When buying hotel points actually makes sense

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You can purchase points and miles directly from airline and hotel loyalty programs, but usually it's not worth it because you'll pay well above the value you’ll get when redeeming them.

However, there are exceptions to every rule. And for me, in particular, ​Hilton Honors points​ are almost always worth the purchase — especially when Hilton's running a bonus promotion.

If you’re interested in booking luxury stays, from all-inclusive resorts to five-star properties worldwide, you’ll want to pay closer attention to this strategy.

Hilton makes it super easy to stock up on points thanks to frequent promotions. Many times throughout the year, the program runs what it calls a “100% bonus” sale. In plain terms, this effectively cuts the cost of each point to just 0.5 cents apiece.

Since Hilton no longer uses a fixed award chart, the number of points required for a stay can fluctuate based on demand and property type — but during these promotions, it’s often possible to unlock exceptional value, especially at high-end resorts.

If you can’t find the sale going on at any particular moment, just keep checking back until these excellent deals come back. They’re often available for weeks at a time. (The current one is available until November 21, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET).

A few other things to know before you buy Hilton points:

• There’s typically a minimum to purchase before the 100% bonus kicks in, usually around 5,000 points.
• Each Hilton Honors member can buy up to 160,000 points per calendar year, but that limit is often higher when a "buy points" promo is active. That doesn’t mean you have to purchase the maximum in one transaction; if you start by purchasing 100,000 points now, you’ll have opportunities to pick up more during future promotions.

There are many ways to build up your Hilton Honors balance without staying with the hotel chain itself. These include spending on Hilton’s co-branded credit cards, transferring Amex Membership Rewards at a 1:2 ratio, or moving ​Bilt Rewards​ at a 1:1 ratio. However, buying points is highly underrated and, surprisingly, cost-effective.

If you hold Hilton Honors Silver status (or higher), you unlock one of the program’s best perks: a fifth night free on award stays. In practice, that means when you book five consecutive nights with points, you’ll only be charged for four, and the fifth night is on Hilton.

I’ve been buying Hilton Honors points strategically for years now, and it’s paid off in spades. Here are a couple of the hotels I’ve booked (and loved) using this approach:

Last fall, I wanted to stay at the Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World, but the appeal wasn’t just about the luxury hotel itself. It was the convenience of going to a concert residency at the Resorts World Theatre located downstairs.

Instead of paying $700 per night, I booked two nights using 150,000 Hilton Honors points. I already had 100,000 points saved up, so I purchased the remaining 50,000 from Hilton for just $250.

My partner and I also spent five nights at the beautiful Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort last summer. The redemption value felt even greater knowing we didn’t have to pay extra for meals or beverages.

If we had paid cash, the total cost of our stay (including taxes and fees) would have been about $2,000. Instead, we redeemed Hilton Honors points at a rate of 80,000 per night — with no taxes and fees — and took advantage of the fifth-night-free perk, reducing the total from 400,000 points to just 320,000.

To reach that balance, I transferred about 75,000 Amex Membership Rewards points, which were converted into 150,000 Hilton Honors points, and purchased the remaining 170,000 Hilton Honors points for $850. This strategy allowed us to enjoy a vacation at a fraction of the cash price.