World Of Hyatt Named Best Hotel Frequent-Guest Program

A new study declares World of Hyatt the best hotel loyalty program.

Hyatt’s program ranks No. 1, followed by No. 2 Wyndham Rewards and No. 3 Sonesta Travel Pass, according to personal-finance website WalletHub, which evaluated the nine largest chains’ frequent-guest programs based on 21 metrics. The metrics included value of points accumulated, blackout dates and free hotel stays.

World of Hyatt “offers exceptional benefits across all spending levels and ranks first in earning policies and redemption options, ensuring that members can maximize their rewards,” says Cassandra Happe, WalletHub’s analyst and communications manager. “Compared to the second-ranked program, Wyndham Rewards, Hyatt excels with higher rewards value per dollar spent and superior redemption flexibility. While Wyndham has a broader geographic coverage, Hyatt’s consistent performance across key metrics makes it the top choice for most travelers.”

Sonesta Travel Pass offers the highest rewards value per dollar spent, according to the WalletHub study. Best Western’s Rewards is the only hotel-loyalty program that doesn’t expire accumulated points for account inactivity.

Travelers can join hotel-loyalty programs free of charge, and the top 5 programs of Hyatt, Wyndham, Sonesta, Marriott and Hilton can save members an average of 10% in annual hotel spending, the study finds.

Three of the nine hotel-loyalty programs — Marriott Bonvoy, Choice Privileges and IHG One Rewards — do not allow members to redeem points at all their hotels, the study says.