Hotel loyalty programs have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. With IHG, Hilton, and Marriott continuing to devalue their points, many travelers are left wondering whether chasing hotel status is still worth the effort. The truth is, in Japan, there are several lesser-known programs that may not promise champagne at check-in, but they do offer creative ways to earn, stack, and redeem rewards. If you’re willing to look beyond the big chains, you’ll find some surprisingly fun opportunities.

Best Western is one such underdog. While its name doesn’t carry the same prestige as the luxury giants, it has a knack for running generous promotions—sometimes offering as much as 30,000 points per stay, even at modest 3-star properties. Those points can be put toward future hotel nights or converted into airline miles with partners like Flying Blue, Cathay Pacific, or LifeMiles. The downside is that even the highest tier, Diamond Select, doesn’t guarantee perks like late check-out or early check-in, and breakfast is either not included or given to all guests regardless of status. With only two locations in Tokyo and three in Osaka, its footprint in major cities is limited, though it does have a scattered presence across other prefectures. Still, for travelers heading off the beaten path, Best Western can be a surprisingly rewarding choice.

Curious about how its properties stack up? We’ve put together a comparison of the two Best Western hotels in Okinawa; worth a read before you book your next island getaway.

Choice Privileges is another program that flies under the radar but has its own appeal. Like Best Western, Choice has more properties outside of Tokyo and Osaka, making it a practical option for regional travel. What makes it stand out is the ability to earn both hotel points and airline miles with partners such as Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Qantas, and United. It’s a neat way to double-dip, though travelers should be cautious: certain days of the week don’t qualify for points, so it pays to check the fine print before confirming a stay.

Accor Live Limitless (ALL) takes things in a more premium direction. With brands like Sofitel, Pullman, and Novotel, Accor’s properties in Japan tend to be higher-end, and so are the prices. But the program itself is powerful: members can earn miles with JAL or Qatar Airways alongside hotel points, and those points can be converted into airline miles at a decent rate. For travelers who don’t mind spending a little more, ALL offers a way to tie hotel stays directly into their broader mileage strategy.

Then there’s APA Hotels & Resorts, the local giant that’s practically everywhere in Japan. APA’s program is refreshingly flexible: members can earn points even when booking through third-party sites like Booking.com or Agoda. On top of that, those bookings can be stacked with airline shopping portals such as ANA Mileage Mall or United MileagePlus Shopping Japan, or cash back portals like Rakuten USA and TopCashBack. With such a wide network across Japan—and even a few properties overseas—APA is hard to ignore. The only real challenge is that its website and app are Japanese-only, which can make navigation tricky for non-native speakers. Still, if you’re comfortable booking through third-party sites, APA’s ubiquity makes it a reliable option.

One final tip: if you’re booking directly with Best Western, Choice, or Accor, don’t forget to access their websites through portals like Rakuten USA or TopCashBack. Doing so can earn you PayPal cash back or American Express Membership Rewards points on top of your hotel points. It’s a simple way to squeeze extra value out of every stay.

In the end, hotel status in Japan isn’t about luxury perks—it’s about being clever. Best Western rewards you with promos, Choice and Accor tie neatly into airline miles, and APA lets you earn even through third-party sites. None of these programs will guarantee suite upgrades or late check-outs, but they will help you stretch your points further. And in a world where devaluations seem endless, that’s a win worth celebrating.