This post was last published about over a year ago. Since then, we’ve added the Sonesta hotel chain and have established new Reasonable Redemption Values (RRVs) for all of the programs listed in this post. With the new RRVs, we’ve re-calculated which programs are most rewarding on paid stays. You’ll find the results below.
The calculations in this post rely on our Reasonable Redemption Values (RRVs). RRVs are the values at which it is reasonable to expect to get that much value or more from your points. For hotels, we calculate RRVs by comparing paid and award rates for multiple dates at a number of hotels in the United States, and we pick the median point value to be the RRV. If a program has an RRV of 1.0, for example, this means that the median value of that program’s points is 1 cent.
This post does not factor in extra points earned from hotel promotions or elite welcome gifts; nor does this post factor in the fact that different elite programs are differentially rewarding in ways other than assigning extra points. For example, I love the fact that Hyatt waives parking fees on free nights for top tier elites, but that type of thing is not factored in here.
Most rewarding hotel loyalty program without elite status
The following table shows the hotel programs that offer the most valuable rewards on paid stays for those with no elite status. This table does not consider the value of credit card rewards earned on your stay:
| Rewards Program | Point Value (RRV) | Points Earned Per Dollar* | Value of Rewards Earned as Percentage of Amount Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesta | 1.06 | 10 | 11% |
| Wyndham | 1.01 | 10 | 10% |
| Hyatt | 1.7 | 5 | 9% |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 0.7 | 10 | 7% |
| Choice | 0.67 | 10 | 7% |
| IHG | 0.62 | 10 | 6% |
| Best Western | 0.61 | 10 | 6% |
| Hilton | 0.48 | 10 | 5% |
* The points per dollar number is each hotel program’s usual rate. Some have exceptions. For example, Marriott only offers 5 points per dollar for their long-stay hotels. Additionally, Sonesta offers half the usual points at Simply Suites, Signature Inns, America’s Best Value Inns, and Canada’s Best Value Inns
Sonesta, Wyndham, and Hyatt offer the best rewards before considering the value of elite status or credit card spend.
Most rewarding hotel loyalty program with top status
The following table shows the hotel programs that offer the most valuable rewards on paid stays for those with top tier elite status. This table does not consider the value of credit card rewards earned on your stay:
| Rewards Program | Top Elite Status | Point Value (RRV) | Points Earned Per Dollar* | Value of Rewards Earned as Percentage of Amount Spent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesta | Platinum | 1.06 | 20 | 21% |
| IHG | Diamond | 0.62 | 20 | 12% |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Titanium or Ambassador | 0.7 | 17.5 | 12% |
| Wyndham | Diamond | 1.01 | 12 | 12% |
| Hyatt | Globalist | 1.7 | 6.5 | 11% |
| Choice | Diamond | 0.67 | 15 | 10% |
| Hilton | Diamond | 0.48 | 20 | 10% |
| Best Western | Diamond | 0.54 | 15 | 9% |
* The points per dollar number is each hotel program’s usual rate. Some have exceptions. For example, Marriott only offers 5 points per dollar for their long-stay hotels. Additionally, Sonesta offers half the usual points at Simply Suites, Signature Inns, America’s Best Value Inns, and Canada’s Best Value Inns
Sonesta stands alone at the top of this chart! After Sonesta, IHG, Marriott, and Wyndham are in a tight race, with Hyatt not far behind.
Most rewarding hotel loyalty program with credit card status
Many hotel programs offer credit cards which give the cardholder elite status. That elite status, in turn, usually means earning more points per dollar for stays. With this factored in, let’s take a look at which hotel programs are most rewarding for those who have status from credit cards:
| Elite Status from Card | Credit Card | Points Per Dollar Due to Status | Points Per Dollar from Card | Total Value % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesta | Sonesta World Mastercard | 17.5 | 3 | 22% |
| Diamond | Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card | 12 | 8 | 20% |
| Platinum | Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus | 11.5 | 6 | 18% |
| Discoverist | World of Hyatt | 5.5 | 4 | 16% |
| Diamond | Hilton Aspire | 20 | 14 | 16% |
| Platinum | IHG Premier, Premier Business | 16 | 10 | 16% |
| Platinum | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant | 15 | 6 | 15% |
| Gold | Hilton Surpass, Hilton Business | 18 | 12 | 14% |
| Gold | Ritz | 12.5 | 6 | 13% |
| Platinum | Best Western Rewards Premium | 11.5 | 10 | 13% |
| Silver | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless | 11 | 6 | 12% |
| Silver | Hilton (No Fee) | 12 | 7 | 9% |
Sonesta again takes the top spot but with Wyndham very close behind.
The hotel promo factor
Hilton performs noticeably poorly in some of the above analyses. This is not because they offer few points per dollar, but because their points are, on average, worth considerably less than points from most other hotel loyalty programs.
Despite that, Hilton is often the most rewarding hotel chain for paid stays because they frequently run valuable promos. For example, they periodically run a promo that offers double points on 1 or 2 night stays and triple points on longer stays. With double points alone, Hilton would rise to the top (or near the top) of all of the above charts as long as the other chains weren’t also offering valuable promos at the same time.
Conclusion
Sonesta came out on top in every category shown above. They offer very good value for their points and lots of points per dollar for stays at many properties (but they do have a sizeable list of properties that earn half as many points). Beyond Sonesta, you can do really well with almost any of these programs with the right combination of elite status and credit cards.
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The dispersion of personal experiences is too great to generalize an answer. But, the exercise *teaches* the reader the process of determining the answer for one’s own circumstances. Which is what distinguishes the FM team. Newbies: listen up.
PS – If someone said they attained a 42+ percent reward rate, would it have meaning to any other person (who will have different circumstances)?
I’d also add in for IHG and Choice that I always seem to be able to get big Capital One Shopping offers by browsing a day or two before I plan on booking. Can usually get 15%, I’ve gotten as high as 24% for IHG.
I’ve even gotten small payouts for them on award bookings with IHG. My IHG award bookings have seemed to code as $25-$70 purchase amounts.
Great analysis and another reason I should pick up the Sonesta CC soon with their big 125K sign up bonus 🙂
How about status+credit card? If Hyatt adds 4ppd it totals to 10.5ppd or about 18%. Curious how these compare across programs. (Travel codex used to do a series comparing status lvls across programs for various levels of earn (5yrs ago?). Was also good to think about. Might be up FM’s alley.)
Thanks for the hotel chart, very helpful. I concur, Hilton points are worth less but with their promos you can rack up crazy points. Like a stay a year or two ago had 3X base points + some bonus is you checked out mid week. They do have Double point offers so often too.
I knew Wyndham was a good deal, but they and Sonesta are very much outliers on paid stays. It is interesting that, as much as we fuss about points value, each of the major 4 programs gives basically the same value back to cardholders paying cash (16%). I suppose the differences are in elite recognition and in the different ways you can accumulate/spend points (with Hyatt having a big advantage in both areas, but Hilton having the occasional MR bonuses and IHG having some interesting ways to buy points). This does conform with my general feeling that Marriott is one of the hardest programs to get points because they don’t have good transfer options or points sales, even if the value proposition on the cards alone is roughly equal.
I use personal factors to calculate which hotel points are worth most to me….although Hyatt used to be the easiest to earn and best redemptions for me, they were actually worth less because there were fewer Hyatts in the locations I most travelled to – so in that case, they became useless.
A head to head analysis of the major brands is worthwhile, IMO, in those locations where all the brands are in close proximity to each other in the same location….hotels are real estate and location, location, location matters….
but I do appreciate this analysis because overall I value hotel points more than airline points, because I travel a lot by land, as much as by air.
I also failed to mention that what I most appreciate with Hilton is that when they have one of their frequent promotions, award nights have counted….that is rare and valuable (relatively, depending)…..even though their points, yeah, not worth much….I feel as if these programs are also so different – too many variables to do a direct comparison, but interesting…
Error in the last chart, first column, top. It says “Sonesta” but it should say “Gold”.
I think when considering credit cards, IHG cards should also be considered for their 4th night free and 10% points back benefits.
And hilton’s 5th night fee too.
Nice analysis but a bit unfair to compare a $550/$650 fee card to $95 fee card (with a free night) of IHG. It would be good to separate the credit card section into mid-tier and high-tier.
Right, I dont think they factored that in but I could think those who have the aspire take advantage of the perks so its a wash? Such as the 2X a year $200 resort credit, and then airline credits, etc
No mention of the Choice credit card
They really do need to add that, though it looks like Choice would still come in toward the end.
Lol Wyndham like that pro wrestler who runs onto the mat with a metal chair.
2nd behind Hyatt for king of the cc status listings? With that cheap of a card. Hilarious.
Interesting about Hilton, although I don’t know how that but promos is relevant as all of them have promos.
Dying for a great Hyatt or Wyndham sub. They’re as mediocre as you get.
It would be even better if you consider breakfast, F&B credits into credit card consideration. For example, in your comparison, Marriott Platinum seems to be worse than World of Hyatt Discoverist by 3%, but if you value breakfast for 2 for 20-30 bucks, Marriott wins by a lot, etc. Of course, if it’s like Hyatt House or Hyatt Place and Fairfield, then this wouldn’t matter.
Any chance for Hyatt entering the premium co-branded credit card market?
I hope they do but we haven’t heard of any movement in that direction
A Hyatt card with automatic Globalist status. I like the idea, but then everyone could have it and I suspects the benefits would deteriorate.
I don’t think it’s good idea for them to do so. I think Globalist is the best hotel status out there with the huge caveat of needing their vastly smaller footprint to work for you. If they toss out Globalist, status to everyone for 500 or 600 dollars, they’ll probably reduce the benefits and lose a large part of their appeal. If being a Globalist is reduced to being like being a Diamond or Titanium, what’s the point of dealing with Hyatt’s tiny footprint when you could just stay with Marriott or Hilton instead? Better status benefits for Globalists are the sole reason I stay loyal to Hyatt.
I would not have included the card rewards in the last table – neither card requires to use it in the hotel for the status, and you might have a better card to pay.