Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Making sense of Hilton reward options -- AXON, GLON, and everything else
The Hilton loyalty program, HHonors, offers a remarkably (and increasingly) complex array of options to redeem points for hotel stays. Unfortunately, Hilton does not make comprehensive information easy to find online. This thread attempts to collect and organize that information.
A few preliminary observations:
This is very much a work in progress. If you see mistakes, important omissions, or other items in need of correction, please PM me or post a comment.
Credit where credit is due: In putting this thread together, I have relied enormously on the fine work done by Ric Garrido (FT handle satori) in his 9/13/10 Loyalty Traveler blog post on Hilton rewards. (Note that at least one feature of the rewards program has changed since Ric's post. See below re VIP/GLON awards for category 3 hotels.)
Please don't use this thread for general discussion of the reward options described here. Listed in the topic-specific posts below are various "definitive threads" where such discussion properly belongs.
Introduction
Over 3,600 hotels belong to the Hilton family. These include
luxury brands: Conrad Hotels, The Waldorf-Astoria Collection
select/limited service brands: Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites
extended stay suite hotels: Homewood Suites, Home2 Suites
Each property falls within one of seven reward categories (number 1 through 7, with 7 being the most expensive), except for Waldorf-Astoria hotels, which belong to their own unnumbered category. To determine the reward category for a specific property, see the home page for the individual hotel's website. (For instance, the Washington Hilton website shows, under the "Our Hotel" heading, that this is a category 6 property.) The HHonors website also provides a search tool for identifying properties in a given category within a specified US state or foreign country.
Reward Stays are not subject to blackout dates or capacity controls, except for Points & Money Rewards™ and Point Stretcher™ Rewards, which are subject to both at the participating hotel's and/or Hilton HHonors [...] discretion. All Rewards depend upon availability and some Reward Stays types may not be available on the date of Member's request.
Unfortunately, as of fall 2011 Hilton has allowed several properties -- including some of the most desirable desinations -- to effectively violate the "no capacity controls" rule. With the recent addition of Premium Room Rewards, certain Hilton hotels and resorts have redesignated many of their standard rooms as premium rooms, and are charging exorbitant amounts (in some cases, double or triple the points) for these rooms. Members also report that some hotels have standard rooms available for cash purchase, but that these same rooms cannot be obtained using reward points.
This represents a significant stealth devaluation of the Hilton HHonors program. For further discussion, see
These "VIP Rewards," also referred to historically as "Going Global" (and coded by HHonors as GLON or GLONP awards), involve stays meeting two criteria:
4 or more nights AND
hotel category 3-7. (Above category 7 are the Waldorf-Astoria Collection properties, which have their own VIP Reward chart, discussed below.)
VIP/GLON rewards represent a discount of 15% (for 4-night stays), 20% (5 nights), or 25% (6+ nights) off the standard points rewards. The VIP reward chart from the HHonors website is no longer correct. Instead, use the following chart:
Like standard rewards, VIP reward stays may be booked online through the HHonors website -- which automatically displays the discounted VIP rate if the elite member is logged in -- or by calling a Hilton reservations agent. Note also that VIP rewards apply only to standard rooms, and not to higher room categories; see the discussion at the end of post #1 concerning capacity controls.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Hilton HHonors rewards for Hilton Amex cardholders (aka AXON)
Holders of the US-based Hilton American Express cards (both the regular and Surpass versions) enjoy extra benefits. In addition to receiving automatic elite status -- Gold for the Surpass card; Silver for the regular Amex -- and the corresponding VIP reward discount described above, cardholders also qualify for a separate class of discounted rewards (AXON).
AXON rewards are available for 4-night stays at hotels in categories 5 through 7, as follows:
Category 5: 125,000 points
Category 6: 125,000 points
Category 7: 145,000 points
As with standard and VIP rewards, AXON rewards apply only to standard rooms, and not to higher room categories. See the discussion at the end of post #1 concerning capacity controls.
Inexplicably, the AXON rate for category 5 hotels is higher than the VIP reward rate: 125K vs. 119K for a VIP reward. (Inexplicably, because anyone who qualifies for AXON is by definition a Hilton elite eligible for the VIP reward, meaning that no-one should ever need or want to use the AXON5 reward rate.) However, AXON awards provide substantial discounts at category 6 and 7 hotels, as illustrated by the following chart taken from Ric Garrido's blog post:
For a comprehensive comparison of AXON to VIP/GLON and standard awards, see the post below.
AXON awards cannot be booked online, and must instead be made by calling 1-800-920-5649, per the Hilton Amex terms and conditions. Note that this is the Diamond Desk, and the CSR will automatically ask for your Diamond number. Don't be thrown off; if you are not Diamond Elite, simply explain that you are calling to redeem an AXON reward stay.
Some members report that confirmation emails and/or online reservation records for AXON awards sometimes show the higher VIP rate instead of, or in addition to, the correct AXON point charge, although the proper amounts are deducted from their accounts. Also, as noted in the September 2011 thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...ging-axon.html, some American Express websites list outdated AXON point costs (i.e., showing 6 as the top HHonors category).
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Point Stretcher rewards (DISCONTINUED)
UPDATE: As of January 11, 2012, Hilton's website shows no Point Stretcher offerings. According to several separate reports (here, here, and here), Hilton has discontinued this reward option. Also telling is Hilton's deletion of the reference to Point Stretchers in the Hotel Rewards FAQ. This seems pretty definitive.
Prior version of this section retained for historical purposes:
To search for availability by hotel brand, use the Hilton Point Stretcher search tool. Unfortunately, there appears to be no way to search by date or city/state/country across the various Hilton brands.
As noted above (and in the HHonors terms and conditions), Point Stretcher rewards are subject to blackout dates and capacity controls.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Points & Money rewards (new for 2011)
In spring 2011, HHonors introduced an alternative redemption option allowing members to redeem for award stays using a mix of points and cash. The Hilton website describes the new program as follows:
Quote:
With Points & Money Rewards, you can redeem points more quickly than with our Standard Room Rewards. This is because if you don't have enough Hilton HHonors™ points to book a room using Standard Room Rewards, or simply if you prefer to use fewer points, then you can combine points with money to book a standard room. This is a great option if you need just a few hundred more points to achieve a reward stay. Availability of Points & Money Rewards varies by participating hotels and stay dates at time of booking. The number of points required to redeem Points & Money Rewards varies by room, hotel, and booking date.
On October 3, 2011, Hilton removed the pilot program P&M award chart and replaced it with the bolded language above. (My emphasis.) (h/t Ric Garrido) In most cases, however, Hilton P&M rewards continue to be priced according to the original chart, under which award nights typically cost half as many points as standard award nights, plus a copay:
Category 1: not applicable
Category 2: 6,250 points + US$30
Category 3: 12,250 points + US$40
Category 4: 15,000 points + US$50
Category 5: 17,500 points + US$60
Category 6: 20,000 points + US$70
Category 7: 25,000 points + US$85
Waldorf-Astoria: 30,000 points + US$100
This effectively results in buying HHonors points for $3.20 to $3.50 per 1,000 points, or roughly one-third of the usual purchase cost. As a result, P&M rewards often represent extremely good values, especially for short stays where VIP and AXON rates do not apply.
As of May 22, 2012, at least two properties -- Conrad Hong Kong & Conrad Bali -- have begun to charge a higher cash co-pay, according to a Ric Garrido blog post.
As noted above in post #1 (and in the HHonors terms and conditions), Points & Money rewards are subject to blackout dates and capacity controls.
For the first time, you can use HHonors points to book premium rooms and suites at our hotels worldwide, with no blackout dates. You can reserve our best rooms and confirm them at the time of booking. As long as a premium room or suite is available at the time of booking, it is yours to book using points. The number of points required to redeem Premium Room Rewards varies by room, hotel, and booking date.
Although there is no standard award chart, a recent analysis by Ric Garrido reveals that Hilton's pricing typically turns on two factors:
the nightly Best Available Rate for a given room
Hilton's apparent policy of valuing points at $0.00334 (one-third of a cent)
Thus, a $709 room will cost roughly 212,000 points ($709/0.00334). This is an extraordinarily poor value.
For more about Premium Room Rewards -- including preliminary indications that some properties have relabeled some or all of their standard rooms as "premium" -- see the note at the end of post #1 concerning capacity controls.
__________________ Being called "thin-skinned" by Jan Brewer is like being called short by Hervé Villechaize.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Room Upgrade Rewards (new for 2011)
Along with Points & Money Rewards and Premium Room Rewards, in 2011 HHonors announced a third new program, Room Upgrade Rewards, described on the Hilton website as follows:
Quote:
You can use HHonors points to guarantee an upgrade to a premium room or suite at our hotels worldwide with Room Upgrade Rewards. If there is a premium room or suite available when booking an upgrade, you can use your points to guarantee your upgrade to the premium room or suite with no blackout dates. The number of points required to redeem Room Upgrade Rewards varies by room, hotel, and booking date.
In their separate rewards FAQ, Hilton explains how Room Upgrade Rewards differ from Premium Room Rewards and discounted room upgrades at check-in:
Quote:
5. What is the difference between Room Upgrade Rewards and Premium Room Rewards?
Room Upgrade Rewards lets you upgrade an already confirmed room reservation to a better room, including suites, while you can use Premium Room Rewards to book new reservations for any available premium room or suite.
6. After I book a room, sometimes I am given the option to request a discounted room upgrade. What is the difference between that option, Room Upgrade Rewards, and Premium Room Rewards?
The option to request a discounted room upgrade is based on availability at the time of check-in, but you are not guaranteed an upgraded room. However, with Premium Room Rewards you are guaranteed a premium room or suite at the time of booking.
may be used "even if [the] Member's confirmed, existing reservation was booked using another Hotel Rewards type." (For example, you can book a Point Stretcher or Points & Money reward stay, and then apply a Room Upgrade Reward to that same reservation.)
are "not available for reservations that are part of a blocked group of rooms [or] for reservations that are made with a promotional Free Night Certificate."
"can be used only once per reservation." (In other words, no double upgrades.)
"can be redeemed at the front desk of some participating hotels," unlike other rewards.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Waldorf-Astoria Collection standard rewards
Unlike other Hilton properties, which fall into reward categories 1 through 7, Waldorf-Astoria hotels belong to a separate, idiosyncratic grouping (with sub-groups).
For the overwhelming majority of W-A hotels, a single reward night costs 50,000 points (low season) or 60,000 points (high season). The exceptions are the Beach House Maldives (50K low/80K high) and the Grand Wailea Resort (70K low/80K high). High and low season dates vary widely across properties.
Oddly, the W-A reward chart on the HHonors website omits several properties, including
Just as with category 1-7 Hilton hotels, Waldorf-Astoria properties offer elite HHonors members special discounts on reward stays of 4 nights or longer: 15% (for 4-night stays), 20% (5 nights), or 25% (6+ nights) off the standard points rewards.
Hilton does not provide much information on its website concerning W-A VIP Rewards other than a very cursory summary. Copies of older W-A VIP Reward charts may be found on the Hilton UK website (for 2010) and archived on a personal website (2009). Note that these charts contain outdated information (both as to names of W-A properties and as to their classification in the W-A award structure), and should therefore be used only as historical references.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Hilton Grand Vacations rewards (timeshare resorts)
Hilton's Grand Vacations Club is a set of timeshare properties in North America and Europe. These are not full-service hotel properties (i.e., no on-site restaurant), although many are situated near more conventional Hilton properties.
A subset of HGV properties -- those in Las Vegas and Orlando -- offers award stays (studios only) for 35,000 points per night, bookable online.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
All-Inclusive Resorts
Certain Hilton properties in Costa Rica, Egypt, Turkey, and Jamaica are set up as all-inclusive resorts, meaning that the rates cover not only accommodations but also meals, drinks (excluding premium liquor), and various recreation activities. They are
A reward night for 1-2 adults costs a fixed number of points, ranging from 35,000 points (some Egyptian properties) through 50,000 points (Puntarenas) up to 60,000 points (Papagayo and Rose Hall). Additional guests may require extra points, depending on their ages; policies differ widely across the resorts. For complete details, see the individual property websites. Hilton's web page on this redemption option provides little beyind links to the individual property websites.
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Packages
Hilton currently offers reward packages at two of its Caribbean properties. These are not full travel packages -- air and ground transportation are not included -- but instead fixed-price awards for three consecutive nights/two guests. A package also typically includes additional amenities such as free daily breakfast, one dinner for two, a spa treatment, etc.
As of June 2011, the participating properties and rates are
Both of these are category 7 properties; as noted above, a standard three-night reward at either costs 150,000 points, and a four-night AXON reward costs 145,000. Members should carefully consider whether the amenities for a given package justify the additional cost in points. (For example, a Diamond elite is entitled to daily continental breakfast for two on any stay, including a standard reward night, at no extra cost.)
Programs: UA 2P, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Pyrite
Posts: 2,812
Strategies for maximizing reward value
Despite the overall complexity of HHonors rewards, members looking to redeem points effectively can normally focus on a few basic principles. This post tries to identify and explain (briefly) those key considerations.
1. Compare to the cash price
Don't focus on points in a vacuum. Know what a room for the desired property/dates would cost out of pocket. Unless you're cash-poor and points-rich, it generally makes no sense to spend 35,000 points on a room you could have for a special $99 rate, or even $169. That's true for two reasons:
You can normally get at least 0.6 to 0.7 cents (US) of value per point. Even at the low end, that makes 35,000 points worth about $210.
Unlike points, cash spent on a room earns you what amounts to a rebate: more points (especially if you use one of the Hilton-affiliated credit cards).
As Hilton expands its new Points & Money option throughout 2011, it will be increasingly important to look at redemption values there as well. A sample analysis: if a room available at $300/night can be had for a P&M rate of $60 + 20,000 points, grab it. Your 20,000 points are effectively buying $240 worth of room stay, a superb yield of 1.2 cents/point. The general formula:
Code:
Room rate ($) - P&M copay ($)
----------------------------- x 100 = yield (cents per point)
P&M points co-pay
2. Point Stretchers really do
At 40% off standard reward nights, Point Stretcher awards offer a better discount than AXON or VIP/GLON rates at their best. If the property you're interested in doesn't have Point Stretcher availability for your desired dates, check to see if another property in the area does.
3. Four is less than three (or, get the Hilton Amex)
Perhaps the duration of your stay is fixed at 3 nights, and nothing will change that. If, however, you have flexibility, adding an extra night will end up costing you less at Hilton's category 7 properties.
That's because the special AXON rate -- which requires a 4-night stay -- costs only 145,000 points for category 7 vs. 150,000 points for a standard 3-night reward.
The effect for category 6 isn't as extreme, but still noteworthy: a 4-night AXON award (125,000) costs only 5,000 points more than a standard 3-night award (120,000). Put differently, your room rate drops from 40,000 points/night to 31,250/night, or almost 22%.
Of course, the AXON rate is available only to holders of the Hilton American Express card. If you qualify (US resident), getting the card is a no-brainer -- no annual fee, Silver Elite status, and a signup bonus of 30,000 points or more.
4. AXON or VIP/GLON?
Trying to figure out when to use which of the two main discount reward rates can be daunting. Some ground rules:
Don't have the Hilton Amex? No AXON for you.
Staying at a category 3-4 hotel? Use VIP/GLON, since AXON is for category 5-7 only.
Staying exactly 4 nights? For category 5 hotels, use VIP/GLON (119,000 points vs. 125,000 for AXON). For category 6 or 7, use AXON.
Here's a consolidated chart showing the best rate -- standard, VIP/GLON, AXON, or a combination -- for any given category/duration. Green indicates the biggest discounts; bold indicates the AXON sweet spots. Note that for certain longer stays at category 7 hotels, it is cheaper to book back-to-back reservations (AXON plus a standard night, or even two consecutive AXONs) than to book the VIP/GLON rate.
__________________ Being called "thin-skinned" by Jan Brewer is like being called short by Hervé Villechaize.
Last edited by beltway; Jan 11, 12 at 6:27 am..
Reason: Point Stretchers axed
This is truly awesome Beltway. Started looking into Hawaii vacation a couple of weeks back -- first time i'd redeemed HHonors points in a few years, and i couldn't figure out what had happened to the old multi-hotel awards. Your summary is a huge help. Thanks!
Thank you!
