Savvy travelers know that saving money on hotel bookings often requires a smart strategy. One of the most effective but lesser-known methods is stacking discounted gift cards with hotel booking portals. Thanks to platforms like Fluz, it is easier than ever to maximize your savings without sacrificing the quality of your stay.

Step 1: Buy Discounted Hotel Gift Cards on Fluz

Fluz allows users to shop discounted Hotels.com gift cards, as well as gift cards for Priceline, Expedia, and other popular travel sites. Unlike traditional gift card deals where you must guess the amount needed, Fluz offers the flexibility to purchase a gift card for the exact amount of your reservation, ensuring you do not overspend or leave unused balances.

For example, if your hotel stay costs $320 on Hotels.com, you can instantly buy a $320 Hotels.com gift card on Fluz and earn cashback on that purchase. This method alone can save you between 3% to 5%, depending on the cashback rate at the time of purchase.

Step 2: Use Gift Cards with Trusted Hotel Booking Portals

Once you have your discounted gift card from Fluz, you can use it on trusted hotel booking platforms like Hotels.com, Priceline, or Expedia. These portals often run their own promotions such as free nights after a number of stays (like Hotels.com Rewards) or additional savings through loyalty programs.

When checking out on these sites, simply select the gift card option as your payment method. If your gift card does not cover the full amount, you can usually pay the balance with a rewards credit card to further stack points or cashback.

Step 3: Stack Even More Savings

Here’s where stacking gets even better:

• Activate a cashback portal like Rakuten before booking. Some portals offer cashback on hotel bookings even when paying with a gift card.

• Book stays that qualify for loyalty points. Certain hotels still allow loyalty point accrual even when paying via a third-party site like Hotels.com.

• Use a travel rewards credit card. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture Rewards give additional rewards on travel purchases.

Real-World Savings Example

Booking a $500 hotel stay could look like this:

• Purchase a $500 Hotels.com gift card via Fluz and earn 4% cashback ($20).

• Book through Hotels.com and earn a stamp toward a free night (after 10 stamps).

• Activate Rakuten beforehand for 2% cashback on the booking ($10).

• Pay any extra with a 2% rewards credit card.

In this case, you save at least $30 immediately, plus earn loyalty rewards for future use.

Important Tips When Stacking

• Double-check portal exclusions. Some cashback portals may not track cashback if you use a gift card for partial payment.

• Watch for expiration dates. Some gift cards and promotions have time-sensitive terms.

• Keep records of gift card balances. If your stay costs less than your card, the remainder can be applied to future bookings.

Final Thoughts

Stacking Fluz gift cards with hotel booking portals is a smart way to turn ordinary hotel reservations into serious savings. By combining discounted gift cards, loyalty points, credit card rewards, and cashback apps like Fluz and Rakuten, travelers can easily save hundreds over the course of a year without changing where they stay.