Overview
Leaders Club is the loyalty program of The Leading Hotels of the World, a collection of more than 400 independent luxury hotels in over 80 countries. Membership costs nothing, and it now matters more to U.S. points collectors than it ever has, because both American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer into it.
This guide covers how the two membership tiers work, how you earn and use Leaders Club points, what the transfer ratios really mean, and where the program falls short. If you are choosing a card to feed this program, start with our roundup of the best credit cards.
Leaders Club overview
Leaders Club works differently from Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. There is no award chart, no brand ladder, and no huge footprint. Instead, you earn points on paid stays at independent hotels that happen to sell through The Leading Hotels of the World, then spend those points on free nights priced against each hotel’s published rates.
The program is free to join, and benefits start on your first qualifying stay. Because every property is independently owned, the experience varies more than it would inside a chain, which is the point of the collection rather than a flaw.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hotels | More than 400 independent luxury properties |
| Countries | More than 80 |
| Cost to join | Free |
| Tiers | Club and Sterling |
| Earning rate | 1 point per $1 on qualifying room rates |
| Free nights from | About 4,000 points |
| Points expiration | 24 months after your last earn or use |
| Transfer partners | Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards |
Leaders Club membership tiers
The program has two published levels. Everyone starts at Club, and Sterling arrives either through spending or through a premium American Express card.
Club status
Club is the entry level, and the on-property benefits are stronger than most free hotel tiers. They apply when you book through an LHW reservations and service center, through LHW.com, or through a qualifying travel advisor booking.
- Continental breakfast for two: Included every morning of your stay.
- Upgrade priority on arrival: You sit ahead of non-members when rooms are available.
- One pre-arrival upgrade per year: Issued after your first paid qualifying stay, then again each January.
- Early check-in and late checkout: Subject to availability.
- In-room Wi-Fi: Complimentary.
- SIXT Gold status: Through the program’s car rental partnership.
The pre-arrival upgrade is the benefit worth planning around. You request it when you book, and LHW confirms at least three days before arrival if an eligible higher room category is open. Any upgrade issued in a given year expires on December 31 of that year.
Sterling status
Sterling arrives automatically once you spend $5,000 or the local currency equivalent on qualifying room rates within a calendar year. Alternatively, the Platinum Card from American Express and the Business Platinum Card from American Express both grant Sterling on enrollment, which skips the spending requirement entirely.
- Five pre-arrival upgrades per year: Up from one at Club level.
- 5% bonus points: On top of the standard 1 point per dollar.
- SIXT Platinum status: A step above the Gold that Club members get.
- Long status runway: Sterling runs from the day you qualify through December 31 of the following calendar year.
How to earn Leaders Club points
Stay at Leading Hotels properties
You earn 1 point per $1 spent on qualifying room rates, for up to three rooms per stay. Only the room rate counts, so spa treatments, restaurant bills, and other on-property charges do not add points.
The booking channel decides whether a stay counts. Eligible channels include LHW reservations and service centers, LHW.com, and qualifying travel advisor bookings, including those made through Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, and American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. Corporate travel bookings through business travel agencies and corporate booking tools also earn points.
Transfer credit card points
Two U.S. bank programs feed Leaders Club, and the ratios look ugly until you convert them into value. Because a Leaders Club point buys roughly 7 to 8 cents of hotel rate, a 4:1 ratio still works out well.
| Program | Ratio | 1,000 bank points become | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | 4:1 | 250 Leaders Club points | U.S. only, minimum transfer 1,000 points |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards | 5:1 | 200 Leaders Club points | Transfers in 1,000-point increments |
American Express added Leaders Club as its fourth hotel transfer partner in July 2026. At 4:1, a free night starting around 4,000 Leaders Club points costs roughly 16,000 Membership Rewards points, which puts each Amex point near 2 cents of value on a luxury hotel night.
Citi got there first, and its 5:1 ratio puts each ThankYou point closer to 1.5 cents. Citi has also run transfer bonuses to Leaders Club, including a 25% promotion in spring 2026, so it pays to check for one before you move points.
Buy Leaders Club points
You can buy points for yourself or gift them to another member through the Manage Points tool on LHW.com. Purchases come in 1,000-point increments, up to 50,000 points per calendar year. To gift, you need the recipient’s full name, Leaders Club account number, and the email address on that account.
Buying rarely makes sense, though. The purchase price has historically sat well above the 7 to 8 cents per point that members get back on award nights, so this route is only worth considering to top off an account that is a few hundred points short.
How to use Leaders Club points
Free nights start at about 4,000 points, and the price moves with each hotel’s published room rates for the dates you pick. There is no award chart, so the only way to know a price is to search it. LHW’s own page promoting the American Express transfer quotes a starting price of 4,500 points, which suggests the floor drifts.
- Search with points: Use the points search on LHW.com to see the cost per room before you commit.
- Book online or by phone: Sign in to your account on LHW.com, or call an LHW reservations and service center.
- Mix paid and free nights: You can put points toward part of a longer stay.
- Watch for bonus offers: The program runs promotions that help you reach a free night faster.
Because pricing follows cash rates, the value per point stays fairly stable at 7 to 8 cents rather than spiking on aspirational properties the way a fixed award chart does. Consequently, Leaders Club rewards consistency more than it rewards hunting for outliers.
Do Leaders Club points expire?
Yes. Every point in your account expires 24 months after the last date on which you earned or used points. Any qualifying activity resets the clock on your whole balance, so a single transfer or a single paid stay keeps everything alive.
That rule matters more here than at a chain program, because most people stay at these hotels once or twice a year at most. Set a reminder rather than assuming your balance will wait for you.
Is Leaders Club worth it?
For a free program, the on-property benefits are generous. Breakfast for two every morning at an independent luxury hotel is worth real money, and the pre-arrival upgrade removes the guesswork that usually comes with elite recognition.
- Small footprint: Around 400 hotels means many cities have one option or none.
- Rate-linked pricing: No fixed award chart means no outsized value on peak dates.
- Strict channels: Book through the wrong site and you lose both points and benefits.
- 24-month expiration: Short for a program you may use once a year.
Bottom line
Leaders Club is not a program you chase for status runs. It is a program you join because it costs nothing, it hands you breakfast and an upgrade at hotels that rarely give either, and it now accepts points from two of the largest U.S. bank currencies.
The best move for most people is simple: join, attach your number to every LHW booking, and keep the account alive so your points do not expire. If you hold an Amex Platinum, enroll for Sterling as well. For more on which cards feed programs like this one, see our guide to the best hotel credit cards.
Frequently Asked Questions about Leaders Club
Is Leaders Club free to join?
Yes. Leaders Club costs nothing to join, and benefits start with your first qualifying stay. The program was previously a paid membership, but LHW made it complimentary, so there is no longer an annual fee to weigh against the perks.
How many points is a free night at Leading Hotels?
Free nights start at about 4,000 points, and LHW quotes 4,500 points as the starting price on its American Express transfer page. There is no award chart, because the number of points tracks each hotel’s published room rate for your dates. Search with points on LHW.com to see the real price.
Can I transfer Amex points to Leaders Club?
Yes, in the U.S. American Express added Leaders Club as its fourth hotel transfer partner in July 2026, at a 4:1 ratio. That means 1,000 Membership Rewards points become 250 Leaders Club points, and the minimum transfer is 1,000 Membership Rewards points.
Is the Citi or the Amex transfer ratio better?
Amex transfers at 4:1 and Citi at 5:1, so Amex points go further per point. At roughly 7 to 8 cents per Leaders Club point, that puts Amex near 2 cents per point and Citi near 1.5 cents. Citi has run transfer bonuses, however, which can close the gap.
How do I get Leaders Club Sterling status?
Spend $5,000 or the currency equivalent on qualifying room rates in a calendar year, and Sterling arrives automatically. The Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card from American Express also grant Sterling on enrollment. Status then runs through December 31 of the following calendar year.
Do Leaders Club points expire?
Yes. Points expire 24 months after the last date you earned or used points. Any qualifying activity resets the clock on your entire balance, so one transfer or one paid stay is enough to protect everything in the account.
Which bookings earn Leaders Club points?
Bookings made through LHW reservations and service centers, LHW.com, and qualifying travel advisor channels, including Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, and American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. Corporate travel bookings also qualify. You earn 1 point per $1 of room rate, for up to three rooms per stay.
Can I buy Leaders Club points?
Yes, through the Manage Points tool on LHW.com, in 1,000-point increments up to 50,000 points per year. You can also gift points to another member. The price has historically run well above the value members get back, so buying makes sense mainly to top off a balance.
