【January 28, 2025 update】 There has been a fair amount of discussion recently about using Hilton points to obtain Fortune Wings Club points, then redeeming them for Hong Kong Airlines round-trip business class between Vancouver and Hong Kong for roughly US$1,800. I think it is quite good, so I have recorded it in the main text.
【December 15, 2024 update】 Thanks to group member Liang for sharing the news: the Waldorf Astoria New York has reopened, with rooms bookable from September. We use it as an example to compare the cash cost of a stay with the cost of buying points to redeem for it.
【December 7, 2024 update】 A Waldorf Astoria will open in Osaka in late April. We use it as an example to compare the cash cost of a stay with the cost of buying points to redeem for it.
Promotion
Hilton’s official Buy Points page (link🔗) frequently shows promotions such as:
- A 100% bonus, which works out to 0.5 cpp USD.
If you follow the blog’s hotel-promotion posts, you will probably remember that this 100% bonus comes up often.
Is It Worth It?
The approach is broadly the same as deciding whether to buy airline miles. It mainly comes down to two factors:
-
- The cash cost of staying at the hotel versus the cost of redeeming points
-
- Your personal preferences when choosing a hotel for a trip
Just as airline miles can produce high value when redeemed for business- or first-class flights, hotel points often show their advantage when used for luxury properties in popular destinations and peak periods. Cash rates at these hotels are often very high. If an adequate, less expensive hotel works for your trip, Hilton points are probably not worth much to you.
The examples below cover several expensive hotels in travel destinations commonly visited by our Canadian readers. Looking at five-night bookings around March 2025, which fully use the fifth-night-free benefit on award stays, we can see whether Hilton points purchased at 0.5 cpp USD are worth buying.
Redemption Examples
When redeeming for hotel stays, focus on Hilton’s high-end brands as well as the recently added SLH properties.
[Business-class flight] Hong Kong Airlines round trip between Vancouver and Hong Kong
Hilton points transfer to Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club points at a 2.5:1 ratio. If you buy Hilton points to obtain Fortune Wings miles, the cost is 0.5 cpp × 2.5 = 1.25 cpp USD.
In your Hilton account, go to Hilton points → Exchange Points, then add your Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club account. Online data points indicate that the miles may take about a week to arrive.
Search the Fortune Wings Club website for Hong Kong Airlines’ nonstop business class between Vancouver and Hong Kong. A one-way flight costs 75,000 points, while a round trip costs only 125,000 points. There are two flights each week, and plentiful seats are a highlight, especially for families travelling together.
For a Vancouver–Hong Kong business-class round trip, buying points for the redemption costs 1,250 × 1.25 USD + RMB 2,031, or about US$1,800. Nearly every flight has seven or eight award seats available.
[New York, United States] Waldorf Astoria Osaka
Rooms are available from September 2025. Using a five-night consecutive stay in October as an example, October 5–10, 2025 costs 150,000 points per night. A five-night stay has a points cost of US$3,000; the lowest cash rate for those five nights has a cash cost of US$10,157.
[Osaka, Japan] Waldorf Astoria Osaka
The hotel only opened in the second half of April 2025. Using a stay in May 2025 as an example, every night in May costs 100,000 points. A five-night stay therefore has a points cost of US$2,000. The lowest non-refundable cash rate is US$5,135, while the lowest refundable cash rate is US$5,974.
[Cancún, Mexico] La Valise Tulum, an SLH Hotel
For all of spring break in 2025, the rate was 110,000 points per night. A five-night booking from the 19th to the 24th had a points cost of US$2,200 versus a cash price of US$4,150.
[Cancún, Mexico] Waldorf Astoria Cancun
In March 2025, every night cost 105,000 points. A five-night stay had a points cost of US$2,100. The lowest non-refundable cash rate was US$2,837, while the lowest refundable cash rate was US$3,305.
[Bali, Indonesia] Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts
In March 2025, every night cost 85,000 points. A five-night stay had a points cost of US$1,700. The lowest non-refundable cash rate was US$3,351, while the lowest refundable cash rate was US$3,723.
[Tokyo, Japan] Conrad Tokyo
March 2025 is Japan’s peak travel season. For a stay from the 7th to the 12th, these five nights had a points cost of US$1,900. The lowest non-refundable cash rate was US$3,258, while the lowest refundable cash rate was US$3,573.
[Bora Bora] Conrad Bora Bora Nui
In March 2025, for a stay from the 9th to the 14th, these five nights had a points cost of US$2,400. The lowest non-refundable cash rate was US$5,525, while the lowest cash rate refundable 30 days in advance was US$6,920.
Summary
| Cost of a five-night stay in 2025 (USD) | Redeeming points bought at 0.5 cpp | Paying cash |
|---|---|---|
| Waldorf Astoria Osaka, New York | 3,000 | 10,157 |
| Waldorf Astoria Osaka, Osaka | 2,000 | non-refundable: 5,135 refundable: 5,974 |
| La Valise Tulum, an SLH Hotel, Cancún | 2,200 | 4,150 |
| Waldorf Astoria Cancun, Cancún | 2,100 | non-refundable: 2,837 refundable: 3,305 |
| Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Bali | 1,700 | non-refundable: 3,351 refundable: 3,723 |
| Conrad Tokyo, Tokyo | 1,900 | non-refundable: 3,258 refundable: 3,573 |
| Conrad Bora Bora Nui, Bora Bora | 2,400 | non-refundable: 5,525 refundable: 6,920 |
The comparison is straightforward. If you want a better hotel to make a holiday more enjoyable, buying Hilton points to redeem for five nights can be a good option.
Further Reading
Hilton Hotels and the Hilton Honors Membership Program
🇺🇸 Detailed Comparison of the Three Amex Hilton Co-branded Cards
🇺🇸 Amex Hilton Honors Business Card [Record-high 175,000-point welcome offer]
Comments
Comments from a new email are reviewed before they appear.