Hotel programs

Hotel programs, priced one stay at a time

Hotel transfers are where ratios mislead most. A 1,000 to 2,000 ratio doubles the hotel points without doubling their value, and a resort fee that survives the award can erase the saving on a short stay. These guides price the stay in the bank points it consumes, so a hotel transfer is judged against the same cash rate you would otherwise pay.

How the hotel guides work

Every hotel guide here starts from two documents: the issuer's transfer page, which sets how many hotel points each bank point buys, and the hotel program's own terms, which set how nights are priced, which nights are free on a long stay, and which fees an award still charges. From those, each guide works backwards to the cash room rate an award must beat to clear a target you choose. No guide publishes a universal value for a hotel point, because the same night costs a different number of bank points depending on the bank that pays for it.

Two guides that sit in other sections belong here too. The hotel points worksheet covers the five steps for pricing any stay, including Hyatt's category chart, cancellation and Points and Money, and the free night certificates guide covers the certificates that Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt issue. Both are listed below in place. The Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt program pages record each program's rules.

The Wyndham Rewards guide shows the same method on a program that prices nights in four levels and handles resort fees differently at its hotels and at Caesars casino properties.

HT011 / 7

Marriott or Hilton transfer: the break-even room rate

Work back from Amex, Chase and Bilt ratios to the cash room rate a Marriott or Hilton transfer must beat for one stay, fifth-night rules included.

Read the guide

HT022 / 7

IHG One Rewards with Chase points: price the stay first

Chase still lists IHG One Rewards as a transfer partner. How IHG's moving night prices and the fourth-night card term change a transfer, priced for one stay.

Read the guide

HT033 / 7

Elite benefits on award stays: what status still does

What Marriott and Hilton status still does when you pay in points: night credits, upgrades, bonus points and the guarantees that stop, per their terms.

Read the guide

HT044 / 7

Should You Transfer Chase Points to Hyatt at 4:3?

Chase points reach Hyatt at 4:3 for Sapphire Preferred, Ink Business Preferred, Ink Plus and Corporate Flex. Points per night, rounding and the break-even rate.

Read the guide

HT055 / 7

All-Inclusive Resorts on Points: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott

Hyatt prices all-inclusive nights on a lettered chart with a charge per extra guest. See how that changes cents per point for two adults versus four.

Read the guide

HT066 / 7

Disney World Hotels on Points: What Each Program Reaches

Disney lists 15 non-Disney hotels with early park entry. Which take Marriott, Hilton, IHG or Wyndham points, and what Disney resorts cost in portal points.

Read the guide

HT077 / 7

Wyndham points from bank transfers: what a night costs

Wyndham Rewards award levels effective September 30, 2026, the Capital One 1:1 ratio, resort fees, cancellation, expiry and a cents-per-point worksheet.

Read the guide

How many points do you need for a hotel night?

What a hotel night costs in points: Hilton and Marriott price by date, Hyatt by category and level. A five-step worksheet, fifth-night and resort fee rules.

Read the guide

Free night certificates: how to use each one before it expires

Marriott certificates take a top-up of up to 25,000 points, Hyatt's are locked to a category band. How to spend each free night before it expires.

Read the guide

Before a hotel transfer

Price the full cash total for the same room and dates, including tax and any resort fee, and put the award through the Cash or Points Calculator using the bank points it consumes. When a flight and a stay compete for the same balance, the flights versus hotels comparison applies the same formula to both.