside, especially given the monthly million-point draws and the growing list of high-end properties in the Journey Alliance.
It also lets you discover unique stays you might not typically look for. Because most Journey properties are independent and boutique, your points unlock access to accommodations like renovated lodges, bespoke resorts, and singular homes that often don’t participate in traditional loyalty programs. Users now have these options and can earn and redeem points on these stays.
However, Journey probably won’t make much sense for people who really value elite status with the big hotel brands. If you travel often, especially for work (like me), having an established status will pay off with more reliable perks like upgrades, lounge access, and late checkout. In those cases, sticking with a program you already have status with will be more rewarding than starting over with something new.
If you want to learn more, Anshul hosted Zach Busekrus of Journey Rewards on a previous edition of What’s The Points #188.
Takeaway: A Fresh Option in Loyalty
Journey offers a decent Points Match program, but it won’t be for everyone. It’s best suited to travellers who care more about unique experiences and interesting properties than chasing free nights or elite status with the big hotel brands. If your priority is comfort-driven perks like guaranteed upgrades, lounges, or free stays, bigger brands like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors will deliver more value.
That said, even though Journey doesn’t yet have the size or scale of those programs, it’s still offering perks on unique properties and experiences. It’s a good option for those who enjoy character-rich, independent properties and want to diversify where (and how) they earn and use points.
