Hilton vs. Marriott: Which Hotel Chain Is Right for You?

Choosing between Hilton and Marriott affects more than just where you sleep. Your decision determines which loyalty program you'll use, which credit cards deliver the most value, and how much you'll actually pay for "free" nights. After analyzing both chains' properties, rewards programs and credit card offerings, Hilton emerges as the better choice for most travelers.

Here's why — and when Marriott might still make sense for your specific situation.

Marriott's advantage: More hotels means better geographic coverage, especially in secondary markets and international destinations. You're more likely to find a Marriott property in remote locations.

The reality check: Having 1,300 more properties doesn't matter if they're not where you actually travel. Before choosing based on network size, check availability in your top 5 travel destinations.

With such a large hotel chain, you’ll find properties across price points. Luxury travel brands include St. Regis, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, EDITION and The Luxury Collection.

More affordable brands include Courtyard, Four Points, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, AC Hotels, Aloft Hotels, Moxy Hotels, Protea Hotels, City Express and Four Points Flex by Sheraton.

» Learn more: What makes Marriott unique?

Waldorf Astoria, LXR, Conrad, Signia and NoMad are Hilton's flagship luxury brands, while Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton, Tru and Spark are budget-friendly.

Hilton also has a partnership with Small Luxury Hotels, a collection of over 600 independently owned boutique hotels. Plus, its AutoCamp offering lets you try out cabins, tents and even AirStreams.

» Learn more: 7 reasons to join Hilton Honors

Based on NerdWallet's estimates,

• Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.8 cent each.

• Hilton points are worth 0.4 cent each.

At first glance, Marriott points appear more valuable. But this tells only half the story.

For starters, Hilton's points are generally easier to earn (both by spending on its credit cards and by hotel stays).

And then there's also the cost to book rooms on points.

In 2022, Marriott removed its award chart and moved to a fully 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. Meanwhile, 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.

» Learn more: Hilton Honors: The complete guide

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 provided when applying for any of its cards don’t hurt.

The benefits of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card include:

• Complimentary top-tier Hilton Diamond elite status.

• An annual free night certificate, plus the ability to earn up to two more through spending.

• 14 points per $1 spent on Hilton properties.

• $200 flight credit.

• $400 annual Hilton resort credit.

• $199 Clear Plus credit. 

Terms apply.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card does come with a $550 annual fee, but it can be worth it, especially if you can earn the following welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

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. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card comes with:

• Up to a $300 dining statement credit.

• An annual free night certificate worth up to 85,000 points.

• 6 points per $1 spent on Marriott properties.

• Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required.

• $100 credit at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties with direct booking.

• Complimentary Platinum elite status. 

Terms apply.

These and several other perks come with a $650 annual fee. But the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card does lack top-tier elite status, which drops it behind Hilton’s high-end card. And while it does offer up to $300 each year in dining credits, that falls behind the $800 in credits offered by the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

When it comes to family travel, there are multiple things you’ll want to consider to make your trip easier. One of these? Food.

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.

Considering that Hilton Honors™ Gold Status is available with a variety of credit cards, that makes it fairly accessible for families.

Additionally, if you hold the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you’ll also have access to Hilton’s Executive Lounges, which feature all-day food and drinks in addition to breakfast. Terms apply.

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 of help. Hilton also has plenty of hotels with suites among its brands.

Outside these properties you’ll need to have at least Platinum elite status to score a complimentary breakfast or a daily food and beverage credit.

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

Although Marriott has more properties than Hilton and a wider geographic footprint, easier access to elite status for Hilton Honors members means it’s the better option when traveling for work.

Benefits such as 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 some of 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 no matter where you’re going. But Hilton’s midtier elite status offers more valuable perks than Marriott’s, which tips the scales in Hilton’s favor.

The information related to Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.