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Leading Hotels of the World took a huge step forward in the travel reward space when Leaders Club became a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou®. This little-known program was suddenly thrust into the spotlight, leaving travelers wondering what they needed to know about Leaders Club points.
Read on to learn more about the program and the best uses of Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club points.
Page Contents
What Is the Leading Hotels of the World Brand?
Leading Hotels of the World is a marketing organization representing over 400 hotels in 80 countries. As its name suggests, it specializes in upmarket and luxury properties, with few mid-range or budget options in its portfolio.
Some iconic hotels in the Leading Hotels of the World portfolio include The Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City, The Ritz London, and The Murray Hong Kong.
Related: How To Receive Elite Hotel Benefits Without Elite Status
Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club Basics
The Leaders Club is the loyalty program for the Leading Hotels of the World brand. The program is straightforward, with an uncomplicated list of features and benefits, including:
- Free to join.
- Receive a pre-arrival upgrade after your first paid stay.
- Receive a pre-arrival upgrade in January of every year.
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent.
- Redemptions start from 4,000 points.
- Complimentary continental breakfast for two.
- Late check-out and early check-in when available.
- Complimentary in-room Wi-Fi.
- Access to member-only special rates, discounts, and promotions.
Once you've created your new loyalty program account, make sure to link it to your AwardWallet account. Don't have an AwardWallet account yet? Sign up for free and track unlimited rewards programs and travel plans.
Leaders Club elite status
Unlike other hotel brands that have multiple levels of elite status, Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club only has one: Sterling status. You must spend $5,000 in a calendar year to reach the status. Once earned, you will keep your status for a year.
Sterling status benefits include:
- Receive five pre-arrival upgrades every year.
- Earn 5% bonus points on top of the one point per $1 spent on qualifying stays.
- Unlock additional benefits with increased spending.
The benefits of the status are not exactly exciting. While the five upgrades could be valuable depending on availability and how you use them, the bonus earnings aren't as high as competing programs. Earning a 5% bonus on every stay is better than nothing, but you still need to spend over $3,800 — instead of $4,000 — to earn a free night.
Related: How to Get Hotel Elite Status for Free (or Almost Free)
How to Earn Leaders Club Points
Earning Leaders Club Points is straightforward: Members earn 1 point per $1 on stays. And that is it. You can't earn points with co-brand credit cards, cruises, vacations, or shopping.
Instead, you must earn Leaders Club points the old-fashioned way by spending money at participating hotels. That said, you can also purchase points or transfer Citi ThankYou® Points to Leaders Club.
Buy Leaders Club points
Travelers can buy Leaders Club points, but the rate is steep. Points cost a flat rate of 12¢ per point, with a minimum purchase of 1,000 points. Members can buy up to 50,000 points per calendar year.
However, Leaders Club occasionally sells points with a bonus or discount, which can drop the rate significantly. In recent sales, we've seen the program sell points for as cheap as 6¢ each!
Transfer Citi ThankYou® Points to Leaders Club
Citi ThankYou added Leading Hotels of the World as a transfer partner in 2023. While this might seem like a valuable addition, the transfer ratio combined with the average value of Leaders Club points makes it less appealing.
For every 1,000 Citi ThankYou points transferred, you’ll receive 200 Leaders Club points. That's a 5:1 transfer ratio.
AwardWallet members have historically redeemed Citi points for an average of 2.19¢ each. At that rate, you’d want to get around $22 in value for every 1,000 points transferred.
At some of the program’s best sweet spots, Leaders Club points are worth up to 9.4¢ each. If you reach that value, you’ll get about $19 for every 1,000 Citi points transferred, based on the 1,000:200 ratio. While this isn’t a poor redemption, other Citi transfer partners can offer better value.
Still, if you’re looking to book luxury stays with minimal out-of-pocket cost, Leaders Club is a partner worth considering.
Related: Best Uses of Citi ThankYou Points Within North America
Best Ways to Redeem Leaders Club Points
Whether you're sitting on a stash of Leaders Club points or considering a transfer or a points purchase, it's helpful to know where you can get the best value. Here are some standout redemptions at five Leading Hotels of the World properties across the U.K., U.S., Bali, Mexico, and South Africa. We primarily searched for award nights in October 2025, though availability is prevalent on other dates as well.
Leading Hotels of the World uses a dynamic pricing model, but there's no real method to the madness. Still, with the right booking, it’s possible to get excellent value from your points.
The Ritz London
We started with the iconic The Ritz London. One weekend night in October costs 25,768 points or $2,361.63 after taxes. That gives you a 9.2¢ per point, which is excellent compared to most hotel programs. But again, you need to factor in the difficulty in earning (or cost of buying) Leaders Club points.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel New York
Across the Atlantic, a night at The Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York costs 16,188 points or $1,415.21. That works out to just over 8.7¢ per Leaders Club point.
The Legian Seminyak Bali
In Bali, a night at The Legian Seminyak in October runs 6,732 points or $631.78. That gives you a value of 9.4¢ per point.
Chablé Maroma Cancun
A night at the Chablé Maroma in Cancun will cost 13,425 points or $869.84. That comes out to 6.5¢ per point. While not as lucrative as other redemptions, it could still be a good option depending on your travel plans.
The Manor House at Fancourt
In South Africa, a night at the Manor House at Fancourt costs 7,273 points or $578.35. That gives you a value of 7.9¢ per point.
How Much are Leader Club Points Worth?
Based on the redemption options we reviewed, Leaders Club points can be worth between 6.5¢ and 9.4¢ each. That is exceptionally high compared to most hotel programs.
However, earning Leaders Club points is not easy, as you only earn 1 point per $1 spent on hotel stays. Beyond that, your options are limited to transferring Citi points or buying Leaders Club points outright.
For example, a night at The Legian Seminyak Bali costs 6,732 points. To earn that many points, you would need to spend $6,732 at Leading Hotels of the World properties. That is a significant amount for a single free night. Alternatively, you would need to transfer nearly 34,000 Citi points or purchase the points outright. Either way, it is a big ask for a one-night stay.
Do Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club Points Expire?
Yes, Leaders Club points expire 24 months after your last earning or redemption activity. Once they expire, they cannot be reinstated.
Our Take
Leading Hotels of the World features some exciting and unique high-end properties around the globe. However, limited earning opportunities and a relatively small footprint make it a loyalty program that most travelers will find hard to benefit from in a meaningful way.
That said, if there is a property you have your eye on, the partnership with Citi ThankYou could still make a stay possible, even if the transfer ratio is not the most favorable.
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