Joining a hotel rewards programme – Is it a good idea?

Why Join a Hotel Rewards Programme?

A good loyalty programme can make an ordinary stay more memorable. If you choose to join, free upgrades for a future visit become a real possibility, meaning you could swap a standard room for a spacious suite on your next trip. Many loyalty programmes also sweeten the deal with complimentary food and beverage perks, whether it’s a welcome cocktail, free breakfast, or discounted dining at the hotel’s restaurants. And don’t forget the exclusive discounts on future stays, which can bring down costs significantly if you’re a frequent hotel-goer.

If you’re the type of traveller who finds comfort in returning to a familiar brand, membership is a no-brainer. You get rewarded every time you stay, whether that’s a few extra points for booking directly with the hotel or a surprise hamper waiting in your room. Discounts on spa treatments or gym facilities can also surface, along with other perks such as early check-in, free lounge access, or extended happy hours for members only.

Who doesn’t like some extra attention? One of the biggest perks is the way these programmes treat you like a VIP. Sometimes, it’s the little touches that matter, like a handwritten note from the manager or a personal escort to your room. You also get to use your membership in different locations, which means you can collect or redeem points globally rather than just at one hotel. This is especially handy if you’re travelling for work and bouncing around multiple cities or if you’re planning a major international holiday. And for frequent business travellers, hotel memberships offer tangible returns, such as a free conference room for a few hours or discounted rates on function halls.

The Best Hotel Rewards Programmes

If you’re interested in growing your BA reward flights balance and then using the Avios for cheaper flights (or even freebies) down the line, these are our recommendations for hotel loyalty programmes:

Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels recently joined the Avios family, which means you can now convert your Choice Privileges points into Avios at a rate of 5,000 points to 1,000 Avios. The brand is known for its great coverage across the Americas, especially after its acquisition of Radisson Americas. If you have some dormant Choice points, converting them to Avios can be a neat way to top up your balance.

Accor Live Limitless

Accor Live Limitless (ALL) is another big name in the mix, with the ability to set up an automatic conversion of your hotel reward points into Avios. It’s an appealing option, especially if you frequent mid-range to higher-end hotels like Sofitel, Pullman, or Fairmont. The brand also occasionally rolls out promotions where members can grab double points or special discounts.

IHG One Rewards

IHG One Rewards (InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and others) offers a broad global footprint and conversion options to Avios. You could convert 10,000 IHG points into 2,000 Avios or simply choose to earn Avios with every stay. The wide variety of IHG hotels, from budget-friendly Holiday Inn to the luxe InterContinental brand, makes it a versatile choice for travellers.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy has arguably one of the most extensive portfolios on the planet. With over 8,000 properties, your points can rack up quickly, especially if you target the mid- to higher-tier hotels like JW Marriott or Le Meridien. Bonvoy points can convert to Avios at 3,000 Avios for every 9,000 points, with a sweet bonus of 5,000 Avios if you transfer 60,000 Marriott points in a single go. A fair number of travellers consider that a decent ratio, especially if they’re also aiming to collect BA Tier Points with their flights.

Hyatt

Hyatt’s World of Hyatt loyalty programme is especially popular among business travellers because of its excellent elite-tier perks. While direct Avios conversions aren’t as high-profile here, you can still move points from Hyatt into airline miles, including Avios, with occasional promotions that sweeten the deal.

Hilton Honors

And let’s not overlook Hilton Honors, which remains one of the biggest and best-known programmes. If Avios is your end game, you could convert 10,000 Hilton points into 1,000 Avios or choose to earn Avios for your stays right from the start. Hilton has also teamed up with Currensea to launch the world’s first hotel loyalty debit cards. You can earn Hilton points on everyday purchases (both at home and abroad) with these cards while removing foreign transaction fees. You can then convert any leftover points into Avios if you prefer.

Sometimes, It Might Be Better to Utilise BA Holidays

What if you’d rather not limit yourself to one hotel brand, no matter how enticing those Avios conversions might be? In that case, BA Holidays can be the ideal workaround. Not only do you often get better package deals by combining flights and hotels, you’ll also collect Avios and BA Tier Points on the total cost of your trip. Simply do a BA reward flight search to find the perfect flights and then add a hotel (or car rental) through BA Holidays, racking up Avios for the entire package.

A British Airways tier point calculator can help you see exactly how many tier points you’d earn for that flight portion. Since 1 April, 2025, the new British Airways Club structure also awards tier points for the holiday element of your booking, including chosen seat fees or any extra bags. It’s a nice way to boost your status, especially if you plan a big annual family holiday or a couple of high-value city breaks every year. Curious about how British Airways Tier Points work? You can find a full breakdown on our dedicated page here.

Bottom Line: BA reward flights, Hotel Rewards, or Both?

Joining a hotel rewards programme is generally a no-brainer if you have a favourite brand or need that extra sense of consistency in your travel. You can snag free nights and VIP perks and, in many cases, funnel your hotel points into Avios if you aren’t confident you’ll accumulate enough points for free stays. Converting points to Avios also helps if you see good BA reward flight availability and want to top up your balance quickly.

On the other hand, if you like variety in hotel choices and want to earn tier points on your entire holiday spend, BA Holidays might be your best friend. It often eliminates the stress of scouring multiple websites for deals and easily builds your Avios while unlocking extra BA Tier Points. You can strategise your flights and holiday packages for maximum status.

In the end, there’s no single “perfect” approach to making the most of hotel loyalty programmes. Some travellers love building loyalty with a single hotel brand, while others prefer the flexibility that British Airways Holidays offers. Whichever route you choose, keep your Avios collector’s hat on and watch your travel savings and flight options multiply in a hurry.

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