When you think of hotel loyalty programs, names like Hilton Honors™, Marriott Bonvoy®, and World of Hyatt probably come to mind. But those aren’t the only programs that can reward you for your hotel stays—especially if you’re into independent luxury hotels over big-name chains.

The Leading Hotels of the World® is a collection of more than 400 independent luxury properties across the globe. And thanks to its Leaders Club loyalty program, you can earn and redeem points while enjoying perks like complimentary breakfast and room upgrades.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Leading Hotels of the World® and Leaders Club.

 

What Is The Leading Hotels of the World®?

The Leading Hotels of the World® (LHW) isn’t a hotel chain. Instead, it’s a collection of independent luxury hotels that meet the organization’s standards for hospitality, service, and guest experience. LHW doesn’t own or operate its member hotels, and you won’t find standardized brands like you would with Marriott or Hilton. Each property maintains its own identity.

The collection includes more than 450 hotels in over 80 countries, ranging from city hotels to sprawling resorts. That makes LHW especially appealing if you are one who enjoys boutique and independent properties but still want some of the benefits of a traditional hotel loyalty program.

Related: Hotel Credit Cards Worth Keeping

 

What Is Leaders Club?

Leaders Club is the free loyalty program for The Leading Hotels of the World®. Joining gives you access to member rates and hotel benefits, and gives you the ability to earn Leaders Club points for future stays.

You don’t need elite status to receive these benefits, either. Simply joining Leaders Club unlocks many of the program’s perks from your first stay.

 

How To Earn Leaders Club Points

Leaders Club members earn 1 point per $1 spent on qualifying room rates. You can earn points on as many as three rooms per reservation, as long as you stay in one of the rooms and all three have the same stay dates.

Some third-party luxury travel bookings can also qualify. Leaders Club specifically allows members to earn points on eligible bookings made through luxury travel programs such as Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, and American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts®.

An eligible Fine Hotels + Resorts® booking can include FHR perks while still earning Leaders Club points, so you get even more out of the same stay. Just make sure your Leaders Club number is attached to your reservation before arrival.

 

Earn Points With Promotions

LHW occasionally offers promotions that can help members earn bonus Leaders Club points. These offers usually require registration or are targeted to specific members, so check your Leaders Club account and email before booking.

 

Buy Leaders Club points

You can also buy Leaders Club points directly through LHW. Points are typically sold in increments of 1,000, although promotions sometimes offer bonuses on purchased points.

Buying points speculatively generally isn’t the best strategy, but it can make sense if you’re just short of the points needed for a specific redemption.

Related: Transfer Bonuses and Sales on Points & Miles: September 2026

 

Transfer Credit Card Points to Leaders Club

You don’t necessarily have to stay at Leading Hotels of the World properties to build a Leaders Club balance. The program partners with both American Express Membership Rewards® and Citi ThankYou® Rewards.

• American Express Membership Rewards®: U.S. American Express Membership Rewards® members can transfer points to Leaders Club at a 4:1 ratio, meaning 1,000 Membership Rewards® points become 250 Leaders Club points. Transfers require a minimum of 1,000 Membership Rewards® points and are made in increments of 1,000 points. 
• Citi ThankYou® Points: Leaders Club is also a Citi ThankYou® transfer partner. Cardholders with eligible cards, such as the Citi Strata Premier® Card, can transfer 1,000 ThankYou® Points to 200 Leaders Club points. Cardholders with other eligible cards, including the Citi Strata®, Citi Double Cash® and Citi Custom Cash®, can transfer 1,000 points to 140 Leaders Club points.

Transfers are one way, so you can’t move points back to your bank once you’ve transferred them.

 

How To Redeem Leaders Club Points

Leaders Club points can only be redeemed toward room rates at participating LHW properties. There isn’t a traditional award chart. Instead, the number of points you need for an award night will vary depending on the hotel, dates, room rate, room type, and availability.

LHW advertises reward nights starting around 4,000 points, although luxury properties and expensive travel dates will cost considerably more.

Leaders Club points can also pack a surprising amount of value. Several points and miles sites peg their value at around 8 cents each, although your exact value will depend on the property and dates you book. At that valuation, the 4:1 Membership Rewards® transfer ratio works out to roughly 2 cents in hotel value per point, while Citi’s 5:1 ratio works out to around 1.6 cents per ThankYou® point.

To search for award nights:

• Log in to your Leaders Club account on LHW.com.
• Search for your destination and travel dates.
• Select “View with Points” to display award pricing.
• Choose an eligible property and room.
• Complete your reservation using Leaders Club points.

 

You can also redeem points by contacting an LHW Worldwide Reservations and Service Center.

 

Do you get Leaders Club benefits on award stays?

Yes. Leaders Club members can still receive their standard on-property benefits when redeeming points for a stay, including perks such as breakfast for two and upgrade priority. However, award stays don’t earn additional Leaders Club points.

 

 

Points expire after 24 months without qualifying activity. Earning, purchasing, transferring, or redeeming points can extend the expiration date of your balance.

 

Leaders Club Sterling Status

Leaders Club has just two membership levels: the standard Club level and Sterling status. You can earn Sterling status by spending at least $5,000 on qualifying room rates during a calendar year.

Standard Club members receive perks like:

• Daily continental breakfast for two
• Upgrade priority at arrival
• Early check-in and late checkout consideration
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• One pre-arrival upgrade annually after completing their first qualifying paid stay
• SIXT Gold status match

Sterling members receive all standard Club benefits, plus:

• Five pre-arrival upgrade requests annually
• A 5% points bonus after qualifying stays
• SIXT Platinum status match

Once you earn Sterling, your status is valid for the remainder of that year and the following calendar year.

 

Get Leaders Club Sterling With Your Credit Card

There’s an easier way to get Sterling status, and all you have to do is carry the right card. Eligible U.S. consumers with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express can enroll for complimentary Leaders Club Sterling status without meeting the usual $5,000 annual spending requirement.

Enrollment is required, so simply holding an eligible Platinum Card won’t automatically upgrade your Leaders Club account.

Enrollment required. Terms apply.

 

Are Leaders Club Points Worth Earning?

Leaders Club isn’t going to replace the major programs like Hilton Honors™ or Marriott Bonvoy® for everyone. Its portfolio is much smaller, and travelers looking for inexpensive hotels or broad coverage in smaller cities will probably get more use from one of the major hotel programs. But that’s not really what Leaders Club is trying to do anyway.

Its strength is giving travelers a way to earn and redeem rewards at independent luxury properties while still receiving many of the perks you’d expect from hotel elite status.

 

Bottom Line

The Leading Hotels of the World® lets travelers earn and redeem points at hundreds of independent luxury hotels without giving up valuable loyalty perks. With free Leaders Club membership, complimentary breakfast and the ability to transfer Membership Rewards® and ThankYou® points, it’s a program worth knowing about—especially when your travels take you beyond the major hotel chains.

 

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