Before this season, Hilton revamped and renamed its own loyalty program (formerly HHonors, currently Honors). Among the improvements to Honors was a new partnership with Amazon, allowing Honors members to redeem their points from the online mega-retailer.
It was a persuasive idea. With its breadth and depth of goods, Amazon comes close to being a one-stop shopping spot for anything and what a consumer might desire. Making things redeemable for Amazon product would provide Honors points worth in meeting program members’ needs.
Worth was the guarantee and the question. The tie-up assured value for flexibility and convenience. When utilized to purchase Amazon products but how much could Honors points be worth?
At the moment, Hilton side-stepped the question, either because they had been in the process of discovering value, since they worried that the excitement would be undermined by the answer.
Since the alternative went on Amazon’s website, this month, the value question was answered.
Now, when you shop at Amazon, you’ll see a new option, “Use Hilton Honors Points to store at Amazon.com. Get Started,” linked to a page with instructions for connecting your Amazon and Hilton accounts. Once the accounts are connected, Honors points will be included one of the forms of payment shown you shop at Amazon. Factors blended with a credit card repayment, or may be used to pay the entire amount.
So, how much are Honors points worth on Amazon.com? The conversion speed is 500 Honors points for $1. In other words, 1 point is worth 0.2 cents (one-fifth of one cent).
For context, when redeemed for free hotel room nights, Honors points are worth between 0.4 pennies and 0.5 cents each, twice the significance of Amazon purchases. When it’s possible to get value which raises the question: Why settle for 0.2 cents per stage?
Hilton’s thinking on this is twofold. Amazon redemptions are a feasible choice for program members who do not have sufficient points for free nights. It keeps infrequent travelers engaged with this program. And at the end of the spectrum, for Honors members who have large account balances, Amazon product may be a welcome option to stay. If you’re a business traveler who spends more nights at a resort than at home, a pair of golf clubs from Amazon might be more appealing than another hotel night, even if the value proposition is optimal.
If you are in the centera active Honors memberthat the Amazon option is best ignored. It is more sizzle than steak.
Reader Reality Check
Only at 0.2 cents per Honors point, do you find the buy-from-Amazon option appealing?