andykee

I have a lot of points in other programs but I can't do anything with my Hilton Honors points. I have 70,000 points and wanted to know if there was any way to transfer them to Marriott or SPG. Not sure if it's even possible but I know SPG and Marriott transfer between one another pretty easily...

I expect there to be a loss in points if possible and that it might require a transfer to airlines... Any suggestions or advice would be enormously appreciated!

pony_trekker

The redemption rates for a trade are generally as awful as the program is. You can transfer 100k Honors points for 10k AA, UA etc. points.

I found the Hilton program especially frustrating as every hotel I look to book is either unavailable or incredibly expensive with wild fluctuation.

andykee

As have I... my wife accidentally transferred the points from Amex over. I know that there are many steps and to this accidentally is very difficult, she just unwittingly selected the wrong program from Amex partners when I was away on business.

Now I need to plan a trip to NYC in April and figure this out.

hedoman

You're still married?

There is a reason SPG swaps with Marriott. My advice would be to use the Hilton points for a Hilton hotel. Find it in your heart to forgive the error.

docbert

You can move them between SPG and Marriott easily because they are the same chain - they just haven't re-branded yet. Before late last year when they merged there was no way to move points between them.

There's no sane way to move points between Hilton and SPG/Marriott. It might be possible via a third party (eg, Hilton -> An airline -> SPG/Marriott) but the points lose value at each step and you're going to end up losing so many that it's almost certainly not worth it.

craigthemif

Just stay at a Hilton or two at some point. It's not even remotely worth it to transfer them elsewhere.

There are lots of times that Honors points can come in handy. In-terminal airport hotels, Hamptons where status is irrelevant, etc. Even concert tickets.

http://travel.hilton.com/events/?page=1&category=all

pony_trekker

One thing I found (as my other very critical thread was closed, then deleted) is that the Hhonors program is best on expensive hotels in big cities, and then rooms are only available if you are very lucky.

For example, the Hilton Times Square is available for 80k points a night but only available for only a random half of the nights in NY in April.

The New York Hilton Midtown (6th Avenue Rockefeller Center) is 70K points and available most of the days in April.

Best of luck. I have had nowhere near that kind of luck.

But to transfer, 70k Honors points will be 7000 American points which I think can transfer into 7000 SPG points. That's enough for a night at many SPG properties but NOT enough for a night in NYC in April.

mingzie

Isn't it a bit coincidental we have all these new posters extolling the virtues of SPG/Marriott, even going as far as to say Hilton points are useless and asking how to transfer them over regardless of loss?

Note the clever language completely downplaying the program ('I have xxxxxx points in every other program but can't do anything with my Hilton Honors points')

Hilton Times Square is an absolute TOP property with awesome views (hits the rare 4.5 on tripadvisor) - there's a reason its booked out.

You get a free status match atm with any other chain so you can't complain about lack of elite status.

I honestly don't think this is a genuine question at all. You aren't going to get anything back by transferring (although I doubt its real - I am willing to wager a bet that this poster can't show the amex transfer emails/statements).

I am more than willing to help someone out but its a bit wasted when someone is not genuine. There are many, many places you can spend that 70k. And you have elite status match.

bmifly

Indeed. Being in the same group tends to make the transfer of points easier! It's also worth noting that whereas 70,000 Hilton points will get you a reasonable free night in a London hotel, for example, even if points were not lost in the process of transferring from hHilton to SPG, 70,000 Hilton points are probably equal to 12,000 to 20,000 SPG ones. So you can't expect to get three nights with Starwood compared to one for Hilton.

mikef07

While I know this is referring to me I sure hope I did not come off as Hilton points are worthless. They are not. Hilton has some good properties to use points at. Their program takes a little more paying attention to as far as dates and properties, but in no way is Hilton garbage. OP will do himself a disservice if he trades his points in for any other program points because of devaluation. His best bang for his buck will absolutely be to find a deal on a Hilton property where a std award is available. I will be using hundreds of thousands of Hilton points over the next 12-18 months and the best way IMO is to redeem them for nights at Hilton properties and not trade them for anything else. I think his question is fair, but the answer as has been pointed out is that there is not currently a place to get close to the value that he will receive by staying in the Hilton family.

ETA: I have been here almost 2 years longer than you so I am not new. I am just getting around to using my Hilton points now as I just finished using just over 1,800,000 points from other programs and now am moving on to using my Hilton points. My main focus regarding Hilton as of recent weeks has been on the March 1 change when they move to the slider scale and how it will work which I think is a great idea and wish other programs would do something like this. Kudos to Hilton for being the leader on something like this.

mingzie

Well that reply makes a lot of sense.

What I don't understand is how you were referencing premium rewards in Hilton (193,000 for a non-standard room) while comparing to Marriott, which has no award availability for the entire of April. There are actually dates going for 70-80k points at the Grand Wailea Maui (standard rewards). Of the ones that are 180k+, those dates aren't even available at the Marriott at all. This is the specific property you were mentioning.

You can understand how its very fishy when you are providing incorrect information.

mingzie

You can but the information you all provide should be correct and legitimate.

When you compare premium rewards to standard rewards, that is not legitimate.

When you compare SPG points citing them as much lower vs Hilton points (rather than converting to like/like), that is not legitimate.

pony_trekker

Probably me because I referred to them as worthless in the other thread that was deleted. Simply because I have tried to book a Hilton stay, oh about a dozen times now and could never find a room at a reasonable rate except for one that I detailed a few times.

So maybe if I want to go somewhere that I don't want to go, at a time I don't want to go, it's the greatest program ever.

While I did find a few tips (big city, regular room, nicer hotel) I still have stayed at 10 other properties while still sitting on my Hilton points.

mikef07

I do understand that and honestly there are 2 ways the hotels can approach this and I am using made up numbers for an example

1) Each property could release say 10% of their rooms for award redemption. When Marriott runs out it might be that rooms are unavailable. When Hilton runs out they might release more (above the 10% threshold)but at a premium redemption rate. If that is the case then Hilton is doing more of a service to its members since more rooms would be available for points redemption, albeit at a higher rate.

2) Or Marriott could release 10% of its rooms for award redemption and again when they run out it shows as not available. Hilton could also release 10% but when they hit the 5% capacity mark (or 50% of the rooms available for award redemption have been booked) they release the final 5% with premium awards only. This would be a disservice to their members.

I do feel like your best bang for your buck will be to use Hilton redemption on properties in South Pacific, Asia, and some European countries as I feel their offerings in the US are poor comparatively speaking, but that is a taste thing.

I do believe we are in agreement that for OP his best bet is to book a Hilton property at std or lower redemption rates.

mingzie

They don't 'release' the final 5% with premium rewards only. The premium rewards hotels are always available. Even the presidential suite is available for points (albeit unrealistically).

Once the standard rooms are booked out, the standard rooms are booked out. Hilton awards are ALWAYS available if a standard room is available. You can't even book them for cash, because standard rooms are gone.

In this case, the Marriott has no standard rooms, nor award rooms. The Hilton has no standard rooms, but still provides award rooms of higher categories. You are comparing STD reward with PREM reward cost. If NO redemptions are available at all on the date, that is an automatic loss for the other chain, and clearly worse.

Having more availability with premium rooms is NOT a downside. It's better or equal, not a downside. Even if the Hilton was 10 million points, and the Marriott was not available, the Marriott would still be equal/worse.

Again, this is entirely incorrect misinformation, and an example of why your arguments are not legitimate. They're extremely biased and trying to promote a misinformed agenda.