What’s really important to you while looking for a hotel? Value? Location? Amenities?
Here’s some useful advice: You are losing money on the table and missing out on fantastic offers if you are not booking through hotel loyalty programs. Once you have enough points, these programs provide free upgrades, breakfast, access to exclusive lounges, and even free nights. The important question now is which hotel program fits you best.
We have looked at nine of the best hotel loyalty programs in the world:
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Hilton Honors
- World of Hyatt
- Wyndham Rewards
- IHG One Rewards
- Accor Live Limitless
- Choice Privileges
- Best Western Rewards
- Radisson Rewards
Let’s quickly go over every program to help you choose which one(s) to invest in.
9 Best Hotel Loyalty Programs
1. Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott is a globally operating hotel megachain. With over 30 brands and more than 8,800 hotels spread across 141 countries and territories, its portfolio There is almost certainly a Marriott hotel close by wherever you are heading.
The Marriott Bonvoy program’s fifth-night-free benefit is a major draw. Book five straight reward nights to get the lowest-priced night for zero points. On pricey trips, especially if you redeem your points in a luxury location like the Maldives, this can save you a ton of points.
Marriott Bonvoy members may also transfer points to 39 airline partners, some of the toughest airline currencies to earn, like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Asiana Airlines Asiana Club.
Members will gain even more from the program if they attain one of the five elite status tiers. Among the advantages are room enhancements, lounge access, and Nightly Upgrade Awards—formerly Suite Night Awards.
Marriott Bonvoy points can be earned via various cards, but six are available to new applicants—three from American Express and three from Chase:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card
Marriott also offers lots of points by being a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Marriott Bonvoy appeals to those who:
- Are not sure where on Earth they intend to travel
- Want an extensive collection of luxury residences
- Want a range of unusual, non-standard hotels
- Often redeem points in five-night increments
- Wish to book long stay hotel rooms
- Like to convert their points into airline miles
2. Hilton Honors
With more than 7,800 hotels spread across 24 brands and 126 countries and territories, Hilton is another worldwide hotel company. Couple its scale with the relative simplicity of collecting Hilton Honors points, and the Hilton Honors program might be the most all-around handy hotel rewards choice.
Like Marriott, Hilton provides the fifth consecutive free award night, but to access this advantage, you must have at least Hilton Honors Silver elite status. Fortunately, this may be accomplished just by carrying a Hilton credit card.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers complimentary Silver status; the following cards offer Gold status (membership is necessary) for as long as you keep your card account open:
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
By spending $20,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in a calendar year, members using the card can also qualify for an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status at the conclusion of the next calendar year.
Hilton is another Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner. You will get 2 Hilton Honors points for each Amex point you transfer, or more should you find a transfer bonus.
Hilton Honors appeals to those who:
- Collect Amex Membership Rewards points
- Not sure where they intend to travel
- Stay in five-night increments often
- Want to book long stay hotel rooms
- Are content with a small collection of (excellent) luxury hotels
- Are road warriors
3. World of Hyatt
Among our staff, World of Hyatt is a preferred hotel loyalty program mostly because it still uses an award chart and its reward rates are somewhat low compared to other hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton. Hyatt’s most elegant hotels, for instance, run at most 45,000 points a night, while a luxury Hilton resort might go up to 150,000 points.
The drawback is Hyatt’s quite limited footprint. Though most are in popular locations and towns, more than 1,300 hotels in over 70 countries participate in the World of Hyatt reward program – including 700-plus Mr & Mrs Smith properties and 13 Under Canvas glamping sites. If you visit rural areas regularly, World of Hyatt points probably won’t be of use.
Not to mention, points aren’t quite as simple as in the Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy programs, as World of Hyatt offers just two cobranded credit cards. You can, however, move points from Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 ratio to Hyatt. For those concentrating on World of Hyatt, here are some excellent credit card choices:
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
Readers and our staff have repeatedly shown Hyatt Globalist status to be the most desirable hotel elite status. Among other benefits, the status offers just about as close to a VIP experience as you can get in the hotel business, with complimentary breakfast, reduced resort taxes and parking costs on award nights, and regular suite upgrades.
World of Hyatt appeals to those who:
- Are gathering Bilt Points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points
- Want luxury lodging at well-known locations
- Don’t often book hotels in smaller cities or far-off areas
- Are desperate for a ton of all-inclusive hotel choices
4. Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards is the best hotel points system available for stays in small-town America. With over 9,000 hotels under 24 brands in 95 countries, Wyndham has the most properties of any chain on this list.
Many of these are budget brands, including Super 8, Days Inn and Microtel, which are common in places devoid of a Hyatt or Marriott. The Wyndham Rewards program is a wonderful one to concentrate on if your travel plans call for off-the-beaten-path or road-tripping via communities with populations under 10,000.
To assist you in getting free nights, Wyndham presents three cobranded credit cards, all offered by Barclays. Every card anniversary entitles a bonus of between 7,500 and 15,000 points. You can also move a 1:1 ratio of Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Wyndham Rewards.
Beyond Wyndham’s outstanding array of hotels, you can use Wyndham Rewards points at Vacasa vacation rentals beginning at 15,000 points per bedroom, each night. Look hard enough, and there are some fantastic steals.
Wyndham Rewards appeal to those who:
- Gather Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou Rewards points
- Visit rural communities
- Not interested in expensive hotels
- Like to book Vacasa vacation rentals
5. IHG One Rewards
By refreshing the IHG One Rewards program in 2022, IHG increased its competitiveness with the most well-known hotel programs. Dynamic pricing often causes IHG hotels to have poor value for the points. IHG One Rewards points are simple to use, though, and IHG has hotels almost as numerous as Hilton, including certain Six Senses resorts that are bookable with IHG points. For IHG point collectors, these are rather sought-after properties and a fantastic bonus.
Three cobranded credit cards from IHG let you book a fourth consecutive award night for free. That’s special among loyalty programs and offers better value than the five-night free rules of Marriott and Hilton.
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
- IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards points can also be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to IHG One Rewards; often, IHG points are sold at a significant discount.
The organization recently changed its elite membership categories, so top-tier Diamond Elite members now get extra benefits, including complimentary breakfast and a personal helpline. Staying a specific number of nights in a calendar year allows elite members to additionally earn Milestone Rewards, which includes an annual lounge membership, bonus points, and verified suite upgrades.
IHG One Rewards appeal to those who:
- Are gathering Bilt points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points
- Are road warriors
- Are content with a limited selection of upscale hotels.
6. Accor Live Limitless
With a range of elegant and premium choices, Accor’s portfolio comprises 50-plus hotel brands. Among the most valuable and simple hotel rewards programs is the Accor Live Limitless. You will get 20 euros (around $22 at the time of writing) off your hotel charge for every 1,000 points you redeem. That yields a value of more than two cents per point.
Although many tourists might find the simplicity of this program appealing, there are two areas in which ALL underdelivers:
- The majority of its properties are found in Europe or Asia.
- Accor does not provide a cobranded credit card to enable quick point earning.
Accor is a Transfer Partner of Capital One and Citi. However, both have a poor 2:1 transfer ratio. Still, if you’re mostly heading to Asia or Europe, Accor might be a terrific spot to accrue hotel points.
The program has four status tiers; top-tier Diamond elite level offers free breakfast on weekends (or every day in the Asia-Pacific area), suite night upgrades and executive lounge access. At each tier, you will also find brand-specific advantages, including free bike rentals at Fairmont hotels.
Accor Live Limitless appeals to those who:
- Usually, travel to Europe and Asia
- Want an extensive range of luxury properties
- Want a simple points redemption process
7. Choice Privileges
With more than 7,400 hotels globally, Choice’s footprint matches that of more well-known points chains like Hilton and Marriott. However, since its partner hotels are more frequent in smaller areas, the Choice Privileges program can benefit you similarly to Wyndham Rewards. These days, it also includes properties from the Radisson Rewards Americas program in its offering.
For anyone living in Scandinavia, Choice is famously worth considering as its award rates remain somewhat reasonable despite local hotels being expensive. There are also plenty of locations to pick from, and the program routinely provides lower redemption rates via its Sweet Spot Rewards campaigns.
Regarding points, Choice now provides two cobranded credit cards. Amex Membership Rewards points and Capital One miles can be transferred in a 1:1 ratio; Citi ThankYou Rewards points transfer to Choice at a better 1:2 ratio, lowering the price of your Choice redemptions.
Sadly, the elite status tiers of Choice Privileges offer hardly much value. Only a small number of brands provide free breakfast to top-tier elite members, and there are few room enhancements.
Choice Privileges appeals to those who:
- Accumulate Citi Thank You Reward points
- Are road warriors
- Travel to America’s little towns and Scandinavia
- Are not bothered about complimentary stays in opulent hotels
- Don’t value elite status benefits
8. Best Western Rewards
Best Western’s portfolio sits in the middle of the pack with about 4,000 hotels ranging from affordable to boutique. Since it has no transferable points currency partners, the Best Western Rewards program doesn’t garner much attention in the points and mileage market. Still, it’s worth checking out if you routinely stay at Best Western properties.
One of the best things is Best Western’s status match program, which allows you to quickly acquire top-tier elite status should you have even mid-tier status with another hotel chain. However, like Choice, Best Western’s premium status categories provide few benefits.
Right now, Best Western just carries one credit card from First National Bank of Omaha.
Best Western Rewards appeal to those who:
- Want free breakfast without an elite status
- Don’t care about free luxury hotel stays
- Don’t accumulate points with major credit card rewards programs.
9. Radisson Rewards
Radisson Rewards used to be an incredible loyalty program, but various changes—including a move to dynamic pricing—have removed most of its value over the years.
The good news is that Choice Hotels bought Radisson’s Americas operation in 2022 (including all properties in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, South America and the Caribbean) and combined it with Choice Privileges such that you could earn and redeem Choice points at these hotels. Radisson’s remaining portfolio still makes use of the Radisson Rewards program.
Radisson Rewards has no transfer partners and no U.S. cobranded credit card, thanks to this international bend. You can only earn these points by staying at Radisson hotels outside of the Americas. Hence, many U.S.-based guests find it challenging to derive much value from Radisson Rewards.
Radisson Rewards appeals to those who:
- Often stay at Radisson establishments
- Limit their travel to locations outside of the Americas
Bottom Line
A hotel can be a lot more than just somewhere to rest your head. Hotel reward programs can greatly improve your stay and possibly make it essentially free.
Since there is usually no fee to sign up for any hotel loyalty program, we urge our readers to do so. You’ll be happy you registered ahead of time even if you don’t think you’ll stay at a certain hotel chain; circumstances may dictate otherwise.