Hilton Honors are the rewards and loyalty program from Hilton Worldwide Holdings – more commonly known as Hilton Honors hotels. The Hilton Honors program is regarded as one of richest rewards programs available today. This reputation is built on the backs of the impressive sign-up bonuses of Hilton co-branded credit cards, such as the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, which offers a massive 150,000-point sign-up offer, as well as 14x points per dollar spent on Hilton purchases.
To get the most out of the Hilton Honors rewards program, it is essential to understand how the program works, how to earn the most points and the best options for point redemptions. This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about the Hilton Honors program and help you get the most out of your hotel rewards credit cards.
Hotels in the Hilton Portfolio
The following hotels and resorts make up the Hilton Worldwide Holdings portfolio, and participate in the Hilton Honors program:
- Canopy by Hilton
- Conrad Hotels & Resorts
- Curio Collection by Hilton
- DoubleTree
- Embassy Suites
- Hampton by Hilton
- Hilton Hotels & Resorts
- Hilton Garden Inn
- Home2 Suites by Hilton
- Homewood Suites
- LXR Hotels & Resorts
- Motto by Hilton
- Tapestry Collection
- Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Value of Hilton Honors Points
Current Value of Hilton Honors Points: .55 to .6 cents per point
Valuing rewards points is not an exact science. Point valuations continuously fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including the ease of earning points, sign-up bonuses, changes in room rates, and the availability of award bookings. While points valuations change often, there are practical steps that can be taken to come up with an estimated value for rewards points, such as Hilton Honors.
At HotelCards, we use several metrics to determine the point value of hotel rewards programs. These metrics include how many points it would take to book standard hotel rooms in different geographical areas with points, and how this compares to bookings with cash. These calculations are made for rooms of different tiers and locations, as well as for peak and off-peak booking times, to reach a general estimate of the value of points.
Hilton Honors points tend to be regarded as less valuable than rewards points from other hotel loyalty programs. Based on current calculations, Hilton Honors points have a value of between $.0055 to $.006 (.55 cents to .6 cents) per point.
How to Earn Points
Hotel Stay
The easiest way to earn Honors points is through stays booked directly with Hilton properties. Basic Hilton Honors members earn ten base points for every dollar they spend on their room when booking through Hilton.
Bonus Promotions
Honors Program members can also earn additional points when they take part in bonus promotions designed to encourage members to stay at participating Hilton hotels, resorts, and suites. These promotions typically offer the prospect of double, triple, or even more points with every participating stay.
Honors Elite Status Bonuses
- Blue: Blue, the base level in the Honors elite status levels, earns 10 points for every dollar spent on bookings and purchases with Hilton.
- Silver: Silver tier earns a 20% bonus on points earned. This means they earn 11 points for every $1 spent with most Hilton brands.
- Gold: Gold tier earn an impressive 80% bonus on points earned, meaning they earn 18x points per $1 spent with Hilton bookings.
- Diamond: Diamond is the premier status in the Hilton Honors program, with members earning 100% bonus points – 20x points for every dollar spent with Hilton stays.
Travel Partners
Lyft
Honors Club members earn 3x points for every dollar spent on eligible Lyft rideshares in the U.S. and Canada (excluding shared rides) and 2x points for every dollar spent on eligible Lyft shared rideshares.
Priority Pass
Honors members who join Priority Pass not only receive access to over 1,000 lounges across the globe but also earn up to 10,000 bonus Honors points. Priority Pass sign-up bonuses are as follows:
- 4,000 Points for a standard membership
- 6,500 points for a standard plus membership
- 10,000 points for a Priority Pass Prestige membership
Car Rentals
Hilton Honors members can earn bonus points when they book with e=select car rental companies and present their Honors card at the counter.
- Alamo: Honors members can earn 500 bonus points on each Alamo rental, up to a maximum of 5,000 points.
- Enterprise: Honors members can also earn 500 bonus points on Enterprise car rentals, up to a maximum of 5,000 points.
- National: Honors members receive 25% savings on National car rentals and can earn up to 500 bonus points with qualifying rentals – up to a maximum of 5,000 points.
Shopping
Hilton has partnerships with thousands of retailers around the world, making it easy to earn rewards points. For a complete list of participating shopping or retail locations, visit the dedicated Hilton shopping page.
Dining
Honors members can earn up to 8x points for every $1 spent with over 10,000 dining partners worldwide. Members also earn an additional 5x points per dollar spent when they sign up for Hilton Dining email alerts notifying them of new locations near them, and they then book a table.
Special Events
Hilton offers far more than just hotel rooms, as it also plays host to thousands of events each year. The Hilton Honors program allows event planners to earn one point per dollar spent when they book their events with participating Hilton hotels and properties – up to 100,000 points. To earn points an event planner must contact the sales department at the participating hotel directly, request a proposal, and ask for events planner points and have them included in the event contract.
Credit Cards
One of the best ways to earn Honors points is by using a Hilton Honors co-branded credit card. American Express issues several Hilton credits cards, all of which provide additional ways to earn ample Honors points after an initial spend of $4,000 in the first three months, as well as 14x points for Hilton purchases.
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card, for instance, offers a hugely impressive sign-up bonus of 150,000 points Both the Hilton Honors Surpass and the Hilton Honors Business Card earn 130,000 points after an initial spend threshold is met, as well as the chance to earn 12x points with Hilton purchases, and 6x points in select categories.
Read HotelCards‘ comprehensive reviews of Hilton Honors co-branded credit cards including:
- Hilton Honors Card
- Hilton Honors Aspire Card
- Hilton Honors Amex Surpass® Card
- Hilton Honors Business Card
Other Ways to Earn Points
- Buy Points: Hilton allows members to buy points through their dedicated Buy Points portal. Hilton sells points at a value of one cent per point, with a minimum purchase of at least 1,000 points. Given that Hilton points are currently valued at less than one cent per point, however, buying points isn’t the best way to boost point levels, with other methods much more cost-effective.
- Gift Points: Hilton also allows members to either share their points with a loved one through gifting.
- One SimCard: Honors members earn 100 bonus points when they purchase a One SimCard outside of the United States and an additional one point per minute on both incoming and outgoing calls outside the U.S.
Limitations on Points Earning
As with many hotel rewards programs, there are limitations on how points can be earned in the Honors loyalty program. Points cannot be earned on bookings made through third-party discount websites, such as Trivago, Orbitz, Priceline, Booking.com, Expedia, Kayak, Hotwire, Travelocity, or others.
How to Redeem Points
Free Night Awards
The easiest way to redeem Hilton Honors points is through booking free night stays with participating Hilton properties. While Hilton claims that reward nights start as low as 5,000 points, most free nights usually cost between 30,000 and 40,000 points.
The exact rate of points required for booking a free night depends on the category of the hotel, the time of proposed booking (whether off-peak or peak season), the room is booked, and the location of the property. Silver, Gold, and Diamond Elite members also receive a complimentary 5th night free when they book standard rewards stays of five consecutive nights or more.
To book rewards nights, members need to book their stay via the Hilton website or through the mobile app, and check the box labeled “Use Hilton Honors Points.”
How to Transfer Points to Airlines and Other Travel Partners
Hilton Honors points also transfer to the frequent flyer rewards programs of over 40 different airlines, as well as with Amtrak. All a Bonvoy member has to do is log in to their Bonvoy account, click on “Redeem Points,” choose “Travel,” and click on the box titled “Transfer Points to Miles.”
The following airlines are partners with Marriott:
- Aeroflot
- AeroMexico
- AirAsia Big
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Air New Zealand
- Alaska Airlines
- All Nippon Airways
- Avianca
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- China Eastern Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Emirates
- Etihad
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Eurowings
- Eva Air
- Finnair
- Frontier Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Hainan Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- Jet Airways
- JetBlue
- KLM
- Korean Air
- LAN
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airlines
- Saudia Airlines
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- United
- Virgin Atlantic
- Virgin Australia
Transfer rates of Honors points to frequent flyer miles are relatively uniform, with a few key exceptions. 10,000 Honors points equate to 1,500 AAdvantage Miles with American Airlines, for example, but only 1,000 Delta SkyMiles.
Other Ways to Redeem Points
- Shopping: Honors points are redeemable towards merchandise through the dedicated Hilton Honors Shopping Mall, for gift certificates with some of the largest merchants in the world, or shopping with Amazon.
- Share or Pool Points: Hilton also allows members to either share their points with loved ones through gifting, or pooling points with friends or family to help reach expensive redemption goals.
Rewards Program Tier Levels
Silver
Silver is the first elite tier in the Hilton Honors program that offers perks beyond what regular (Blue) members can expect.
Silver Requirements
Reservations Per Year: four stays or ten nights per year, or a Hilton Honors AMEX Cardholder
Silver Benefits
Silver Elite members can expect the following perks:
- 20% bonus points on stays
- Priority late check-out
- Access to the dedicated reservations line
- Elite tier rollover nights
- 5th night free
- The second guest stays free
- No resort fees on reward stays
- Two complimentary bottles of water
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Gold
Gold is the next tier in the Honors loyalty program and offers enhanced perks beyond those of Silver Elite members.
Gold Requirements
Reservations Per Year: 2o stays, 40 nights per year, 75,000 points, or Hilton Honors AMEX Surpass or Hilton Honors AMEX Business Cardholders
Gold Benefits
Gold members can expect the following perks in addition to those experienced by Silver members:
- 80% bonus points on stays
- Space available room upgrades (up to Executive room-type)
- Complimentary breakfast
- Unlimited milestone bonuses
Diamond
Diamond is the top tier in the Hilton Honors in the loyalty program and offers further enhancements than those Gold members can expect.
Platinum Elite Requirements
Reservations Per Year: 30 stays, 60 nights per year, 120,000 points, or Hilton Honors AMEX Aspire Cardholders
Diamond Benefits
Diamond members can expect the following perks beyond Gold:
- 100% bonus points on stays
- Up to one suite upgrade
- Executive lounge status
- Elite status gift
- 48-hr room guarantee
- Diamond status extension
- Choice of a free welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities
Hilton Honors Elite Membership Terms Defined
- Elite Status Gifting: Members who receive Elite Status Gifting benefits can gift Gold status to another individual should they achieve 60 nights in one calendar year, or gift Diamond status should they stay for at least 100 nights in a calendar year,
- Diamond Status Extension: Members who receive the Diamond Status Extension receive the ability to extend their Diamond tier membership for the next year without the need to meet the points or stays qualifications.
- 48-Hr. Room Guarantee: Room bookings are guaranteed when reservations are made and paid for at least 48 hours (2 days) before stay.
- Unlimited Milestone Bonuses: Members earn bonus points for Hilton stays once they surpass certain milestones, starting at 40 nights within a calendar year.
Editorial Disclosure — The opinions expressed on HotelCards’ reviews, blogs, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author. They are not reflective of any card issuer or financial institution and have not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless otherwise noted. Further, HotelCards lists credit card offers that are updated daily with information believed to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.