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Hilton Honors Rewards Program: How to Maximize Your Points

by Sophia Mendel

Updated Jan 30, 2024

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.

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Hilton Honors elite status offers sublime perks for consumers who regularly stay at Hilton properties, including free nights and complimentary room upgrades.

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As one of the largest hotel brands in the world, Hilton has a robust customer loyalty program to keep travelers coming back for more. Hilton Honors gives loyal customers a way to redeem points earned for free hotel stays across its 18 brands around the world. With over 6,800 properties, Hilton likely has a hotel property that fits your needs and budget.

Hilton Honors quick facts
Number of properties	More than 6,800
Hilton points needed for a free night	5,000
Number of redemption options	6
Point value	0.5 cents per point ($0.005)
Pros	Plenty of properties to choose from Ability to redeem fifth night free Points are transferable to airline programs Large portfolio of cards to earn rewards with
Cons	Points have low value Hilton properties are based on dynamic pricing Exclusive properties cost over 100,000-plus per night Elite status is easy to earn, making it less valuable

Table of contents

• Is Hilton Honors worth it?
• How much are points worth?
• Pros and cons
• Earning points
• Redeeming points
• Elite status
• Frequently asked questions

Is Hilton Honors worth it?

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or you only travel a few times per year, the Hilton Honors program is worth utilizing to earn points for a free hotel stay in the future.

The points you earn can be used at a lengthy list of properties, and your points won’t expire unless your account is inactive for 24 consecutive months.

While many pundits of hotel rewards programs state that consumers need a ton of points to stay at hotels for free, there are still many options available for those who only earn small amounts of Hilton Honors points. With affordable options for many travelers, the Hilton Honors program is a great option for all types of travelers.

How much are Hilton points worth?

Hotel points can be enjoyable to collect, but they typically aren't worth much.

Hilton Honors points are generally valued at 0.5 cents per point. This brings the value of 10,000 Hilton Honors points to roughly $50.

This is a rough estimation based on our valuations, as Hilton doesn't reveal the true "value" of its points.

You'll want to collect Hilton Honors points with the intention of using them right away. Hoarding your points and saving them for future use is a bad strategy, as rewards programs regularly devalue their points to protect their bottom line. So if your hotel stay earns you around half a cent per point, using Hilton points may be worth it.

How do you know if using Hilton points is worth it?

Hilton points are generally valued around 0.5 cents per point — if a hotel stay is worth around 0.5 cents per point, then it's likely worth it to use them. To calculate the value of Hilton points, use this simple equation:

Cash price (including taxes and fees) / Number of points needed for hotel stay = Points value for that specific reservation

Pros and cons of the Hilton Honors rewards program

Among the large hotel rewards programs, Hilton Honors stands out for its wide variety of options to earn and spend Hilton Honors points.

Pros

The Hilton Honors program is free and easy to join, and with over 6,800 properties, offers endless options to travel for less. Hilton Honors is also one of the easier programs to earn elite status for, giving travelers quick access to valuable hotel perks, such as upgrades, free nights and late checkout.

Cons

A major downside of the Hilton Honors program is that it operates on dynamic pricing. This means that prices for award nights will fluctuate based on demand. Other programs, like World of Hyatt, use an award chart to price their award nights. This matters because you may find a hotel room you like, but the price may change before you book the room. In addition, prices for similar properties can vary widely, depending on time and location. Because of this, it is best to earn more points than you need.

Earning Hilton Honors points

The Hilton Honors program is one of the simplest programs to get started with because of the many opportunities for earning Hilton points. Here are some of the more popular ways to earn points:

Hilton cards

Hilton has partnered with American Express to provide some of the most-regarded hotel credit cards on the market. From Hilton hotel stays to restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, these cards offer generous points on all your purchases.

Credit card	Welcome offer	Earning rate	Annual fee
[data-lightrail id="923"]{name}[/data-lightrail] [affiliate-lightrail id="923" view="banner" width="135" /]	Earn [data-lightrail id="923"]{signUpBonus}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="923"]{rewardsRateDesc}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="923"]{fee.annual.text}[/data-lightrail] [data-lightrail id="923"]]See rates and fees[[/data-lightrail]
[data-lightrail id="1302"]{name}[/data-lightrail] [affiliate-lightrail id="1302" view="banner" width="135" /]	Earn up to $130 in Statement Credits on eligible purchases made on the Card at any of the Hilton family hotels in the first 12 months of Card Membership.† Plus, earn [data-lightrail id="1302"]{signUpBonus}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="1302"]{rewardsRateDesc}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="1302"]{fee.annual.text}[/data-lightrail]
[data-lightrail id="1828"]{name}[/data-lightrail] [affiliate-lightrail id="1828" view="banner" width="135" /]	[data-lightrail id="1828"]{signUpBonus}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="1828"]{rewardsRateDesc}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="1828"]{fee.annual.text}[/data-lightrail]
[data-lightrail id="1155"]{name}[/data-lightrail] [affiliate-lightrail id="1155" view="banner" width="135" /]	[data-lightrail id="1155"]{signUpBonus}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="1155"]{rewardsRateDesc}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="1155"]{fee.annual.text}[/data-lightrail]
[data-lightrail id="54"]{name}[/data-lightrail] [affiliate-lightrail id="54" view="banner" width="135" /]	[data-lightrail id="54"]{signUpBonus}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="54"]{rewardsRateDesc}[/data-lightrail]	[data-lightrail id="54"]{fee.annual.text}[/data-lightrail] [data-lightrail id="54"]]See rates and fees[[/data-lightrail]

Buy Hilton Honors points

You can buy Hilton points directly from Hilton if you need additional points for a reservation. We don't recommend this option, however, since purchasing points can exceed their estimated value.

Purchasing Hilton points is suited for people who need to top off their points balance for a stay, not for purchasing in large quantities. From time to time, Hilton offers discounts on purchasing points that may net a decent value.

If you buy Hilton points, be sure to calculate the value you receive prior to purchasing; you can do this by using the formula mentioned above.

Transfer Hilton Honors points to a friend/family member

You can transfer your Hilton Honors points to a friend or family member if you're planning on booking a trip together. There are no fees involved with transferring your points.

How to redeem Hilton Honors points

Once you earn Hilton Honors points, the exciting part is spending them. Hilton points are simple to redeem, but it can be tricky to navigate Hilton's dynamic pricing.

Free nights

The best option for using Hilton Honors points is redeeming them for free hotel nights. Whether you’re looking for a budget property or a luxurious getaway, your points can save you a great amount of money.

But it's best to monitor the value of your points before you book a room. The chart below offers a rough guideline on when to use Hilton points and when it’s best to pay cash. You’ll notice there isn’t a fixed dollar amount on the left-hand side: The general idea is the higher the cost of the room, the better it is to use points — especially if the value for the points is high.

For example, let's look at a hotel reservation for a Hilton Grand Vacations property in Las Vegas. The room costs $238 after taxes and fees, or 75,000 Hilton Honors points. This equates to $0.003 cents per point, a below average valuation for an award room booking. In this case, it will NOT be worth using points.

You can book free nights at any of Hilton's 18 brands:

Hilton Fifth night free

Hilton's fifth night free benefit gets you an extra night on your reservation when you pay for four consecutive nights with Hilton Honors points. This boosts your point value by 20%, and gives you one extra night to rest your head at a Hilton property.

You’ll need to have Silver status or above with Hilton Honors to qualify for this option. To earn Hilton status, you must meet one of the thresholds below or have a : What to Know"]Hilton Honors credit card that awards complimentary status to cardholders.

Transfer your points to another rewards program

You can use your Hilton Honors points to book flights on a number of partnering airlines, and earn further points by flying with those airlines and transferring your miles to Hilton. Note that to do this, you must have your desired travel partner linked to your Hilton Honors account and all transactions must be done online.

Here are all of Hilton's participating airline partners:

Alternative redemptions for Hilton points

If you earn Hilton Honors points but don't have any need for the hotel points, you can redeem them for other options:

It's important to know that these redemptions will net you a low value on your Hilton Honors points. If you earn Hilton Honors points through credit card purchases but don't intend on redeeming points for hotel rooms, it may be best to switch to a different travel rewards credit card.

Hilton Honors elite status

Hilton Honors elite status is a great way to enhance your hotel stay experience. Benefits like free hotel room upgrades, food and beverage credits and welcome amenities are just a few of the potential benefits you may receive with Hilton Honors elite status.

Status is typically earned through staying a specific amount of nights at Hilton properties. This method is applicable for those who travel constantly for work or leisure.

Hilton status levels

Once you earn Hilton status, you’ll have it until the end of the following calendar year.

Benefits of Hilton Honors elite status

Here are the different status levels of the Hilton Honors program, along with what each level earns you.

Frequently asked questions