Originally Posted by
IflyfromABE
So $100 dollars equals:
2000 Hhonors points
650 Hyatt points
300 SPG points
1500 Marriott points
Average free night:
Hhonnors: $1500 dollars spend
Marriott: $1667 dollars spend
Hyatt: $2300 dollars spend
SPG: $3333 dollars spend
And I do understand that a lot of people might be upset (esp. if they expect high level properties to go to a quarter of what Hyatt and SPG properties go) but the reality is that hhonors is still tops on both accumulation and redemption.
The Hilton program looks great on paper, but the tragic flaw is that the bottom few tiers are filled with hotels so cheap you'd never bother to spend points on them. For at least SPG and Hyatt (the programs I know well), the "average" points redemption rate gets you much better properties, though.
Those "averages" look to be a 30,000 point level for Hilton, a 10,000 point level for SPG, and a 15,000 point level for Hyatt.
Taking Seattle as an example, your 10,000 SPG points would get you into either the Sheraton or the Westin. 15,000 Hyatt points would get you a room at the Grand Hyatt or the Olive 8. Hilton's 30,000 points? Won't even get you the Hampton Inn. For a 30,000 point option you end up an hour away at the airport.
If you look at the points needed for a Hilton property comparable to a midlevel Hyatt or SPG -- something like the Hilton Seattle, to continue my example -- it's 60,000 points in the summer. So in other words, a $3000 spend for a property you can get for $2300 spend at Hyatt.
The lower points per reward dollar of the SPG and Hyatt programs also benefits you on the credit card -- again, looking at those midlevel properties, it'd take you $20k in base credit card charges to earn a single summer night at the Hilton Seattle, versus $15k for Hyatt or $10k for SPG.