In a world where there’s an app for everything, it’s not easy being a travel agent. Fortunately, it’s still a very rewarding job—an opportunity to help people plan the vacation of their dreams, while also allowing you to explore different cultures and destinations.
Hotels, even today, rely heavily on travel agents to generate revenue. They leave no stone unturned to ensure travel advisors have the right tools, opportunities, and experiences to help sell their inventory.
Like almost every other hotel chain, Hilton offers several benefits and discounts, apart from commissions, to travel agents for client bookings as well as for personal travel.
Some benefits, discounts, and commissions that Hilton offers to travel agents for their clients include a 10% commission on the room rate, preferred room rates at select hotels, and complimentary breakfast for two at select properties.
For personal travel bookings, Hilton offers up to 50% discount on the room rate and access to exclusive travel agent rates.
You can view the latest travel agent offers and other resources on Hilton’s mini site for travel agents.
The biggest advantage of booking directly with Hilton Hotels is that it lets your clients avail Hilton Honors benefits apart from the benefits and commissions you receive as a travel agent.
Up to 50% off – Hilton Travel Agent Rates for Personal Travel
You can book your personal stay at a discounted price on the Travel Advisor booking page.
Travel agents get 50% off the best available rate at newly opened Hilton properties. For all other properties, the discount ranges from 10% to 25%.
Booking new properties makes sense for travel agents, as they get to explore the property before recommending it to their clients. This is effectively a FAM trip equivalent for Hilton properties.
Even though it’s not mentioned in the terms, many travel agents have reported that just like the IHG Travel Agents offer, you do earn points and elite nights on discounted rates booked for your personal travel.
In certain cases, you might get a better rate via regular Hilton Honors Promotions, where you will also earn reward points and elite status qualifying nights.
Terms for Hilton Travel Agent Rates for Personal Travel
- A valid Travel Agent photo ID is required at the time of check-in. IATA, TIDS, ARC, TSI, CLIA, ERSP, SATO, and TRUE are accepted. International Travel Agents who do not have an IATAN Photo ID need a valid photo ID at the time of check-in.
- Stays must be booked at least 3 days in advance for newly opened properties and at least 7 days in advance for other properties.
- A minimum of 1 night and a maximum of 7 nights can be booked per stay.
- There is a limit of two rooms per travel agent per eligible stay.
- This Travel Agent rate for personal travel is Non-Commissionable.
Hilton Travel Agent Rates for Client Bookings
Hilton provides travel agents with a commission of approximately 10% on all client bookings, though this percentage may differ depending on the region.
Additionally, Hilton occasionally offers extra incentives through targeted and public promotions for travel agents.
Here are the current commission rates for Hilton travel agents:
| Region | Commission |
|---|---|
| US | 10% on room revenue only |
| Mexico | 10% on room revenue only |
| Canada | 10% on room revenue only |
| Other Countries | Room Revenue + Packages + VAT (inclusive) @ 8% OR Room Revenue + Packages (exclusive of VAT) @ 10% |
Additional Rewards for US and Canada-Based Travel Agents
US and Canada-based travel agents can sign up for the Unlimited Rewards Program to earn loyalty points (cash equivalents) on all Hilton bookings for their clients.
This is in addition to regular commissions earned as a travel agent.
Even though you need to be based in the US or Canada to enroll in Unlimited Rewards, the benefits are applicable on bookings at Hilton hotels globally.
Unlimited Rewards sends you a prepaid card once you reach $10 and then adds your earnings to the same card.
You earn loyalty cash rewards for booking Avis, Budget, and Hilton. Carey and Embarque are no longer part of the program.
Event Bookings at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
As a travel professional, you can also help your clients organize events and meetings at Hilton properties.
The process can be initiated on the Hilton Events page. However, booking an event is more of a one-on-one negotiation with the hotel and often results in better offerings.
If you are planning an event, do check out the Hilton EventReady Playbook and other resources Hilton has put together for events.
Hilton Training Program for Travel Agents
If you are new to Hilton hotels, they offer an exhaustive online training program.
You can access the Hilton Educational Program via the Hilton Content Hub or the main agent portal. If you just want a quick overview of various Hilton brands, see the Hilton Explore page.
This educational program is designed to give you an in-depth look into the various offerings of Hilton Worldwide. You’ll gain insight into the different hotel brands and learn about new and upcoming projects.
Conclusion
Hilton has an excellent program for travel agents, whether for personal travel or booking stays for clients.
Most customers shy away from booking hotels via travel agents, as they assume that such bookings don’t earn them points or elite status benefits. That is not the case here. Travel agents need to do a bit of customer education and myth-busting to highlight this advantage.
