Hilton vs. Marriott: Which One Is Right for You?

Marriott and Hilton are two well-known hotel chains with worldwide reach. Along with plenty of properties to choose from, both offer loyalty programs and co-branded credit cards.

Choosing the brand that’s right for you depends on your travel habits, including where you like to go, why you’re traveling and how often you’re on the road.

We'll compare the geographic footprints, loyalty programs and credit cards offered by Hilton and Marriott to see which one is a better fit.

» Learn more: The best hotel brands

Winner for hotel availability: Marriott

Marriott

Marriott continues to expand its footprint and to date boasts nearly 8,700 properties in 139 countries and territories around the world. Its hotels range from high-end options like St. Regis to value-focused choices like Moxy Hotels. There are 32 brands — which include the ability to rent vacation homes.

» Learn more: What makes Marriott unique?

Hilton

Although it’s one of the largest hotel brands in the world, Hilton trails behind Marriott with over 7,000 properties worldwide. Among its 20 brands, you’ll find luxurious properties such as Waldorf Astoria and more budget-oriented options such as Hampton by Hilton.

» Learn more: 7 reasons to Join Hilton Honors

Winner for ease of points: Hilton

Marriott Bonvoy

Neither Marriott or Hilton are especially great when it comes to redeeming points, but Marriott Bonvoy’s steady degradation of reward stays has it falling behind Hilton’s rewards program.

In 2022, Marriott removed its award chart and moved to a dynamic pricing system for its hotels. This means that there’s no limit to the cost you could pay for an award stay because pricing is tied directly to demand.

NerdWallet values Marriott Bonvoy® points at 0.9 cent each, which is better than Hilton.

It’s possible to earn Marriott points in a variety of ways, including spending on credit cards, hotel stays, dining and more. Points can also be transferred over from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards® at a 1:1 ratio.

» Learn more: Marriott Bonvoy program: The complete guide

Hilton Honors

Like Marriott, Hilton has eliminated its official award chart. However, unlike its competitor, Hilton still maintains a base pricing system for its standard room rewards. These can be as low as 5,000 points per night, which means your Hilton points can be redeemed for great value.

However, if you’re unable to find a standard room reward, you’ll need to book a premium room reward instead. With no cap, these rates can run you into the millions of points per night.

When NerdWallet analyzed award prices, Hilton Honors points were worth about 0.6 cent each.

Hilton points can be earned by spending on co-branded credit cards, dining and hotel stays, among other options. Chase points don’t transfer to Hilton, but AmEx points do, at a ratio of 1:2.

» Learn more: The best hotel rewards programs

Winner for best hotel credit card: Hilton

Hilton credit cards

When it comes to hotel credit cards, Hilton beats all of its competition — not just Marriott.

This is thanks to the industry-leading benefits offered by the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, though the large welcome offers that you can earn with many of its cards don’t hurt.

» Learn more: The best Hilton credit card strategy

Marriott credit cards

Although Marriott has its share of co-branded credit cards, its top-tier card falls short when compared with Hilton’s offerings.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

Best hotel for family travel: Hilton

Hilton

When it comes to family travel, there are multiple things you’ll want to take into consideration to make your trip easier. One of these? Food. Hilton has five brands that offer complimentary breakfast:

• Embassy Suites by Hilton.

• Hampton by Hilton.

• Home2 Suites by Hilton.

• Homewood Suites by Hilton.

• Tru by Hilton.

Breakfast at other Hilton properties is also fairly accessible, especially if you hold elite status. Depending on where you’re staying, you and a registered guest can either get complimentary breakfast or a food and beverage credit each day of your stay if you have Hilton Gold status or higher.

Additionally, if you hold the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you’ll also have access to Hilton’s executive lounges, which offer all-day food and drinks in addition to breakfast.

Finally, Diamond elite status also entitles you to complimentary suite upgrades. While these aren’t guaranteed, potentially having more room for you and your family can certainly be helpful. Otherwise, Hilton also has plenty of suite hotels among its brands.

Marriott

Marriott has six brands that include free breakfast:

• Residence Inn.

• TownePlace Suites.

• Springhill Suites.

• Fairfield by Marriott.

• Element. 

• City Express. 

Unfortunately, outside of these properties, you’ll need to have at least Platinum elite status to score a complimentary breakfast.

Although Marriott has more hotel brands available, fewer options for free breakfast means that Hilton wins for family travel.

» Learn more: Pro tips for smart and cheap family travel

Best hotel for business travel: Hilton

Hilton

Although Marriott has more properties than Hilton and a wider geographic footprint, easier access to elite status for Hilton Honors members can be beneficial.

This is especially true for business travelers, for whom benefits such as early check-in, late checkout, premium Wi-Fi, executive lounge access, suite upgrades and complimentary breakfast can make the difference between a comfortable stay and a miserable experience, especially on a tight turnaround.

Since these benefits are readily available if you’re holding the right card (including The Platinum Card® from American Express) and don’t require any actual stays to acquire, business travelers can start enjoying these perks immediately. Terms apply.

Marriott

Even though Marriott has more properties than Hilton, both hotel chains are massive, which means there will likely be one or more of each hotel in many locations. Aside from this, Hilton’s mid-tier elite status offers more valuable perks than Marriott’s, which tips the scales in Hilton’s favor.

For most travelers, Hilton is likely the better option for hotel stays. Although Marriott has more hotels, its loyalty program, dynamic reward pricing model and lack of elite status benefits put it in second place behind Hilton and its Honors program.