# HGVC - point conversion to Hilton Honors or RCI



## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

Hi, 
I am relatively new to the HGVC ownership.
My question is  what are the best choices for HGVC point conversion if they will expire say end of year and you may not be able to use them:
1. Extend HGVC point  by paying fee. 
2. Convert to   Hilton Honors- don’t expire but don’t give lot of days at a Hilton.
3. Deposit to RCI

Any opinion in each of these. I know there will be Pro and Con for each.
Thanks in advance.

Pari


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## PigsDad (Mar 3, 2021)

Personally, I think option 1 is the best.  As for option 2, you cannot directly convert current year points to Honors; you can only make Hilton Honors reservations with current year points, and then they only convert at a rate of 20:1, vs. converting next year's points where the rate is 25:1.  Caveat -- this is for "normal" HGV properties; there are different rules for bHC properties.

If you extend the HGV points, you can still use them for most anything (including RCI), and then at the end of next year if you still have not used them, you can then deposit into RCI (for a fee) and extend them an additional 2 years.

Kurt


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

PigsDad said:


> Personally, I think option 1 is the best.  As for option 2, you cannot directly convert current year points to Honors; you can only make Hilton Honors reservations with current year points, and then they only convert at a rate of 20:1, vs. converting next year's points where the rate is 25:1.  Caveat -- this is for "normal" HGV properties; there are different rules for bHC properties.
> 
> If you extend the HGV points, you can still use them for most anything (including RCI), and then at the end of next year if you still have not used them, you can then deposit into RCI (for a fee) and extend them an additional 2 years.
> 
> Kurt


I agree. Using for Hilton resort properties is best if you can use them that year. Else RCI deposit- though it cost fees, gives enough weeks of vacation. HH points is least number of days option. As each days will cost about 30000 HH point. So in order of best use the order is 1,3,2. Correct?


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## CarlosRobayo23 (Mar 3, 2021)

I didn’t know that points can be extended. I have some 2020 saved points that I would like to extend for 2022. 

Could you confirm what is the fee to do this?


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## dayooper (Mar 3, 2021)

CarlosRobayo23 said:


> I didn’t know that points can be extended. I have some 2020 saved points that I would like to extend for 2022.
> 
> Could you confirm what is the fee to do this?



Club points are only allowed to be saved for 1 year. Your saved 2020 points can't be saved into 2022. The ability to extend saved 2019 points into 2021 was a one-time thing because of COVID. My guess is they won't allow that this year. Your only options for extending those points would be to convert to HHonors or deposit into RCI.


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## Talent312 (Mar 3, 2021)

The best option is to "save" current-year points to the next following year.
That way you have full-use of the points, and keep the RCI deposit option.

However, if you book a RCI stay for a future year...
Current-year points are used first, and future-year's points are used second.
Thus, you can "soak up" current-year points without paying a fee.
.


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

Talent312 said:


> The best option is to "save" current-year points to the next following year.
> That way you have full-use of the points, and keep the RCI deposit option.
> 
> However, if you book a RCI stay for a future year...
> ...


Does any one think Hilton Honor points are worth much? They give you so few days of stay in Hilton hotels not resorts. Looking for opnions. Thx


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## GT75 (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> Does any one think Hilton Honor points are worth much?


No. I put ~25K HH points = ~$100.


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## Wright17s (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> Does any one think Hilton Honor points are worth much? They give you so few days of stay in Hilton hotels not resorts. Looking for opnions. Thx


It really depends as there are so many options ( i.e. standard vs. preferred rooms, Hampton Inn stay in the suburbs vs. Conrad in the city )... with the 5th night free you can stretch the value of Hilton points a bit, but in my opinion accruing Hilton points via nightly hotel stays and their credit card is a much better way than converting from HGVC, which I would never recommend.

The Points Guy values Hilton Honor points at $0.006/point ( ref: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/monthly-valuations/ ).

TPG also has a really good blog on maximizing the value of Hilton Honor points: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/maximizing-redemptions-hilton-honors/


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

GT75 said:


> No. I put ~25K HH points = ~$100.


 7000 HGVC points get 2 weeks in Hawaii. Some resorts. Can the conversion of all to HH points get 2 weeks in a Hilton hotel at a reasonable location? Possibly not. So on the weekly stay basis both HGVC points and RCI points go farther.


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## GT75 (Mar 3, 2021)

IMO, it is best to use HGVC points for HGVC stays.


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## GT75 (Mar 3, 2021)

Wright17s said:


> The Points Guy values Hilton Honor points at $0.06/point


I think that you mean 0.6¢ or $0.006/point.    I don't have a problem with that number.


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## Wright17s (Mar 3, 2021)

GT75 said:


> I think that you mean 0.6¢ or $0.006/point.    I don't have a problem with that number.


Yes, thanks! I've updated above to avoid any confusion.


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

Wright17s said:


> Yes, thanks! I've updated above to avoid any confusion.


Could you explain what is meant by 6cents for buying points? Not sure how it works? Thx


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

GT75 said:


> IMO, it is best to use HGVC points for HGVC stays.


I agree. But if you cannot use before they expire like to know the best options. Thx


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## Wright17s (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> Could you explain what is meant by 6cents for buying points? Not sure how it works? Thx


The 0.6¢ is just a general valuation of their (Hilton Honor points) monetary value, given loads of assumptions, etc.  It's not meant to infer anything about buying HH points.


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## Wright17s (Mar 3, 2021)

Duplicate


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

Wright17s said:


> The 0.6¢ is just a general valuation of their (Hilton Honor points) monetary value, given loads of assumptions, etc.  It's not meant to infer anything about buying HH points.


So if I have say 250K HH points, it is worth about $1500 of Hilton stay.Correct?


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## JohnPaul (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> So if I have say 250K HH points, it is worth about $1500 of Hilton stay.Correct?


 In my opinion it all depends on how you use them. For example, I get much more value (comparative cash rates) using my Marriott points at Ritz Carlton. I can get a $700 stay for 60,000 points vs using 40,000 points for a $250 stay.

I realize I’m showing Marriott vs Hilton but same difference.   Depends on how you use it.


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## Wright17s (Mar 3, 2021)

JohnPaul said:


> In my opinion it all depends on how you use them. For example, I get much more value (comparative cash rates) using my Marriott points at Ritz Carlton. I can get a $700 stay for 60,000 points vs using 40,000 points for a $250 stay.
> 
> I realize I’m showing Marriott vs Hilton but same difference.   Depends on how you use it.


I agree with @JohnPaul, it definitely depends on how you use them.  I always book 5 nights at Hilton hotels because if you book with points the 5th night is free ( so 5 nights for the same points as 4 ).  Also depends on room type, and chain ( Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, etc. ) within the broader Hilton umbrella.

But if you're trying to boil it down to a really simple calculation, then per the valuation article I referenced above, 250k HH points would be valued at ~$1500.


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## hurnik (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> So if I have say 250K HH points, it is worth about $1500 of Hilton stay.Correct?



The average is about $0.004 - $0.006/point.  It depends on where you want to stay.  You can get "outsized" value for say the Maldives resorts where you'd otherwise spend $500/night, but there's no "set" value per se. I find TPG to be very "high" in their valuations vs. OMAAT.  If you want to "average" it at $0.005/point you're in the middle, but again, it depends on where you want to stay, WHEN, and for how long.


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## BingoBangoBongo (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> So if I have say 250K HH points, it is worth about $1500 of Hilton stay.Correct?


I’d put the value at $1250, based on $.005 per point.  Thats the price I’ve bought points from Hilton for over the past few years during their bonus promotions.  It’s not that the points hold that value when trying to make a reservation, but a yardstick to use when comparing using points to paying cash.  With 250,000 points I would look for a 5 night free redemption at a property with rooms up to 60,000/night.  You do need to be at least a Silver member to book a 5th Night Free Stay.


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

BingoBangoBongo said:


> I’d put the value at $1250, based on $.005 per point.  Thats the price I’ve bought points from Hilton for over the past few years during their bonus promotions.  It’s not that the points hold that value when trying to make a reservation, but a yardstick to use when comparing using points to paying cash.  With 250,000 points I would look for a 5 night free redemption at a property with rooms up to 60,000/night.  You do need to be at least a Silver member to book a 5th Night Free Stay.


Seems the best way is to use HGVC points within the time period before they expire. Else convert them to RCI so you get some more time to use them. Both give resort like experience- kitchen etc and week long stays. 
If all else is not possible, convert to HH points, so they are worth something. HH may not maxmize the number of hotel days, also no kitchen also many times.
 Am I right in my inference?


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## dayooper (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> Seems the best way is to use HGVC points within the time period before they expire. Else convert them to RCI so you get some more time to use them. Both give resort like experience- kitchen etc and week long stays.
> If all else is not possible, convert to HH points, so they are worth something. HH may not maxmize the number of hotel days, also no kitchen also many times.
> Am I right in my inference?



I agree with your inferences.


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## prajora (Mar 3, 2021)

dayooper said:


> I agree with your inferences.


Thank you so much for agreeing with my inference. I assume you are a long time HGVC owner.


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## frank808 (Mar 3, 2021)

Remember that you cannot convert saved HGVC points to HH points.  So if you have already saved the points, your only two choices are to use them for HGVC booking or use/deposit with RCI.  There is no conversion to HH at that point.


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## Talent312 (Mar 3, 2021)

prajora said:


> Seems the best way to use HGVC points within the time period before they expire. Else convert them to RCI so you get some more time to use them. Both give resort like experience- kitchen etc and week long stays.
> If all else is not possible, convert to HH points, so they are worth something. HH may not maxmize the number of hotel days, also no kitchen also many times.



Deal with expiring points by saving them to the following year, so they retain their HGVC character.
Alternatively, book an RCI stay that uses the points... without making an RCI deposit.
It's better to book a future-year RCI stay with HGVC points than with Deposited RCI points,
in case of a later cancellation, as I explain elsewhere.

BTW, if convert next-year points to HHonors, they won't post to your HH account until January!
Meanwhile, you'll have lost the use of those points in HGVC-land.
.


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## Magus (Mar 3, 2021)

Talent312 said:


> Deal with expiring points by saving them to the following year, so they retain their HGVC character.
> Alternatively, book an RCI stay that uses the points... without making an RCI deposit.
> It's better to book a future-year RCI stay with HGVC points than with Deposited RCI points,
> in case of a later cancellation, as I explain elsewhere.
> ...



Hilton honors are overlooked with HGV members IMO. HGV points are cheap during weekdays and HH room night costs are usually same weekend and weekdays, plus get 5th night free with 4 nights booked and opens up far more cities to pick. Having both provides a lot of flexibility, especially in Europe. Not for everyone or every year, but has its uses.


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## Sandy VDH (Mar 31, 2021)

Juat as a fallback position, I want to know..... if you book a current HH booking with HGVC points (20:1 conversion for me), and then cancel that reservation.  Do the points stay in HH or do they go back to HGVC?


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## elaine (Mar 31, 2021)

So, what happens if one books a Rci with hgvc points and then need to Canx the Rci stay but it’s after the saved hgvc points have expired? I assume you get nil? If one had deposited with Rci 1st, would he still get Rci usage for the rest of the 2years? As someone who books a year out in Rci, I could see this scenario occurring.


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## Magus (Mar 31, 2021)

prajora said:


> Does any one think Hilton Honor points are worth much? They give you so few days of stay in Hilton hotels not resorts. Looking for opnions. Thx



HH is a lot more hit or miss. It works well in some circumstances - buy 4 get 5th night free with points helps a lot as does weekend point costs are usually same as weekdays (while massively higher for timeshare points). Also some very high expense locations sometimes (eg Maldives). HH also has basically unlimited location flexibility any time. I personally would prefer HH points over RCI but using within HGV significantly more valuable most of the time.


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## tah (Mar 31, 2021)

Sandy VDH said:


> Juat as a fallback position, I want to know..... if you book a current HH booking with HGVC points (20:1 conversion for me), and then cancel that reservation.  Do the points stay in HH or do they go back to HGVC?



I asked a customer service rep this once; they said they stay in your HH account.  But I have no actual experience


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