You can transfer Chase points to more than a dozen loyalty programs, including four hotel chains … but Hilton Honors isn't one of them. Yet with a few extra clicks, I was able to turn the points I earned on my *chase sapphire preferred* into Hilton Honors points anyway.
Normally, the best way to use a big stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to one of Chase's airline or hotel partners and redeem them for nearly free flights and hotel stays. Far, far down that list of the best Chase points redemptions, you'll find the option to redeem points for cash back at a flat rate of 1 cent apiece – either as a statement credit or a deposit into an eligible Chase bank account.
But that's exactly what I did.
A handful of times each year, Hilton sells its points outright with a 100% bonus, dropping the cost to just half a cent per point. Combined with Chase's option for cashing out points, I effectively turned each Chase point into 2 Hilton Honors points.
To be clear, this isn't a direct path or a straightforward redemption – and it certainly won't make sense for everyone in every situation. But in my case, it turned out to be the most cost-efficient way to book the hotel I wanted … with the points I really wanted to use.
Here's how I did it and why you might want to at least consider doing the same.
What Led to This Workaround?
Before I get into the nuts and bolts of how to do this, I think a little explanation is in order.
I'm in the midst of planning a trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and hotels there aren't cheap … or all that plentiful. After taking a spin through all the major hotel chains to see if points could save the day, it became clear that Hilton was the only feasible option for my dates.
The Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik had “standard” award availability – Hilton's cheapest and best rates – for the exact nights I needed. At 80,000 points per night, this wasn't a can't-miss deal … but that price looked a whole lot better than the $700-plus flexible cash rate.
The only problem? My stash of 63,000 Hilton points wasn't enough for even a single night here, let alone the two I needed.
At this point, I more or less resigned myself to transferring Amex points to Hilton to top off my account. Since Amex points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio (absent a transfer bonus), I'd need to transfer 49,000 Membership Rewards to Hilton to get the 160,000 total Honors points for our two-night stay.
While I had more than enough Amex points in my account to pull it off, I really didn't want to part with them for this specific redemption. My balance of Chase points was nearly double what I had with Amex. In my specific situation, those were the points I really wanted to use!
If only there was a way …
Purchasing Hilton Points
I'm no stranger to buying hotel points. It's something I've done (strategically) with both Hilton and IHG over the years … but only when the price is right.
Just before transferring my Amex points to Hilton, a light bulb went off: I wondered if buying points would be a better option. I quickly Googled “buy Hilton points” – or something to that extent – and was pleasantly surprised to see the hotel chain running one of its semi-regular 100% bonus promos.
This deal dropped the price of each point to just a half cent, meaning the 98,000 points I needed would cost me $490.
That's much better than the $700-plus nightly cash rate, but still not quite the joy of “free” I'm used to when redeeming points outright.
Then it hit me: Since Chase points can be redeemed for cash, I could use them to offset the purchase price – effectively converting Ultimate Rewards into Hilton Honors points at the same 1:2 ratio as the hotel chain's closest partner and co-branded credit card issuer, American Express. Sold!
After hitting purchase, the points posted to my Hilton account instantly – after logging out and back in, that is – and I was able to complete my booking.
Combined with my existing balance of Hilton points, I was able to book a two-night hotel stay that would have otherwise cost me $1,400-plus for just 49,000 Chase points. Even starting at a zero balance, I could have purchased the full 160,000 points needed for just $800 and then applied 80,000 Chase points as a statement credit to completely cover the cost.
So, yeah … Hilton isn't a Chase transfer partner – but with a few extra clicks, it's still possible to convert Ultimate Rewards into Hilton Honors points at a competitive rate. At least when the timing is right.
Covering the Charge With Chase Points
The last step in this process is redeeming Chase points for cash back. Over the years, I've only ever redeemed my Ultimate Rewards for travel – either by transferring them to partners or booking directly through Chase Travel℠ – so this was an entirely new frontier for me. Luckily, it couldn't have been easier …
When logged into your Chase account, click on your Ultimate Rewards balance to see the full list of redemption options. Up at the top, you'll see “Convert to cash” – select that, and you'll be given the choice to use Chase's (more limited) “Pay Yourself Back®” feature or the more general “Cash back” option. Cash back is what you're after here.
I don't currently have an eligible Chase checking or savings account, so redeeming points for a statement credit was my only option. But since my statement for this purchase hasn't even been processed yet, that's no problem at all – I can redeem 49,000 points now and owe $490 less when it comes due.
Just know it might take a couple of days for your statement credit to be fully processed and for your balance to update to reflect a “cash back” redemption like this.
Odds & Ends
Buying hotel points (with any chain) won't always make sense … and it almost never makes sense without a specific use in mind. But if you have a particularly high-value redemption on your radar, buying Hilton points at a half cent each can help you save a ton – especially when you can use a big Chase sign-up bonus to offset the cost!
Take the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria New York, for example. Standard award nights here go for 150,000 points per night. If you planned to buy enough points for a two-night stay here, you'd be looking at a cost of $1,500 (during one of Hilton's 100% bonus promos).
You could then redeem 150,000 Chase points to cover that purchase.
The all-in cash cost for that same two-night stay? More than $3,800. That's like getting a 60% discount off the rack rate by buying points instead!
Again, it won't always work out that nicely, so be sure to do the math before you pull the trigger on buying points.
Finally, this strategy isn't exclusive to Chase, either – those were just the points that I really wanted to use here.
If you've got a cashback card from the likes of Wells Fargo, Discover (soon to be Capital One), Bank of America, or even a local credit union, you can buy Hilton points and (likely) offset the cost with whatever rewards you've accumulated.
Bottom Line
Hilton may not be a Chase transfer partner on paper … but that doesn't mean you can't still turn your Chase points into Hilton points with a few extra clicks. By taking advantage of Hilton's frequent 100% bonus points sales, you can effectively turn Chase Ultimate Rewards points into Hilton Honors points at a 1:2 ratio by redeeming Chase points for cash back and using that cash to buy Hilton points.
This is a good reminder that sometimes the best redemptions require a little creative thinking.
