Report: 5 Best Hotel Rewards Programs for 2022

Craig Johnson | September 29th, 2022

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If you’re looking for a way to save on hotel costs, one good option is to join a hotel loyalty program.

As the saying goes, membership has its privileges. Those typically include perks, access to extra amenities and the ability to earn points or credits toward free stays.

Wondering which hotel loyalty programs offer the best value? Finance website WalletHub recently updated its list of the best hotel rewards programs. The rankings show the reward values that members earn per $100 spent.

What Hotel Rewards Program Provides the Best Value?

Here are some key findings from the report:

Radisson Rewards America is tops on WalletHub’s list this year for the best overall hotel loyalty program.
Hotel reward programs are offering 3% less value, on average, than they did a year ago.

WalletHub compiled its list based on 21 metrics including blackout dates for booking free nights and the value of reward points.

It also took into account hotel spending profiles. For our purposes, we’ll look at data for what WalletHub calls a “moderate traveler,” someone who earns $70K-$99K each year and spends an average of $958 annually on hotels.

Each hotel rewards program was graded on a 100-point scale.

Let’s dive into the numbers, shall we?

Best Hotel Rewards Programs for 2022

Rank	Rewards Program	Score	Rewards Value Earned per $100 Spent by "Moderate" Travelers
1.	Radisson Rewards	73.10	$11.66
2.	World of Hyatt	69.60	$12.16
3.	Wyndham Rewards	69.32	$12.31
4.	Marriott Bonvoy	62.29	$9.80
5.	Hilton Honors	60.24	$6.96

Read the full WalletHub report here.

Save Money by Using Clark’s Hotel Booking Strategy

“If I’m flying somewhere — you usually book your airfare pretty well in advance — I also book a hotel room at the same time,” money expert Clark Howard says. “I book the best deal I can find for where I’m going but always a refundable room.”

Even after he’s booked a room, Clark says he continues to look at Priceline and Hotwire to see if he can find an even better deal. If you find a better deal, just remember to cancel your original booking.

Read Clark’s guide on how to get a good deal on a hotel room.

This post was last modified on September 29, 2022 5:40 pm