Get Double Points From Hilton and Starwood

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You can get double points when you stay at Hilton and Starwood hotels May 1, 2014, through July 31, 2014.

Hilton Double Points or Double Miles – Choose Carefully

Link:   Hilton Double Your Honors promotion

You can earn double Hilton points or double miles on certain airlines when you stay at participating Hilton hotels worldwide from May 1, 2014, through July 31, 2014.

Hilton hotels include DoubleTree, Conrad,  Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Home2Suites,  Homewood Suites, and Waldorf Astoria brand hotels.

To get the double points or miles, register for the promotion before you check-out on your 1st stay from May 1, 2014, through July 31, 2014.

Pick double points or double miles when you register.  Note: Your choice can NOT be changed.  So choose wisely!

But not all Hilton hotels are participating in the promotion.  Be sure and check the list of hotels who aren’t participating before you make your reservation.

There are a lot of the nonparticipating hotels in the US and they are the cheaper Hilton hotels like Hampton Inns.  I really don’t like it when promotions are limited to certain hotels!

A.   Double Hilton Points

If you choose double Hilton points, you will earn 2X Hilton points on your room rate and eligible room charges.

Eligible room charges at Hilton, Conrad, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, and Waldorf Astoria include:

• Food and drinks
• Phone calls
• Laundry charges
• Spa charges
• Pay-per-view movies

You usually earn 10 Hilton points for every $1 you spend at Hilton hotels and resorts.

So let’s say you wanted to stay 1 night at the Conrad Hong Kong on July 4, 2014.  Your ~$350 stay would earn 7,000 Hilton points (~$350 room cost x 10 Hilton points x 2 double Hilton points promotion).

And if you eat at any of the Conrad Hong Kong’s restaurants like Nicholini’s or the Golden Leaf, you’ll earn 2X Hilton points!

B.   Double Airline Miles

If you choose double airline miles, you will earn 2X airlines miles with participating airlines on your room rate and eligible room charges.

With most partner airlines (except JetBlue and Virgin America), you normally earn 1 mile for every $1 you spend at Hilton hotels and resorts.

So you would earn 700 miles (~$350 room cost x 2 double miles promotion) for the 1 night stay at the Conrad Hong Kong.

Emily and I are choosing miles because there are lots of ways to earn Hilton points.  And choosing miles helps keep our airlines mile active without flying.  

Earning Hilton points are usually more valuable than earning airline miles.  But you should do the math and decide what’s best for you, double Hilton points or double airline miles.

How to Earn More Hilton Points

Hilton has more hotels than any other chain.  And there are many Hilton credit cards:

You can get the Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card which gives you 2 free weekend nights at any Hilton worldwide and Gold elite status for as long as you have the card.  You earn 10 Hilton points per $1 spent at Hilton hotels.  So with the promotion you’d would earn 30 Hilton points per $1 spent (10 Hilton points + 10 Hiltons points from Citi® Hilton Reserve card + 10 Hilton points (double Hilton points promotion).

This is my favorite Hilton card because you get free gold elite status with the card which means free breakfast and internet!

The Hilton Honors Card from American Express gets you free Silver elite status and 7 Hilton points per $1 spent at Hilton hotels.  So with the promotion you earn at least 27 Hilton points per $1 spent (10 Hilton points + 7 Hilton points from American Express Hilton Honors card + 10 Hilton points (double Hilton points promotion).

And the Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express gives you free Gold elite status for the 1st year and Diamond status after spending $40,000 in a calendar year.  You earn 12 Hilton points per $1 spent at Hilton hotels.  So with the promotion you earn at least 32 Hilton points per $1 spent at Hilton (10 Hilton points + 12 Hilton points from American Express Hilton Honors Surpass + 10 Hilton points (double Hilton points promotion).

You get Silver elite status from the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature card and 6 Hilton points per $1 spent at Hilton.  So with the promotion you earn at least 26 Hilton points per $1 spent at Hilton (10 Hilton points + 6 Hilton points from Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature card + 10 Hilton points (double Hilton points promotion).

Double or Triple Starwood Points

Link:   Starwood Earn Away promotion

You can earn double Starwood points or triple Starwood points when you stay at participating Starwood hotels worldwide from May 1, 2014, through July 31, 2014.

If you’d like the extra points, register by June 30, 2014. 

You will earn 2X Starwood points at participating Starwood hotels worldwide.  And you will earn 3X Starwood points if your stay includes a Sunday.  For Middle East hotel stays that include a Saturday night, you will earn 3X Starwood points.

You usually earn 2 Starwood points for every $1 you spend at Starwood hotels and resorts.

Let’s say you stayed 1 night at the Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa on May 24, 2014.  Your ~$436 stay would earn 1,744 Starwood points (~$436 room cost x 2 Starwood points x 2 double points promotion).

If you stayed on Sunday night, May 25, 2014, you would earn 3X Starwood points!

You would earn 2,250 Starwood points (~$375 room cost (cheaper on Sunday) x 2 Starwood points x 3 triple miles promotion).

However, not all Starwood hotels are participating in the promotion.  Be sure to check the list of hotels which aren’t participating before you make your reservation.

How to Earn More Starwood Points

Starwood has a personal SPG American Express card and a business SPG American Express card.  You get 2 stays or 5 nights towards elite status with each card.  You can transfer Starwood points to ~30 airline partners.  So you can use your Starwood points for hotels or flights.

You earn an additional 2 Starwood points per $1 spent at Starwood hotels by using your Starwood American Express card (personal or business).

Let’s say you paid for your 1 night at the Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa on May 24, 2014.  Your ~$436 stay would earn 3,488 Starwood points (~$436 room cost x 2 Starwood points x 2 double points promotion x 2 Starwood points from SPG American Express card (personal or business).

Your Sunday night (3X Starwood points) stay on May 25, 2014 would 4,500 Starwood points (~$375 room cost (cheaper on Sunday) x 2 Starwood points x 3 triple miles promotion x 2 Starwood points from SPG American Express card (personal or business).

Note:   American Express may be limiting sign-up bonuses starting May 1, 2014.

Bottom Line

You can get double points when you stay at Hilton and Starwood hotels May 1, 2014, through July 31, 2014.

You can choose to earn 2X Hilton points or 2X airline miles at participating Hilton hotels worldwide.  But you have to pick when you register and you can’t change your mind.

You can earn 2X Starwood points when you stay at participating Starwood hotels worldwide.  And if your stay includes a Sunday night (Saturday night for hotels in the Middle East), you’ll earn 3X Starwood points!

Will the Hilton and Starwood hotel promotions change which hotels you’ll stay at this summer?