Hilton Honors points can be a great way to pay for hotel stays and other expenses without spending cash. Here are some quick answers to common questions about using Hilton Honors points for payments:
Can I use Hilton Honors points to pay for my hotel room?
Yes, you can use Hilton Honors points to book award stays at Hilton hotels and resorts around the world. You’ll just need to have enough points in your account to cover the room rate. The number of points required depends on the hotel category, room type, and dates of your stay.
How many Hilton Honors points do I need for a free night?
The number of Hilton Honors points needed for a free night varies by hotel category and room type:
Hotel Category | Standard Room | Premium Room |
---|---|---|
Category 1 | 5,000 – 10,000 points | 8,000 – 15,000 points |
Category 2 | 10,000 – 20,000 points | 15,000 – 30,000 points |
Category 3 | 20,000 – 40,000 points | 30,000 – 60,000 points |
Category 4 | 30,000 – 60,000 points | 45,000 – 90,000 points |
Category 5 | 40,000 – 80,000 points | 60,000 – 120,000 points |
Category 6 | 50,000 – 100,000 points | 75,000 – 150,000 points |
Category 7 | 70,000 – 140,000 points | 105,000 – 210,000 points |
Category 8 | 80,000 – 160,000 points | 120,000 – 240,000 points |
Category 9 | 95,000 – 190,000 points | 142,500 – 285,000 points |
So for example, a standard room at a Category 5 hotel will generally require 40,000 – 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
How can I check how many Hilton Honors points I have?
You can check your Hilton Honors points balance in a few ways:
- Log in to your Hilton Honors account online or via the mobile app
- Call Hilton Honors customer service at 1-800-HILTONS
- Check your most recent Hilton Honors account statement
Your current points balance will be clearly displayed when you log in to your Hilton Honors account. You can also see a breakdown of how you’ve earned and redeemed points over time.
Can I use Hilton Honors points to pay for other things besides hotel rooms?
Yes, Hilton Honors points can also be redeemed for a variety of other expenses:
- Flights – You can use Hilton Honors points to book flights with certain airline partners.
- Rental cars – Redeem points for car rentals with select rental agencies.
- Restaurants – Pay at participating restaurants using your Hilton Honors points.
- Merchandise – Shop Hilton’s online rewards store and redeem points for merchandise and gift cards.
- Spa treatments – Book massages, facials, etc. at Hilton spas and pay with points.
- Amazon purchases – Link your Hilton and Amazon accounts to use points on Amazon.
The number of points required will vary based on what you’re redeeming them for. Be sure to check current rates before confirming any bookings paid with points.
How do I use Hilton Honors points to make a booking?
Here are the basic steps to use Hilton Honors points for a hotel booking:
- Log in to your Hilton Honors account and select “Points & Money” when performing your hotel search.
- On the hotel results page, select “Points” as the payment method.
- Choose your dates and room type as usual.
- The point requirements will be displayed – make sure you have enough points in your account.
- Complete the booking with points as your payment method.
- You’ll receive a confirmation email with details of your points redemption.
For other redemptions like flights or rental cars, you’ll need to visit the Hilton Honors travel portal and follow the prompts to pay with points. The process is very similar.
Can I combine Hilton Honors points and cash for a booking?
Yes, Hilton allows you to redeem Hilton Honors points and pay the remainder of the booking with cash through their Points & Money option. Here’s how it works:
- When searching for hotel rooms, select the Points & Money option.
- Choose the number of points you want to redeem towards the booking.
- The cash price for the remainder of the booking will be displayed.
- Complete the booking using your preferred payment method for the cash portion.
Points & Money can help you stretch your points balance further if you don’t quite have enough for a full free night. You can pay for part of the booking with points and the rest with cash.
What’s the best way to earn more Hilton Honors points?
Here are some recommendations for quickly earning more Hilton Honors points:
- Get one of the Hilton credit cards – The Hilton Honors American Express cards allow you to earn points on your spending.
- Stay at Hilton properties frequently – You’ll earn points for every eligible stay.
- Take advantage of promotions – Seasonal bonuses like “double points” offers can help you rack up points faster.
- Shop with Hilton partners – Retail partners like Grubhub offer points per dollar spent.
- Purchase point packages – Buy Hilton Honors points during special promotions to top up your account.
- Link your Lyft account – Earn Hilton points by taking Lyft rides.
Focusing your spending on Hilton and its partners, leveraging promotions, and taking advantage of credit card perks will help you gain points quickly.
Can I transfer or share Hilton Honors points?
Unfortunately, Hilton Honors points cannot be transferred or shared between members. Your points belong exclusively to you and can only be redeemed by you for bookings and purchases in your name.
If you want someone else to be able to redeem your Hilton points, you will have to book any hotels or flights in your name and add them as a guest. There is no ability to transfer points to another Hilton Honors member.
Do my Hilton Honors points expire?
Yes, Hilton Honors points expire if there is no account activity for 12 consecutive months. Activity that will keep your points active includes:
- Earning or redeeming Hilton Honors points
- Staying at a Hilton property
- Booking a hotel, flight, car or experience with points
- Purchasing points
- Transferring or combining points with another member (authorized users only)
- Having an account balance adjusted by Hilton
As long as you have any type of account activity at least once every 12 months, your Hilton Honors points will not expire.
Can I get my expired Hilton Honors points back?
If your Hilton Honors points have already expired, the only way to get them reactivated is to contact Hilton Honors customer service and request reinstatement. However, this is not guaranteed. According to Hilton’s terms:
Hilton Honors may, in its sole and absolute discretion, elect to reactivate some or all of the expired Points in any Hilton Honors account.
So you’ll need to call and politely ask if they are willing to make an exception and reactivate your expired points. Be prepared that they may say no. Try to use any expired points as motivation to stay actively engaged with the program going forward.
Conclusion
Hilton Honors points provide great redemption value for hotel stays and can also be used for flights, rental cars, dining, and more. Be sure to monitor your points balance, keep your account active to avoid expirations, and leverage promotions and credit card perks to maximize your earnings. With a little planning and strategic point redeeming, Hilton Honors points can help save you money on all types of travel expenses.