Avoid Issues with your Hotel Reservations
Multiple hotel partners report that they are not getting traveler contact information in Defense Travel System (DTS) reservations and are cancelling hotel reservations if a travel card is not activated when the booking is made. Hotels may verify the card before the check in date, and if the card is inactive, there is a risk that the reservation will be cancelled. Before making a reservation, make sure that your GTCC (Government Travel Charge Card) is active, particularly if you have a restricted card.
Some actions that can be taken to avoid cancellation of hotel bookings due to this issue are:
- Be sure that your GTCC number is entered correctly into your profile
- If your GTCC is inactive, follow instructions to contact Citi and activate your card prior to making your hotel reservations
- If you have a restricted card, which is only active during an authorized trip, let your APC (Agency Program Coordinator) know as soon as possible so that your card can be activated, and your credit limit can be adjusted (if needed) before your trip
- Add hotel loyalty program numbers into your Defense Travel System (DTS) profile before travel or when making a hotel reservation in DTS
When hotels have your loyalty/rewards information on file, they can contact you directly if needed. You can sign up for hotel loyalty programs and enter the numbers into your DTS profile by the brand. Some hotel chain programs have multiple hotel brands and you will need to enter the same chain number for each brand within that chain where you would like to stay. Download the hotel chain apps on your mobile phone to receive immediate notifications from them, in addition to other benefits like digital keys, automating special requests (extra pillow, room location, late check out, etc.), rapid check in, free bottled water, etc. (The benefits offered vary between chains and brands.)
Follow these steps to add your loyalty numbers in DTS. Update your profile under the “My Profile” option in the menu next to your name (upper right) or add it during the reservation selection process.
*Note: Although there is one app for each hotel chain loyalty program, Defense travelers must add their loyalty program numbers at the individual hotel brand level in their DTS profile. The number only needs to be associated with each brand once, then it is automatically applied as new reservations are made.
In DTS, an IHG One Rewards number must be associated with the individual IHG brand that a traveler is planning to book, for example, to both the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands, or for any of the other 19 IHG hotel brands. Likewise, a traveler’s Hilton Honors number must be individually applied to Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, etc.
Besides providing the hotel a way to contact you, other loyalty program benefits include:
- Most are free to join
- You can collect points on your hotel stay to redeem for personal travel in the future
- Loyalty program members often receive special amenities or room upgrades
Remember: join the loyalty program and enter your number for each hotel brand in DTS before you book the brand or as you complete your booking. More detailed (step by step) instructions are available in the Defense Travel System (DTS) Guide 2: Authorizations: https://media.defense.gov/2022/May/11/2002995241/-1/-1/0/DTS_GUIDE_2_AUTHORIZATION.PDF