indiafan

Please help. I will start traveling for work for about 72 days per year domestically. Do you think it would be good to use two hotel chains for my stays? I have Hilton Surpass Card so I will want to use it for 30 to 40 nights. I do not see much benefit in being Diamond on Hilton over Gold.

Would IHG be a good candidate to spread out the revenue and enable maximum coverage geographically for reward stays? Are there others who divide their loyalty like this? Could you please share your thoughts?

I do not see redeeming points globally to fancy locations or resorts. At least for now. I have a few domestic locations in mind to redeem - nothing fancy like a resort.

diver858

I routinely earn Diamond with stays, find some benefits over Gold.

As there is no incentive to accumulate stays after reaching Diamond, I add some IHG stays.

Rather than earn IHG status with stays, I have their credit card. AF is only $49 per year, includes Platinum status, one free night at the anniversary, up to 80k sign-up bonus with min spend. Unlike Hilton, IHG does not offer free breakfast to its top tier elites, does not count award stays toward elite qualification.

Some earn Hhonors diamond status with min spend on a credit card. We tend to spread our spend around a bit more, do not have sufficient spend to justify doing so.

UVU Wolverine

It depends on what you need in a loyalty program. If you just want to rack up points for free stays, I'd say stick with Hilton unless it is really inconvenient. The Surpass card, plus status bonus (25% for Gold and 50% Diamond) can add up quickly if all you're seeking is free nights.

It also depends on how you want to redeem your points. Hilton offers points&cash rates where you pay partly in points and partly in money. I usually find this to be the best value in terms of money and points spent. While not completely free, I don't use as many points for the shorter stays of 2 or 3 nights and can save those points for longer 5th night free stays.

If you have Gold with HH, you'll be getting breakfast at practically every property you stay at (I think Waldorf Astoria is the only chain where you don't receive it as a Gold member or above). Whether it's a "good" will depend on the property such as Hampton Inn vs. DoubleTree, but that's something you can't find with IHG or Marriott.

I personally try to split mine between Hilton, Hyatt, or Marriott (in that order) depending upon price and convenience. I travel on my own dime so price is a greater factor for me. I won't ever reach the highest level of any program, but it's mostly because I split my stays.

Hilton has a pretty good footprint in the US as well as abroad so I'd suggest finding the cost in points for the locations you want to visit and decide if Hilton or another brand has good redemption options there.

scubaccr

The main reason to obtain HHG is to then receive benefits on future Hilton nights.

Why as soon as you reach HHG switch to another chain where you lack status and have to build up with minimum for IHG of 40nights if you stay at 4x ihg brands

70nigts a year is a bit limiting for splitting over 2chains unless you can obtain elite status in your secondary chain without stays ie via a CC

PayItForward

If your 70+ nights are all work (paid by company), then in theory, ~14 years later, with 1,000 paid nights and 10 years of Diamond in the pocket, you will be a LT Diamond.

pauleeepaul

Where do you need to go for work, and where do you want to go with your redemptions? If HH has decent options for both no need to diversify. If not- find which chain best fills the gap.

It doesn't need to be complicated.

BobH

Unless you're going to the same place each trip, I would go with two or more chains.

For example, assume you're in a location where there is a choice between a Fairfield and an HGI..... and the next trip between a full Marriott and a Hampton.

In both cases, loyalty to either chain gets trumped.

Bob H

indiafan

These are great inputs! More info: I will be going to the same place each trip. So it is possible to build up loyalty with a specific hotel even, not just a particular brand.

HHonors points feed:
Base 10x
Points & points 5x
Gold 2.5x
Surpass 12x

Total = 29.5x

Plus my way rewards 1000 points + online booking 500 points + 12x on taxes (right?)

If 2x points package or double points promo then 39.5x

Diamond will push this up to 42x - only a small bump in points, but with lots of soft benefits.

So yes, HHonors loyalty can get lucrative.

I like the suggestion of getting to Diamond and then switching. I expect the spend to be around $14.4K+ at minimum: Base room rate $12k for the year + taxes + parking and incidentals. Rates vary throughout the year so it will likely be more than this.

I would like your thoughts with this additional info.

arlflyer

If the locations of your business and personal travel align with it, go for top-tier with Hyatt. They treat their highest tier members like kings, with guaranteed benefits, whereas Hilton Diamond just gets you a chance at benefits, which most properties then decline to extend. I'm a Hilton guy because I need to be, and I'm loyal, but it's the truth.

Miesque

I agree, definitely Hyatt for your secondary, if its footprint fits. I am right at my one year mark as a Diamond with them and their soft product is definitely better than Hilton.

orr333

I struggle with this annually as a 120+ nighter. I hit on nights by mid-may. I have always been tempted to double up with a second brand. SPG is good for me because of their crossover with Delta elites. SPG is bad for me because of a lack of properties.

Other reason why I don't diversify is being close to LT Diamond (as others have said)

indiafan

Thank you for all your feedback. I am going to play it by the ear and see how it all turns out...aiming for diamond with 60 nights and then take it from there. Who knows what may be on offer at that time.

Hyatt is extremely appealing but I do not see myself redeeming at their locations. My redemption history so far has been cheap road trip stopovers when visiting national parks and wandering around the country. I probably should hang out more at the beach ..oh yeah, that is where my business trips will be taking me ..so no I wont be redeeming for beach places either.

I hope I get to stay at 2x points participating places and such offers come back often.

BotB

A bit late to the question but just in case this helps as well, my thoughts;

Stay with the Hilton hotel in the area to get diamond and to develop a relationship (if the first few stays are good) with that particular hotel, regardless of chain this is a good idea as if it is a good hotel, they will reward your loyalty with small but nice benefits later on, such as flexibility if your plans change or a flight is delayed, better upgrades (where possible), finding a room for you when full or at the last minute...also, just a friendly familiar face when you are travelling. You'll earn points and can always use them later or convert them to an airline, etc.. if you wish.

If possible however, do get a free CC that provides you with mid tier status at one of the chains that is also in the area...you will find you need to alternate at some point due to events or last minute bookings, etc...and some status or perks is always better than nothing. Also, ideally, this second chain would be one that converts to airline or car rental points/miles so maybe providing other benefits to you when necessary or later on. You won't be getting tons of points here but at least they are not just empty dollars being wasted...

alchemista

I don't get why you would change loyalty unless you had some travel areas that were only served by the other brand. When you hit diamond, you are getting high point multipliers, which you lose by building up another brand. Then, you have to maintain both brands if you want to keep that going. You also then have 2 pools of points, rather than one large pool that gives flexibility.

What am I missing? I can see it being useful if you go to some places that aren't served well by Hilton, so you want status for those regions.

Michael El

I'm a 150+ nighter and split most of my stays between HH and IHG. I'm a points hoarder and like the redemption rates with IHG better than HH. The main difference in HH gold and diamond is the bonus points double for diamonds.

If you can build a relationship with a single property, they'll treat you well.

Safe travels!