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Is it worth transferring Hilton points to United?

Published in Hotel Points Transfer 3 mins read

Generally, it is not worth transferring Hilton points to United miles due to the significantly unfavorable conversion rates, even when a transfer bonus is offered.

Understanding Hotel to Airline Point Transfers

Transferring points from hotel loyalty programs to airline frequent flyer programs is usually not recommended. This is primarily because the standard transfer rates are often very poor, meaning you lose a substantial amount of value in the conversion. Hotel points, like Hilton Honors points, are typically much more valuable when redeemed for hotel stays rather than being converted into airline miles.

Hilton Honors to United MileagePlus Transfer Rate

The standard transfer ratio for Hilton Honors points to United MileagePlus miles is typically 10,000 Hilton Honors points to 1,000 United miles. This is a 10:1 ratio, which represents a considerable devaluation of your Hilton points.

Hilton Honors Points Standard United Miles Received Value Lost (Approx.)
10,000 1,000 Significant
50,000 5,000 (plus potential bonus miles from Hilton) Substantial

Impact of Transfer Bonuses

Occasionally, airlines like United offer promotional transfer bonuses from their hotel partners. For instance, a 30% transfer bonus from all of United's hotel partners to MileagePlus can sweeten the transfer rate. With such a bonus, 10,000 Hilton points would yield 1,300 United miles instead of 1,000. While this makes the transfer slightly less disadvantageous, it still doesn't make it a good redemption option compared to using Hilton points for hotel nights. The general consensus remains that it's still best to redeem hotel points for hotel stays rather than transferring them to airlines.

When Might a Transfer Be Considered?

Despite the poor value, there are very specific, niche situations where transferring Hilton points to United miles might be considered:

  • To Top Off an Award: If you are just a few thousand miles short of booking a United award flight and have no other immediate way to acquire those miles, transferring a small amount of Hilton points might be a last resort to complete the redemption.
  • Expiring Hilton Points: If your Hilton points are about to expire and you have no immediate travel plans that would allow you to use them for a hotel stay, transferring them could be an option to prevent them from being lost entirely. However, there are usually better ways to keep points active, such as a small points purchase or a stay.
  • Desperate Need for United Miles: In an urgent situation where you absolutely need United miles and other acquisition methods (credit card spend, flying, buying miles) are not feasible or too expensive, a transfer could be a last-ditch effort.

Maximizing Your Hilton Honors Points

For most travelers, the best way to utilize Hilton Honors points is to redeem them for hotel stays. Hilton points typically offer a redemption value of around 0.5 cents per point (CPP) or more when used for hotel nights, especially at higher-end properties or during peak seasons. Transferring them to United, even with a bonus, often yields a value significantly less than this.

For more detailed insights on maximizing airline miles and hotel points, you can explore resources like the AwardWallet Blog.