Hotel Points to Airline Miles Conversion Tables Pt. 1- Domestic

Here are comparative tables for points-to-miles conversions for Hilton HHonors, Hyatt Gold Passport, IHG Priority Club, Marriott Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest with major US and international airline frequent flyer programs. Part 1 is domestic airlines. Part 2 – 14 major international airline conversion tables. Part 2 offers more detailed discussion of the limitations of a comparative analysis of points-to-miles between hotel programs with regard to Hilton HHonors Miles & Points earning. 

All the major hotel loyalty programs allow a member to convert hotel points to airline miles. There is a high degree of variability in exchange rates between hotel loyalty programs. There is variability in the exchange rates with different airlines within a single program.

These tables make adjustments for the different base points earning levels for Hyatt Gold Passport (5 points/$1) and Starwood Preferred Guest (2 points/$1). The adjustment to Hyatt Gold Passport points exchanges 50% points and Starwood Preferred Guest 20% points. These adjustments are designed to create comparably-sized points exchanges with Hilton HHonors, IHG Priority Club, and Marriott Rewards programs earning base points at 10 points/$1.

Part 2 covers major international airlines conversion tables.

1. Marriott
2. Hyatt, Starwood
3. IHG
4. Hilton

 

Marriott

1. Hyatt, Starwood
2. IHG
3. Hilton

Update July 1, 2010: Marriott Rewards and American Airlines AAdvantage severed their partnership as of July 1, 2010. Marriott Rewards members will not earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles through the program. Prior to the change the Marriott Rewards program had the best points-to-miles exchange.

1. Marriott
2. Hyatt
3. IHG
4. Starwood
5. Hilton

1. Marriott
2. Hyatt, Starwood
3. IHG
4. Hilton

1. Marriott
2. Hyatt
3. IHG
4. Hilton
5. Starwood is not a partner

1. Marriott
2. Hyatt
3. IHG
4. Starwood
5. Hilton

1. Marriott
2. Hyatt, Starwood
3. IHG
4. Hilton

Hilton HHonors comes up short in these comparative tables for points-to-miles conversion. In fairness to Hilton, a member has the ability to earn additional miles through hotel stays by choosing an earning preference of Points & Variable Miles (1 mile per $1 hotel spend) or Points & Fixed Miles (500 miles per stay, except 100 miles per stay at Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites). Hilton HHonors members will significantly increase their miles earned through the program by choosing Points & Miles.

These conversion tables are accurate for points redeemed by a Hilton HHonors member in a points-to-miles exchange.

There is an argument for increasing all calculations for Hilton exchanges by 50%. Assume a person chooses Points & Points earning, receiving 15 points per $1, and converts bonus points to miles. In practice, a person will earn more miles choosing Points & Miles (Fixed Miles or Variable Miles) over Points & Points for hotel stays.

Miles earning is highly variable with Hilton. Other programs, especially Hyatt Gold Passport, have increasingly offered both airline miles and hotel points for a hotel stay through promotions in 2009. This makes Hilton HHonors poor conversion rates even less competitive as other major hotel programs move in the direction of offering both points and miles for a hotel stay.