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Hilton Hotels is home to more than 7,000 properties dotted across every corner of the globe. From Ireland to Indonesia and almost every country in between, award travelers can redeem and earn Hilton Honors points at countless locations, with a broad selection of options to suit every budget.
Even better, Hilton makes earning points incredibly easy for Hilton Honors members. In addition to earning points via hotel stays, Hilton features an impressive selection of American Express co-branded credit cards, high-value travel partners (such as Lyft), and an excellent dining rewards program called Hilton Honors Dining.
Also, thanks to Hilton's industry-leading points pooling policy, it's easy to share points with family and friends. Thus, top-tier redemptions are always within an arm's reach — especially when you're working with a team.
Here's everything you need to know about earning Hilton Honors points.
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Earn Hilton Honors Points Through Hotel Stays
The traditional way of earning Hilton Honors points is to stay at a Hilton-branded hotel. The number of points earned for a particular stay depends on a variety of factors.
How much you spend is at the crux of stay-based points earning. The more money spent on a room (before taxes and fees) and on other charges at the property, the more Hilton points you earn.
Two other factors also help determine the total number of points earned for your stay:
- The hotel brand
- Your Hilton elite status
Generally, Hilton members earn 10 points per dollar spent at most properties. However, at two brands (Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton), members earn 5 points per dollar spent. There is an exception to this rule, however: You'll earn 10 points per dollar spent at Home2 properties in China. And at LivSmart Studios, one of Hilton's newest brands, you'll earn 3 points per dollar spent.
If you have Hilton elite status, you'll earn an elite bonus based on a multiplier of this base rate.
- Silver: 20% bonus
- Gold: 80% bonus
- Diamond: 100% bonus
Related: How Many Points Can You Earn on Hilton Stays?
Below is a chart summarizing the intersection of Hilton brands and elite status as they apply to points earned on hotel stays:
| Hotel Brand | Base Rate ( points per $1) | Silver (+20%) | Gold (+80%) | Diamond (+100%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most Hilton Brands and Home2 Suites properties in China | 10 | 12 | 18 | 20 |
| Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton | 5 | 6 | 9 | 10 |
| LivSmart Studios by Hilton | 3 | 3.6 | 5.4 | 6 |
Get Hilton elite status with credit cards
Ordinarily, Hilton Gold status requires 20 stays or 40 nights, and Diamond status requires 30 stays or 60 nights. However, credit card shortcuts exist for each of these status levels.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides complimentary Gold status and has a $150 annual fee (Rates & Fees). The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card provides top-tier Diamond status as part of its $550 annual fee .
Instead of a Hilton co-branded option, you could also pick up The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Both cards let you enroll for Hilton Honors Gold status and keep it for as long as you keep either card in your wallet and pay the annual fee.
Use promotions to earn more Hilton Honors points
Hilton runs frequent promotions that offer members bonus points after meeting specified criteria, like spending a certain number of nights in a Hilton property or visiting new hotels shortly after they open. While promos vary by terms and bonuses offered, many require members to register to earn bonus Hilton Honors points through the offer. Taking a moment to register for available Hilton promotions helps you rack up even more points on hotel stays; it's worth the effort!
AwardWallet's list of active reward program promotions will always include the latest Hilton Honors promotions. And be sure to check out your personal offers page for targeted Hilton Honors promotions as well.
Build a huge balance of points with meetings and events
Though not necessarily an option most people will take advantage of, planning a meeting or event with Hilton offers another way to earn Hilton Honors points. Depending on the size and scope of your event, this could mean a sizeable number of points.
All eligible charges in the Event Planner Program earn 1 Hilton Honors point per $1 spent, up to $100,000. This program has a long list of terms and conditions, including a roster of participating locations, event contract details, and more.
From the Hilton Honors Event Planner Program FAQ page, two items stand out. First, the Hilton Honors member earning the bonus points from the event does not need to be the same person signing the event contract but does need to be specified in the contract. Second, there is no cap on the number of points earned from events. There's only a limitation of earning points on the first $100,000 per event.
Earning Hilton Honors Points With Credit Cards
By far, the most efficient way for Hilton Honors members to earn points on an ongoing basis is through co-branded credit card spend. American Express issues a total of four co-branded Hilton credit cards. Each comes with varying levels of perks and annual fees.
Spending on these cards allows you to accumulate Hilton Honors points rapidly. And by meeting spending requirements, you can earn bonus perks like free night certificates and a large welcome bonus.
Better yet, all of the Hilton Amex cards provide some level of elite status. That will score you a range of valuable benefits when staying at properties across the Hilton portfolio.
Related: All the Credit Cards That Earn Hilton Honors Points
Best card for elite status
- 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio
- 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly through select rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card
- Automatically receive top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status just for holding this card.
- Receive a Free Night Reward each cardmember year, valid at almost any Hilton property worldwide
- Earn up to two more Free Night Rewards through spending each year.
- See our full Hilton Aspire review for more details.
Best card for occasional travelers
- Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. That's up to $200 in statement credits annually.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
- As a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you're enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $150 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 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
- Automatically receive Hilton Honors Gold status as a cardholder.
- Earn a Free Night Reward by spending $15,000 in a calendar year.
- See our full Hilton Surpass review for more details.
Earn Hilton points with no annual fee
- Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- No Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 7X Points per dollar on eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Receive complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status as a holder of this card without paying an annual fee (Rates & Fees).
- Spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year to earn Hilton Honors Gold status.
- See our full Hilton Amex review for more details.
Best Hilton card for business owners
- Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases.
- Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
- Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. With Hilton Honors™ Gold Status, you can enjoy benefits at hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio. As a Gold member, earn an 80% Bonus on all Base Points you earn on every stay.
- You may receive an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the calendar year if the total eligible purchases on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
- As a Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you're enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
- Terms apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 12X Hilton Honors points on 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
- Automatically receive Hilton Honors Gold status as a cardholder.
- See our full Hilton Business Card review for more details.
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
While a card's welcome offer gives you a nice, one-time boost to Hilton Honors points balances, spending on these cards allows you to accumulate lots of points throughout the year.
Have a friend or family member who wants a Hilton Honors credit card, too? By referring them through American Express, you can earn bonus Hilton points after they've been approved for a new card. Referral offers and availability vary by card and your relationship with Amex.
Transfer points earned on Amex Membership Rewards credit cards
Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to the Hilton Honors program at a rate of 1:2 (1,000 Amex points become 2,000 Hilton Honors points). Periodic transfer bonuses can help boost this rate even higher.
However, there's a wide variety of high-value American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners. That means there is a very large opportunity cost when transferring points to the Hilton Honors program — even when Amex runs a 50% transfer bonus.
Generally, the best use case for transferring Amex points to Hilton is when you're a few points shy of an award redemption. And even when you're looking for a few points to put you over the top, there are plenty of other ways to earn Hilton Honors points, meaning can save your Membership Rewards for other high-value redemptions.
Related: All of the Cards That Earn American Express Membership Rewards Points
Transfer miles from other partners
Amex Membership Rewards is not the only program that partners with Hilton Honors. Diners Club, Hawaiian Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic all provide points transfers of their respective loyalty programs to the Hilton Honors.
Similar to Amex point transfers, these transfers are rarely advisable. Simply put: Your points won't be worth as much. However, if you have earned any of these loyalty program points and lack other uses for them, a transfer to Hilton beats letting them go to waste.
Earn Hilton Honors Points With Program Partners
Like most other hotel and airline programs, Hilton allows members to accrue points through various other activities. For instance, you can take a Lyft ride to your favorite restaurant and earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for both the Lyft ride and the meal! Below is a list of partner programs that offer ways to earn additional Hilton Honors points.
Hilton Honors Dining
The Hilton Honors Dining program used to go by the moniker “HHonors Dining” before the program's re-branding. Whatever the name, the structure is the same. You'll earn up to 8 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent using your registered credit or debit card at participating establishments. It doesn't even have to be a Hilton co-branded card.
Your entire bill earns bonus points. That's right, even your tax and tip earn points. Like other dining programs, only certain restaurants participate. Restrictions may apply, such as only being available on specified days of the week. Use the search tool on the Hilton Honors Dining website to find your participating eateries nearby.
Hilton Honors–Lyft partnership
Since 2019, Lyft has partnered with Hilton to offer riders the chance to earn Hilton Honors points with every Lyft ride. After linking your Lyft and Hilton Honors accounts, riders earn 3X Hilton Honors points for every dollar spent on Lyft rides.
Earnings are capped to the first $10,000 of Lyft spend per year. Plus, Lyft regularly offers discounts or coupons for first-time riders. Be advised that, while Lyft partners with several other loyalty programs, users only earn points with a single Lyft partner at a time. Be sure you want to earn Hilton Honors points when riding with Lyft.
Earn bonus points with Hilton Honors car rentals
You can earn Hilton Honors points even when you do the driving yourself, thanks to Hilton's rental car arrangement. Earn up to 5,000 bonus points with rentals from Alamo, Enterprise, and National at locations across the world.
Each rental earns a base rate of 500 Hilton Honors points plus another 500 points for each day of the rental. That means a one-day rental earns a total of 1,000 points (500 base + 500 bonus), and a rental of nine or more days earns the maximum 5,000 bonus points.
Many other travel loyalty programs have car rental partnerships as well. Before deciding to book a rental car and earn Hilton Honors points, consider the alternative points or miles you could earn through other methods.
Hilton Honors shopping portal
Unfortunately, Hilton pulled the plug on its online shopping portal in 2018. Should Hilton Honors Shop-to-Earn ever return, be assured that AwardWallet will cover it!
Other Ways To Earn Hilton Honors Points
Buy Hilton points
Even with all of the outstanding ways to earn Hilton Honors points, sometimes redemptions call for more points than can be accumulated organically. If that's the case, you can buy Hilton points.
Make sure to time any points purchases with the 100% bonus that Hilton periodically offers to get the best deal. Without a bonus, Hilton charges $10 for 1,000 points. That becomes a more reasonable $5 per 1,000 points after the 100% bonus. While speculative points purchases are not advised, buying points to allow for a specific redemption might make a lot of sense — especially if you're redeeming the points at a higher value than what you paid for them.
Outside of the promotions, Hilton typically allows members to buy up to 80,000 Hilton Honors points per year. Points purchases are processed through Points.com, so they won't qualify as travel spending for credit card purchases.
Related: Which Credit Card Should You Use To Buy Points and Miles?
If you want to buy more points in a year than Hilton allows, leverage Hilton's very generous points pooling policy. All it takes is finding a friend or family member (or a few of each, depending on your points needs) and getting them to buy points during a promotion. Then, have them transfer those points to your account.
Take surveys with Guest Opinion Rewards
Hilton lets you earn points for answering questions as well. Through a partnership with Guest Opinion Rewards, Hilton lets you earn Hilton Honors points for taking surveys. Answer questions as prompted; in exchange for your opinion and time, you'll bank Hilton points. Eager survey-takers have other chances to score Hilton Honors points for their opinions as well.
Recently, there have been offers for Hilton Honors members to sign up and earn 1,250 Hilton Honors points after completing their first survey. However, in the past, there have been opportunities to earn 10,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after completing your first survey, so be on the lookout for elevated opportunities in the future.
Bottom Line
Hilton has thousands of hotel properties worldwide, and it feels like there are just as many ways to earn Hilton Honors points. You can earn bonus points for doing something as simple as taking an online survey or for virtually everything along the way on a cross-country road trip.
The easiest way to build up a big balance of Hilton Honors points is with a co-branded Hilton Honors credit card. These cards provide excellent welcome offers, which can then be supplemented virtually anywhere, anytime, by spending on the card.
Stack your hotel stay with one of Hilton's many promotions, and you'll have earned enough points for a free night (or more) at one of 7,000+ hotel locations across 120+ countries. Making the most of opportunities like the Hilton Honors Dining program and Hilton's partnership with Lyft, coupled with co-branded credit card spend, will only help those points accumulate even faster.
And remember, Hilton points expire after 24 months without account activity, but all of the points-earning methods described above will keep your points and account active.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Rates & Fees)
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