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Hilton Hotels
- Hilton Honors includes 7,000+ hotels worldwide — ranging from budget to luxury — across 19 brands.
- You can earn Hilton rewards points from stays, rewards credit cards, and travel and dining partnerships.
- You'll get the best Hilton points value by redeeming for free hotel stays or mixing points and cash.
- Read Insider's guide to the best Hilton credit cards.
With one of the world's largest footprints, most travelers have stayed in — or at least seen — a Hilton hotel. Since this vast hotel chain has a variety of properties to fit every budget and over 7,000 hotels located across 123 countries, it makes a lot of sense to consider joining the Hilton Honors loyalty program. Amex is an Insider partner.
It's free to enroll and Hilton offers excellent rewards just for signing up. This includes the ability to earn points for free stays, late checkout, waived resort fees on award stays, free Wi-Fi, and discounted rates. As your status increases, you'll also see perks such as free breakfast, room upgrades, and a fifth night free on eligible award stays.
Earning and redeeming Hilton rewards points is also very simple — there are a ton of ways to jump-start your points balance, including large welcome bonus offers from travel rewards credit cards, hotel promotions, and even transferring points from different partners. Once you've got a good amount, you can then use points toward free hotel stays, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, Amazon purchases, and even airline miles.
We'll break down everything you need to know to earn, redeem, and maximize your Hilton Honors points.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
How to earn Hilton points
Hilton has two main categories of points: bonus points, which help you earn rewards via special promotions, and elite-qualifying base points. The main difference is that base points count toward your elite status for the year, while bonus points do not — but you can redeem both kinds of points toward stays and other rewards.
Unlike bonus points, base points can only be earned via stays at a Hilton hotel. Charges for room rates, dining, and spas all count towards base points for elite status. Otherwise, there are plenty of ways to build up your Hilton Honors bonus points balance.
Earn points from stays at Hilton hotels and resorts
Depending on your elite status, you can earn anywhere from 10 (with a few exceptions) to 20 points per dollar for paid stays. Hilton brands include:
There are also ways to earn bonus points during your stay. Hilton's frequent promotions have included offers like double points on your entire stay, 2,000 bonus points per stay, or even additional bonus points for every 10 nights you stay. Depending on your hotel and elite status level, you might also be able to earn points as a welcome amenity.
It's important to remember that in order to earn points on your stays, you'll need to book directly with Hilton. Using a third-party site (such as an online travel agency) invalidates both your elite status benefits and any potential points earnings. However, you can earn bonus rewards by navigating to Hilton's website via an online shopping portal.
Use American Express Hilton co-branded credit cards
Hilton and American Express have teamed up to offer four Hilton credit cards with a variety of benefits and bonuses, ranging from a no-annual-fee travel card to a premium credit card with lucrative travel perks.
Hilton Honors American Express Card - Product Name Only
The cheapest is the no-annual-fee
It earns 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, 5 points per dollar at eligible U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 3 points per eligible dollar everywhere else. This makes it very easy to earn lots of Hilton points without worrying about a yearly fee.
The
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card - Product Name Only
If you stay at Hilton hotels even a couple of times a year, the
The free breakfast perk alone can make paying the
Cardholders can get a bump up to top-tier Diamond status when they spend $40,000 or more in a calendar year, and receive a free reward night certificate (valid at almost any Hilton hotel worldwide) after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. The card also gives you Priority Pass airport lounge access when you enroll, with up to 10 free visits per year.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card - Product Name Only
Small-business owners who stay with Hilton hotels should consider
Cardholders earn 12x points at eligible Hilton hotels and 6x points in these eligible categories:
- U.S. gas stations
- U.S. purchases for shipping
- U.S. restaurants
- Wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers on
- Flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel
- Car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
All other purchases earn 3x points.
Cardholders can also earn a free reward night certificate after spending $15,000 in a calendar year, and a second free reward night after spending a total of $60,000 in the same time frame.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Product Name Only
On the other end of the spectrum is the
The card also comes with a welcome bonus offer of
If you're staying often at a Hilton, you'll rack up points quickly with the
Transfer Membership Rewards points from American Express to Hilton
If you've already got an American Express card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, you can opt to transfer your rewards to your Hilton Honors account. Points transfer at a 1:2 ratio, which means that 1 Amex Membership Rewards point is worth 2 Hilton Honors points.
You can earn transferable American Express Membership Rewards with the following personal cards:
The Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only —$550 annual fee, premium benefits including airport lounge access, Uber credits, and Saks Fifth avenue credits**American Express® Gold Card - Product Name Only —$250 annual fee, monthly dining credits**, bonus rewards at restaurants, and moreAmerican Express® Green Card - Product Name Only —$150 annual fee, bonus points on a wide variety of travel purchasesAmex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express - Product Name Only — No annual fee, earn 2x points at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 spent each calendar year, then 1x), get a 20% points bonus when you use your card 20 times or more in a billing periodAmex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card - Product Name Only —Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express annual fee, earn 3x points at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 spent each calendar year, then 1x), get a 50% points bonus when you use your card 30 times or more in a billing period
Some of the best small business credit cards earn Amex Membership Rewards points:
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express - Product Name Only — No annual fee, earn 2x points per dollar on the first $50,000 spent on eligible purchases each calendar year, then 1xThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only —$595 annual fee, includes many of the same benefits as thePlatinum Card , plus statement credits for Dell, Indeed, Adobe, and US wireless service provider purchases, as well as checked bag and lounge day fees at one selected airline**American Express® Business Gold Card - Product Name Only —$295 annual fee, earn 4x points on the two categories where you spend the most each month from a list of six categories (4x points on up to $150,000 in combined purchases from these two categories each calendar year, then 1x)
Transfer points from other partners to Hilton Honors
Hilton also partners with Hawaiian Airlines and Virgin Atlantic to transfer rewards. You can do so at the following ratios:
- HawaiianMiles: 1 HawaiianMile = 1.5 Hilton Honors points
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 1 Virgin Atlantic point = 1.5 Hilton Honors points
Earn Hilton points through your elite status
Joining Hilton Honors can be especially lucrative if you're on the road often. As your elite status increases, so will the benefits you're offered during your stay.
Just for enrolling, you'll get late checkout when available, complimentary Wi-Fi, members-only rates, no resort fees on award stays, award nights that count for elite status, and the ability to earn Hilton Honors points.
Silver Elite status adds a 20% points earning bonus on stays, the fifth night free on award stays, free bottled water, and elite rollover nights.
Gold Elite members can earn their status from stays or by holding an Amex Platinum or Hilton Surpass card. In addition to all the Silver benefits, Gold members receive an 80% points-earning bonus on stays, room upgrades, free breakfast, and milestone bonuses.
Diamond — Hilton's top-tier status — elite members experience even more benefits. You can earn Diamond status via Hilton or, even better, get the
Buy Hilton Honors points
You can also purchase points in order to boost your balance, in increments of 1,000 and starting at $10 per 1,000 points. However, Hilton frequently has promotions to either discount or offer bonus points, which means that quite often you can acquire points at half their regular cost. Note that you're only allowed to buy 160,000 points per calendar year, but with 100% bonus points promotions you can receive up to 320,000 points per year.
Use Hilton's dining and travel partnerships
If you like to eat out, it's worth checking out the Hilton Honors Dining program, which offers up to 8 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent at participating restaurants.
Alternately, if you've got a large event or meeting planned, booking it at a Hilton hotel could earn you some serious points. Once booked, add your number to your reservation and you'll earn 1 Hilton Honors point per dollar, up to $100,000.
Hilton has also partnered with Alamo, Enterprise, and National to offer bonus points on rental cars when booked via their travel portal. You'll earn 500 points per day, with a maximum of 5,000 points per rental.
Finally, Lyft and Hilton have teamed up to offer 3x Hilton Honors points on Lyft rides, or 2x Hilton points for shared Lyft rides. If you're a frequent user of rideshare services, these points will add up quickly.
Refer friends to American Express Hilton credit cards
When you refer a friend to apply for any of the American Express Hilton credit cards, you can earn 15,000 to 20,000 points for each referral, or up to 140,000 points per year.
Take surveys to earn Hilton points
Hilton Honors offers a program called Guest Opinion Rewards, which allows eligible members to take surveys and earn points. After enrollment, you can currently earn 1,250 Hilton points for completing your first survey — but after that, the rewards are much less generous.
That said, if you enjoy taking surveys and have a lot of free time, this can be a good way to earn a few extra points here and there.
The best ways to use Hilton points
You can use Hilton points in a variety of ways, including for hotel stays, Hilton Honors experiences, and even Amazon purchases.
Redeeming Hilton Honors points for hotel stays is typically the most lucrative option, allowing you to take vacations to expensive, far-flung destinations — or a road trip closer to home — using only points.
Redeem Hilton points for dream vacations
Hilton doesn't have an official award chart, but a good rule of thumb is that their least-expensive hotels start at 5,000 points per night and cap out at 95,000 points per night (with a few exceptions up to 150,000 points). Keep in mind that these prices are for standard room rates — when these aren't available, redemption prices can often skyrocket astronomically, so be sure to check which rate you're trying to book.
Here are a few examples of great redemptions:
- Conrad Maldives (from 120,000 points per night)
- Conrad Bora Bora (from 120,000 points per night)
- Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton (from 60,000 points per night)
- Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem (from 95,000 points per night)
Stretch your savings with Points & Money
If you'd rather make your Hilton points last, you can make the most of your redemption by using Points & Money to pay for your award nights. Hilton introduced this option a few years ago, which allows you to customize the number of points you'd like to use per night. You'll then pay the difference in cash.
Use the Hilton 5th night free benefit
Silver and higher elite members get their fifth night free on all award stays of five nights or more, which amounts to an effective 20% discount in points on your redemptions. Planning your stays wisely can help stretch your points considerably.
Redeem your Amex Hilton free reward night certificates
If you have the
Other ways to redeem Hilton rewards points
Use your Hilton points for experiences
The Hilton Experiences program offers a variety of unique opportunities for redeeming points. These have included afternoon tea in Shanghai, a Czech beer experience, a night of "Amore" in Venice, and even strawberry picking in Indonesia.
Redeem Hilton Honors points for event credits
It's also possible to redeem your points for events at a Hilton, though this isn't generally considered a good way to maximize your Hilton points value. Here's how much the credits cost:
- 25,000 points = $50
- 50,000 points = $100
- 75,000 points = $150
- 125,000 points = $250
- 250,000 points = $500
Exchange Hilton points for airline miles
If you'd rather have airline or rail points, you have the option to transfer Hilton points to partner airlines, though redemption rates vary. You'll first earn your Hilton Honors points and then exchange them into miles via your account. Hilton has around two dozen airline partners, including all the big US domestic airlines as well as tons of overseas options.
Spend Hilton Points at Amazon
To redeem points at Amazon, you need to connect your Hilton and Amazon accounts. Paying with Hilton points will then be an option during your Amazon checkout. This isn't a great option generally speaking, as your points are only worth 0.2 cents each with Amazon.
Donate Hilton points to charity
You can also choose to donate your points via Hilton's PointWorthy website. For every 10,000 points you donate, Hilton will send $25 to a charity of your choice.
Transfer Hilton points to a friend
If you're not planning on traveling anywhere, you can take advantage of Hilton's fee-free points transfer option to send up to 2 million points per year to friends or family. Hilton also has the unique option to pool your points with up to 11 people in order to afford a redemption.
Use Hilton points for Lyft rides
As part of Hilton's partnership with Lyft, Honors members can redeem points for Lyft credits — but the value you'll get per Hilton point isn't great (around 0.2 cents each).
What to know about Hilton Honors points
Even if you don't stay at Hilton hotels frequently, there are plenty of ways to earn Hilton points. The fastest and easiest method is by opening and using a co-branded Hilton credit card, and you can also earn points through dining and shopping partnerships or completing surveys.
The best way to redeem Hilton points is for stays at one of Hilton's 19 brands. You'll often get the best return for your points when you redeem them for luxury resorts that cost $1,000+ per night, but there's good value to be had at more budget-friendly properties, too.
Other options for using Hilton points include transferring to airlines, spending points at Amazon, or cashing in points for Lyft rides — but in these cases, you'll almost always get an inferior value compared to redeeming your rewards for hotel stays.