Hyatt vs Marriott Rewards in Hawaii: 4 Decision Points

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase through my links we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The Hawai’i Vacation Guide has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Hawai’i Vacation Guide and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Read about our affiliate policies here.

For Erica and me, Marriotts in Hawaii win the hotel battle on almost every front: modern, best pools, kids’ clubs, cultural activities, and great locations. The main rebuttal concerns reward travel. In the Hyatt vs. Marriott rewards showdown in Hawaii, Hyatt offers the best free-night options.

When it comes to booking free nights with hotel points in Hawaii, two of the biggest names in the game are Hyatt and Marriott. Both loyalty programs—World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy—offer travelers the chance to redeem points for beachfront hotels and resorts across the Hawaiian Islands.

The best part about Hyatt and Marriott is that we don’t need status with either chain. Erica and I don’t even have their branded credit cards. We use transferable points credit cards, like the ones in our featured travel cards, to transfer points to the brand we want to book. If you don’t have the points, see our featured cards for the best sign-up bonuses and earning multipliers.

But if you’re asking how to choose where to use those points—Hyatt vs Marriott rewards in Hawaii—the answer depends on what you value most:

1. Point Redemption Value: Hyatt wins
2. Room Availability: Hyatt wins
3. Hotel Fees: Tie
4. Overall Experience: Marriott wins

In this guide, we’ll break down how Hyatt and Marriott compare in Hawaii, covering everything from the number of properties to redemption rates, so you can make the most of your points for paradise.

Click the links in this article to find our full reviews on the best Hyatt vs Marriott properties. Plus, I share our video tours on the best properties!

Download our FREE guide to earning nights at luxury hotels in Hawaii. We feature how to do this with Hyatt properties. Click below to download!

Pro Tip: High-status individuals are frequently disappointed when they visit Hawaii. This isn’t Cedar Falls, Iowa. Hawaii attracts many frequent travelers with status, and with low vacancy rates, room upgrades are rare. Adjust your expectations at check-in.

Hyatt vs Marriott Rewards: The Basics

Before diving into Hawaii-specific comparisons, let’s look at the two loyalty programs.

World of Hyatt Loyalty Program

Hyatt’s program is known for offering some of the best redemption value among hotel chains. With lower award chart categories and a favorable points-to-night ratio, your points stretch further compared to Marriott.

In Hawaii, the lowest available hotel is a Category 4. The Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach is a Category 4, making it the ideal place to book for those with a World of Hyatt-branded card, as you get free nights for signing up. We detail how in our free download.

Hyatt hotels in Hawaii range from Category 4 to 8. See our Hyatt Hotels in Hawaii for details on all eight Hyatt properties in Hawaii.

Hyatt also partners with transferable credit cards, making it easy to transfer points from credit cards like our favorite travel credit card, which we use for our daily spending.

Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program

Marriott’s program wins in sheer size and luxury options. With over 30 brands worldwide, Marriott offers travelers a wide range of styles and price points. Hawaii has Ritz-Carltons, Westins, Autograph Collections, and AC Marriotts, to name a few.

You can find their value hotel chains on Oahu, like Marriott Residences or Fairfield Inns.

Marriott points are also easy to earn through credit cards and promotions, but their redemption rates are often higher than Hyatt’s—meaning you’ll likely spend more points per night.

Marriott uses dynamic point pricing for point redemptions. That means when you look at their point calendars, rooms are priced based on demand. There is significant variability in the number of points per night, making extended stays expensive in points.

Hyatt in Hawaii

Hyatt’s footprint in Hawaii is limited but mighty. Hyatt has only eight resorts in Hawaii, but they include some top-tier properties:

• Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa (Maui)
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa (Oahu)
• Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort (Maui)
• Hana Maui Resort (Maui)
• We share details on all their Hawaii properties here: Hyatt’s in Hawaii

Hyatt uses a Category system with standard awards ranging from 12,000 to 45,000 points per night in Hawaii, depending on the property and season.

The Andaz Maui is one of Hyatt’s most aspirational redemptions, with cash rates often exceeding $900+ per night, yet it can be booked for 35,000–45,000 points. That’s a great cents-per-point value compared to most Marriott options.

Why Hyatt Shines in Hawaii:

• Excellent point redemption value, often 2–3 cents per point.
• Our #1 travel card transfers instantly to Hyatt.
• Smaller footprint, but properties are consistently high-quality.

Where Hyatt Falls Short in Hawaii:

• Only a handful of hotels across three islands. Hyatt doesn’t have a hotel on the Big Island.
• Limited budget or mid-tier options.

Marriott in Hawaii

Marriott dominates the Hawaii market with 41 properties across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Their portfolio ranges from budget-friendly Fairfield Inns to luxurious resorts like The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua and The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort in Waikiki.

Marriott switched to dynamic pricing, so award nights don’t have fixed categories. Prices fluctuate depending on demand, but the most desirable Hawaii resorts cost between 50,000 and 120,000 points per night. That means Marriott points generally offer less value than Hyatt points.

For example:

• The Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki: 80,000–100,000 points per night (cash rates around $600–$700).
• Wailea Beach Resort, Maui: 85,000–100,000 points per night (cash rates $700–$900).
• Courtyard by Marriott Oahu North Shore: 40,000–60,000 points per night (cash rates $250–$350).
• The Sheraton Maui in Ka’anapali: 60,000 to 70,000 points per night is common (cash rate of $360 to $500).

Pro Tip: The Courtyard Marriott on Oahu’s North Shore and the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay Resort are the only hotels on the North Shore. Stay up here for a secluded trip or to visit the famous Polynesian Cultural Center.

Why Marriott Shines in Hawaii:

• A huge number of options across all islands.
• Wide range of brands, from luxury to budget.
• Easier to find availability than Hyatt.

Where Marriott Falls Short:

• Lower redemption value, usually under 1 cent per point.
• High point costs for premium resorts.
• Harder to get outsized value from points compared to Hyatt.

Are you looking for a luxury stay on Maui? Explore the Marriott properties in Wailea and Kapalua (Ritz-Carlton Kapalua).

Availability with Hyatt vs Marriott Rewards in Hawaii

This can be tough to quantify as hotels don’t share this data, and it varies by hotel. For context, Hawaii hotels always have a healthy occupancy rate.

During the peak summer season of July, Hawaii had an occupancy of 77.1% (Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority). The luxury and Upper upscale classes were 68.8% and 81.9%, respectively. These are where Marriott and Hyatt properties are located.

Based on our experience of booking Hyatt and Marriott hotels in Hawaii and constantly looking for point deals, I find booking with points is always available with both hotel brands.

The main difference is that Hyatt has more standard point rooms available compared to Marriott. Marriotts, with their dynamic pricing, rarely have a low-point room available even during the shoulder seasons.

Therefore, you can find rooms available with lower point values for Hyatt hotels.

But you will find far more Marriott properties in Hawaii. So you can dig around to find a Marriott with a low-points value room.

Pro Tips: 5 Cash-Draining Hawaii Mistakes Travelers Make

Hyatt Hotels Availability in Hawaii

World of Hyatt has no blackout dates. And, it is possible to find off-peak and standard rooms.

In my experience, and I look at Hyatt’s points calendars a lot for Hawaii hotels, standard rooms are available 80% of the time.

It is possible to find off-peak rooms with the following strategies.

• Book a year in advance while off-peak rooms are available
• Be flexible with your travel dates. When you look at their points calendar, you may find some off-peak rooms during mid-week.
• Hawaii’s slow months are September and October, and May and April. Look ahead for those months to find off-peak rooms.

Marriott Hotels Availability in Hawaii

I have not seen a Marriott with blackout dates in Hawaii. It may happen, but I believe they will charge an exorbitant number of points for a room versus blocking off the day.

Where Marriott lacks in low-point value rooms, they make up for it in the availability of hotels. If you’re keen to use your Marriott status or points, you have 41 Marriott properties to choose from in Hawaii.

The more you look at their point calendars with flexibility in your travel dates, the more you have the chance to find a deal!

Erica and I enjoy Marriott properties in Hawaii, so we are hard-pressed to find one that needs a remodel or has poor service. Marriott has done a good job keeping their Hawaii properties fresh.

Fees: Hyatt vs Marriott

Resort and parking fees can be a real hit to the wallet when booking a hotel in Hawaii. Resort fees can range from $35 to $60+ per night. Parking fees can be $35 to $55 per night.

See our How to Avoid Resort Fees: 6 Smart Strategies to skip the fees.

Marriott’s resort fees are less compared to Hyatt properties, on a price per room percentage.

While Hyatt charges a high resort fee, they do waive the fee for their highest status members. More important to me, though, is that Hyatt waives their fee when you book with points!

Marriott will charge you the resort fee at check-in when you book with points. You won’t get that ask when you check in at a Hyatt.

We have found that Marriott properties, especially their upscale properties, offer a wide range of activities and services with their resort fee. You can get Outrigger canoe rides, photo sessions, and kid activities included in the fee, making for a far more enjoyable stay.

Watch our video below at the Wailea Beach Resort as we take advantage of all their activities included in their resort fee.

Comparing Hyatt vs Marriott Rewards in Hawaii

Factor	Hyatt	Marriott
Number of Hotels	8 resorts	41 properties
Point Redemption Value	2–3 cents per point	0.6–0.8 cents per point
Availability	Limited hotels, lots of standard point rooms	Wide availability
Luxury Options	Strong (Andaz, Hyatt Regency)	Strong (Ritz-Carlton, Luxury Collection)
Ease of Earning Points	Excellent with transferable points credit cards	Excellent with transferable points credit cards and Marriott Bonvoy card
Best For	Maximizing point value	More hotel choices

Which Should You Choose?

If your main goal is to get the best bang for your points, Hyatt is the clear winner. Their redemption rates for Hawaii resorts deliver outsized value compared to Marriott.

For example, booking the Andaz Maui with 40,000 points instead of paying $1,000 cash is one of the best deals in the hotel loyalty world.

But if you’re looking for more hotel options, Marriott wins.

With dozens of resorts across all the islands, you’ll have more flexibility to find availability—especially during peak travel seasons. Marriott also offers more luxury properties in iconic locations, though you’ll pay far more points for them.

Final Thoughts: Hyatt vs Marriott Rewards in Hawaii

The Hyatt vs Marriott rewards debate comes down to value versus choice.

Hyatt offers better redemption value, but Marriott offers more resorts and often more luxurious stays. If you can snag a Hyatt booking at the Andaz Maui or Hyatt Regency Waikiki with points, you’ll get incredible value.

But if you need flexibility—or if Hyatt is sold out—Marriott gives you far more options to plan your Hawaiian getaway.

For the savvy traveler, the best strategy might be a mix: earn and transfer with our #1 travel card to Hyatt for the high-value redemptions, while also keeping Marriott points in your back pocket for availability. T

That way, no matter which Hawaiian Island you land on, you’ll have a rewards stay waiting for you.