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It might go without saying, but not all hotel points are created equal. Especially when it comes to free night redemptions, the value you can get from a World of Hyatt point, for instance, is drastically different from what you’ll get from a Radisson Rewards point.
Whether you’re unfamiliar with how different programs stack up or just want a quick reference to see if a redemption you’re considering is above or below average, here’s what hotel points are worth based on thousands of AwardWallet user redemptions.
Which Hotel Points Are the Most Valuable to Redeem?
Every time an AwardWallet user makes a hotel booking, we automatically check the cash rate for that exact reservation. This simple exercise powers our points and miles valuations, which are based on real bookings — not hypothetical redemptions.
From there, we’re able to generate average redemption values for each hotel rewards program using thousands of user bookings. In the table below, you can see the average point values for some of the most popular hotel rewards programs.
| Hotel Program | Average Point Value (Based on AwardWallet User Bookings) |
|---|---|
| Hyatt (World of Hyatt) | 2.19¢ |
| IHG Hotels & Resorts (One Rewards) | 0.68¢ |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1.29¢ |
| Choice Hotels (Choice Privileges) | 1.24¢ |
| Marriott (Bonvoy) | 1.12¢ |
| Hilton (Honors) | 0.62¢ |
| Radisson Hotels (Radisson Rewards) | 0.41¢ |
One of the most obvious takeaways is the wide spread between the most valuable hotel points and the least valuable. Not to pick on Radisson Rewards, but its points don’t hold a candle to the average redemption value of a World of Hyatt point, for example.
Plus, it’s worth repeating that these values are averages. It’s entirely possible to get far more than 0.62¢ per point on a Hilton Honors redemption, and just as possible to get less. And that goes for each and every program, largely thanks to dynamic award pricing.
Recent changes to hotel programs
One caveat to our approach to valuations is that values can be slow to adjust after a major change.
Take the recent World of Hyatt award chart changes. Our World of Hyatt valuation remains largely unchanged due to the relatively few bookings since these changes took effect. Once we have enough data points, we will wipe out prior bookings and base our valuation solely on new bookings. But for now, the current value of World of Hyatt points may (or may not) be overstated.
The same is true for Choice Privileges. AwardWallet users have gotten incredible value out of Choice points at hotels in Japan over the past few years:
However, award rates seem to have just skyrocketed at these hotels. If this devaluation sticks, Choice points won't be worth as much going forward.
Related: Which Luxury Hotel Brands Offer the Best Value for Your Points?
Top Ways to Earn Hotel Points
Generally, the most valuable hotel points are the hardest to earn. But no matter which hotel currency you’re interested in earning, there are several ways to build your balance beyond completing paid stays.
Here’s a look at some of the top methods.
Earn a welcome bonus on a hotel credit card
One of the easiest ways to earn a bunch of points in one fell swoop is through a hotel credit card welcome bonus. After you’re approved, you can earn a set number of bonus points by meeting a spending requirement.
Each of the major hotel programs mentioned above (aside from Radisson Rewards, which discontinued its co-branded cards in 2022) offers at least a couple of credit cards with welcome bonuses. That includes several personal options:
$95Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
$0 introductory annual fee, then $150Rates & Fees
(Terms Apply)
- 12X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
- 4X bonus points on U.S online retail purchases
- 3X bonus points for all other eligible purchases on your card
$650Rates & Fees
(Terms Apply)
- 6X points on purchases at Marriott Properties
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
And a handful of options for small businesses:
$199Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X total points per $1 spent at Hyatt – 4X points per $1 on qualifying purchases when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
In addition, you'll earn 2X points per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter. Eligible categories include:
- Dining
- Shipping
- Airline tickets when purchased directly with the airline
- Local transit & commuting
- Social media & search engine Advertising
- Car rental agencies
- Gas stations
- Internet, cable & phone services
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $195Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 12X Hilton Honors points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- 5X Hilton Honors points on the first $100,000 spent per calendar year on other eligible purchases; 3X thereafter
$125Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy® points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
- 4x Marriott Bonvoy® points on each dollar of eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping
- 2x Marriott Bonvoy® points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
In some cases, you might see a hotel credit card offer free night awards instead of points as part of the welcome bonus. These offers come and go, so it’s worth jumping on one if you know you can maximize it.
Related: Top Hotel Rewards Cards for Earning Points and Free Nights
Buy points strategically
You can’t earn a new credit card welcome bonus every day, so one often-overlooked way to earn points is by buying them strategically. Most hotel programs sell points — sometimes with a bonus or discount — including:
- World of Hyatt (buy now)
- IHG One Rewards (buy now)
- Wyndham Rewards (buy now)
- Choice Privileges (buy now)
- Marriott Bonvoy (buy now)
- Hilton Honors (buy now)
- Radisson Rewards (buy now)
In some cases, buying points for a stay can be cheaper than paying the cash rate outright. When that happens, it can make sense to purchase the points you need for a booking (or just enough to top off your account) and then redeem them once they hit your account.
It’s a strategy many of us at AwardWallet use when the numbers work, and we've saved thousands over the years. But just be sure to crunch the numbers before you pull out your wallet.
Related: Current Promotions for Buying Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Transfer from a flexible rewards program
Most of the hotel programs mentioned above, though not all, partner with transferable rewards programs. That means you can earn points through a program like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards and then transfer them to a hotel partner like Marriott Bonvoy.
With a few exceptions, these transfers don’t usually offer great value.
If you’re aiming for top (or even average) value from your transferable points, you’re almost always better off moving them to airline programs and booking international business class awards.
And to give you an idea of just how different that value can be, consider that on average, AwardWallet users redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for 2.02¢ apiece.
You could transfer your Chase points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, or possibly a bit better if there’s a transfer bonus, and redeem them for an average of 1.12¢ apiece. Or, you could transfer your Chase points to a program like United MileagePlus and redeem them for international business class for an average of 2.02¢ each.
The big exception here is World of Hyatt, which, as noted above, averages around 2.19¢ per point on redemptions. That (for now) can make it a solid use of Chase points.
But the same can’t always be said for most other hotel transfer partners of Chase Ultimate Rewards, or any other transferable rewards program for that matter.
Related: Maximize Your Points: All Current Transfer Bonuses Available Now
Bottom Line
No two hotel currencies are created the same. If you’re trying to pick and choose which ones to focus on, we’d lean toward programs like World of Hyatt or IHG One Rewards, since they generally offer some of the best value for your points.
That’s not to say you should avoid programs like Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy, but they’re among the most notorious for making you work a bit harder to get decent value from your points.
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For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees), The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
