By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 12, 2026. Editorial Policy
Is it worth buying hotel points? Only to complete a specific award you have already found, and only during a sale. In October 2026, Hilton points cost about 0.45 cents in a 120% bonus sale, Marriott about 0.81 cents, IHG 0.5 cents and Hyatt 2.08 cents. The Points Guy values the same points at 0.4, 0.75, 0.6 and 1.65 cents. So most sale prices are still at or above what the points are worth on an average stay. The math works when one expensive night costs fewer points than its cash rate would suggest.
I am Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, and I have run The Points King since 2017. We buy hotel points, so I watch these prices because they set a ceiling on what points are worth. There are no affiliate links on this site.
Hotel Points: Price vs. Value, October 2026
| Program | Normal price per point | Current or latest sale | The Points Guy value | Yearly purchase limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors | 1 cent | About 0.45 cents (up to 120% bonus, targeted, to November 21, 2026) | 0.4 cents | 160,000 (240,000 during this sale) |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1.25 cents | About 0.81 cents (up to 55% bonus, to November 23, 2026) | 0.75 cents | 150,000 (200,000 during sales) |
| IHG One Rewards | From about 1 cent | 0.5 cents (100% bonus, October 10 to 13, 2026, 35,000-point minimum) | 0.6 cents | 200,000 under IHG’s terms |
| World of Hyatt | 2.6 cents | 2.08 cents (20% off, ended October 5, 2026) | 1.65 cents | 55,000 before bonus |
| Wyndham Rewards | Shown after login | Up to 80% bonus (to October 21, 2026) | 0.55 cents | 100,000 |
| Choice Privileges | About 1.03 to 1.28 cents | About 0.62 cents (up to 40% off, to October 22, 2026) | 0.85 cents | 180,000 per purchase |
Prices from One Mile at a Time (Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hyatt, Choice) and Frequent Miler; values from The Points Guy, October 1, 2026. Sales are frequent: Hilton, Marriott and IHG ran several in 2025 and 2026, so there is rarely a reason to buy at full price.
The Test Before You Buy
- Find the stay and confirm the award night is bookable now.
- Note the cash price for the same nights, with taxes and resort fees.
- Work out how many points you are short, and what they cost at today’s sale price.
- Buy only if the cash price is higher than the cost of the points you need, counting the points you already hold at what they are worth to you.
Example: a Hilton night costs 80,000 points or $520. At 0.45 cents a point, 80,000 points cost $360, so buying the whole night saves $160. The same Hilton night at a $200 cash rate would lose money. The same arithmetic applies to airline miles; see is it worth buying airline miles.
When the Math Works
- Topping off. You hold 45,000 points and the night costs 50,000. Buying 5,000 points releases the value of the 45,000 you already have.
- Fixed prices at expensive hotels. Hyatt still prices by category, so a hotel charging $800 a night can cost a fixed number of points. Hyatt’s new chart from May 20, 2026 has five price levels per category instead of three, with Category 8 hotels from 35,000 to 75,000 points (The Points Guy).
- Free nights on longer stays. Hilton’s fifth night free for elite members and IHG’s fourth night free for its cardholders cut the effective points price by 20% or 25%.
What Changed in 2025 and 2026
- Hilton, 2025: top standard rooms now cost up to 250,000 points a night, up from 150,000 before May 2025 (One Mile at a Time).
- Marriott, July 2026: award prices at top hotels rose again without notice, up nearly 13% on average in about a year (The Points Guy).
- Hyatt, May 20, 2026: 136 hotels changed category, 112 of them up, and the chart moved to five price levels.
- Wyndham, September 15, 2026: a fourth award level at 45,000 points was added, and The Points Guy cut its value from 0.7 to 0.55 cents.
The pattern is why buying to hold is a bad idea. Points bought today can buy less next year.
What Hotel Programs Say About Selling Points
If you have hotel points you will not use, selling is another option, and every program forbids it. Marriott’s terms say points “may not be sold, bartered or transferred” and that an attempted sale “will be void.” Hilton’s terms call the sale of points by anyone but Hilton “expressly prohibited.” IHG’s terms say points “may not be purchased or sold.” Brokers, The Points King included, buy hotel points anyway, at the account holder’s risk. Read the risks first, then see selling Hilton points or selling Marriott points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth buying Hilton points at 0.45 cents?
For a specific stay where the cash rate is high, often yes. As a store of value, no: The Points Guy values Hilton points at 0.4 cents, and Hilton raised its top award prices in 2025.
Do purchased hotel points count toward elite status?
No. Status comes from nights and spending at the hotels, not from points you buy.
Can I get a refund on purchased points?
Generally no. Point purchases are final, so buy only for a stay you can book now.
Which hotel points are cheapest to buy?
In October 2026, Hilton at about 0.45 cents and IHG at 0.5 cents during their sales. But a cheap point is only a bargain if the hotel prices well in points.
How much can I buy each year?
It depends on the program: 55,000 for Hyatt, 150,000 for Marriott outside sales, 160,000 for Hilton and 200,000 for IHG.
Sources
- One Mile at a Time: buying Hilton points, October 7, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: buying Marriott points, September 29, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: buying IHG points, October 10, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: buying Hyatt points, August 6, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: Choice points sale, September 8, 2026
- Frequent Miler: Wyndham points sale, January 28, 2026
- The Points Guy: monthly valuations, October 1, 2026
- The Points Guy: Hyatt category changes, May 18, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: Hilton award price increase, September 9, 2025
- The Points Guy: Marriott raises award prices, July 8, 2026
- IHG: One Rewards terms, read October 12, 2026
Update Log
- October 12, 2026: rewritten in my own words with October 2026 purchase prices, sales and valuations for six hotel programs, a worked example, the 2025 and 2026 award price changes and program rules. Removed a video link and outdated purchase limits.
- October 10, 2026: added the Hilton sale.