50% off Rio hotel: How buying Hilton points saved me over $600 during Carnival
Attending Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been on my bucket list since I first visited the country more than a decade ago. So, while planning a three-month trip through South America earlier this year, I wondered if this would finally be the year I could make it happen.
I expected it would be very expensive to attend official events and book a hotel stay in the city during Carnival. However, I was optimistic that I could leverage my credit card rewards to help cut costs. Luckily, I'm happy to report I made my dream trip happen for a reasonable price — here's how I did it.
Related: United award sale: Fly to Latin America for as low as 9,000 miles
How I secured a discounted Carnival ticket
Carnival has both official and unofficial events. You can attend "blocos" (street parties) for free. But I wanted to go to the Sambadrome, as I'd been wowed by the images and videos of the processions.
I missed out on the first round of tickets that went on sale in August, but secured one in November at a higher price of $148, including fees, through a third-party reseller during a 30% off Black Friday sale. That seemed like a reasonable amount to pay for this experience.
Then came the step of figuring out where to stay and comparing my booking options.
Award hotel options in Brazil
As you may imagine, cash prices for hotels and vacation rentals were quite high during these dates, especially in the popular neighborhoods of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon.
I wanted to leverage my hotel elite status for free breakfast and potentially snag a room upgrade. However, I was unable to find any high-value redemptions or affordable cash options with Hyatt, IHG or Marriott.
But I did find hotel award availability with a property that had been part of the Hilton portfolio for a year. The Tapestry Collection's Yoo2 Rio de Janeiro is conveniently located in Botafogo (between Copacabana and downtown, where the Sambadrome is). And it was priced at a reasonable 40,000 Hilton points per night.
With complimentary Hilton Diamond elite status that comes with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, I would get free breakfast for two (covering my friend and me) as well as the chance at a room upgrade (which we didn't get because the hotel was full).
However, my Hilton Honors balance was zero, given that I adopt the approach of earning points and using them as soon as possible, since loyalty programs are prone to devaluations. Besides, life is short.
Though I had some American Express Membership Rewards points in my account, which transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 rate — even when they run a transfer bonus — the conversion rate is so low that it almost never makes sense. So, I decided to look into buying points instead.
Should I pay cash or redeem Hilton points?
Using cash:
A five-night stay at this hotel was retailing for about $1,778 (or 10,325 Brazilian reais).
I would've used my Hilton Aspire card to pay the cash rate, earning me a total of 60,452 Hilton Honors points. To break it down, I receive 10 base points per dollar spent when booking a hotel within the Hilton portfolio, plus 10 bonus points for every dollar spent because of my Diamond elite status, plus an additional 14 points per dollar spent for purchasing a room at a Hilton hotel on my Aspire card. Therefore, I'd earn 34 points per dollar spent on this hotel stay.
According to TPG's April 2025 valuations, these points would be worth $363, giving me an effective 20% return on my purchase. So the effective cost of a cash stay would drop from $1,778 to $1,415, taking into account the points earned.
Related: Which credit card should you use for Hilton stays?
Buying Hilton points:
Alternatively, I could buy points for this Hilton redemption. I had a hunch this would work out advantageously for me, but I needed to do the math to make sure it made sense.
The hotel was priced at 40,000 Hilton points per night, which would make the cost of a five-night stay 200,000 points.
However, if you have at least Silver elite status with the hotel loyalty program — which Hilton Amex cobranded cardmembers do — you get your fifth night free on award redemptions. So, that means I'd only have to pay for four nights for my five-night stay, paying 160,000 points instead of 200,000 points.
Hilton Honors frequently offers buy points promotions, during which they offer a bonus or discount when purchasing points. Luckily, Hilton was running a promotion at the time I had purchased my Carnival ticket, offering points at the ideal cost of 0.5 cents per point.
Buying 160,000 points at 0.5 cents each would cost me $800, less than half of the $1,778 cash rate.
I decided to go this route and used my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — my go-to card for everyday spending — to purchase the points. This would earn me 1,600 Capital One miles, worth $30, according to our April 2025 valuations. That reduced the effective cost of buying the points required for this redemption to $770.
| Method | Use cash | Buy points | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of stay | $1,778 | $800 | $978 (55%) |
Value of points earned | $363 | $30 | - |
Effective cost | $1,415 | $770 | $645 (46%) |
Related: When does it make sense to buy points and miles?
Bottom line
By leveraging the power of buying points, I was able to save over $600 on the cost of a five-night hotel stay in Rio during Carnival.
While my first calculations showed 55% in savings, it was important for me to calculate the value of the points I’d earn if I had booked with cash. When I factored the earnings through both methods, the savings went down to 46%, which is still a great deal.
And I decided to put half of those savings ($320) toward another thing I had on my bucket list — going skydiving for the first time, on my last day in Rio.
These two experiences — Carnival and skydiving — made my week in Rio one of the best travel experiences I've ever had — and it was all thanks to buying Hilton points.
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. (Partner offer)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. (Partner offer)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.