Avios vs Hilton Honors: which loyalty program wins?

We score Avios and Hilton Honors on the same five factors — earning rate, redemption value, partner network, ease of use, and point expiry — to help you choose the right program for how you actually spend.

Verdict

Avios is best for Frequent travelers, while Hilton Honors is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Avios if Saudi residents who don't travel internationally, and skip Hilton Honors if Anyone wanting to earn through daily spend.

Overall rating

	Avios	Hilton Honors
Overall rating	4.4 / 5	3.8 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Redemption	5.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	5.0 / 5	5.0 / 5
Ease of use	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Expiry	5.0 / 5	3.0 / 5

Earning structure

Avios	Members earn Avios on Qatar Airways flights - earning rates vary by route, fare class, and booking class. Earnings also accrue on flights with oneworld alliance partners (American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Iberia, Finnair, Royal Jordanian, and others) and on 90+ global partners including hotels (Marriott, IHG), car rentals (Hertz, Avis), retail, dining, and financial services. Avios are credited up to two hours before takeoff after check-in. Members can also purchase Avios to top up their balance, gift them to family and friends, or transfer between accounts. There is no Saudi bank co-branded credit card for Avios as of 2026.
Hilton Honors	Members earn 10 base points per USD spent at most Hilton brand properties (Hilton, Hampton, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, and others). Earnings drop to 5 points/USD at Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites, Spark, Tru, and Apartment Collection brands, and 3 points/USD at LivSmart Studios. Elite tier members receive bonus points: Silver +20%, Gold +80%, Diamond +100%, Diamond Reserve +120%. Points also earned on hotel incidentals (dining, spa, laundry) charged to the room. Saudi users don't have access to a Hilton-branded credit card - Hilton's four Amex cards are US-only. Points can be purchased (up to 160,000 per year).

Redemption structure

Avios	Avios redeem on Qatar Airways and oneworld alliance flights worldwide - economy, business, and first class. Cabin upgrades to Business class on Qatar Airways are available. Cash + Avios allows part-payment for flights, giving flexibility on Avios-poor or last-minute bookings. At Qatar Duty Free in Hamad International Airport (Doha), Avios redemptions save up to 20% on luxury brands and dining. Members can also redeem at the Privilege Club Collection (lifestyle merchandise) and convert Avios with partner programs. Expired Avios can be revalidated at USD 0.015 per Avios - unique flexibility among airline programs.
Hilton Honors	Points redeem for hotel stays at 9,000+ Hilton properties in 142 countries. Standard rooms use variable point pricing (not a fixed award chart since 2020). The Points + Money slider lets members part-pay with cash, useful when short on points. Free Night Rewards from credit cards (US-only) provide alternative redemption. Members can also transfer points to airline partners (10:1 ratio, typically 10,000 Hilton = 1,000 airline miles) - partners include Saudia Alfursan, British Airways Avios, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, ANA, Cathay Asia Miles, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, and more. Experience redemptions (concerts, sports, dining) available. Silver+ members get 5th-night-free on award stays.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Avios	Hilton Honors
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	4	5
Top tier	Platinum	Diamond Reserve
First-tier qualification	150 points	4 stays
Point expiry	36 months inactivity (reset on earn)	24 months inactivity (reset on earn)

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