While it’s easy to get started (just signup for free), choosing the best hotel loyalty program can be pretty complex. Learn from our personal experience and decide which program is best for you!
TL;DR: Best Hotel Loyalty Programs
When you stay at a hotel or spend money on a hotel’s credit card, you can get rewards from hotel loyalty programs. Common perks are points toward free hotel nights, room upgrades, waived fees, early check-in and late checkout. Of the major hotel loyalty programs, the best one for Zuzu & me has been Hyatt’s World of Hyatt program.
Here’s my short, tl;dr summary of the 3 major programs:
Marriott Bonvoy
The biggest strength of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program is their huge number of properties which is good for frequent business travelers.
However, a prime reason we didn’t focus on Marriott Bonvoy is because the internet is littered with bad reviews about the program. Members have literally coined the term “Bonvoyed” to describe when you get screwed over by Marriott.
Hilton Honors
Similar to Marriott, Hilton Honors has a ton of properties worldwide. I also think it’s easier to earn Hilton Honors points than to earn Hyatt or Marriott points.
But Hilton Honors points aren’t worth much. (They’re worth about 1/8 as much as a Hyatt point to us!) And Hilton’s weird rules and large number of elites make it less likely to get big perks with Hilton than with Hyatt.
Quick example: we had a wonderful, free breakfast buffet at the Grand Hyatt Washington DC. Menu price was $32 per person so saved $128 for 4 of us. Meanwhile, the nearby Hilton only offered $18 credits (max $36 for 2 people) to their Diamond members.
World of Hyatt
Having held top level Globalist status since 2021, I can tell you 1st hand that we love the World of Hyatt program. Compared to my friends who hold top status with Marriott and Hilton, we’re much more likely to get elite treatment than they are.
As WoH Globalists, we almost always get a better room than we booked, free food/drinks, and waived fees.
And I know this sounds like clickbait, but we really did get a $7000 trip for free because My Hyatt Concierge decided an issue wasn’t resolved to her satisfaction. It was the most unbelievable customer service event I’ve ever experienced.
Before we jump into the details of WoH, Bonvoy and HHonors; let’s cover some basics about what hotel loyalty programs are and why you should care.
What is a Hotel Loyalty Program?
Similar to airline frequent flyer programs, hotel loyalty programs are the secret sauce to turning your nights away from home (and your spend on their credit cards) into perks and freebies.
Since we started traveling in 2021, Zuzu & I have gotten tremendous value out of Hotel Loyalty Programs. Almost every hotel has a loyalty program to reward their customers who stay at their hotels and who spend on the hotel’s credit cards.
Learn How We Use Points to Stay at Luxury Hotels for Free
However, these programs aren’t just about accumulating points; they’re about climbing the ranks to earn Elite Status.
The more you stay and the more you spend, the higher you climb up the Elite Status ladder. Especially with higher status, you can unlock levels that come with valuable perks. It’s like being part of an exclusive club where each tier brings you closer to the VIP experience — think free breakfasts that make you jump out of bed in the morning (like our fantastic free breakfast at the Andaz Maui), access to an exclusive restaurant at a resort (like we LOVED at Secrets Maroma Beach), and special events that make a stay memorable (like our private Tequila tasting at Ziva Cancun).
In a nutshell, hotel loyalty programs can transform your travels into a series of upgrades and experiences, ensuring that each trip is not just another stay, but a step into a world of rewards.
We already use points and miles to travel like we’re rich (we aren’t). But hotel loyalty programs really do bump it up to traveling like rich VIP’s… for free!
Why We Love Hotel Loyalty Programs
For us, earning elite status with the World of Hyatt program has meant special treatment that we could never afford to pay for on a middle class income.
Thanks to Globalist status with Hyatt, we’ve received free nights, frequent room upgrades (once from a basic room to an enormous Suite with 3 Thermostats!), free parking, waived resort fees, early checkins and late checkouts so we can snooze a bit longer.
Rewards like we get are the hotels’ way of rolling out the red carpet for their most loyal customers. They’re making sure that when you’re on the road, the welcome mat is always out, and your stay is just a bit nicer.
Starting with our favorite program, lets take a look at benefits and drawbacks of the three most popular hotel loyalty programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hilton Honors.
World of Hyatt: Best for Luxury Travel!
If you follow our 1 Hotel, 1 Bank, 1 Airline strategy for Free Travel, you know that we suggest focusing on a single hotel loyalty program. We originally picked World of Hyatt and that decision has paid off BIG TIME!
Almost every one of our Hyatt stays has been a great, memorable experience.
It’s not just the destinations that we enjoy but the genuine connections and unexpected “extras” we’ve encountered. From the old-money opulence of a Park Hyatt (that we could never afford) to meeting the nicest hospitality worker in the world (Theogene made us feel like family at Secrets St Martin), we’ve made more memories than we ever imagined.
Hyatt’s knack for recognizing and rewarding its top level Elite Globalist members has been crucial in turning our stays into VIP-level experiences rich with personal touches and moments of surprise.
Elite Globalist Benefits
While this is not a comprehensive list of Globalist benefits, I see some of the main perks for Globalists to be:
- My Hyatt Concierge
- Room Upgrades
- Free parking
- Free breakfast
- No resort fees
- Suite Night Awards
- Guest of Honor
- Early check-in & late checkout
For most frequent travelers, room upgrades are the most valuable perk they can get so let’s consider that for a minute.
Hyatt Suite Upgrades
Even though all the major hotel loyalty programs offer space-available suite upgrades to their elite members, it depends on:
- Room availability
- Occupancy levels
- Number of Elite members staying & arriving
- Check-in & check-out times
Also, savvy travelers know that it’s heavily dependent on how generous the property is with giving out upgrades. (Some properties are known to play games and not give room upgrades even when rooms are available and elites are entitled to them.)
Anecdotally, there’s a better chance of getting an upgrade as a Hyatt elite vs any other program. I think that’s partially because there aren’t as many Hyatt elites vs the other programs.
And while both Marriott and Hyatt offer Suite Upgrade Awards, Hyatt’s SUA’s are good for a full stay of up to 7 nights. Marriott’s “Nightly Upgrade Awards” (NUA) are only for 1 night each.
Hyatt’s policy for suite upgrades is also more flexible than Marriott’s. You can confirm suite availability as far out as you can book with a Hyatt SUA. Marriott will only confirm the NUA at 3 nights before your arrival.
Compare that to Hilton where there is no method to guarantee a suite upgrade before arrival.
Even at Hyatt All Inclusive resorts, we’re treated to valuable extra benefits as Globalists. For example, at Secrets Maroma Beach, our Globalist status got us a free room upgrade worth $306 per night. And at Impression Moxche by Secrets, our Globalist upgrade was worth $359 per night.
btw, I think Secrets Resorts are the best All Inclusive for Globalists.
The biggest knock on the Hyatt program is Hyatt’s smaller footprint. But as I mentioned earlier, Zuzu and I mostly care about elite perks when we travel for leisure. While Hyatt has fewer properties in small & medium size locations, there’s plenty in the vacation destinations that we want to visit.
For example, there’s over 150 Hyatt properties in the Cancun area.
Pros of Hyatt:
- Exceptional Reward Value: Each Hyatt point is worth almost 4 cents to us!
- Award Redemption Chart: Unlike Hilton & Marriott’s dynamic point pricing, Hyatt follows an award chart which can make for some fantastic redemptions.
- Strategic Partnerships: Over 1000 non-Hyatt hotel partners treat us as Elite.
- Free Nights Count as Elite Nights: Even though we usually stay for free, those free nights count toward status.
- Free Nights are Really Free: Free parking, waived resort fees and free breakfast.
- Suite Night Awards: SUA’s count for an entire stay up to 7 consecutive nights.
- Best Breakfast Benefit: Hot breakfast & gratuity included at almost every hotel.
- Waived Resort & Destination Fees: Waived on free nights for all members. Globalists get waived fees on both free and paid stays.
- Good Use of Transferrable Points: We transfer almost all our Chase points to Hyatt for a fantastic value.
Cons of Hyatt:
- Limited Footprint: Not an issue for vacations but sucks for business travel.
- Limited Award Availability: Each property only releases a few rooms for awards.
- Hard to Earn Top Status: 60 nights to reach Globalist can be tough if you’re not a road warrior or vacation as much as we do. We get several nights credit from the Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Who Should Pick World of Hyatt
The World of Hyatt loyalty program is a good choice for travelers who:
- Collect Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
- Prefer luxury stays in popular destinations.
- Don’t frequently book hotels in smaller cities or remote locations.
- Love the All Inclusive Resorts like we do.
- Can spend 60 nights per year in Hyatt properties.
- Want to get the most value from hotel or credit card points.
Ross & Zuzu’s Take: Best Hotel Loyalty Program for Us
When we started traveling alot in 2021, I researched which hotel I wanted to focus on.
Everything pointed toward the World of Hyatt program as the best hotel loyalty program for elite members. The main downside of Hyatt is that they have much fewer properties than Marriott, Hilton & IHG. For example, there’s no Hyatt in Chattanooga, TN.
But since I’m focused on luxury travel, I’m not dreaming of vacations in Chattanooga, Scranton or Wichita.
There are over 1350 Hyatt hotels with ~150 Hyatt all inclusive resorts in exotic locations. That’s what I’m dreaming about!
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy caters to both business and leisure travelers, and they have a massive footprint of properties around the world. Bonvoy members with elite status can often get free rooms, free breakfast, room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout.
If you already stay at Marriott properties alot, it can make sense to aim for top level Bonvoy status such as Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite.
Too Many Elite Members
However, a huge program means huge competition for limited upgrades. As Matthew Klint points out, Le Meridien Bangkok actually displayed that they had 115 of 282 rooms taken by Platinum, Titanium & Ambassador members (I’m a lowly Gold) on a particular night. And they had another 50 scheduled to arrive that day!
With too many elite members, the math doesn’t work. If 59% of guests (with top level elite status) expect an upgrade, what happens when ONLY 11% of rooms are suites?
Alot of Marriott elites are going to NOT get an upgrade.
Matthew asks “When everyone is elite, no one is elite?” Obviously, you can’t upgrade everyone. Alot of those Marriott elites are going to be disappointed.
Ever Been Bonvoyed by Marriott?
Besides the issue of having alot of elites vying for scarce upgrades, if you stay at Marriott often, you’re probably intimately familiar with the term “Bonvoyed.”
The internet is littered with Marriott Bonvoy members getting screwed out of the benefits that they believe that they deserve. While no program is perfect, the Marriott Bonvoy program seems to have more haters than lovers.
Also on the negative side, high category hotel rooms can cost a significant number of points, and reaching Marriott’s top-tier membership level can be more difficult than with other programs.
Another gripe by elite members who get Bonvoyed? Marriott’s free night certificates still require you to pay for parking.
As a Hyatt loyalist, I admit I’m jealous of Marriott’s “fifth-night free” benefit. If you book five consecutive reward nights, the lowest-priced night will be given for zero points. This can lead to big savings, particularly when you enjoy the high-end destinations like Zuzu & I frequent.
Pros of Marriott Bonvoy:
- 7000+ Locations: No matter where you’re traveling, you’ve got options.
- 130 Countries: There are Marriott’s everywhere.
- Transferrable Points: You can use Bonvoy points on hotel stays, flights, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages.
- 5th Night Free: Book 5 consecutive nights & get the lowest cost night free.
Cons of Marriott Bonvoy:
- Bonvoyed: “Getting screwed by Bonvoy” according to UrbanDictionary
- Suite NIGHT Awards: SNA upgrade awards are only good for 1 night each and can’t be confirmed until 3 days prior to arrival.
- High Points Costs: High-category hotels can cost a huge number of points.
- Tough to Reach Top Elite Status: 50 Nights for Platinum Elite and 75 for Titanium.
- Lots of Competing Elites: Only so many upgrades but tons of other elite members.
Who Should Pick Marriott Bonvoy
The Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program can be a good fit for travelers who:
- Are undecided about their travel destinations.
- Want a large collection of luxury properties.
- Often book stays in five-night increments.
- Are interested in extended-stay hotel rooms.
- Want the flexibility to convert their points into airline miles.
Ross & Zuzu’s Take on Bonvoy
While I’m sometimes jealous of Marriott’s extensive footprint, I can almost always find a Hyatt in vacation destinations. I care most about perks when I’m traveling for leisure and Hyatt stacks up very well there.
And here’s a first hand Hyatt vs Marriott example where WoH was better then Bonvoy.
Last year, we stayed at the nice Holston House Nashville while our Bonvoy Titanium friends stayed a block away at the very nice Westin Nashville. Our Hyatt free night cost $0 and included free breakfast for all 3 in our room. Their Bonvoy “free” night cost $120 and only included breakfast for 2 of their registered party of 4.
Hilton Honors
Thanks to it’s large global presence, the Hilton Honors program can be a good fit for frequent travelers who don’t always stay in larger cities and popular destinations.
Like the Marriott Bonvoy program, Hilton’s high-end hotels require a large number of points for free nights. While bonus points don’t count towards earning elite status, points can be used to book rooms with no blackout dates.
In terms of points’ value, Hilton Honors points aren’t near as valuable as Hyatt points but they’re much easier to earn. This can make Hilton Honors an attractive program for people who frequently stay at Hilton properties.
Too Many Elite Members
Similar to Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors has a ton of elite members. In a blog post, John Ollila of Loyalty Lobby shared some info about the number of Hilton elites at a North American Hilton property.
36% of that Hilton’s guests were top level Diamond status. It’s just tough for a hotel to give great benefits to 36% of their guests.
When we’re at nice Hyatt properties, I often ask how many Globalists are there. While I don’t always get a straight answer, it’s common to hear that only a few Globalists are checked in.
On a recent visit to the Andaz Napa, I was told there was only 1 other Globalist at this 141 room boutique hotel. While we spent the 1st night in a nice Jr Suite, I asked for and was upgraded to the even nicer Andaz Harvest Suite for the remainder of our stay.
Pros of Hilton Honors:
- Easy to Earn Status: Just get the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express. It comes with Diamond status.
- Easy to Earn Points: But they’re not worth much. See below.
- 7000+ Properties: You’ll find a Hilton property almost everywhere.
- Free Breakfast, Kinda Sorta: Diamond and Gold members get some small credit at some Hilton hotels.
- 5th Night Free: Book 5 consecutive nights & get the lowest cost night free.
- No Blackout Dates: If they have a room, you can book it with points.
- Resort Fees Waived: No resort fees on reward stays booked with points.
Cons of Hilton Honors:
- Points aren’t Worth Much: Our Hyatt points are worth 8x as much as Hilton points.
- Bad Use of Transferrable Points: Generally poor value to transfer Amex points to Hilton.
- High End Hotels Have High Points Prices: 110k points for a standard room is not uncommon.
- No Confirmed Upgrades: No way to know if you’ll get a room upgrade until arrival.
- No Late Check-Out Guarantee: Some Hyatt & Marriott properties guarantee this.
- Lots of Competing Elites: Only so many upgrades but tons of other elite members.
Who Should Pick Hilton Honors
The Hilton Honors loyalty program might be a good fit for travelers who:
- Have way too many Amex Membership Rewards points.
- Have flexible travel destinations.
- Regularly book stays in five-night increments.
- Are interested in booking extended-stay hotel rooms.
- Are content with a smaller, yet impressive collection of luxury hotels.
- Travel frequently for work or leisure.
Ross & Zuzu’s Take on HHonors
Similar to Marriott Bonvoy, I think the Hilton Honors program can be a fit for business road warriors but not for those of us who primarily travel for leisure. While it’s about 3x easier to earn Hilton points vs Hyatt points, our Hyatt points are worth 8x as much.
Zuzu & I really treasure the VIP treatment that we get from Hyatt and that seems to happen much less often for Hilton elites.
Finally, the inconsistent Hilton breakfast benefit of only $15-25 per person is a deal breaker for us. Our normal vacation routine is a big, late breakfast for free at Hyatt which allows us to only spend cash on dinner when we travel. We’d spend more on food if we were Hilton elites.
So What’s the Best for You?
Each of these hotel loyalty programs offers unique advantages and disadvantages. If your business travel requires you to stay at a certain brand, you should chase elite status in that program.
But if you don’t have a forced tie-in to Marriott or Hilton, I really think that the World of Hyatt program is best for most people who want to enjoy leisure travel.
More Hotel Loyalty Program Success Stories
Some of our most memorable trips have included great perks from our elite status. Here are a few of the best:
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