Summer is calling, but your budget keeps saying no. Between rising gas prices, grocery bills, and talk of inflation and tariffs, it can feel like everything costs more these days — including family vacations.
The good news? Planning a getaway is still possible if you use the right travel tools. To help you save, personal finance company WalletHub recently released its 2025 Best Hotel Rewards Programs rankings.
The study compares rewards programs from the nine largest U.S. hotel chains, analyzing 21 key metrics such as the average value of a point, expiration policies, and consistency of award-night pricing. WalletHub even includes a handy calculator that tailors results to your spending habits—a valuable resource for any traveler looking to stretch their dollar.
Not All Hotel Rewards Programs Are Created Equal
Every major hotel chain has its loyalty program, and the good news is that they’re all free to join. But that doesn’t mean they’re all equally rewarding.
Each program has different rules, earning rates, point values, and perks, and what works for one traveler might fall flat for another.
How often you travel, where you go, and how much you typically spend per night all play a significant role in which program fits you best. So, how do you sort through the noise?
WalletHub did the hard work for travelers by analyzing and ranking the top hotel rewards programs. Based on their 2025 study, here are the five best programs:
Each program offers a different mix of value and benefits. Next, we’ll explore the key factors that make some hotel rewards programs more valuable than others.
Which Hotel Rewards Programs Offer the Most Value?
Loyalty programs are not just about collecting points — they are about what those points are actually worth. WalletHub’s study calculated the value of the average rewards per $100 spent, revealing which programs give you the most bang for your buck:
Choice Privileges – up to $14.49
Sonesta Travel Pass – $13.45
World of Hyatt – $11.65
Wyndham Rewards – $11.05
These numbers help paint a clearer picture of how rewarding each program can be.
Will Your Hotel Rewards Points Vanish?
Not all reward points stick around forever. In fact, of the nine major hotel loyalty programs WalletHub evaluated, only Best Western stands out for having points that never expire, regardless of account activity.
Here’s how the rest stack up:
1 program expires points after 36 months of inactivity
4 programs after 24 months
2 programs after 18 months
1 program after just 12 months
If you don’t travel often or forget to use your points, Best Western’s policy makes it the clear winner for long-term value.
Can You Use Your Points Everywhere?
When it comes to hotel rewards programs, flexibility matters. Six of the nine major hotel loyalty programs allow members to redeem points for award nights at all their participating brands and properties. That means fewer surprises and more consistent value.
However, not all programs offer that level of flexibility. Marriott Bonvoy, Choice Privileges, and IHG One Rewards are the exceptions, with some restrictions on where and how to redeem your hard-earned points.
Buying Points: Sometimes a Deal, Sometimes a Dud
Are you thinking about purchasing hotel rewards points? Be careful—some programs offer decent value, while others have hefty markups that make your wallet weep.
According to WalletHub’s analysis, Choice Privileges and World of Hyatt offer the best bang for your buck when buying points.
On the flip side, Hilton Honors is one to avoid in this department, with a staggering 92% markup. Unless you’re topping off an account for a specific redemption, buying points from the wrong program can cost far more than it’s worth.
Are Hotel Rewards Programs More Valuable in 2025?
The short answer is yes—at least slightly. Across the nine major hotel chains, rewards programs offer 0.25% more value on average in 2025 compared to the previous year. While that may not seem like much, every bit counts when stretching your travel budget.
A closer look reveals that four programs improved their value this year: Choice Privileges led the way, accounting for a whopping 33.15% of the total increase. Wyndham Rewards, Best Western, and Drury Rewards also saw gains, giving loyal travelers more bang for their buck.
For travelers who also want to get the most bang for their buck in the air, WalletHub released a similar study on the best frequent flyer programs. It breaks down which airline loyalty programs offer the greatest value based on your travel habits.
Expert Insight: How Hotel Rewards Programs Really Work
WalletHub turned to Sung H. Ham, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University, to better understand the real-world impact of hotel rewards programs. He offers a candid look at who truly benefits from these programs and how they shape consumer behavior.
Who benefits more from hotel rewards programs: consumers or hotel chains?
Ham says, “Hotel chains benefit more from hotel rewards programs than consumers. In order to receive significant benefits from the hotel rewards programs, consumers will need to combine their rewards program with a hotel credit card or be a frequent business traveler.
“The current structure requires multiple stays to receive a free night or to be elevated to a premier tier of benefits. As a result, hotel chains can avoid rewarding the consumer unless the consumer has been loyal and committed over a significant period of transactions.”
How do hotel rewards programs impact consumer behavior?
Ham says, “Hotel rewards programs affect different consumers differently. For heavy users (business travelers or the avid vacationer), consumers will be loyal to a particular hotel chain because of the reward benefits that the consumers can receive from that chain (i.e., room upgrades, free breakfast, free nights, high speed internet, etc.).
“These consumers are less likely to compare prices for two reasons: 1) their employers pay the hotel bill or 2) the benefits that they receive from staying with a particular hotel chain outweigh the price discount from staying at another hotel chain.
“For non-heavy users (infrequent travelers), the rewards programs do little to affect behavior because they are not likely to receive substantial benefits from any one hotel chain. In fact, many consumers enroll in multiple rewards programs simultaneously and use third-party websites or apps to compare rates while choosing a hotel.”
Find the Hotel Rewards Program That Works for You
Regarding hotel rewards programs, one size doesn’t fit all. Your travel habits — from how often you stay to what perks you value most — play a significant role in determining which program offers the best return.
Few hotel chains rank in the top five across more than three of WalletHub’s key categories, so knowing what matters most to you is essential. WalletHub’s complete study includes a helpful breakdown of each program’s strengths and weaknesses, plus a customizable calculator to help you find the best fit based on your spending. With a little planning, you can stretch your travel dollars and create lasting memories on your next family getaway.