Each of these four brands comes with its own pros and cons when it comes to booking stays with points. So far, in my personal travel strategy, I primarily stay in Hyatt properties and fill in stays here and there with Hilton. This isn’t to say I’m opposed to Marriot or IHG, I just like to keep my point strategy simple rather than have points across many programs. There is no right or wrong way.

IHG

1) Book 3 consecutive nights with points, and get the 4th night free!

2) Almost 6,000 properties in more than 100 countries around the world.

3) Two Opportunities to Earn an Annual Free Night Certificate with the IHG Premier card and IHG Premier business card. This easily offsets the $99 annual fee these cards have.

4) A bit more complicated to plan with points, but pricing has been said to have improved since the change to 100% dynamic pricing.

5) IHG is a transfer partner with Chase and Bilt.

Hilton

Properties under the Hilton umbrella are, for sure, my backup plan when I can’t stay at Hyatt propetires. Often times when we are traveling to National or State Parks, there is a Hilton property nearby.

Here are some positives that allow me to find value in booking with Hilton.

1) The 5th night is free when you book the previous four consecutive nights on points. This is HUGE! It helps level out Hiltons points needed per night.

2) Their footprint is large. Not quite as large as Marriott, but big! It’s easy to find a Hilton property just about anywhere.

3) The Hilton Aspire card comes with an annual free night certificate as one of the perks to offset the $450 annual fee. Additional free night certificates can be earned on other cards by meeting spending limits.

4) Each year, cardholders of the American Express Hilton Surpass and American Express Hilton Business card are offered ten Priority Pass Lounge access passes.

At my house, we hold two Amex Surpass cards and a business card. This allows us to gain 30 Priority Pass Lounge access passes yearly (10 per card).

5) Canopy, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites, and Tru brands offer all hotel guests free breakfasts. This is a big travel money-saving opportunity.

Hyatt

It’s probably no secret that I am a Hyatt lover, but I’m down for whatever brand serves my travel goals.

Here are some reasons Hyatt is at the top of the list, though!

1) Waived resort fees on point stays and an incredible loyalty program that is hard to beat.

2) When redeeming points, getting 2X- up to 5X the value is easy.

3) The all-inclusive footprint is ever-expanding.

4) It’s easy to earn points to transfer to Hyatt through Chase and Bilt at a 1:1 ratio.

Now a miss for me can be their small footprint. When exploring a National or State Park, there usually aren’t many Hyatts close by.

Marriott

Marriott is a fantastic hotel program, and here are five reasons why!

1) Book 4 consecutive nights with points, and get the 5th night free!

2) Marriott is the largest hotel brand in the world, with 8,000 properties in more than 131 countries and territories.

3) Between Marriott cards with my favorite bank and Amex, there are three cards that offer annual free night certificates, which is an easy way to get awesome value from your credit cards.

4) Marriott offers three Disney World properties to book with points, the Walt Disney World Dolphin, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Walt Disney World Swan.

5) If you decide to use your free night certificates at a more expensive property, you can use points to top off your stay!

Final thought: I find it best to find two programs that serve your travel goals and stick to those as you figure out your points and miles style and needs, then expand as you gain confidence in earning and redeeming points across programs.

Recommended Cobranded Cards

Business cards are always a great option due to Chase’s 5/24 Rule.