[Award Alert] Waldorf Astoria New York: Book 2026 Stays From 150K Points per Night

It’s been a long wait for fans of New York luxury hotels. The iconic Waldorf Astoria New York began a massive renovation 8 years ago, and after much anticipation, it finally reopened in July 2025.

If you’ve been stalking award space without any luck, don’t worry: Availability is finally starting to open up. We’ve found wide-open award availability from February through May 2026, though you’ll need to plan your stay on weekdays, as weekend availability remains extremely limited.

Let’s take a look.

Book the Waldorf Astoria New York With Points

Given its much-anticipated and long-awaited opening last month, the Waldorf Astoria New York is being particularly stingy with award space through the end of 2025. As of now, points availability is almost nonexistent.

But once the calendar flips to 2026, things change dramatically. From February through May 2026, we’re seeing widespread availability for weekday award nights, starting at 150,000 Hilton Honors points per night. Weekend nights remain extremely limited, so flexibility is key if you want to score this historic hotel on points.

Considering cash rates often start at $1,000 per night and climb higher, this is a prime opportunity to redeem Hilton Honors points and experience a newly reopened Manhattan icon without paying full price.

Award nights can also be booked using Hilton free night certificates, such as those earned with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. This makes it a smart option for points-savvy travelers.

How To Find Award Availability

To quickly search for award availability, tools like Rooms.aero or MaxMyPoint with their calendar views come in handy. We used them to spot wide-open availability from February to May 2026.

The quickest way to earn Hilton Honors points is through credit card welcome offers. However, you can also top off your Hilton account by transferring points from American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:2 ratio (1 Amex point to 2 Hilton points).

Final Thoughts

The Waldorf Astoria New York represents a rare combination of iconic history, a prime Manhattan location, and newly updated luxury.

While award nights are almost nonexistent throughout 2025, winter through late spring 2026 offers a sweet spot for Hilton Honors members to redeem points or free night certificates and experience the grand reopening without paying sky-high cash rates.

If a New York City bucket-list stay is on your radar, now is the time to plan.