Start here: hotel points

Choosing a programme

Start with the conditions of membership, because they differ. Marriott says there is no fee or cost to enrol in Bonvoy, that membership is free and available to individuals who are at least 18 or have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence, and that members must reside somewhere that legally permits participation. [1] Hilton Honors is open to individuals of majority age in their country, territory or state of residence, and corporations, associations and groups may not enrol. [2] IHG describes IHG One Rewards as a free programme with millions of members worldwide. [4]

Each programme also expects one account per person. Bonvoy accounts are intended for individual membership only and may not be shared, jointly held, sold, bartered or transferred except as the rules expressly permit. [1] Hilton says members must not maintain membership in or earn points on multiple accounts, and that duplicate accounts may be cancelled or merged. [2]

The second filter is the portfolio you actually stay in. Marriott publishes a list of participating brands alongside a separate list of brands and properties that do not participate, and says that a property leaving the programme stops earning points from the exit date and that awards stop being valid from that date even where the reservation was made earlier. [1] Hilton defines a hotel within the Hilton Portfolio as any hotel participating in Hilton Honors, and says participating hotels can change at any time without notice. [2] IHG describes 21 hotel brands and more than 7,000 destinations. [4] Our hotel loyalty comparison checklist sets the same questions out side by side, and each brand has its own page: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards.

How a paid stay earns points

Earning is quoted as base points per US dollar of eligible spend, and the rate depends on the brand as much as on the programme. [1] [2]

Marriott Bonvoy. A member earns ten base points per US dollar on Qualifying Charges at most brands, and five at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, City Express, Element, Four Points Flex, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott Executive Apartments, Protea Hotels, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites; at Marriott Executive Apartments points are earned on Qualifying Rates only, not on Qualifying Charges. [1] StudioRes pays four base points per dollar. [1] Series by Marriott pays ten in the United States, Canada, Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Macao Special Administrative Region of China and Taiwan Region of China, and five at all other locations. [1] Qualifying Charges are charges on the member's folio during a stay in a guest room plus up to two additional guest rooms with the same check-in and check-out dates, covering room rates, food and beverage excluding alcoholic beverages or tobacco where prohibited by law, direct-dial in-room telephone and fax, and in-room movies and video games — provided the member gives their membership number at reservation or check-in, stays in one of the reserved rooms as the registered guest, and pays. [1]

Hilton Honors. Members earn ten base points per US dollar of Eligible Spend at most brands, five at Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton, Spark by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Apartment Collection by Hilton and YOTEL, three base points per dollar plus 3,000 bonus points for every ten nights completed within the same stay at LivSmart Studios by Hilton, and ten per dollar at Home2 Suites hotels in China. [2] Eligible Spend means room rate, eligible food and beverage, telephone, laundry, pay-per-view movies, entertainment and recreational facilities, and other incidental charges billed to the member's room during a qualifying stay, with the member as guest of record. [2] Taxes are not Eligible Spend, and a member may earn base points for up to four rooms in a stay where all the spend is paid on one folio. [2] Points are treated as earned once the stay is completed, fully paid and added to the account. [2]

IHG One Rewards. IHG says members earn points on every eligible stay and can also earn through IHG One Rewards credit cards, shopping and dining partners and car rentals, with the credit cards available only in select regions. [4]

Status and a first award stay

Hilton Honors publishes tier thresholds measured in Stays, nights or Eligible Spend within a calendar year: Silver at 4 stays, 10 nights or US$2,500; Gold at 15 stays, 25 nights or US$6,000; Diamond at 25 stays, 50 nights or US$11,500; and Diamond Reserve at 40 stays and US$18,000, or 80 nights and US$18,000. [2] Members requalify each calendar year, keep a tier for the rest of the year in which it was earned and the following year, and points earned do not count toward qualification. [2] Tier also lifts the earning rate: a 20% bonus on base points at Silver, 80% at Gold, 100% at Diamond and 120% at Diamond Reserve. [2] Stay and night credit toward tier status goes to one room only, however many rooms are on the folio. [2]

Marriott Bonvoy awards Elite Night Credits only for nights that form part of a Qualifying Stay, and the elite bonus on points depends on the status a member has achieved. [1] The mechanics of night-based qualification are covered in elite qualifying nights. IHG One Rewards says members earn elite status as they stay more, and that elite members receive complimentary room upgrades when available, bonus points and welcome amenities. [4]

On a first award stay, IHG says Reward Nights start at 10,000 points with no blackout dates, while stating on the same page that reward night availability is limited and subject to prior sale, and that members can combine points and cash. [4] Hilton makes every fifth night free on a Standard Room Reward Stay of five or more nights booked entirely with points, for no more than four free nights per stay and up to twenty nights, when confirmed at booking, and not on Points & Money Rewards stays. [2] Hilton Reward Stays still count as stays and nights toward tier qualification. [2] At Marriott, an award redeemed before points are forfeited stays valid unless it is cancelled after the points expiration date and the member has not completed Qualifying Activity to extend that date. [1] For the booking sequence itself, see first hotel award stay, step by step, and for the cash question, hotel points vs cash.

Exceptions and limits

• Some stays do not earn at Hilton. The programme excludes wholesale or tour operator packages, contracted crew rates, travel agency discount rates, packages for casino player card holders, stays on unauthorised team-member or friends-and-family rates, timeshare and marketing packages, complimentary or barter rooms, third-party website bookings irrespective of the rate paid, and opaque channel bookings where the brand may not be known at purchase. [2] No points or stay credit are given for a no-show. [2]
• Charges from third parties may not count. Hilton says participating hotels may leave out incidental charges from non-affiliated outlets such as food and beverage outlets, gift shops and stores [2], and Marriott says charges from outlets managed or operated by a third party may not be eligible. [1]
• Inactivity rules are programme-specific. Bonvoy requires Qualifying Activity at least once every 24 months, including earning or redeeming points or miles, buying points, completing a Qualifying Stay or converting with designated partners, and gifting, transferring or receiving points from another member does not count; after 24 consecutive months without it all accumulated points are forfeited and cannot be reinstated, and an account inactive for five consecutive years may be deactivated. [1] Hilton requires a stay, earning points through Hilton or a third party, buying points or donating points within any 24 consecutive month period, failing which accumulated points are forfeited and membership may be discontinued, with a member possibly kept on and removed after five years; forfeited points cannot be retrieved. [2] IHG says points never expire as long as the account remains active. [4]
• Missing-credit deadlines differ. Marriott requires missing-credit requests within one year of the activity, with new members able to claim for eligible activity in the 30 days before enrolment [1], while Hilton requires requests within six months and accepts new-member credit for a stay within 30 days before enrolment. [2]
• Rules can change. Hilton may add, modify or delete rules, benefits and rewards at its discretion with or without notice, even where the change affects the value of points already accumulated [2], and Marriott says it may change rules, earning and redemption structures and award availability with or without notice, even if the value of points is affected. [1]

Related pages

Programme pages: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards. Guides: first hotel award stay, step by step, hotel loyalty comparison checklist, hotel points vs cash. Terms: elite qualifying nights, glossary index.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. World of Hyatt is not covered on this page, because its programme terms were not among the sources checked.

1. Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
2. Hilton Honors Member Rewards terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026
3. IHG Hotels & Resorts homepage and IHG One Rewards overview, checked 18 October 2026