You can just give me a number to earn hotel loyalty points.
Hotel loyalty programs are full of talk. Guaranteed upgrades are subject to availability. Free breakfast is not available if you pay more than the room rate. Rewards points can change in value at any time.
Sometimes it is best to just ignore all the hype and crunch the numbers to find the right hotel loyalty program.
It is easy to see which loyalty programs are most rewarding when you remove emotion.
There are exceptions to the rule for families and elite guests who spend a lot, but most hotel stays should be easy.
Points Valuations
It is important to note that not all points programs have the same value and any attempt at valuing a particular type of point is subjective. 100,000 Hilton Honors points may not be worth the same as 60,000 World Of Hyatt points.
Here are the latest calculations by GSTPs.
Marriott Bonvoy Points are worth approximately 0.7 cents per points.
Points worth s are approximately 0.7 cents. IHG Rewards Club points are worth approximately 0.5 cents each point.
They are worth approximately 0.5 cents per points. Hilton Honors Points can be worth approximately 0.4 cents per points.
They are worth approximately 0.4 cents per points. World Of Hyatt Points can be worth approximately 1.5 cents per points
They are worth approximately 1.5 cents per points. Radisson Rewards are worth approximately 0.4 cents per points.
This is the easiest way to view it. 100,000 points worth half a cent should equal $500. This is the same as IHG here. It would cost $1500 to buy 100,000 Hyatt Points for 1.5 cents per points.
You can see that a smaller number of points can be more valuable than others, but this is only one step in determining the best loyalty programs. Another aspect of the equation is how easy it is to calculate how many points you have earned.
To determine which loyalty program is worth your loyalty, we need to look at how many points each hotel loyalty programme offers for when you stay in hotels.
Your Hotel Rebate
Gary Leff, View From The Wing, examined hotel loyalty programs in a straightforward and accurate manner. This GSTP backs is based on the simple mathematical reimbursement you earn from each hotel room like cash back. Is it 1%, 10% or both?
To get a clear picture of what you actually get in return for each hotel stay, he multiplied the amount of points earned per dollar at each hotel brand by the value of each type hotel point (like the above), using a cent per point basis. This gives him a rough estimate of your loyalty.
It's a simple equation: the dollar you spend x your expected value per point when you cash in is points.
Each hotel program has a different number and value of points. This makes each one easy to rank as a straightforward rebate.
This is an easy-to-understand breakdown of the actual rebate you will earn from your hotel loyalty. It does not take into account any other loyalty factors such as limited time bonuses or credit card bonus.
However, other factors can also be important
A hotel credit card can make a huge difference in a loyalty program. However, it is only worth doing once you have found the program that offers the best rebates and perks.
A hotel credit card can give you up to 10X points per dollar. It can also include annual nights, elite status, and other benefits.
Marriott and Hyatt currently have the best credit card offers. Hilton, however, is the only one that offers elite status. View current offers for credit cards here.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors members who are general Hilton Honors members receive 10 points per $1. Hilton Honors points can be used to get a 4% discount on your stay by converting them into points.
Hilton's elite members receive 20 points per dollar and a rebate of 8%
Hyatt: The World of Hyatt
General World Of Hyatt members receive 5 points per $1. Hyatt points can be worth 1.5 cents per Point by GSTPs estimation. This allows for a 7.5% rebate on hotel stays.
For a 9% discount on hotel stays, Top World Of Hyatt members receive 6.5 points per $1
Marriott Bonvoy
Members of General Marriott Bonvoy earn 10 points per $1, and Marriott points can be worth.7c per point to receive a rebate for 7%.
For a rebate of 12%, elite Marriott Bonvoy members receive 17.5 points per $1. This is an incredibly strong incentive for Marriott Bonvoy guests who stay in hotels frequently to use the program.
IHG: IHG Reward
IHG Rewards members who are general earn 10 points per $1. IHG points can be redeemed for a rebate up to 6% by purchasing.6c each.
Top IHG Rewards elite members earn 20 points per dollars, for a 12% rebate.
Accor: ALL Accor
General Accor ALL members receive a 5% discount on stays. Point values are set at 20 points per 1,000 points. 50 cents would be earned for every 1000 stays.
Top Accor ALL Elite members receive a 10% rebate. This is very strong. 100 points would be earned for every 1000 stays.
*For Accor US dollars and other currencies also count, but earn slightly less or more points depending on their value versus Euro. A 1000-pound stay in GBP, for example, will earn you more points because the pound has a higher value than the Euro.
Breaking it down: Loyalty winners in hotels
IHG and Marriott are the most rewarding for customers at the top of the tier, while Hyatt and Marriott offer general member rebates. It's easy enough.
A credit card from any brand can be a great way to increase the scale. You earn more points for paying and you may get perks. But, it's that easy.
To get you started, many hotel credit cards in America offer welcome bonuses of over 100,000 points. You can also earn elite status, which means more points per dollar spent. They can make a big difference in the math if you are interested, but if not, the above will suffice.
Hotels.com is your best friend!
Hotels.com is the best loyalty program if you are constantly changing hotels and don't care about earning loyalty points. It offers between 8-10% on all stays and easy-to-use nights.
For every 10 nights that you stay at Hotels.com, you earn a night free. It doesn't matter if your stay is at a chain, boutique, or all three. All of them count. A free night is defined as the average price paid over 10 nights. A night that is booked for 10 nights costs $250 would be a free night. That's $250 worth of $250.
Your Hotel Benefits
It is not worth comparing elite benefits at each end of the spectrum - because they are all nearly entirely meaningless. This guide focuses on the top end where you can find definable benefits such as early check-in, late checkout, and other valuable benefits.
You should note that many of these benefits are not available to everyone. It is better to book through a luxury travel agency who can get you free breakfast and late checkout, with no elite status. American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts can also do this.
Marriott
Breakfast: Yes Late check out: Guaranteed. Upgrades: At check in.
Hilton
Breakfast: Yes Late check out: If Available. Upgrades: No guarantees.
Hyatt
Breakfast: Yes Late check out: Guaranteed. Upgrades: Confirmed.
IHG
Breakfast: Late check out: If Available. Upgrades: No promises.
The General Outlook: Best Hotel Loyalty Programme
There are no two travel situations exactly alike. It is impossible to understand the inside details of someone's travel plans and circumstances. With that being said,
This View From The Wing approach is so accessible and simple to understand hotel loyalty from a generalist perspective. You can start by starting here and work your way up to the emotional attachments and benefits that have an impact on your stay.
You'll see that Hyatt offers an average rebate with extraordinary benefits, Marriott offers great benefits and a great rebate, Hilton isnt all that great, and IHG offers great benefits but not enough for those who don't have the status of Royal Ambassador.
This helps to clarify loyalty programs at hotels.
