Hilton Honors is currently running a special promotion on points purchases, allowing members to buy points with a bonus of 100%. Unlike many similar promotions, this offer isn’t tiered and kicks in as soon as you purchase 5,000 or more points.
Purchasing points in addition to earning points on cash stays and credit card spending can be a good way to unlock luxury award travel, especially if you are already close to a redemption threshold. Of course, the argument for buying points is definitely stronger when a bonus or discount promotion like this one is on offer.
What’s the deal?
From October 5 through November 23, 2023, you can earn a 100% bonus on all Hilton Honors points purchases when you buy 5,000 or more points. Hilton Honors points normally cost $10 per 1,000 points, but with this current promotion, you could earn double the number of points:
- 10,000 points for just $50
- 20,000 points for just $100
- 50,000 points for just $500
Point purchases are limited to a maximum of 160,000 points per year at a value of $1,600. Once purchased, it can take up to 48 hours for the points to be posted to your Hilton Honors account.
Cost per point
Hilton Honors usually sells points for 1 cent each.
With this 100% bonus applied, the cost per point drops to just 0.5 cents per point, which is around the figure that they are worth when used for award night redemptions.
Maximum number of points you’re allowed to buy
Hilton Honors members are allowed to purchase a maximum of 160,000 per calendar year, although, unlike some loyalty programs, the maximum purchase amount doesn’t apply to bonus points. Therefore, you can purchase 160,000 points with this promotion and earn an additional 160,000 bonus points on top.
How much is a Hilton Honors point worth?
0.5
Each Hilton Honors point is worth 0.5 cents
In my assessment, Hilton Honors points hold a consistent value of 0.5 cents per point, which makes the 100% bonus offer a compelling proposition.
Considering the nominal value of $50 per 5,000 points, you’re essentially getting an additional $50 worth of points for the same price. This extra boost can make a significant difference when redeeming points for future stays, upgrades, or other exciting rewards.
Is it worth speculatively buying points?
Whether or not it’s worth speculatively buying points very much depends on how you plan to use them, and there are arguments for and against stocking up on points.
I generally advise only to buy points in order to boost your points balance to achieve a specific redemption, but this latest deal is an excellent opportunity to acquire points for a very reasonable price, which could, in turn, unlock some pretty compelling award night opportunities.
The case for speculatively buying points is definitely stronger when there’s an attractive bonus promotion such as this one, although you’ll want to be certain you are getting value for money when you book an award night.
How many points do I need for an award night?
Hilton Honors uses dynamic pricing for award redemptions, which means that the number of points required for a free night can vary depending on the hotel, the time of year, and demand. In general, you can expect to pay more points for a free night during peak travel times, such as holidays and weekends.
Award nights start from 5,000 points for a standard room, and the maximum you could be expected to pay is 95,000 points per night. That being said, a small number of properties with ‘speciality’ accommodations can cost as much as 150,000 points per night.
With an average value of 0.5 cents per point, it’s fairly easy to work out whether you are getting good value for your points by comparing the number of points required for an award night against a dummy cash booking.
What is the Hilton Fifth Night Free offer?
Hilton Honors also offers a fifth-night free promotion on award redemptions for elite members. This means that if you book four consecutive nights at a Hilton hotel, you will get the fifth night free.
This long-standing benefit could save you a significant number of points, especially if you are staying at a high-priced hotel. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:
- The fifth-night free promotion only applies to standard room redemptions.
- A points and miles redemption won’t trigger the free night benefit.
- This promotion is only available to Hilton Honors elite members.
If you’re not already a Hilton elite member, consider that there are plenty of credit cards that have Hilton Honors elite status as a benefit, so this might be worth pursuing.
What other ways are there to earn Hilton Honors points?
While booking a cash stay at a Hilton property will earn you valuable points, many Hilton Honors members earn the majority of their points through co-branded American Express credit cards, which also come with instant elite member status without the usual minimum stay requirements.
Other methods to warn Hilton Honors points include:
- Linking Lyft with your Hilton Honors account to earn points on rideshare bookings.
- Earnings points from car rentals with Alamo, Enterprise and National rent a car.
- Various limited-time points promotions to earn bonus points.
Do Hilton Honors points expire?
Technically, yes. Hilton Honors points will expire if there hasn’t been any account activity within the last 24 months. The most obvious way to ensure account activity is to complete a qualifying stay at a Hilton property, which earns points, but other popular methods include redeeming points as well as buying more points.
How does this offer compare to previous promotions?
| September 6 – December 31 | Earn triple points on cash stays |
| August 1 – September 19, 2023 | Bonus of up to 100% |
| May 30 – July 18, 2023 | Bonus of up to 100% |
Summary
Hilton Honors is currently selling points with a bonus of 100%. A minimum purchase of 5,000 points is required to trigger the bonus. Points can be purchased in increments of 1,000. The promotion ends on September 19.
