How and why you should maximize your hotel stays by using multiple loyalty programs
Editor's Note
Using one hotel loyalty program for most, if not all, of your stays is tempting. You may find yourself primarily using a particular program because you have a high tier of elite status, you feel comfortable earning and redeeming its rewards or your favorite resort belongs to the program.
However, even if you have one of the best hotel elite status tiers with a program and are loyal to it, you may also find having one or more secondary programs beneficial. Here's why and how you should use multiple hotel loyalty programs.
Why use multiple hotel loyalty programs?
Before discussing how to use multiple hotel loyalty programs, let me convince you why you should.
Snag the best-value stay
The primary reason why I use multiple hotel loyalty programs instead of sticking with just one is the value doing so can provide. Whether you're redeeming points or booking a paid rate, some programs will provide better value than others for a given destination and dates. This is particularly true now that some hotel loyalty programs use fully dynamic award pricing while others still use award charts.
For example, I almost always redeem Hyatt points at one of two Category 1 airport hotels when I need to stay near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) before or after a flight. At Category 1 Hyatt hotels, you must redeem between 3,500 and 6,500 points per night. TPG's September 2024 valuations peg the value of these points between $60 and $111, which is less than the rate at which I'd be able to book a comparable hotel in the area on most dates.
By considering award and paid rates across multiple loyalty programs, I have more options to book a good deal. Also, when I have multiple programs to choose from for a specific stay, I can often earn more points through current hotel promotions.
Related: 8 mistakes to avoid when redeeming hotel points
Stay in destinations unserved by your primary program
Although major hotel loyalty programs like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards have properties worldwide, there are still some destinations where you won't find any properties in one or more of these programs.
For example, if you want to visit Kanab, Utah, you could stay at an IHG or Hilton hotel. However, if you only wanted to consider Marriott hotels, you'd need to stay an hour away at a hotel near Zion National Park (the SpringHill Suites Kanab is slated to open next month). And if you only wanted to consider Hyatt hotels, you'd need to stay a 70-minute drive away in Page, Arizona, or at an Under Canvas property near Zion National Park.
Related: 8 tips for finding a hotel in sold-out destinations
Enjoy diversity in elite benefits
If you have elite status or other benefits with multiple hotel loyalty programs, you may choose a particular program for certain stays to utilize specific benefits.
For example, suppose I want a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout on a specific stay. In that case, I'll usually stay with World of Hyatt (which provides a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout on most stays to top-tier Globalist members) or Marriott Bonvoy (which provides a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout on most stays to Platinum Elite members and higher).
Likewise, I'll usually avoid Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors hotels that provide a food-and-beverage credit instead of breakfast for upper-tier elite members. However, for stays where I don't plan to eat breakfast at the hotel but would enjoy a food-and-beverage credit, I'll consider staying at a hotel I know will provide such a credit as an elite perk. For example, I'll often use the food and beverage credit at Marriott's Moxy hotels for evening drinks in the lobby.
Related: What to do when a hotel doesn't want to honor your elite benefits
Protect against devaluation
If you use multiple hotel loyalty programs, you'll protect yourself against devaluation in any particular program.
For example, suppose Marriott Bonvoy is your primary program, but you also occasionally use World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards. In that case, you'd be less affected than someone who went all in on Marriott if the program were to devalue its elite benefits or points value.
Related: Why points and miles are a bad long-term investment
Utilize different transferable rewards
If you have transferable points — including Chase Ultimate Rewards points, American Express Membership Rewards points, Citi ThankYou Rewards points, Capital One miles and Bilt Rewards Points — you likely know you can transfer these rewards to select airline and hotel partners.
If you only consider World of Hyatt when looking for an award stay, you're limited to transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards points. However, if you consider multiple hotel loyalty programs, you might get better value by transferring other rewards for some stays. For example, you could transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards points, Capital One miles, Wells Fargo Rewards points or Amex Membership Rewards points to Choice Privileges to book high-value Choice stays.
Related: Credit card transfer partners: Guide to transferring points and miles to airlines and hotels
Strategies for using multiple hotel loyalty programs
If you have elite status with your primary hotel loyalty program, you may be hesitant to stay with a different loyalty program where you wouldn't get elite benefits. But credit cards offer many ways to snag at least mid-tier hotel elite status with other programs.
Each traveler's exact situation will be different, but here are three situations you can use to inspire your strategy.
Amex Platinum or Business Platinum cardmember
If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — including an additional Platinum Card — you can enroll in complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status. If you have either of these premium American Express cards, you might find that these two statuses are serving you well if you primarily stay at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors properties.
But if you want a higher tier of Marriott Bonvoy elite status just by holding a credit card, you could add the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card to your wallet. After all, basic Bonvoy Brilliant cardmembers get complimentary Platinum Elite status (and 25 elite night credits each year toward a higher status tier). If you prefer a higher tier of Hilton Honors elite status, you can get automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status as a basic cardmember of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
Alternatively, you could add the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the World of Hyatt Credit Card to your wallet to get some perks and bonus earnings when staying with these programs.
Related: Guide to Marriott and Hilton elite status with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
Currently focused on 1 program
If you're currently focused on one hotel loyalty program, consider becoming involved with another. This might be simple, such as considering what other hotel loyalty programs you can transfer points to if you have cards that earn transferable points. Or, you could take a bigger step toward diversifying your loyalty (and options) by getting a cobranded hotel credit card with a different program.
For example, if you currently focus on World of Hyatt and have one or more Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, you might want to get the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Cardholders of the IHG Premier get automatic Platinum Elite status and enjoy the fourth-night-free reward perk when redeeming IHG points for stays of four nights or longer. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.
Or, suppose you currently focus on a hotel loyalty program that uses dynamic award pricing. In that case, you might benefit from making a program that uses award charts, such as World of Hyatt, your secondary program. You could add the World of Hyatt Credit Card to your wallet to get automatic Discoverist status and one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every cardmember anniversary.
Related: Quick Points: 3 reasons you need a credit card with your favorite hotel brand
Free agent
Perhaps you're a free agent and tend to book the most convenient or best-value hotel in each destination you visit. In this case, you might benefit from adding one or more of the following cards to your wallet:
- World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn up to 60,000 points and up to 15 qualifying nights toward status: earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on up to $15,000 spent. Plus, earn 2 total tier-qualifying night credits toward status for each eligible Hyatt stay from 10/16/2025 to 1/31/2026, on up to 15 nights.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn three free night awards (valued at up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Each of these cards offers an annual free night that you should be able to redeem for significantly more than the card's annual fee and low- to mid-tier elite status that will give you higher earning rates and some perks during your stays.
Related: My top 3 picks for the best cobranded hotel credit card
Bottom line
I've written a lot about the perks of hotel elite status. Between me and my husband, we have high tiers of elite status with World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards and Wyndham Rewards through holding some credit cards that offer elite status and spending more than 200 nights per year in hotels. But even if you spend far fewer nights in hotels each year, it's worth at least having a primary and secondary hotel loyalty program for all the reasons outlined in this guide.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.