Hotels Can Be Booked Via Multiple Loyalty Programs

Travelers can book certain hotels through more than one major hotel loyalty program, a phenomenon that offers increased flexibility for earning and redeeming points. This discovery was made by writer Rachel Craft while planning a solo trip to Lisbon, Portugal. She identified The Vintage Lisbon as a property available through both the Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt loyalty programs. Craft verified that it was indeed the same hotel across both platforms before deciding to test the booking process.

The primary advantage of hotels participating in multiple loyalty programs is the expanded booking options for travelers, which can lead to maximizing rewards. For The Vintage Lisbon, Craft observed a significant difference in award rates between the two programs on her chosen dates. Booking through World of Hyatt required 24,250 points per night, whereas the same stay via Hilton Honors would have cost 70,000 points per night. This disparity highlights the potential for substantial savings depending on the chosen program and current award availability.

Craft's personal situation influenced her booking decision. Her World of Hyatt account had limited points, and while she could have transferred 49,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt, she preferred to conserve them for a future redemption with United MileagePlus. Conversely, she possessed a substantial balance of Hilton Honors points, which she had acquired through a speculative transfer from American Express Membership Rewards during a 30% bonus promotion. This bonus increased the transfer ratio from the standard 1:2 to 1:2.6, effectively allowing her to spend approximately 54,000 Amex points for a stay valued at around 785 euros (approximately $898 USD). This resulted in a redemption value of 1.7 cents per point.

Ultimately, Craft booked two nights at The Vintage Lisbon through Hilton Honors, incurring no out-of-pocket expenses and preserving her Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This experience underscored the value of proactively transferring points during promotional periods, even without an immediate redemption plan. Had she been paying for the stay with cash, Craft indicated she would have opted for the Hyatt booking, as she is a more frequent guest at Hyatt properties compared to Hilton. The ability to book the same hotel through different programs provides a strategic advantage for travelers aiming to optimize their loyalty point portfolios and achieve the best value for their stays.