#8 Among Hotels
Point Value
8.0 ¢
Program Score
5.1
Leaders Club is a boutique hotel program focused on luxury stays
There are no lucrative ways to earn a lot of Leaders Club points, but the system for earning points through stays is straightforward. There is no co-branded credit card, and Leaders Club has only two credit card transfer partners.
Special Offers Related to Leaders Club. Click the arrow to see more.
Citi ThankYou Rewards is offering a 25% transfer bonus to Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club. The standard transfer ratio is 5:1 for eligible premium Citi cards and 5.714:1 for other eligible Citi cards, so with the bonus, you’ll receive 250 Leaders Club points for every 1,000 Citi ThankYou Rewards points transferred with eligible premium cards, or 175 Leaders Club points with other eligible Citi cards. Offer expires September 19, 2026.
Leading Hotels of the World is offering up to a 100% bonus on Leaders Club point purchases through September 25, 2026. Members receive a 50% bonus when purchasing 2,000-11,000 points, a 75% bonus on 12,000-29,000 points, and a 100% bonus on purchases between 30,000-75,000 points. Leaders Club normally sells points for 12¢ each, which sounds expensive compared to most hotel programs, but we value Leaders Club points at roughly 8¢ each. The 100% bonus drops the purchase price to 6¢ apiece, while the 75% bonus drops it to about 6.86¢ each. Either tier can provide strong value with the right redemption. We generally wouldn't recommend speculatively buying hotel points, but Leaders Club can offer outsized value at expensive luxury properties.
American Express has added Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club as a new Membership Rewards transfer partner at a 4:1 ratio. While that transfer ratio may not sound impressive, Leaders Club points can often be redeemed for around 8¢ each, making this one of Amex's strongest hotel transfer options at roughly 2¢ per Membership Rewards point. Citi is the only other transferable currency partner, but it transfers at a weaker 5:1 ratio. If you have an Amex Platinum or Business Platinum Card, you also receive complimentary Leaders Club Sterling Status, which includes benefits like daily breakfast for two, upgrade priority, and early check-in or late checkout when available.
Book an eligible hotel in Leading Hotels of the World's Explore Collection by June 30, 2026 and earn double Leaders Club points on stays through September 21, 2026. Only about 80 properties participate, so be sure your hotel is included before booking. This promotion can also stack with other offers. Amex is currently targeting some cardholders with a 15,000-point bonus after spending $700 at Leading Hotels of the World, and many participating properties are also available through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts. If you hold the Amex Platinum or Business Platinum card and haven't used your semi-annual $300 hotel credit, this could be a good opportunity to stack multiple offers on the same stay. Just be sure to include your Leaders Club number when booking. Click here for full promotion details.
The only way to redeem your Leaders Club points is for stays at one of their properties. They don’t have any airline or other travel partners to redeem points with.
Searching for a hotel to book with points is straightforward. You can toggle the “View with Points” button on or off to see prices in points. When it is on, results display both the points price and the cash price, making it easy to see how many cents per point your redemption is worth.
One big caveat is that taxes and fees are NOT included on award stays, which is different from any other hotel program we’ve come across:
This lowers the value of your redemption and makes it harder to accurately compare the points price with the cash rate before transferring points.
Leaders Club also differs from many hotel loyalty programs because the transfer ratios from its two credit card partners can look poor at first glance. However, redemptions can return around 8¢ per Leaders Club point before taxes and fees, which can make the 4:1 Amex transfer ratio more appealing if you can get roughly 2¢ per Membership Rewards point in value.
Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.
Many Leaders Club properties are also available through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Edit by Chase Travel. Compare cash rates, award rates, and benefits before booking, as premium-card perks may outweigh using Leaders Club points.
Leaders Club occasionally discounts purchased points from 12¢ to as low as 6¢ per point. Buying points during these promotions can make sense if you’re close to an award or have a high-value redemption planned.
Eligible bookings through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, and many corporate travel agencies can still earn Leaders Club points. Add your membership number to your reservation to receive eligible credit.
Leaders Club is best for travelers who prefer boutique luxury hotels and a more personalized experience. The footprint is small, with about 400 properties across 80 countries, but the stays are high end and offer a different feel from major hotel chains.
Redemptions start at just 4,000 points per night, which is low for a luxury hotel program, but earning points is slow and transfer ratios from partners are poor. You earn 1 point per dollar on paid stays, there is no co-branded credit card, and Amex and Citi are the only transfer partners. Amex transfers at a 4:1 ratio, while Citi transfers at 5:1, so you'll generally want to get at least 8–10 cents per Leaders Club point to make a transfer worthwhile, especially since you are also on the hook for taxes and fees on award bookings. Fortunately, those redemptions do exist and are not out of the norm.
There are two Elite Status levels with Leaders Club. You become a Club member simply by signing up for a free account, and the free tier includes a surprising number of benefits. To reach Sterling Elite, you must spend at least $5000 in a calendar year on rooms at Leaders Club properties.
If you own an Amex Platinum personal or business card, you receive complimentary Sterling Elite status for as long as you hold the card.
Once you reach Sterling, you keep that status for the rest of the year you earn it and the entire following calendar year. So if you earn it in June 2026, you will hold Sterling benefits through December 2027.
Here are the two elite status levels for Leaders Club, what it takes to reach each level, and benefits of each
Yes, it is completely free to join Leaders Club, and you get solid perks just for signing up. Benefits include upgrade priority, free breakfast for two, early check-in, late checkout, and a pre-arrival upgrade after completing your first paid stay.
LHW stands for Leading Hotels of the World, a collection of boutique luxury properties. There are over 400 hotels across more than 80 countries, each focused on preserving its own identity rather than operating as part of a large hotel chain.
Yes. All Leading Hotels of the World properties are independently owned and undergo a strict screening process before joining. They are unique, high-end hotels that participate in a shared loyalty program while maintaining their independence.
Tracking Points & Transfer Options
