Hilton HHonors has reduced the cost to buy points by 20% through September 3, 2014. Hilton HHonors buy points at 20% discount reduces the rate from $10 per 1,000 points to $8.00 per 1,000 points. Each HHonors Member or Mutual Account may purchase no more than 40,000 “Non-Reservation Points” in a single calendar year. Any Points in addition to this limit will not be posted to your account.
The descriptor “Non-Reservation Points” is significant since according to Hilton HHonors Program Terms and Conditions, a member can buy unlimited points needed for a reward stay at the time of booking the reward reservation for $10 per 1,000 points.
Buy all the Hilton HHonors points you need at time of booking a reward stay.
Point Purchase During Booking: In addition to the Non-reservation Point Purchase option, Members can purchase points during the booking process when the Member does not have enough points to redeem a Reward Stay. Members can purchase an unlimited number of points up to the total number of points required to redeem the Member’s desired Reward Stay. Members must purchase these points during the Reward Stay booking process, either by credit card online, or via telephone, at 1-800-HHONORS (1-800-446-6677), in the U.S. At any time, at the sole discretion of Hilton HHonors Worldwide L.L.C., Members may be limited in the number of points they can purchase via this option, and that limit may change at any time without notification. The cost of points purchased through this option depends on the number of points purchased and is subject to change at any time without notification. Total cost of points will be shown to Member during the booking process before purchase. All purchases must be made in U.S. dollars only. Points purchased during booking will be processed by Points.com and the purchase is subject to the Points.com Booking Point Purchase Terms and Conditions.
Hilton HHonors points will generally not provide $8.00 per 1,000 points in redemption value. For example, when a Hilton HHonors Standard Rewards is 50,000 points per night, the Points & Money rate is 20,000 points + $85. The 20% discount on purchased points means $160 to buy 20,000 points. The room rate would need to be over $250 per night ($160 points + $85 Cash) to see any savings on a Points & Money reward night.
There are Hilton brand hotels where you can save money buying points for reward nights compared to the prevailing paid rates, yet most hotel reward nights will not be a good deal for buying Hilton HHonors points at $8 per 1,000 points.
Loyalty Traveler post July 16, 2014 includes my price table for Hilton HHonors Points & Money Rewards prices based on property surveys. Hilton HHonors does not publish a table for Points & Money Reward rates.
Loyalty Traveler Hilton HHonors Points and Money Rewards table
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Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
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