Harry Styles’ 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden is likely to bring droves of devoted fans and pop music aficionados to New York City from late August through October, since it’s the only U.S. stop on his upcoming “Together, Together” tour.
If you were fortunate enough to grab a ticket (perhaps through Amex presale access) but live outside of New York, you’ll soon be planning to travel to the Big Apple (or may have already planned your trip). For many, these concert tickets weren’t cheap — and tacking on the cost of hotels, flights, rides and food could be a challenge.
This is where points and miles come in. One of my favorite ways to redeem rewards and use up statement credits is to supplement event-focused travel — and this is a perfect opportunity. Even if you didn’t secure concert tickets, many of the tips I’ll discuss here could make a future New York City trip more cost-effective.
Let’s dive into the best New York City hotels on points, some creative ways to apply statement credits for your trip and share an example of how one TPG staffer is planning her stay in the city.
Best New York City hotels on points
TPG staffers recommended a range of hotels for Harry Styles fans to check out. Let’s go through them by loyalty program, then walk through how you can earn points to book them. (Note that availability may be limited or blacked out during some concert dates.)
IHG One Rewards
Kimpton Hotel Eventi: The Kimpton Hotel Eventi is in Chelsea, close to MSG, and is bookable with IHG One Rewards points. Since IHG uses dynamic award pricing, a one-night stay in September or October ranges from 66,500 points to 120,000 points, depending on when you book. On average, most rates hover around 100,000 points per night.
Kimpton Theta New York – Times Square: The Kimpton Theta is in Times Square, a quick subway ride or a 20-minute walk from MSG. Award nights here tend to be a bit cheaper than at the Kimpton Hotel Eventi. Since pricing is dynamic, rates will vary depending on when you stay — they tend to hover between 66,000 and 100,000 points per night.
You can earn IHG points with an IHG-cobranded card, such as the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees), or by transferring Bilt Points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Marriott Bonvoy
The St. Regis New York: If you’re looking to splurge on a luxe stay for the Harry Styles concert, look no further than the St. Regis, which is bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points. Nights here range from 238,000 points per night up to 308,000 points per night, hovering around 290,000 for most of the nights Harry Styles will be performing at MSG.
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Earn Marriott Bonvoy points with a cobranded card, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees), or by transferring rewards earned with American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
World of Hyatt
Park Hyatt New York: The luxurious Park Hyatt New York is in a fantastic location for trips to the Big Apple. You can redeem 45,000 Hyatt points for a night here in September or October.
The Standard, High Line: The Standard, High Line is bookable with Hyatt points and is an easy train ride to MSG, walking distance to the West Village and nearby Chelsea Market. In September and October, a night here costs between 25,000 and 29,000 points.
Thompson Central Park New York, by Hyatt: The Thompson Central Park is an excellent choice if you’re looking to marry value and location. Nights at the Thompson Central Park cost 29,000 points per night through of Harry Styles’ residency at MSG.
You can earn Hyatt points with a Hyatt cobranded card, such as the World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees), or by transferring Bilt and Chase points.
Related: 22 best Hyatt hotels in the world to book with points
How to use credit card perks in New York City
There are multiple statement credits on popular credit cards that could save you some serious money once you’re in New York. Here’s an overview of our favorites, and how you can use them to save on a trip.
Dining
American Express provides Resy statement credits for restaurant purchases across multiple cards, and New York is a great city to use them in. TPG senior travel editor Lyndsey Matthews said she often gets the Resy credit in New York “without even trying,” since it’s so easy to come across Resy-affiliated establishments.
Concertgoers could enjoy a meal at Avra Madison in Midtown or Avant Garden in the East Village, two of many options available with Resy.
There are multiple cards that feature Resy statement credits. Two popular options include the American Express Platinum Card®‘s up to $400 per calendar year (up to $100 in quarterly statement credits)* and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card‘s up to $240 per calendar year (up to $20 in monthly statement credits)*.
*Statement credits are available when you use your card for Resy purchases in the U.S. Enrollment is required.
Similarly, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), you’ll receive an up to $150 biannual credit for dining at eligible restaurants participating in Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables. Several popular spots across New York are included in this benefit, including Sailor and Sunn’s.
Hotels
Travel credit cards can be good for more than just earning and redeeming points.
Many cards provide statement credits that can be used for hotel stays, which can help lower your out-of-pocket costs. These include:
Ride-hailing services
Multiple cards include perks for ride-hailing services.
The Amex Platinum and American Express® Gold Card provide monthly Uber Cash. Platinum cardmembers receive up to $200 in Uber Cash each year (up to $15 each month plus an extra $20 in December);^ with the Gold, you’ll receive up to $120 in Uber Cash each year (up to $10 each month).^
Amex Platinum cardmembers receive up to a $120 Uber One statement credit (that fully covers an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 monthly Uber One membership**) that could be useful for getting discounted rides or Uber Eats deliveries during your trip.
Many Chase cardholders earn bonus points for Lyft rides, and Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive a $10 monthly Lyft in-app credit that can add up to $120 in savings annually through Sept. 30, 2027.
Plus, Bilt Rewards members can use points to pay for Lyft rides.
**Enrollment is required for select benefits.
^Valid in the U.S. Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum or Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
Related: 9 valuable travel perks that you can get with a credit card
How one TPG staffer is planning her New York City trip for the Together, Together Tour
TPG associate credit cards writer Stephanie Stevens grabbed tickets for Labor Day weekend, and she knows that cash prices are likely to spike around the U.S. holiday. Because of this, she’s planning to use some of her transferable rewards points to book a hotel stay for the Harry Styles concert.
She’s currently weighing three hotels in the World of Hyatt loyalty program, as she’ll transfer the Chase points she’s earned from her Chase Sapphire Preferred. Here are the three properties she’s debating between:
Stephanie found this availability using the Rooms.aero search tool.
Related: These 12 apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find
Bottom line
While flying to New York is generally competitive with plenty of availability, hotels could cause a financial headache for Harries looking for a place to stay later this year. Luckily, points and miles can be extremely helpful in these circumstances.
And, if you don’t have a healthy stash of rewards yet, it’s certainly not too late to start. I’d recommend applying for a transferable rewards card and earning its welcome bonus if you want to open up more options for your New York trip (and provide access to some useful statement credits).
But if you’re sold on a particular brand, choosing a cobranded card often comes with many perks during your stay, including elite status and property-specific statement credits.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses this month
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