How to Book Lodging with Points
Booking Lodging with Points Overview
Points and miles can be used to book chain hotels, resorts, boutique hotels, and vacation rental homes.
The starting point for many of these will be earning points — or transferring them into — a hotel loyalty program.
Hotel Loyalty
All the major hotel chains have their own loyalty programs. In order to earn points, you need to be a member of the loyalty program. Membership is free and when you stay at one of their hotels, you'll earn points.
Once you earn enough points — from hotel stays, hotel credit cards and bonuses, or transferring them from a flexible rewards credit card — you can redeem your points for free hotel nights.
Each program has their own pricing system so the value you'll get per point will vary between hotel chains and within hotel chains.
The value of your stay will go up even more for those programs that waive resort fees and/or offer a free night (4th or 5th night free) on award stays.
- Hilton Honors
- World of Hyatt
- Wyndham Rewards
- Hilton Honors 5th night free with elite status (comes with the credit cards)
- IHG One Rewards 4th night free if you have an IHG credit card
- Marriott Bonvoy 5th night free
Some programs, such as World of Hyatt and Wyndham Rewards, have a fixed award chart. The best deals are often with the hotels that offer fixed award charts.
Other hotels price award nights dynamically. While great deals can still be found with dynamic pricing, the price of hotel rooms can vary dramatically from one night to the next.
