Want to put a free hotel night on someone else's pillow? Nearly every big hotel loyalty program lets you do it — but the rules differ a lot, and some programs make you jump through more hoops than others. Here's how the major schemes compare.
The easy ones first. Wyndham Rewards lets you book a points stay in anyone's name, online or by phone, with no restrictions at all. Hilton Honors works well too: you can transfer up to 500,000 points to another member for free (with a cap of two million received per calendar year), or call Honors and ask them to book a gift redemption. World of Hyatt is arguably the most generous — you can redeem points or free night certificates for others by phoning customer service, transfer certificates to another account, or pool points with anyone (up to 525,000 points sent per year, six transfers max, no relationship or address requirements). Hyatt even lets elite members share their perks through Guest of Honor certificates, and you earn an elite night credit when someone redeems one.
Marriott Bonvoy allows gifting, but only by phone through customer support, capped at five gifted reservations per year — and you can gift points but not free night awards. Its points-combining feature is limited to sending 100,000 points per calendar year, which won't stretch far at a luxury property. IHG One Rewards' official method is booking in your own name and adding the actual guest as a second name, ideally noting your intention in the comments field. Choice Privileges covers immediate family only (partners, kids, parents, in-laws, siblings) — just add the guest's name in the special request field online, or have a phone agent note it.
GHA Discovery, which spans dozens of independent hotel brands, uses Discovery Dollars rather than points, and you can transfer them through the app once you've been a member 90 days: between D$100 and D$500 per transaction, up to two transfers daily in either direction. Accor Live Limitless is the odd one out — no gifting at all, though since 1,000 points is worth €20 off a folio, you can at least cover rooms for people travelling with you.
Two warnings worth heeding. Selling points breaches the terms of virtually every program and can get your account shut down. And the popular trick of booking in your own name and adding a second guest isn't officially sanctioned: outside the US, some hotels legally require every guest's passport, elite perks usually only apply when the elite member shows up in person, and a pattern of no-show bookings can get reported to corporate. If you use it at all, make sure both parties understand the risks.
For anyone sitting on a points balance and a friend or relative planning a trip, the takeaway is simple: check your program's rules before booking. Hyatt and Wyndham are the most flexible, Hilton makes transfers painless, and Marriott and IHG are workable if slower. Done properly, a spare points balance can turn into someone else's memorable stay.
One Mile at a Time
