Joining a hotel’s rewards program can feel like being admitted to an exclusive club. By frequently staying at a particular brand’s hotels, you can accrue points that are redeemable for all kinds of perks, including free or low-cost room upgrades, a meal on the house, and even a free night’s stay.
Choosing the best hotel rewards program for you depends on a variety of factors, most importantly, where and how often you travel. But just as crucial is your travel style: Are you content with small comforts like free breakfast, or do you expect top-tier service and exclusive upgrades?
Keeping these nuances in mind, we’ve carefully evaluated all the major hotel groups to highlight the best loyalty programs that deliver meaningful perks, seamless upgrades, and genuine benefits in exchange for your loyalty. Whether you’re hopping between business hubs or seeking boutique luxury escapes, this guide breaks down the nine standout hotel rewards programs that consistently elevate the travel experience worldwide.
How do hotel rewards work?
Hotel rewards programs allow members to earn points or credits during eligible stays and while spending at participating hotels. These points can typically be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, dining, and experiences, or transferred to airline miles. Most programs have tiered status levels that unlock additional perks like late checkout, lounge access, and priority upgrades, rewarding frequent guests with enhanced benefits.
What are qualifying nights and base points?
A qualifying night is any night that you stay at a participating hotel and pay an eligible rate—meaning the booking was made through the hotel directly or an approved partner. Base points are the standard points you earn on eligible spending before any bonuses are applied, and they often determine your progress toward elite status tiers.
How do I earn points faster or reach elite status quicker?
You earn points primarily by booking stays and spending money at hotels within the program’s portfolio. Many programs also offer bonus points for spending on services at the hotel, like dining or spa treatments, or through cobranded credit cards. To reach elite status faster, frequent travelers can accumulate qualifying nights or base points quickly, often accelerated by promotions or “elite challenges,” where you can earn status faster over a condensed period. Booking with a hotel’s preferred credit card or during promotional periods can help you earn more points than you normally would.
Are hotel points worth collecting, or should I just book the cheapest hotel each time?
If you travel regularly—especially for business or extended leisure—hotel loyalty points can add significant value. However, if your travel is infrequent or primarily price-driven, the value of points might be limited. It’s best to choose a program aligned with your travel patterns and preferred brands to maximize rewards without sacrificing convenience or comfort.
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For business travelers who toggle between boardrooms and boutique stays, World of Hyatt offers a loyalty program that’s both intuitive and indulgent. What sets it apart isn’t just its sense of discreet luxury or its polished properties—it’s the way the program streamlines status, upgrades, and rewards into a system that feels more like a relationship than a transaction.
Elite tiers are remarkably attainable, especially for those who log regular, if not relentless, miles: Discoverist kicks in after just 10 nights, while Globalist—Hyatt’s top-tier status—unlocks at 60 nights and delivers standout perks like 4 p.m. late checkout, free parking on stays booked using points, suite upgrades, and access to Hyatt’s Club Lounges where the free snacks and Wi-Fi make layovers feel like retreats. Then there’s Milestone Rewards, which adds flexibility to the tier structure and kicks in as early as 20 nights, offering confirmed suite upgrades, Guest of Honor bookings (which let your colleagues, clients, or family enjoy your elite perks), and valuable free night awards. Points go further than you’d expect, with off-peak redemptions starting at just 3,500 points and access to aspirational brands like Park Hyatt, Alila, and Andaz. The portfolio leans quality over quantity, but spans everything from high-functioning business hubs like Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Connecticut and Thompson Washington, DC, to design-forward accommodations perfect for off-the-clock decompression.
With a staggering portfolio of over 8,500 properties across 30 brands in over 130 countries, Marriott Bonvoy promises global coverage. For business travelers whose calendars swing between red carpets and red-eyes, Bonvoy offers the kind of flexibility and depth that turn routine trips into upgraded experiences at the drop of a hat. The tier system is expansive but attainable: Silver Elite kicks in at 10 nights, Gold at 25, Platinum at 50, and Titanium at 75. Once you begin to earn, expect guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, lounge access, suite upgrades, and 50% bonus points—plus Annual Choice Benefits like confirmed suite nights or the ability to gift elite status benefits to another person. The system feels vast but navigable, whether you’re checking into a minimalist Moxy in Munich or a legacy-rich Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo.
Bonvoy’s points are as adaptable as its portfolio. Redeem for free nights, flight upgrades, or unforgettable “Marriott Bonvoy Moments” that range from VIP access to concerts and Formula 1 races to culinary masterclasses. Dynamic pricing means point values fluctuate, but elite members get priority on upgrades and availability windows. Cobranded Amex and Chase credit cards accelerate point-earning potential, and often provide automatic elite status, making them a powerful tool for even occasional travelers.
Hilton has a footprint of over 7,600 properties across 20+ brands, from the name-brand Conrad and Waldorf Astoria to business-leaning stalwarts like Hilton, DoubleTree, and Canopy. The tier system of the Honors program is refreshingly straightforward: Silver status arrives after just 10 nights, Gold at 40, and Diamond at 60 nights or 120,000 base points. The points earn you things like room upgrades, executive lounge access, premium Wi-Fi, and the rare but golden fifth night free on stays booked with points. The most alluring feature, Hilton’s elite Diamond tier, can also be reached more quickly if you have a cobranded credit card. Redemption is flexible, too—points can be used not just for rooms but for Amazon purchases, Lyft rides, concert tickets, and even charitable donations, though the highest value still comes from free nights, especially during peak conference seasons. Thanks to dynamic pricing, savvy travelers can still find exceptional value with a little research. Members using points sometimes benefit from lower redemption rates than non-members paying cash, making the rewards program a strategic advantage.
Alex Green
With a refreshed tier system, stronger elite perks, and a global portfolio that includes InterContinental, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, and Vignette Collection, IHG now plays in the same league as its flashier competitors but with a quieter, more down-to-earth charm. The new rewards structure, ranging from Silver at 10 nights to Diamond at 70 nights, delivers tangible benefits fast. Platinum, unlocked at 40 nights or 60,000 points, is the sweet spot for frequent flyers, offering perks like 2 p.m. late checkout and reward night discounts, which range from early access deals to a percentage off the points required to redeem a free night’s stay. If you’re a Diamond member, you can add free breakfast to the list of perks.
What sets IHG apart is its Milestone Rewards program, where travelers can choose from benefits like confirmed suite upgrades, food and beverage credits, or annual lounge memberships, making the loyalty program customizable rather than a cookie-cutter list of options. The point redemption game is flexible, too: dynamic pricing means deals if you’re savvy, and free nights start around 10,000 points. Plus, IHG’s cobranded credit cards make it possible to rack up points even when you’re not on the road.
Encompassing over 7,000 properties globally, including brands such as Cambria, Ascend, Comfort, and the recently acquired Radisson, Choice is a good fit for individuals who want to stay at reliable, often well-located hotels with just enough personality to keep things interesting. The program shines not through luxury add-on perks, but through ease: elite status can be earned quickly (Gold at just 10 nights), and rewards kick in right away. Platinum arrives at 20 nights, Diamond at 40, and the perks are practical and consistent: room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout, and dedicated customer support.
Choice also leans hard into value-first flexibility. Free nights start at just 6,000 points, and members often find that redeeming points at one of Choice’s many mid-tier properties makes their rewards go further than they otherwise would. A standout perk is that members can reserve reward nights without having the full points balance up front—a rare and underrated feature for planners. Plus, the Your Extras program offers small-but-mighty perks like Starbucks cards or gas discounts that feel like thoughtful nods to the everyday traveler for weekday stays. For those chasing elite status, cobranded credit cards offer shortcuts and solid everyday earn rates.
If your travel inclinations lean toward practicality over polish—think regional work trips, multi-city client meetings, or overnight stays near airports and industrial parks—Choice Privileges is efficient and predictable. It’s not a program built to dazzle, but for the right traveler, it delivers where it matters: location, speed, and low-friction loyalty.
With more than 9,000 properties across over 20 brands in 95 countries, Wyndham offers a wide variety of places to stay. Whether you’re checking into a La Quinta off I-95, a Wyndham Grand in Chicago, or a TRYP in Madrid, the theme is consistent and simple. Its loyalty program is refreshingly unfussy with free nights that cost between 7,500 and 30,000 points, with no blackout dates and flat-rate pricing. You always know where you stand and what your points are worth.
Elite tiers can be acquired quickly: Gold after just 5 nights, Platinum at 15, and Diamond at 40. Benefits are straightforward—room upgrades, late checkout, preferred rooms—but they apply across the entire brand spectrum. Diamond status even comes with suite upgrades and the ability to gift Gold status benefits to a colleague or family member. Wyndham also keeps redemption practical; you can use points for discounted rates, gift cards, and gas cards, or even transfer them to airline partners.
