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Credit card points are incredibly valuable to earn free hotel nights.
A few weeks ago we shared the news of a Limited Time Offer for the Hilton HHonors card from our partners at American Express. This offer rewards new cardholders with a bonus of 40,000 Hilton HHonors points after completing a minimum spend of $750. [Learn about this card and all the benefits it offers].
It always sounds like a great deal to earn a big signup bonus—but what can you get for 40,000 Hilton points? Here’s a few tips to help you understand Hilton points so you can put a signup bonus like this one to good use in your travels.
First off, the process of redeeming Hilton HHonors points for free hotel nights is pretty straightforward. You search for hotel rooms on Hilton.com, and check the Use Hilton HHonors Points box.
The number of points you are “charged” for a free night depends on the property category. Hilton categorizes their hotels on a scale of 1-10. A category 1 is the least expensive property, while the more luxurious and expensive properties are closer to the 10 end of the scale.
Hilton free nights awards can be redeemed for as little as 5,000 points for a Category 1 hotel, while a Category 10 could cost nearly 100,000 points or more a night:
Redemption Options
If you’re simply looking for free hotel nights at the less expensive Hilton brands like the Hampton Inn or Hilton Garden Inn you could maximize a 40,000 point credit card signup bonus for 8 free nights. (This would work great if you’re planning a road trip across the U.S. and need to stay many nights at lower cost hotels available in smaller cities along interstate routes.)
If you’re looking to cash in your Hilton points for luxury rooms, you’ll want to pay attention to the season. Hilton hotels in categories 1 through 3 offer fixed reward pricing, but hotels in categories 4-10 will cost more points if you’re traveling during peak times when prices and demand are high.
Here are a couple of our favorite Hilton properties that we think are a great deal for 40,000 points whether you’re an international or domestic traveler:
Conrad Hilton Bangkok
The Conrad Bangkok is a haven of luxury and peace smack in the center of Bangkok’s shopping district. You’re a two-minute walk to Siam Paragon, the Erawan Shrine, and foot of the BTS skytrain that will whisk you above traffic anywhere in the city. In peak season this hotel is pricey, but during off-peak months you can get a seat at this pool for just 40,000 points.
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Doubletree KL isn’t a super fancy hotel–in fact, it’s only a category 2, but this is to your benefit! This hotel located in the city center of Kuala Lumpur boasts a club lounge with a fantastic view of Malaysia’s iconic Petronas Towers, and only costs 10,000 points per night. You can stay here four nights with your credit card signup bonus points.
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
For the family-minded points and miles traveler looking for a domestic deal, the Hilton Lake Buena Vista offers off-peak award nights at 40,000 points. Located at Disney Springs/Downtown Disney (on park property) guest have direct shuttle bus access to all parks, and the exclusive benefit of extended park “Magic Hours” available only to guests staying at Disney properties. It’s a steal for a hotel in the park.
No matter where you travel, you can’t lose with an account full of Hilton HHonors points. Get yours now!
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P.S. If you love Hilton Points, you might want to also check the free nights from Citibank’s Hilton Visa cards. This is a different offer from the card mentioned in this post, but points can be earned in the same account.
