Best Hotel Point Systems

If we had to describe Hyatt with one word, it would be “Luxury.” Accessibility might not be the word we’d use -- only because it is a little more difficult to find rooms at a Hyatt than a Marriott or even a Hilton. But if you want extravagance, Hyatt is where you’ll find it, with more luxury options than any other brand. And if you’re traveling to a popular destination, you’re still more than likely to find a Hyatt. They’ve strategically placed their brands in prominent vacation spots around the world. Even their Hyatt House selections are comfortable and accommodating starting at only 5,000 points per night with locations throughout the world. These are great points to have on hand for weekend getaways or a surprise celebration. And because it’s a Hyatt, you know it will be unforgettable.

Chase Ultimate Rewards again leads the way here. If you still have openings in the Chase rule, you should rack up these rewards. The reason is that they are super valuable for lots of travel plans. There are 3 hotel partners to which you can transfer: Hyatt, Marriott and IHG. Points are transferred at a 1:1 value and they are instantaneous, with the exception of Marriott that takes up to 39 hours. Plus, each brand allows you to book with strictly points or points plus cash. Let’s break it down by partner. Hyatt is the most valuable because you can stay at some amazing hotels around the world for as little as 3,500 points. And with Hyatt’s new award chart, you now have the option of booking low off-peak rates, increasing the value of each of your points. You can also do Marriott rewards. Their value varies depending on the location of the hotel. Marriott can be a little pricey if you use points. So you want to look around at the area you’re traveling to and see if there are any Hyatt or IHG hotels first -- then do a points comparison. That brings us to our last transfer partner. Some would consider IHG a waste of a transfer, though we love the availability of hotels the program offers, and the range of rooms from basic to luxury.

Hilton has a history of luxury and accessibility. Thanks to its already established list of hotels, plus its expanded Signia and LXR brands, you can find a Hilton hotel in over 100 countries around the world. And they range from luxury couples’ vacations to small town trips to visit family. Accumulating points is easy with one of their brand-specific credit cards. And you can also transfer or pool points between family members with no fees attached. Most of their cards come with Gold status for great room upgrades and free breakfast. Hilton Honors has a very easy redemption process with the absolute best value coming from simply booking a HiIton stay. Because of the accessibility of rooms and the convenient location of their hotels, you’ll love this points system no matter where you’re going.

Marriott is one of those hotel brands that are everywhere you want to go. It is, after all, the largest hotel chain in the world, with 32 different brands. Luxury like JW Marriott or Ritz-Carlton all the way down to economy picks like Fairfield or Springhill. This is a great points system for a simple, concise way to book a room in nearly any location you’d want to stay. Points can be accumulated through Chase banks and American Express, leaving you with two options if you’re tipping any rules. Plus Marriott is such a popular name, even if you're heading to a not-so-developed area, you’ll be guaranteed a stay that measures up to the brand.

IHG rewards are versatile and flexible. Their hotels are clean, usually include breakfast and/or a small kitchen, and range from comfort to luxury options. With IHG’s family of 17 different brands like Staybridge Suites, Candlewood, Crowne Plaza, Regent, etc., you can go almost anywhere in the world and find a place to rest your head. Hotels can start at only 5,000 points per night, and if you hold an IHG card you can take advantage of the annual free night. The points stretch super far. But if you don’t have enough points, you do have a cash plus points option to make your reservation. The site is easy to navigate. If you change your mind, you can get a full reimbursement of points and money if you cancel within 24 hours of your check-in. Ultimate Rewards are transferable to IHG, or you can get the Chase IHG credit card to rack up these rewards for your next hotel stay.

Wyndham is a sneaky brand because it very quietly collects points in the back corner and then when it’s time for redeeming, it comes bursting out of its shell and performs. Wyndham is a Barclay card, so even if you’ve maxed out your Chase rule, you can still go for this one. Earning points comes swiftly with 2 brand specific cards, one that has an annual fee and one that does not. We recommend the annual fee one. If you have a plethora of Capital One points, those are transferable at a 2:1.5 rate. There are over 8,000 properties worldwide, translating to 700,000+ rooms, and 18 different brands including Ramada and Days Inn, all bookable with points. There are no surprises when it comes time to book because all hotels are either 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 points per night -- even all-inclusives. So between the ease of earning and redeeming, we love Wyndham rewards as a top points system of hotels.