Hilton HHonors

Program Overview

With over 3000 locations in over 80 countries worldwide, Hilton Hotels is definitely a leader in the hotel world. In fact, with a dozen brands and nearly 150,000 rooms around the world, you'd be hard pressed to find a travel destination withot a Hilton nearby. Hilton HHonors is the loyalty program associated with all of these properties. HHonors allows you to earn points for qualifying stays at Hilton properties and with partners. One unique feature of Hilton HHonors is the "double dip" which allows you to earn both miles and points for the same stay. The program has four levels: Blue, Silver VIP, Gold VIP, and Diamond VIP.

Earn Opportunities

Hilton HHonors members can choose to earn 10 points per eligible dollar spent plus either 1 mile per dollar, or 500 flat miles (at the higher-end Hilton brands, 100 at the lower end brands). Or they can skip the miles, and choose 15 points per dollar. There are also Hilton HHonors branded American Express and Visa cards that come with bonuses of 10,000 to 15,000 points at signup and for first qualifying purchases, as well as elite status when spending over a certain threshold per year. There are also partnerships with car rental, airline, and retail partners that allow members to earn points without staying at Hilton hotels.

Redeem Opportunities

As you would expect from a hotel loyalty program, Hilton HHonors members can redeem points for free stays at Hilton Hotels, but currently there are no upgrade awards. HHonors points can also be redeemed for car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, theme park tickets, as well as retail and restaurant gift certificates. There are also "Experience Rewards" which allow members to redeem large sums of points for once in a lifetime experiences such as spending time with celebrities.

Transfer Opportunities

Hilton HHonors ranks well with transfer opportunities. Members can trade in their HHonors points for frequent flyer miles on nearly 40 airlines and points in a handful of other loyalty programs, including Diners Club Interntaional Club Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards.

Conclusion

Hilton HHonors is unique in that it allows double-dipping for both points and miles, and it is easy to earn with Hilton branded credit cards and lots of airline partners. The airline partnerships and easy transfers make Hilton HHonors a winner, even if redeeming awards can be a bit difficult and promotions are sparse.