2019 Wrap-up: Hotel Points
In my previous blog I checkpointed my frequent flyer points balances for the end of 2019. Now it's time to do the same with hotel rewards programs. Though I do still have 8 nights of hotel stays planned for later this month, none of them are at chain hotels (😫) so the balances I've got now are the balances I'll have on 12/31. Comparisons are with the tallies I had at the start of the year.
Marriott Bonvoy: Then 500k; Now 633k
Though my balance in Marriott's too preciously named Bonvoy program (seriously, there was nothing wrong with the name when it was simply Marriott Rewards) was already burgeoning at the start of the year I increased it by well over 100k points net. And that's even with spending 40k points on a 5-night stay in a suburban property visiting family before Thanksgiving. Much of the gain came from a 100k credit card bonus I earned in January but I did also earn points from 15 paid nights with the chain and organic credit card spend. My goal for 2020 will be the same as for this past year: to find a worthwhile large redemption. I didn't find a large one last year so I hope I'll do better this year. Carrying such an enormous balance is long term foolish as rewards program points only ever devalue over time.
Hilton Honors: Then 340k; Now 332k
With Hilton it might look like I've largely treaded water with my points balance, but under the surface is a lot of churn. I spent 180k, more than half the points I started 2019 with. Lest that sound extravagant, consider it bought me just 5 nights. I value Hilton points at barely half a cent nowadays. In addition to spending 180k points I earned 172k, getting me back almost to where I started. Most of that earn was from hotel stays! I logged 21 paid nights with Hilton this year- more than with Marriott, the chain with which I have Lifetime Titanium status. That was because Hilton had better bonus points promotions. Hilton was telling prospective guests, "We'd love to have you stay with us!" Marriott was telling its loyal customers, "We know you're going to stay here anyway, now get back in line." (In fact Marriott's CEO boasted to financial press about how his company didn't need sales because its hotels were full.) For the coming year my goal with Hilton will be to do the same as this year, except more so. ...Meaning, earn and burn, while looking for an opportunity to make a large redemption at good value.
IHG Rewards: Then 328k; Now 286k
I had a pretty good year with IHG for both earning and burning. During the year I redeemed 115k points for 5 hotel nights and felt I got good value for the points. (I look for a minimum of 0.7 cents per point with IHG.) I also earned about 75k points, some of them from the new credit card I opened two months ago but most of them from about a handful of paid stays and the bonuses associated with them. (I'll earn the big signup bonus from the credit card in January.) IHG, like Hilton, had some good stay-based promos this year, further underscoring how Marriott takes its customers for granted. Also like with Hilton, my aim for interacting with the IHG program in 2020 is "More of the same, emphasis on more."
Choice Privileges: Then 11,670; Now 1,670
My balance with Choice Hotels' guest program, Choice Privileges, is so small that I didn't bother to include it in my roundup at the start of the year. After all, what can you do with not-quite 12,000 points? The answer is, you can book a room at a small town Econo Lodge for 10k and still have a few points left over! The answer to the next question, "Okay, great, what can you do with not-quite 2,000 points?" is literally nothing. But I'll keep Choice in my portfolio, looking for opportunities to earn and burn more points when the situation fits. Next time I need to stay in a town too small for even a Holiday Inn Express, or one where the Econo Lodge is half the price, I'll earn a few more Choice points.
The others: Whatever.
I know I have a few thousand points with Best Western. I know that only because they email about it once a month. I may still have some points with Wyndham Rewards. I don't know; I don't care. My balances are small and I'm just not engaged with these businesses nor do I see much reason to be.
Marriott Bonvoy: Then 500k; Now 633k
Though my balance in Marriott's too preciously named Bonvoy program (seriously, there was nothing wrong with the name when it was simply Marriott Rewards) was already burgeoning at the start of the year I increased it by well over 100k points net. And that's even with spending 40k points on a 5-night stay in a suburban property visiting family before Thanksgiving. Much of the gain came from a 100k credit card bonus I earned in January but I did also earn points from 15 paid nights with the chain and organic credit card spend. My goal for 2020 will be the same as for this past year: to find a worthwhile large redemption. I didn't find a large one last year so I hope I'll do better this year. Carrying such an enormous balance is long term foolish as rewards program points only ever devalue over time.
Hilton Honors: Then 340k; Now 332k
With Hilton it might look like I've largely treaded water with my points balance, but under the surface is a lot of churn. I spent 180k, more than half the points I started 2019 with. Lest that sound extravagant, consider it bought me just 5 nights. I value Hilton points at barely half a cent nowadays. In addition to spending 180k points I earned 172k, getting me back almost to where I started. Most of that earn was from hotel stays! I logged 21 paid nights with Hilton this year- more than with Marriott, the chain with which I have Lifetime Titanium status. That was because Hilton had better bonus points promotions. Hilton was telling prospective guests, "We'd love to have you stay with us!" Marriott was telling its loyal customers, "We know you're going to stay here anyway, now get back in line." (In fact Marriott's CEO boasted to financial press about how his company didn't need sales because its hotels were full.) For the coming year my goal with Hilton will be to do the same as this year, except more so. ...Meaning, earn and burn, while looking for an opportunity to make a large redemption at good value.
IHG Rewards: Then 328k; Now 286k
I had a pretty good year with IHG for both earning and burning. During the year I redeemed 115k points for 5 hotel nights and felt I got good value for the points. (I look for a minimum of 0.7 cents per point with IHG.) I also earned about 75k points, some of them from the new credit card I opened two months ago but most of them from about a handful of paid stays and the bonuses associated with them. (I'll earn the big signup bonus from the credit card in January.) IHG, like Hilton, had some good stay-based promos this year, further underscoring how Marriott takes its customers for granted. Also like with Hilton, my aim for interacting with the IHG program in 2020 is "More of the same, emphasis on more."
Choice Privileges: Then 11,670; Now 1,670
My balance with Choice Hotels' guest program, Choice Privileges, is so small that I didn't bother to include it in my roundup at the start of the year. After all, what can you do with not-quite 12,000 points? The answer is, you can book a room at a small town Econo Lodge for 10k and still have a few points left over! The answer to the next question, "Okay, great, what can you do with not-quite 2,000 points?" is literally nothing. But I'll keep Choice in my portfolio, looking for opportunities to earn and burn more points when the situation fits. Next time I need to stay in a town too small for even a Holiday Inn Express, or one where the Econo Lodge is half the price, I'll earn a few more Choice points.
The others: Whatever.
I know I have a few thousand points with Best Western. I know that only because they email about it once a month. I may still have some points with Wyndham Rewards. I don't know; I don't care. My balances are small and I'm just not engaged with these businesses nor do I see much reason to be.