Buy Hilton points with up to a 100% bonus — and how this can make your stay cheaper

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Perhaps you’re looking to redeem Hilton Honors points for an unforgettable stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa in French Polynesia or Hawaii's Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.

Or, maybe you want to book a quick weekend getaway at the Conrad New York Downtown or hope to lock in some of the availability at the Conrad Bora Bora.

No matter your dream getaway, a new Hilton Honors promotion could help you earn enough points for your dream redemption and even sometimes save you money over the cash rates.

Current Hilton promotion

The current Hilton Honors promotion for buying points will end May 9, 2023.

With it, you'll receive a 100% bonus when you purchase at least 5,000 points during this promotion. You can effectively purchase Hilton points for 0.5 cents each during this promotion.

You can buy a maximum of 240,000 points during this promotion — but bonus points are on top of this maximum. As such, this means you can buy up to 480,000 points when you factor in the 100% bonus.

Click here to buy Hilton points during this promotion.

Should you buy Hilton points during this promotion?

Typically, when Hilton sells points, they go for 1 cent each. However, this bonus allows you to snag points for half that at 0.5 cents apiece, which is below TPG’s valuation of Hilton points at 0.6 cents each. Half a cent per point is usually the lowest rate at which Hilton will sell its points.

While we don’t often advise buying points without a specific redemption in mind, doing so can be helpful when you’re one or two nights short of making a dream vacation complete. For example, if you already have 100,000 Honors points but need 250,000 points for a specific booking, utilizing this promotion to buy points would let you book your vacation now.

It can also make sense to buy points and redeem them at high-end Hilton hotels like the Conrad Bora Bora Nui or the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. Room rates can top $1,000 a night at these properties. Hilton fairly recently raised the price of some properties to 120,000 points per night. However, you can still come out ahead.

For example, cash rates at the Conrad Bora Bora can easily range from $1,000 to $2,000 (or more) per night. However, if you can find rooms available for just 120,000 Hilton points, you'll effectively pay just $600 by buying the points at half a cent each.

Promotions on buying points can also be helpful for last-minute bookings at lower-category properties. These properties often have inflated cash prices but can be affordable when redeeming points.

Hilton also gives its elite members a fifth night free when redeeming for award stays. This free fifth night can increase the value of your points by 20% if you stay in increments of five nights. Also, Hilton’s Points & Money Rewards can sometimes allow you to get as much as 1 cent per point toward subsidizing the cost of a luxury hotel.

Related: 7 great ways to use a free night reward and 130,000 Hilton Honors points

Other ways to earn more Hilton points

If you need to earn more Hilton Honors points, consider applying for a new Hilton Honors credit card. Current Hilton Honors American Express credit card offers include:

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of cardmembership. Offer ends 04/05/2023.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends 04/05/2023.
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases on the card within your first three months of cardmembership.
• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of cardmembership. Offer ends 04/05/2023.

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio. However, unless you only need to top off your account, there are usually higher-value uses for your Amex Membership Rewards points.

Related: 6 amazing benefits that make Hilton Diamond status worthwhile

Bottom line

When buying Hilton points, Points.com processes the transaction, so a travel rewards card won’t earn bonus points on the purchase. You’ll want to use an everyday spending card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited or The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express to maximize earnings on your points purchase.

Click here to buy Hilton points. Remember, this is a limited-time offering scheduled to end May 9.

Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen, Summer Hull, JT Genter, Darren Murph, Joseph Hostetler and Andrew Kunesh.