Advertiser Disclosure: The Rewards Mom has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Rewards Mom and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

---

So, what are Rove Miles?

Rove Miles is a rewards program that lets you earn points when you book hotels, flights, or while shopping, without giving up the benefits you’d normally get from booking directly.

Instead of choosing between earning credit card points or hotel/flight points, Rove sits in the middle and lets you earn both in many cases.

Here’s a simple example:

You book a hotel through Rove → you earn Rove Miles.
And, depending on the property, you may still earn hotel points and elite night credits.

Most third-party booking sites cut you off from loyalty perks. Rove is designed to keep those benefits in play while adding an extra layer of rewards on top.

If you are already excited and want a link to sign up, click HERE.

---

Why Rove Feels Easier Than Other Programs

Rove works like a shopping portal, a travel booking site, and a rewards program, all in one place.

You can book hotels and earn elevated rates (sometimes up to 25x per dollar), book flights and earn miles on those purchases, or use their shopping portal/browser extension to earn miles on everyday spending. The earning rates vary depending on what you’re booking or where you’re shopping, but the structure stays the same.

If you’ve ever used Rakuten, AAdvantage Shopping, or Honey, the shopping side will feel familiar. And, if you’ve booked through Expedia or Hotels.com—or even a credit card travel portal like Capital One—the travel side works similarly.

I’ll take a super simple way to earn more points any day!

---

You Don’t Need a Credit Card to Use This

You can earn Rove Miles without opening a credit card at all!

That fact makes Rove one of the easiest entry points into travel rewards. There’s no application, no minimum spend requirement, and no pressure to change your financial setup. You’re simply earning rewards from bookings you were already planning to make.

BUT, a credit card can make Rove even better.

If You Do Use a Credit Card…

You can stack rewards. My favorite cards to stack rewards can be found HERE.

That means you can earn:

• Rove Miles from the booking
• Credit card rewards from the purchase
• And sometimes hotel points and elite night credits

That “sometimes” is where a little nuance matters.

Not every hotel booking made through a third-party platform will earn hotel points or elite credits. Rove has partnerships that can allow this on certain rates and properties, but it’s not guaranteed across the board. Make sure to check before you book.

That flexibility to layer multiple rewards on the same stay is what makes Rove work for both beginners and more experienced travelers.

---

Booking Hotels (This Is the Best Part)

This is where Rove really starts to get interesting.

Normally, when you book through a third-party site, you lose your hotel perks.

That usually means no points, no elite night credit, and no recognition of your status because the hotel sees that reservation as coming from an outside platform.

Rove works differently in some cases.

They offer certain bookings that are labeled as loyalty eligible, which means the hotel can still recognize your stay as if it were booked directly. When that happens, you’re able to add your hotel loyalty number and receive credit in the program.

In those eligible bookings, you can earn Rove Miles while also earning hotel points and, in many cases, elite night credit through the hotel’s program.

So instead of choosing one rewards path… you’re stacking on multiple levels.

You’re no longer always choosing between convenience and rewards, or between different types of rewards. In the right scenario, you’re layering them on the same stay, something that typically doesn’t happen with traditional booking platforms.

The key detail is that this doesn’t apply to every hotel or every rate, so it’s important to check whether a booking is marked as loyalty eligible. But when it is, that’s where Rove really stands out.

---

Booking Flights

You can also book flights through Rove and earn miles there too.

This is where it follows a similar idea to hotels, but with a few important differences.

When you book flights through Rove, you’ll earn Rove Miles on the purchase. Since flights are typically tied directly to your airline reservation (not the booking platform), you can usually still add your frequent flyer number and earn airline miles just like you normally would.

On top of that, if you pay with a credit card, you’ll also earn whatever rewards your card offers on travel purchases.

So in many cases, you’re earning across three layers:
✔ Rove Miles from the booking
✔ Airline miles from the flight itself
✔ Credit card rewards from the purchase

That’s the stacking piece again.

The main thing to know here is that airline earnings are generally more consistent than hotels when it comes to third-party bookings. As long as the ticket is eligible with the airline and you attach your frequent flyer number, you’ll typically earn miles and credit for the flight.

So while the upside with hotels can vary depending on the rate, flights tend to be more straightforward, and still give you that opportunity to layer rewards without changing how you normally book.

---

Shopping Through Rove

This works a lot like a shopping portal, but with a slightly different angle. If you aren’t sure what a shopping portal is, read about it HERE.

You click through Rove to a store, complete your purchase like you normally would, and earn Rove Miles on that transaction.

What makes this useful is that it doesn’t replace anything you’re already doing, it layers on top of it.

If you’re already earning rewards from your credit card, those still apply. If the store is running a sale or promo, you’re still getting that too. Rove just adds another stream of rewards in the background.

In some cases, you may need to choose between Rove and another shopping portal (since you typically can’t stack multiple portals on the same purchase), but it gives you another option to compare and decide which return is better.

So instead of changing your shopping habits, you’re just routing your purchase through one extra step, and picking up additional rewards for something you were already going to buy anyway.

It’s simple, low effort, and one of the easiest ways to earn extra miles without overthinking it.

---

When I Wouldn’t Use Rove

As good as Rove can be, it’s not always the best move. This is the part most people skip.

Here are the times I personally would book direct instead:

✔ When elite perks really matter

If you’re counting on things like free breakfast, room upgrades, late checkout, or guaranteed benefits from status, booking directly with Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt is usually the safer choice. Third-party bookings don’t always honor those perks.

✔ When you’re chasing status

If you’re close to earning or renewing hotel status, you’ll want to make sure your stay counts. Not all Rove bookings will earn elite night credits, and that can set you back.

✔ When the price is higher (always compare)

Sometimes third-party platforms can be slightly more expensive than booking direct. Even if you’re earning Rove Miles, it’s not worth it if you’re overpaying for the stay.

✔ When you need flexibility

If there’s a chance your plans could change, booking direct can make cancellations or modifications easier. Third-party bookings can sometimes add an extra layer to deal with.

✔ When you want to use hotel points or certificates

If you’re planning to redeem points, use a free night certificate, or apply a hotel-specific promo, you’ll need to book directly through the hotel.

---

Automate with a Browser Extension

If you’re like me and forget to click through portals half the time, this part is actually really helpful.

Rove has a browser extension that pops up when you’re on a participating store and lets you activate rewards right there.

Here’s how it works in real life:

There’s no need to start your shopping trip on Rove or remember to click through ahead of time; the reminder shows up when you’re already there.

---

What You Can Do With Rove Miles

Once you have earned points through Rove, you have two simple options on how to use those points.

1. Use points to book flights directly through Rove.
2. Transfer your points to travel partners for potentially even more value.

---

Want Help Getting Started?

If you want to learn how families are actually using points to travel for way less, make sure you start with my Beginner’s Guide.

Or come hang out with our community!

📧 Email list
📸 Instagram
👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Facebook group

---

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Advertiser Disclosure: The Rewards Mom has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Rewards Mom and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.