Next week will be the final week of the annual Daily Getaways promotions run by the U.S. Travel Associations. Although it’s just two days, these may be the days you’ve been waiting for all month thanks to discounts on points from Hyatt and Hilton. I’m writing about it a little early to make sure you’re prepared.
Revisit my original post on week 1 to learn more about Daily Getaways as well as the special 10th anniversary sweepstakes. Remember, one of the reasons I and other bloggers cover this program each year has offered a number of discounts on package deals and cheaper prices for hotel points and car rentals, in particular.
Deals go on sale each day at 1 PM Eastern Time (11 AM Pacific Time). There are a limited number of each package available, and they tend to sell out quickly. Typically you can only buy one of each package, though exceptions exist.
Monday – June 3rd: Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
- 24,000 World of Hyatt points for $260 (1.1 cents per point; 120 available)
- 30,000 World of Hyatt points for $330 (1.1 cents per point; 54 available)
- 40,000 World of Hyatt points for $415 (1.0 cents per point; 30 available)
- 72,000 World of Hyatt points for $775 (1.1 cents per point; 25 available)
These packages all have slightly different values (take it out to two decimal points if you want), but the best by a small margin is to get 40,000 points for $415. Remember that unlike most programs like Hilton and Marriott you can still get a pretty good Hyatt award night for a small number of points. Target the sweet spot in Category 4-5 for either 15,000 or 20,000 points per night.
The most expensive Category 8 hotels (and there are very few of these) cost 40,000 points each. I really doubt you can stay at any of those 40,000-point properties for just $415. Buying and redeeming points is a great arbitrage play, instead. Remember you also don’t have to pay any resort fees or taxes on when you book a free night award with points.
Tuesday – June 4th: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
- 30,000 Hilton Honors points for $150 (0.5 cents per point; 450 available)
- 100,000 Hilton Honors points for $500 (0.5 cents per point; 275 available)
- 250,000 Hilton Honors points for $1,250 (0.5 cents per point; 236 available)
Hilton’s offers for Daily Getaways aren’t bad, but neither are they amazing. There is no fixed award chart. Most properties have award rates that fluctuate within a certain range depending on the daily rate. As a result, there are some good values and some poor values but nothing really great or awful. I value my own Hilton points stash at 0.5 cents per point. Do you think it’s just coincidence that Daily Getaways charges the same amount?
You might still find it useful to buy points for the unique benefits offered on some award stays. There won’t be any taxes or resort fees as long as you use points to cover the entire cost of your stay. Members with elite status also get the fifth night for free when booking four nights with points.
If you’re thinking of buying Hilton points just remember to check the regular cost of booking a night at your desired hotel. The arbitrage opportunities are not as obvious as they are for Hyatt.
