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Hilton points value
Hilton points value is at least 0.35p. You can often do much better than that especially at luxury properties like the stunning Conrad Bora Bora or Waldorf Astoria Maldives.
Hilton Honors points are often on sale with a 100% bonus which brings the cost to around 0.4p depending on exchange rates.
IHG points value
IHG points value is at least 0.45p. You can get a lot more that that at luxury properties like the incredible Thalasso Bora Bora. Frequent 100% buy points bonuses are well worth using.
Marriott points value
Marriott points value is about 0.55p. There are occasional points buying promos that can be useful if you just need to top off your balance, but usually not great value. It is possible to get better value than this but I find it much harder than with Hilton or IHG.
Radisson points value
At least 0.35p. You can transfer 1 American Express Membership Rewards point to get 3 Radisson points, which is one of the best Amex MR points redemptions.
Hyatt points value
1.2p.
Melia points value
At least 0.75p, although it is easy to get much more than that at luxury properties during peak times. Regular buy points promos can deliver exceptional value. For example, the Melia Iguazu Falls is a magnificent hotel and a steal on points. Buying points stops expiry.
With Melia, it is always worth checking the cost of buying points instead of paying cash.
Shangri La points value
7p to 10p. I’ve regularly achieved 7p on hotels, and you can get 10p on food and drink vouchers.
Wyndham La points value
0.45p.
What are hotel points worth?
People will argue about this all day long.
I’ve seen Hilton points value vary from 0.2p to over 2p. I’ve seen IHG points value vary from 0.2p to well over 1p. Some will say “but that’s not real value”, but here’s the thing: Of your planned stays, which one saves you the most cash? For your desired hotel, how much cheaper would it be if you bought the points you need?
There are two simple ways to look at it:
When buying points, what’s the most you should pay?
You should only buy points if you have a redemption in mind and know that you will come out ahead, so simply check where you plan to use them before you buy.
The valuations given above are easily achievable, which means that you will often, though by no means not always, be able to get this much value. Pay more than this to buy points, and you might struggle to find a use where it wouldn’t have been cheaper to pay cash.
When booking, should you use points?
First, will you get at least the value given here? If not, paying cash is better, unless you have so many points you don’t care.
Second, if the value is close, remember that you would earn points when paying cash, so again cash probably wins.
Third, if the value is higher than given here, then it’s a good option. All you need to do is compare to other stays you’re considering and see which wins.
Fourth, unless you’re swimming in points, always remember to check cash rates at other hotels. Just because it’s good value on points doesn’t make it the best choice. It could come out as high points values just because cash rates are high when the hotel is in demand due to an event.
Can you buy hotel points?
Check this page for all the latest hotel “buy points” deals and valuations.
