How to Book a Hotel With Points: Step-by-Step for First-Timers
You've got the points. You've got the destination. Here's exactly how to turn one into the other.
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I remember the first time I tried to book a hotel with points. I'd been staring at a Marriott in Savannah for twenty minutes, toggling between "pay with cash" and "pay with points," completely unsure whether I was about to get a great deal or make a terrible mistake.
The cash price was $247 per night. The points price was 35,000 points per night. And I had no earthly idea whether 35,000 points was a lot or a little.
If that sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
Booking a hotel with points is one of the most straightforward — and most satisfying — ways to use your credit card rewards. It's simpler than booking flights, the value is often excellent, and the moment you check in knowing you paid nothing out of pocket? That's a feeling that never gets old.
Let's walk through the entire process, start to finish. No jargon, no assumptions, and nothing left to chance.
First: Where Are Your Points?
Before you can book anything, you need to know what you're working with. Hotel points live in two different places, and the booking process depends on which type you have.
Type 1: Hotel Loyalty Points
These are points you've earned directly with a hotel chain — Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, or World of Hyatt. You might have earned them by:
- Staying at that hotel chain before
- Using a co-branded hotel credit card (like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card)
- Transferring points from your bank card (more on this below)
To check your balance: Go to the hotel loyalty program's website or app and log into your account. Your points balance will be displayed prominently, usually on the main dashboard.
Type 2: Credit Card Travel Points
These are flexible points from your credit card — Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Capital One Miles. They don't live in a hotel program. They live in your credit card account.
You can use these points for hotels in two ways:
- Book through your credit card's travel portal (like Chase Travel or the Amex Travel portal) — this works like Expedia, but you pay with points instead of cash.
- Transfer your points to a hotel loyalty program first, then book through the hotel directly.
Not sure which program you're in? Our Complete Beginner's Guide to Credit Card Travel Points explains the three major programs and how to check your balance in each.
Method 1: Booking Through Your Credit Card's Travel Portal (The Easiest Way)
If you want the simplest possible experience — something that feels just like booking a hotel online, except you pay with points — this is your path.
Who Can Do This
Anyone with a Chase Sapphire card (Preferred or Reserve), Amex Platinum or Gold, or Capital One Venture or Venture X.
How It Works, Step by Step
Step 1: Log into your credit card account and find the travel portal.
- Chase: Sign in at chase.com → click "Travel" in the top menu → you'll land in Chase Travel
- Amex: Sign in at americanexpress.com → look for "Travel" → you'll reach the Amex Travel portal
- Capital One: Sign in → look for "Travel" → Capital One Travel portal
Step 2: Search for hotels just like you would on any travel site.
Enter your destination, dates, and number of guests. You'll see a list of available hotels with prices.
Step 3: Look for the points price.
Each hotel listing will show two numbers: the cash price and the points price. For example, a hotel might show:
- $220/night or 14,667 points/night (Chase Sapphire Preferred)
- $220/night or 14,667 points/night (Chase Sapphire Reserve gets better value — same points buy more)
The portal converts your points at a fixed rate:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: 1 point = 1.25 cents
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1 point = 1.5 cents
- Capital One Venture: 1 point = 1 cent
- Amex: Varies, but usually around 1 cent per point through the portal
Step 4: Select your hotel and review the details.
Click on the hotel, review the room type, cancellation policy, and total points cost. Everything works exactly like a normal hotel booking site.
Step 5: Choose "Pay with Points" at checkout.
You'll see the option to pay with points, pay with your card, or split between the two. Select points, confirm your booking, and you're done.
That's it. You'll receive a confirmation email just like any other hotel reservation.
Why This Method Is Great for First-Timers
- It feels familiar — same interface as Expedia, Hotels.com, etc.
- No transfers, no loyalty accounts, no extra steps
- You can mix points and cash if you don't have enough points for the full stay
- Cancellation policies are clearly displayed before you book
The Trade-Off
The portal generally gives you decent value, but not always the best value. You might get 1.25–1.5 cents per point through Chase Travel, when transferring those same points to Hyatt could get you 2–3 cents per point on the right redemption.
For your first booking? Don't worry about optimizing. Just book through the portal, enjoy the experience, and know that you're already doing better than 90% of people who let their points collect dust.
Method 2: Booking Directly With a Hotel Loyalty Program (Better Value)
Once you've got one portal booking under your belt and you're feeling more confident, this is where the value gets genuinely exciting.
Who Can Do This
Anyone with hotel loyalty points (from stays or co-branded cards), or anyone with Chase, Amex, or Capital One points who wants to transfer them to a hotel partner.
How It Works, Step by Step
Step 1: Pick your hotel program.
The four major hotel loyalty programs are:
| Program | Notable Brands | Sweet Spot |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, St. Regis | Huge global network, lots of options |
| Hilton Honors | Hilton, DoubleTree, Hampton Inn, Embassy Suites, Waldorf Astoria | Generous points earning, frequent sales |
| IHG One Rewards | InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza | Good value at mid-range properties |
| World of Hyatt | Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Thompson Hotels | Best value per point — fewer hotels, but incredible redemptions |
If you already have an account with one of these, start there. If not, it's free to join any of them — sign up on their website before you book.
Step 2: Search for award nights on the hotel's website.
Go to marriott.com, hilton.com, ihg.com, or hyatt.com. Search for your destination and dates. In the search results, look for the option to display prices in points.
- On Marriott: toggle "Use Points/Certificates"
- On Hilton: select "Use Hilton Honors Points"
- On Hyatt: click "Points + Cash" or "All Points" view
You'll see how many points each night costs. This varies by property and date — a Holiday Inn might be 15,000 points per night while an InterContinental could be 50,000.
Step 3: Check whether you have enough points.
This is where the math happens. If the hotel costs 25,000 points per night and you're staying three nights, you need 75,000 points.
Don't have enough in the hotel program? If you have Chase, Amex, or Capital One points, you can transfer them to fill the gap.
Step 4: Transfer credit card points to the hotel program (if needed).
This is easier than it sounds:
- Log into your credit card account (Chase, Amex, or Capital One)
- Navigate to the rewards/points section
- Look for "Transfer Points" or "Transfer to Partners"
- Select the hotel program from the list
- Enter the number of points to transfer
- Confirm — the points usually arrive within minutes
Key transfer partnerships:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards → Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
- Amex Membership Rewards → Hilton, Marriott
- Capital One Miles → Wyndham
Important: Transfers are usually one-way and irreversible. Only transfer what you need for a specific booking.
Step 5: Book the room using your loyalty points.
Go back to the hotel website, select your room, and choose to pay with points at checkout. Enter your loyalty program number, confirm the reservation, and you're booked.
You'll receive a confirmation email from the hotel directly — and when you check in, you'll be treated like any other guest. (Actually, you'll often be treated better, since loyalty members frequently get room upgrades, late checkout, and complimentary breakfast.)
The Sweet Spots: Where Your Points Go Furthest
Not all hotel redemptions are created equal. Some give you dramatically more value per point than others. Here are the sweet spots our community loves:
Hyatt: The Best Value in Hotel Points
World of Hyatt consistently offers the highest value per point of any hotel program. Category 1–4 properties (15,000–25,000 points per night) include stunning hotels that would cost $300–$500 per night in cash.
Example: The Hyatt Regency Maui — 25,000 points per night for a room that sells for $450+. That's 1.8 cents per point, far better than redeeming through most credit card portals.
Hilton: Great for Families
Hilton properties tend to have larger rooms and suite options, and fifth-night-free promotions mean you pay for four nights and get the fifth at no extra cost. If you're planning a multigenerational trip with the grandkids, Hilton's Embassy Suites (with the free breakfast buffet) are hard to beat.
Marriott: The Global Network
With 8,000+ properties worldwide, Marriott Bonvoy covers more destinations than anyone else. Planning that dream trip to Italy? There's a Marriott property in nearly every Italian city, bookable on points.
How to Know If You're Getting a Good Deal
Here's a simple trick the points world uses, and I promise it's easier than it sounds.
Divide the cash price by the points price. That gives you the "cents per point" value.
Example: A hotel costs $250 per night or 20,000 points per night.
$250 ÷ 20,000 = 1.25 cents per point
Is that good? Here's a quick reference:
| Cents Per Point | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Under 0.7¢ | Poor value — pay cash instead |
| 0.7¢–1.2¢ | Okay, but not exciting |
| 1.2¢–2.0¢ | Good value — go for it |
| Over 2.0¢ | Excellent — you're winning |
If you want to go deeper into the math of when to use points versus cash, our Points vs. Cash guide has the full framework.
Don't let the math intimidate you. For your first booking, if using points means you sleep in a nice hotel for free, that's a good deal. Period.
Pro Tips From Our Community
After helping hundreds of WanderWise members book their first hotel on points, here are the lessons that come up again and again:
Book directly with the hotel for the best perks. When you book through a hotel's loyalty program (rather than through a credit card portal), you maintain your elite status benefits — things like room upgrades, free breakfast, and late checkout. Portal bookings sometimes strip these away.
Look for the "fifth night free" benefit. Both Marriott and Hilton offer a free fifth night when you book four or more award nights. That's a 20% savings on longer stays, and it's automatic.
Weekdays are cheaper. Just like cash rates, award rates at resort properties are often lower Sunday through Thursday. If your schedule is flexible — and in retirement, it often is — you can save thousands of points by shifting your dates.
Cash + Points options exist. Both Hyatt and IHG offer "Points + Cash" rates where you pay a reduced number of points plus a small cash amount. This can stretch your points further if your balance is tight.
Cancel with confidence. Most award bookings have generous cancellation policies — often up to 24–48 hours before check-in with full points refunded. Check the policy at booking, but know that points reservations are generally more flexible than prepaid cash rates.
Your First Hotel Booking: A Quick Recap
Let's bring it all together. Here's what to do right now:
- Check your points balance — either in your hotel loyalty account or your credit card account.
- Pick a destination — even just a weekend getaway to start.
- Search for hotels — through your credit card portal (easiest) or directly on the hotel website (best value).
- Compare the points price to the cash price — divide cash by points to check the value.
- Book with confidence — and enjoy a hotel stay that costs you nothing out of pocket.
Your first booking doesn't need to be a five-star resort in Bali. It can be a Hyatt in Charleston for a long weekend, or a Hilton near the grandkids. The important thing is doing it once — because once you see how it works, you'll never want to pay full price again.
And if you're curious what your points could get you beyond hotels — flights, business class upgrades, even river cruises — take our free Travel Score quiz. Sixty seconds, and you'll know exactly what you're sitting on.
Happy booking. You've earned this.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hotel points do I need for a free night?
It depends on the hotel chain and the property. Budget hotels might cost 10,000–15,000 points per night, mid-range hotels 20,000–40,000 points, and luxury properties 50,000–100,000+ points. On average, a comfortable hotel in a popular destination runs about 25,000–35,000 points per night.
Can I use Chase points for hotels?
Yes. You can either book through the Chase Travel portal (where your points are worth 1.25–1.5 cents each, depending on your card) or transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to hotel partners like Hyatt, Marriott, or IHG and book directly with the hotel.
Do I earn loyalty points when I book a hotel through a credit card portal?
Usually not. When you book through Chase Travel, Amex Travel, or Capital One Travel, the reservation is made through a third-party system. You typically won't earn hotel loyalty points or receive elite status benefits. For those perks, book directly through the hotel's loyalty program.
What if I don't have enough points for my entire stay?
Most booking options let you mix points and cash. Through credit card portals, you can pay part of the stay with points and the rest with your card. Some hotel programs also offer "Points + Cash" rates that reduce both the point requirement and the out-of-pocket cost.
Can I cancel a hotel booked with points?
Yes. Most award reservations can be canceled for a full refund of points, typically up to 24–48 hours before check-in. Always check the specific cancellation policy at the time of booking — it will be clearly displayed before you confirm.
Is it better to use points for flights or hotels?
Both can be great values. Generally, points go furthest when used for premium flight cabins (business or first class) or high-end hotel stays where the cash price is substantial. For a full breakdown of when to use points versus cash, see our Points vs. Cash guide.