Hotel Price Match & Price Drop Policies: Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton & More
Every major hotel chain guarantees the best rate when you book direct. Here's exactly how each price match policy works and how to claim it.
Every major hotel chain guarantees the best rate when you book direct. Here's exactly how each price match policy works and how to claim it.
Every major hotel chain makes the same promise: book direct, and if you find the same room cheaper elsewhere, they'll match it. Some will even beat it.
Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and Hilton all run these programs. So do the big online travel agencies.
Here's the thing, though. The hotels are betting you'll never actually file a claim. And for most travelers, that bet pays off — because who has time to manually check rates every day after booking?
That's exactly why services like Autopilot exist. They monitor your hotel's rate automatically after you book, and rebook when the price drops. No forms, no deadlines, no manual checking.
But first, let's break down exactly how each program works.
Marriott's program — still sometimes called "Look No Further" — is one of the most generous in the industry. If your claim gets approved, the payout is real.
Book any Marriott Bonvoy property through Marriott.com or the app. Find the same room cheaper on a non-Marriott website. Submit a claim.
Marriott matches the lower rate and gives you a bonus on top.
You pick one:
For most stays, the 25% discount is the better deal. But if you're chasing status or have a short stay, the points can make sense.
Loyalty program rates, coupon codes, opaque booking sites, all-inclusive resorts, and MGM Collection hotels are all out.
Hyatt keeps it simple. The program covers World of Hyatt properties booked directly, including most all-inclusive brands — which is a nice differentiator.
Find a lower rate for your Hyatt reservation on any non-Hyatt website. Submit a claim. Hyatt matches it and adds a bonus.
Your choice:
Rates requiring membership, login, or coupons on the competing site. Historically, Hyatt excluded all-inclusive properties, but recent reports suggest claims are now accepted for those brands by phone.
IHG's program stands out for one reason: the points bonus can be huge. Instead of a percentage discount, you get bonus IHG One Rewards points.
Book through any IHG direct channel. Find a lower rate on a non-IHG website. Submit a claim. IHG matches the rate and loads bonus points into your account.
On a $200/night stay for five nights, that's up to 40,000 bonus points — worth roughly $240 at standard redemption rates. Not bad.
Properties in mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Rates only available through loyalty programs or coupon codes on other sites.
Hilton offers the most straightforward deal: a flat 25% off the matched rate. No choosing between points or discounts. Just the discount.
Book directly through Hilton.com, the Hilton Honors app, or Hilton reservations. Find a lower qualified rate elsewhere. Submit a claim.
Hilton matches the lower rate and takes another 25% off the top.
Certain Hampton by Hilton properties and select Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) partners. Opaque or membership-gated rates don't qualify.
Booking.com's "We Price Match" program works differently. The claim window is much wider, but the payout is simpler — no bonus on top.
After booking on Booking.com, find the same accommodation cheaper elsewhere. Contact them with a screenshot and link. They refund the difference.
Expedia's program is tied to their One Key loyalty program. The payout comes in their proprietary currency.
| Program | Claim Window | Bonus on Top of Match | Min. Difference | How to Claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott | 24 hrs after booking | 25% off or 5,000 points | 1% | Online form |
| Hyatt | 24 hrs after booking | 20% off or 5,000 points | $1/night | Online form or phone |
| IHG | 24 hrs after booking | 5x points (40K cap) | 1% | Online form |
| Hilton | 24 hrs after booking | 25% off | >1% | Online form or phone |
| Booking.com | Until 24 hrs before check-in | None (difference refunded) | Any | Email or phone |
| Expedia | Until day before check-in | OneKeyCash | Any | Online form |
Rather not deal with claim forms and deadlines? Try Autopilot free — it monitors your hotel rates automatically and rebooks when prices drop.
Every program listed above has one fundamental flaw: you have to catch the price drop yourself.
Hotel rates shift constantly. A room that costs $250 today might drop to $195 next Tuesday, then climb back to $230 by Wednesday morning.
Unless you're refreshing the booking page every day — for every active reservation — you'll never know it dropped.
And here's what makes it worse: best rate guarantees from Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and Hilton only cover price differences found on other websites. If the rate drops on the hotel's own site after you've booked, those programs won't help you.
The guarantee is about matching competitor prices, not protecting you from the hotel's own fluctuations. That's a significant gap — and it's exactly the gap that automatic price monitoring fills.
Instead of manually checking rates, Autopilot watches your hotel reservations after you book and automatically rebooks when the price drops.
No claim forms. No screenshots. No 24-hour scramble.
Here's how it works:
The key difference between a best rate guarantee and automatic monitoring? Timing and effort. A best rate guarantee requires you to find a lower rate on a different website within 24 hours. Autopilot monitors the hotel's own rate continuously and acts the moment it drops — for the entire window between booking and check-in.
Sign up for Autopilot to never miss a hotel price drop again — it takes about 30 seconds.
Flexible cancellation policies give you the most options. If the rate drops on the hotel's own site, you can cancel and rebook at the lower price.
If it drops on another site, you can file a best rate guarantee claim. And if you're using Autopilot, refundable rates are required for automatic rebooking.
Direct bookings unlock best rate guarantee programs, earn full loyalty points, and qualify for elite benefits. They also make rebooking straightforward if the rate drops later.
Set up price monitoring the day you book. Hotel rates change frequently, and the savings window is easy to miss.
Whether you use a calendar reminder, a price alert, or automatic monitoring through Autopilot, the key is having a system that watches so you don't have to.
Every best rate guarantee has fine print. The most common reasons for denied claims: the competing rate has a different cancellation policy, requires a membership login, or is on an opaque booking site.
Read the terms before you file.
A price match claim and automatic rebooking serve different purposes. A best rate guarantee matches rates found on other sites. Automatic rebooking catches drops on the hotel's own site.
The savviest travelers use both strategies — file claims when you spot competitor rates, and let Autopilot handle the day-to-day monitoring.
Yes. If you booked a refundable rate directly with the hotel and the rate drops on their site, you can call and ask to rebook at the lower price. If you found a lower rate on a different site, most hotel chains have a formal best rate guarantee claim process. Automatic monitoring tools like Autopilot handle this for you by rebooking when the rate drops.
Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and Hilton all require claims within 24 hours of booking. Booking.com allows claimsup to 24 hours before check-in. Expedia allows claims until the day before check-in. All programs also require the claim at least 24 hours before arrival.
The hotel's best rate guarantee won't cover it — those programs only apply within 24 hours of booking. Your best options are to cancel and rebook at the new rate (if your reservation is refundable) or use a price monitoring service like Autopilot that watches for drops continuously and rebooks automatically.
Generally, no. Most hotel best rate guarantee programs apply only to paid rates, not award bookings made with points. However, Autopilot Pro members can monitor award prices and get alerted when the points cost drops for their reservation.
Yes. Marriott's Best Rate Guarantee is active as of 2026. If you find a lower rate on a non-Marriott website within 24 hours of booking, Marriott will match it and give you 25% off the matched rate or 5,000 Bonvoy points. You must be a Marriott Bonvoy member and submit your claim through their online form.
Hilton's program is one of the strongest: they match the lower rate and take an additional 25% off. The challenge is that you need to find the lower rate yourself within 24 hours of booking. For savings beyond that window, automatic price monitoring covers what the guarantee doesn't.
It depends on what you value. Hilton offers the largest automatic discount (25% off the matched rate). Marriott gives you the choice between 25% off or points. IHG's 5x points bonus can be the most valuable on expensive stays. Hyatt covers all-inclusive properties that other chains exclude. For ongoing price protection beyond the 24-hour claim window, automatic monitoring tools like Autopilot fill the gap all four programs leave open.
You have three options: manually check the hotel's website daily (tedious), set calendar reminders to check periodically (slightly less tedious), or use an automatic price monitoring service like Autopilot that watches your reservation continuously and rebooks at the lower rate when it drops.
Autopilot is an independent third-party service that helps travelers after they book. We are not affiliated with any airline, hotel, or loyalty program. Hotel policies and availability can change — always check the provider's official terms.
