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Across the major hotel chains, there’s no shortage of luxury brands. And just as each brand is unique, so is the value you’ll get when redeeming points for a stay. Some luxury brands deliver far more value per point than others, and that’s true across the board — from Choice to Hyatt and everything in between.
In this post, we’ll reveal which luxury brands offer the best value for your points across six hotel chains. And we'll also cover how to earn the points you’ll need to book a stay at those top performers.
Page Contents
How We Calculated Point Values for Luxury Hotel Brands
You’ll notice that we reference “calculated” point values for several luxury hotel brands. That’s an important distinction, because the values below are based on thousands of real bookings made by AwardWallet users. They're not estimates or guesses.
AwardWallet tracks and analyzes travel reservations booked with points or miles. We look at how many points were redeemed, how much was paid out of pocket, and what it would’ve cost to book a comparable stay for the same dates. From there, we calculate the average value per point.
And for this article, we reviewed data across six major hotel chains and identified the luxury brands within each program that routinely deliver top value for your points — relative to other brands in the same portfolio.
Related: How Much Are Points and Miles Really Worth? A Data-Driven Look at Real Redemptions
How to find AwardWallet point and mile values
Before we move on, we’d be remiss not to mention that the point and mile values AwardWallet tracks for hotel, airline, and transferable rewards programs are publicly available. To access them, simply click here.
As AwardWallet users make additional redemptions (both good and not-so-good), these values might fluctuate marginally over time. But no matter what, it’s a good resource to bookmark, as you can use our tools to help figure out how the redemption you’re planning stacks up to what the average AwardWallet user redeems those points and miles for.
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Best-Value Luxury Brands by Hotel Program
So, which luxury brands come out on top? Let’s go program by program and find out.
Marriott Bonvoy
Of all the hotel chains in this article, Marriott wins for having the most brands. But of its 35 plus brands, only six fall into Marriott Bonvoy’s “Luxury” bracket. Here’s how those brands stack up based on average redemption value:
- St. Regis: 1.31¢
- Edition: 1.17¢
- The Ritz-Carlton: 1.14¢
- The Luxury Collection: 1.08¢
- W Hotels: 0.93¢
- JW Marriott: 0.88¢
Most of these averages exceed the overall average redemption value of a Marriott Bonvoy point, which across all brands is 0.93¢ apiece.
While dynamic pricing can make it harder to snag a deal at times, redeeming points for luxury stays is still one of the more reliable ways to get better-than-average value from your Marriott points.
Related: 10 Best Marriott Bonvoy Points Redemptions for Luxury Stays
Top ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points
It’s incredibly easy to earn Marriott points, as there are seemingly endless ways to do so. Marriott sells points (sometimes with a bonus or discount), lets you multiply the points earned from a past stay, and offers several co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.
$95Rates & Fees
- 6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- 3X points for every $1 spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
$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
$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
Marriott is also a transfer partner of multiple flexible rewards programs. But even when there’s an active transfer bonus, you may want to press pause before moving points over, since Marriott is typically one of the less valuable transfer options.
Related: Ways to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points Without Staying at a Hotel
Hilton Honors
The Hilton Honors program spans 25 brands and more than 9,000 properties worldwide. But despite those big numbers, Hilton lists just five brands in its “Luxurious Getaways” portfolio. Here’s how those brands stack up based on the average redemption value of a Hilton Honors point:
- Waldorf Astoria: 0.84¢
- Conrad: 0.67¢
- LXR Hotels & Resorts: 0.67¢
- Signia: Not enough data to calculate an average
- NoMad: Not enough data to calculate an average
For context, the average redemption value of a Hilton Honors point across all brands is 0.59¢ apiece. That makes luxury properties one of the better ways to maximize your points.
That said, as Hilton continues to raise award pricing at some of its most aspirational properties, it’s fair to wonder how long luxury redemptions will consistently outpace the program average.
Related: 10 Best Hilton Honors Points Redemptions for Luxury Stays
Top ways to earn more Hilton Honors points
If you’re short the Hilton points needed to book a stay at one of the program’s luxury properties, you’ve got several ways to top off your account.
Depending on how many points you need, you might first consider buying Hilton points. You can regularly purchase Hilton Honors points for as little as 0.5¢ apiece.
You could also apply for one of the four Hilton Honors co-branded credit cards issued by American Express. Three of the four cards carry an annual fee, and those typically come with larger welcome bonuses.
$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
$550Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 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
$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
It’s also possible to transfer flexible rewards points to Hilton, though this usually isn’t something we like to recommend. Hilton isn’t the most valuable transfer partner, and you can often get more value by sending your points elsewhere.
Related: All the Credit Cards That Earn Hilton Honors Points
IHG One Rewards
The IHG One Rewards program advertises 20 brands, six of which fall into its “Luxury & Lifestyle Collection.” Here’s how those brands stack up based on average redemption value per IHG point:
- InterContinental Hotels and Resorts: 0.69¢
- Hotel Indigo: 0.64¢
- Kimpton: 0.63¢
- Regent Hotels: 0.53¢
- Six Senses: Not enough data to calculate an average
- Vignette Collection: Not enough data to calculate an average
For context, AwardWallet users, on average, redeem IHG One Rewards points for 0.68¢ apiece. That means InterContinental properties tend to deliver ever so slightly above average value, while some other “Luxury & Lifestyle Collection” brands come in below the program average.
Related: 10 Best IHG One Rewards Points Redemptions for Luxury Stays
Top ways to earn more IHG One Rewards points
Something we like about the IHG One Rewards program is that it’s fairly easy to earn its points. This starts with a lineup of three Chase-issued IHG credit cards that are no strangers to valuable welcome bonuses.
- Earn up to 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining, utilities, select streaming services, and at gas stations
- 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 5X points for being a IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Cardmember
- Earn up to 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of this Card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
$99Rates & Fees
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
- Earn up to 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
$99Rates & Fees
- Earn up to 26X total points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on travel, dining, social media search engine advertising, and at office supply stores and gas stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for charging your stay to your IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Earn up to 6X bonus points for having IHG®Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X base points for being an IHG® One Rewards Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Outside of applying for a co-branded hotel credit card, you can also buy IHG points outright (often for as little as 0.50¢ apiece) or transfer them in from the following programs:
Related: How Many IHG Rewards Points Can I Earn on Hotel Stays?
World of Hyatt
The fan-favorite World of Hyatt program features 36 brands, five of which Hyatt categorizes as “Luxury.” Here’s how the average redemption values stack up at those brands:
- Alila: 3.31¢
- Park Hyatt: 2.60¢
- Miraval: Not enough data to calculate an average
- Impression by Secrets: Not enough data to calculate an average
- The Unbound Collection by Hyatt: Not enough data to calculate an average
Of all the major hotel currencies, World of Hyatt points are among the most valuable. On average, AwardWallet users redeem them for 2.19¢ apiece, which means they’re worth earning even if you don’t have plans to use them at a Park Hyatt or Alila property.
Related: 10 Best World of Hyatt Points Redemptions for Luxury Stays
Top ways to earn more World of Hyatt points
Interested in earning some of those ultra-valuable World of Hyatt points? If so, you might consider applying for a Chase-issued World of Hyatt credit card and earning its welcome bonus.
$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
$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
You could also top off your account by buying World of Hyatt points — or by transferring points into your Hyatt account from one of the following flexible rewards programs:
Related: How to Earn Hyatt Points On Hyatt Stays, Meetings, Card Spending, And More
Choice Privileges
Of the 22 distinct Choice Privileges brands, Choice groups eight into a category it calls “Travel with More.” These are its more upscale brands that, as the name suggests, offer more amenities and a more elevated experience than a typical midscale or budget property.
Of those eight brands, AwardWallet has sufficient data for half. Here’s how they stack up:
- Ascend Hotel Collection: 1.10¢
- Radisson Blu: 1.09¢
- Cambria Hotels: 1.04¢
- Radisson: 0.96¢
The following brands didn’t have enough data to calculate an average value:
- Radisson Individuals
- Radisson RED
- Park Plaza by Radisson
- Radisson Collection
For context, the average AwardWallet user redeems Choice Privileges points for 1.25¢ apiece. In other words, that higher average is largely driven by redemptions at midscale and budget brands (especially in Japan and the Nordics), not these more upscale “Travel with More” properties.
Related: Ultimate Guide to Choice Privileges: How to Earn and Redeem Points, Unlock Elite Status, and More
Top ways to earn more Choice Privileges points
Need more Choice points to book a stay at one of its “Travel with More” properties? Short of buying Choice points outright (ideally when there’s a bonus or discount available), you can apply for one of the two Wells Fargo issued Choice credit cards, both of which offer welcome bonuses.
$0On Wells Fargo's website
Rates & Fees
- 5x points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases
- 3x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services
- 1x points on other purchases
$95On Wells Fargo's website
Rates & Fees
- 10x points on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases
- 5x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and on phone plan services
- 1x points on other purchases
Choice Privileges also has multiple transfer partners you can lean on, including a few that offer lucrative 1:2 transfer ratios.
Related: Do Choice Privileges Points Expire? Here’s How to Keep Them Alive
Wyndham Rewards
Despite being one of the world’s largest hotel chains by property count, Wyndham doesn’t play much in the luxury space. Just two of its 25 brands have mentions of the word “luxury” on Wyndham’s brands webpage. Here’s how those brands stack up based on average AwardWallet redemption data:
- Wyndham Grand: 1.66¢
- Registry Collection Hotels: Not enough data to calculate an average
To put the Wyndham Grand figure into perspective, AwardWallet users redeem Wyndham Rewards points for 1.3¢ apiece on average. That makes Wyndham Grand properties worth a look if you’re interested in getting the most out of your Wyndham points.
Related: Where You Can Still Find Value in Wyndham Rewards Post-Vacasa
Top ways to earn more Wyndham Rewards points
Wondering how to top off your Wyndham Rewards account? You’ve come to the right place. You could buy Wyndham points when they go on sale or add a Wyndham credit card to your wallet. All of Wyndham’s credit cards — and its rewards-earning debit card — come with a new applicant bonus.
$0
- 5X points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchases
- 2X points on eligible dining and grocery purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham timeshare down payments)
$75
- 6X points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchases
- 4X points on eligible dining and grocery purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham timeshare down payments)
$95
- 8X points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchases
- 5X points on marketing, advertising, and utility purchases
- 1X on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham timeshare down payments)
Wyndham is also a transfer partner of the following programs, but like other hotel programs, these transfers are usually only worth making in a pinch.
Related: Wyndham Rewards: How Many Points Can I Earn on Wyndham Stays?
Bottom Line
If one thing is clear by now, it’s that no two hotel points are created equal. Even within the same portfolio, different brands can yield very different average redemption values. If you’re looking to get the most out of your hard earned points and book an epic vacation, it’s worth starting your search with the properties that historically offer the best average values.
Of course, though, your mileage may vary. Dynamic pricing can be a thorn, and nearly all of the hotel chains we covered above use it in some capacity.
That’s why it pays to stay flexible, use an award calendar when possible, and jump on a deal when you see one. That’s the key to unlocking these average values for yourself, and if you’re lucky, exceeding them.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (Rates & Fees), The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees), The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
