Intro: Occasionally I am presented with a quandary. I want to deliver posts with the most useful and insightful information. Additionally, I want to see if my readers can receive any special benefits or discounts, because well… you’re an important group to any company with a brain and they should be thrilled for their product to reach you. I recently contacted an organization called FoundersCard about securing a matching discount that a competing blog had been granted for readers interested in becoming new members of their program. I was denied but rather than deprive you of information, I am going forward, even using my competing bloggers invite code to provide you with a discount. Since I am in no way shape or form in partnership with said company, I have no qualms with saying that “applying for membership” is bullsh*t. It’s not a country club, they are an organization that wants and needs your money. If the program and elite benefits are right for you, just put in your details, you’ll be a member in no time….
When I was a kid I loved swiss army knives. Who didn’t?! With one cool little tool you could do anything from slicing a steak, cutting a string or as I’ve come to appreciate as an adult, open a bottle of wine. A jack of all trades. FoundersCard is somewhat of a swiss army knife of elite status and loyalty programs having secured elite benefits and perks for it’s members with quite a few airline and hotel brands. Though I now roll my eyes out of spite, they offer some useful perks you may want to tap into.
With the $395 (far more without discount code) membership fee you instantly receive Virgin Atlantic Silver Elite with a fast track offer to the elusive and prestigious Gold, Hilton HHonors Gold Elite, Cathay Pacific Silver Elite, Hertz No. 1 Five Star Elite, Sixt Rental Car Platinum Elite, American Airlines Platinum Elite Fast Track and more. If you’re a Virgin Atlantic person, this is an incredible opportunity to start at Silver and only need 20 tier points in 7 months to reach Gold for a year. Half the usual number required! In addition the outright elite statuses with the above companies you also can snag discounts between 5-25% off most fares with top airlines like American, Cathay, Jet Blue, Virgin America, British Airways, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas. If airlines aren’t your thing the company has also put in place discounts with hotel chains like Ritz Carlton, W Hotels, Conrad and Waldorf Astoria. Essentially, there are a ton of benefits, some of which may be useful, others less so.
The question to ask is the basic value proposition: will I get $395 worth of benefit out of this membership in year one? The second question to ask is: would I achieve these statuses or benefits anyway through my own travel? If for example I fly Virgin Atlantic or American Airlines a few times a year but never enough to reach status, I might find the perks like lounge access, baggage fees, upgrades and more to be quite useful and money saving. If I also regularly stay in Hilton Hotels and can snag free breakfast every day and the chance of a room upgrade and some free wifi, that could add up pretty quickly too. If on top of all of these things I can find some meaningful discounts in airfare and hotels using the exclusive savings then we are well into the eventual answer, yes. It depends how much you travel and whether or not you frequent a particular airline or hotel chain. Travel is very personal, it is rarely the same for two people and other than the novelty of being a Platinum here or a Gold there, what really matters is whether or not you will get use, savings and benefit out of each thing. When I enquired they sent me a guest preview, feel free to use it (again I have no affiliation with them so have at it) and see if it makes sense for you. If it does, click over to this page to begin “applying” for membership using the discount code FCWAIVE23.
As Always, Get in Touch: GodSaveThePoints@gmail.com
