Should You Convert Hotel Points to United Miles During September’s 30% Bonus Promotion?

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner above the clouds (Source: United AIrlines)

United’s Mileage Plus program is offering a 30% bonus when members convert their hotel points into United miles. This promotion will end on September 30th, 2022. You can receive a maximum of 25,000 bonus miles.

Before you rush to convert your hotel points, this promotion requires registration. Click here.

a screenshot of a hotel registration form

 

Does it Make Sense?

First of all, if you have some orphaned hotel points, there is certainly no harm in converting them to United miles before those points expire unused.

But for larger transactions, here’s what you would get.

Marriott Bonvoy

Hopefully you are aware by now that the “sweetspot” for converting Marriott points is 60,000 points. That normally gets you 25,000 miles. But due to Marriott’s partnership with United, you receive an extra 10% (27,500) when you convert to United miles ONLY.

As a result, an additional 30% bonus would bring your total to 35,750 miles for each 60,000 points converted.  This could be a very interesting opportunity.

Reminder!  The 25k cap on bonus miles means that you can only do this three times – or 180,000 Marriott points in total.

Accor Live Limitless

You can convert 2,000 ALL points (worth 40 euros / $40) into 1,000 United miles. Even receiving 1,300 United miles… that’s a bad deal.

Hilton Honors

You can convert 10,000 Hilton points into 1,000 United miles. A horrible, horrible deal with or without bonus…

IHG Rewards

You can convert 10,000 IHG points into 2,000 United miles. .. 2,600 United miles after the bonus.  This could make sense for some…

Radisson Rewards Americas

You can convert 2,000 Radisson points into 200 United miles… 260 United miles after the bonus. This is a bad deal.

World of Hyatt

You can convert 5,000 Hyatt points into 2,000 United miles… 2,600 United miles after the bonus.  This is a very bad deal.

Choice Privileges

You can convert 5,000 Choice points into 1,000 United miles…  You could have received a 100% bonus by converting in August…

Wyndham Rewards

You can convert 6,000 Wyndham points into 1,200 United miles. Even with the bonus you should pass…

Shangri-la Golden Circle

You can convert a minimum of 2,500 Golden Circle points into United miles on a 1:1 basis. I don’t know Golden Circle enough to say whether a 30% bonus is worthwhile.

 

Bottom Line

The main transfer partner worth considering is Marriott (as usual). For the other hotel chains, this promotion only makes sense if you are getting rid of some orphaned hotel points that are close to expiring…