Hilton Honors Experiences: A guide to using points for activities, exclusive events, concerts, and more

As a dedicated TPG reader, you likely know we advocate for using hotel points primarily for stays — other options are generally less valuable. Redeeming points for anything besides hotel bookings often diminishes their worth.

Nonetheless, Hilton Honors Experiences aims to show that there are rewarding ways to use your Hilton points without sacrificing value. While not every option is ideal, we’ll help you identify the best choices.

What exactly are Hilton Honors Experiences?

Hilton Honors Experiences offer an enjoyable alternative to redeeming your points outside of hotel stays. There are four primary categories to explore within Hilton Honors Experiences:

• Arts
• Cuisine
• Live Performances
• Athletics

This idea isn’t exclusive to Hilton; other hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy Moments and Hyatt Find Experiences also provide opportunities to book unique events and experiences with points. However, Hilton offers some outstanding value options.

You can secure experiences such as PGA Championship tickets (both general admission and VIP), an evening meet-and-greet with celebrities, Formula One passes, and even activities during your stay at a Hilton property.

In 2022, TPG Senior Writer Katie Genter utilized 20,000 Hilton points through Hilton Experiences for a 60-minute couples massage followed by a four-course dinner for two.

Experiences may go beyond just hotels, but some include stays at Hilton properties. For instance, booking the "Ultimate Thanksgiving Parade Viewing Experience" offers you three nights at the New York Hilton Midtown, complete with various credits, welcome gifts, and access to a VIP area for parade viewing.

Some experiences are available through auctions, while others can be instantly acquired using points. Those that involve bidding have a specific closing time, after which the highest bidder secures the experience.

You can also connect your Hilton account with Ticketmaster to use points for concerts and various events.

Steps to book Hilton Honors Experiences

Using your points to book Experiences is straightforward. Simply visit the Hilton Honors Experiences website and start exploring. You can select specific destinations and categories of Experiences from the menu at the top, or view all available options at once.

Experiences can be sorted based on bid count, current bid amount, and remaining time. You can also filter by the number of points needed and whether an Experience is available for auction or immediate redemption. There’s even a filter for on-property Hilton experiences if that's your focus.

When you discover an appealing Experience, click on it to view more information. This will show you what’s included (such as hotel stays and meals) and how many guests are allowed. If you're ready to use your points, you can redeem your rewards, and Hilton will reach out within a few days with further details.

Are Hilton Honors Experiences worth the investment?

Hilton Honors Experiences can definitely be valuable. Often, they offer great returns for activities you would have paid for otherwise.

For instance, a yacht transfer to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi usually costs over $1,000 per adult (including taxes and fees). However, you can book this experience for just 100,000 points per adult. This translates to a value exceeding 1 cent per Hilton point. According to TPG's August 2024 valuations, Hilton points are valued at 0.6 cents each, making this a fantastic redemption option.

Conversely, redeeming Hilton points via Ticketmaster offers a disappointing value of just 0.2 cents per point. Just keep in mind that as long as you're receiving a value equal to or greater than TPG's suggested reasonable redemption value for your rewards, you're in a good place.

Alternatively, you might wish to book an experience that can’t be purchased with cash — like a private dinner crafted by a celebrity chef. This type of event may only be available through Hilton Honors Experiences, so if you come across it, you alone can determine its value in points.

It's important to remember that you can often buy Hilton points for 0.5 cents each, or you can wait for a promotion to acquire Hilton Honors points with a bonus.

Top credit cards for earning Hilton Honors points

Hilton provides several cards that generally offer substantial welcome bonuses and high earning rates for Hilton purchases:

• Hilton Honors American Express Card (no annual fee; see rates and fees): Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $2,000 within the first six months of card membership.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ($150 annual fee; see rates and fees): Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first six months of card membership.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($195 annual fee; see rates and fees): Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($550 annual fee; see rates and fees): Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.

The information regarding the Hilton Aspire card has been gathered independently by Dinogo. The details presented on this page have not been verified or supplied by the card issuer.

Moreover, American Express Membership Rewards points can be converted to Hilton points at a 1:2 ratio (1 Amex point equals 2 Hilton points). By earning welcome bonuses from cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card, you can choose to transfer your Amex points to Hilton and book a Hilton Honors Experience.

In summary

Hilton Honors Experiences provide an additional valuable way to use your Hilton points. Some activities offer exceptional value, and others are unavailable for cash purchase, meaning that a solid collection of Hilton points can unlock exciting opportunities that many people may not even know about.

Share your experiences if you've ever taken advantage of Hilton Honors Experiences for a memorable adventure!