Buying Hilton points can be a great way of scoring luxury hotel rooms for less. Hilton holds several points sales every year, and has just launched its first sale for 2019.
From now till 27 February 1.59pm SGT, you can buy Hilton points with up to a 100% bonus. Hilton points normally cost 1 US cent each, so this promotion lets you buy them at 0.5 US cents per point, which is the lowest price we ever see available.
Buy Hilton Points at up to a 100% bonus here
Technically speaking, each account can purchase a maximum of 80,000 points a year, pre-bonus. However, Hilton lets you combine points across accounts for free, so there’s nothing stopping you from creating a few more accounts and consolidating them, or pooling them with a friend or family member.
Use Hilton Honors points to unlock cheap nights at aspirational properties
The classic use case for buying Hilton points is to snag a stay at a luxurious property for much less. Take for instance the example of the Conrad Maldives (do have a read of Louis’ recent trip report), where an award night at goes for 95,000 Hilton Honors points a night. Paid rates can cost as much as US$992 a night before tax.
If you purchase Hilton Honors points at a 100% bonus during this sale and use those points at the Conrad Maldives, you’ll effectively be paying only US$475 a night. Remember that if you’re a Silver member or above, you get the 5th night free on awards, reducing the overall cost to US$380 a night. Hilton Honors Silver status is offered to all AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend cardholders.
What’s even better is that using Hilton Honors points to book your stay gives you a flexible reservation, compared to paying the lowest available rate which is usually a non-refundable rate.
Get savings even at ‘normal’ properties
Even at city hotels such as the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, purchasing Hilton Honors points for your stay might save you some money over paying the cash rate. A Hilton Honors reward night would set you back 10,000 Hilton Honors points per night, which would cost you US$50 if you purchased points in this sale.
The cash rate at this hotel hovers around US$86 on the Honors Discount rate which has the same cancellation policy as the points redemption rate. Again, you’ll be coming out ahead if you purchase Hilton Honors points for your stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur.
Matthew reviewed this hotel in December 2017 and found it to be rather decent.
If you were thinking of heading across the Causeway for a staycation, the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru now costs 20,000 Hilton Honors points a night, up from 10,000 a few months before. Hilton no longer publishes award charts, which means its free to change hotel costs at will. This is more a concern for the lower category hotels, because the upper end is still fixed at a maximum of 95,000 points a night.
What card should I use to purchase Hilton points?
Hilton points purchases are processed by points.com and charged in US$. You might want to consider using these cards to maximize your points return from the purchase of Hilton Honors points:
- UOB Visa Signature: 4 mpd, minimum $1,000, maximum $2,000 per statement period
- DBS Woman’s World Mastercard: 4 mpd, capped at $2,000 per month. You may need to manually appeal to get the bonus 2.8 mpd credited
- Citibank Rewards: 4 mpd, capped at $1,000 per statement month
- BOC Elite Miles World Mastercard: 3 mpd, uncapped
- SCB Visa Infinite: 3 mpd, min $2K spend per statement period
Even at city hotels such as the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, purchasing Hilton Honors points for your stay might save you some money over paying the cash rate. A Hilton Honors reward night would set you back 10,000 Hilton Honors points per night, which would cost you US$50 if you purchased points in this sale.
The points have also increased to 20k
Is it for all Hilton hotels?
I recently joined as a silver honor (with AMEX ascend promotion).
U might want to add this in:
As a new Hilton Honors™ member, you may purchase points 30 days after enrollment if your account reflects activity, including a stay or earning Hilton Honors Points through an Hilton Honors Marketing Partner. After 90 days of enrollment, Hilton Honors members are eligible to purchase points regardless of account activity. Please reference our Hilton Honors Terms and Conditions for more information
Yes.
Dont make sense to buy points now after oct 2018 and buying points is almost useless unless the hotel you intend to stay is still cheaper to stay via points. Or u intend to stay 5 nights with 5th night free (points redemption offer only). Most times it is better to pay by cash n get free points (yes even with free 5th night via points)
Hi Aaron.. Amongst other points, one huge point to note is that the reason why Hilton no longer has a “Awards Chart” is because they are now on a “dynamic” system that changes the points-required for any given property, based on availability, room type and dollar-cost of any given room.. In other words, the “max” 95,000 points-per-night is no longer a given, with cases in point where Conrad HKG may show per night award-rate at 3xx,000 points, and Waldorf Astoria AMS at an eye-watering 7xx,000 points per night! I was one of (like you) who took advantage of recent Amex… Read more »
hi ken- yes and no. the max 95k points per night IS a given, so long as a base room is available. if you’re seeing rates in excess of 95k, it means the base room is not available anymore.
Actually, certain properties don’t even have ‘base rooms’… not because they’re sold out (yes, there are cases of this too), but there a several properties that don’t have them, period. Only ‘premium rooms’ or higher..
Note that the Hilton is also running a sale for members and the discounted prices at times work out to be cheaper than using points (even with this points sale).
Hi Josh.. One should also be aware that whilst bookings using points or cash+points are almost always cancellable as late as 12 hours before booking date, sale prices are almost always payment upfront and non-cancellable/ non-refundable.. so one needs weigh which category they fall into..
For the 5th night free, do I need to have points for all 5 nights in the account or 4 will suffice?
4 will suffice
Thanks Aaron
i am looking forward to book 5 nights WA at Maldives for Honeymoon but now still lack for 40k points, so sad – -!
I have! Sell you? 😜
Kidding.. 🙏🏻