LHW Leaders Club Points Worth Around 8 Cents Each, Analysis Finds

Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) is an exclusive hotel network that has gained attention in recent years due to its affiliation with several transferable points programs. In 2023, Citi added LHW as a transfer partner for its Strata Premier and now Strata Elite cardholders, allowing them to transfer ThankYou points to Leaders Club. Initially, the 5-to-1 transfer ratio seemed unimpressive, but it turned out that Leaders Club points were worth around 8 cents each in most scenarios, making redemptions approximately 1.6 cents per point in value for Citi cardholders.

However, LHW became even more attractive when American Express added it as a transfer partner earlier this year, providing a better transfer ratio of 4:1 with Membership Rewards points. This addition made LHW the highest-floor lodging option for transferable points.

A recent analysis by Frequent Miler used data from Max Miles Points to estimate the value of Leaders Club points. The study found that the median value was 7.6 cents per point, with half of the observed results offering equal or better point value and half offering equal or worse value. For those who cherry-pick awards, the value is estimated at around 8.0 cents per point.