If you stay in boutique hotels such as this one in Cozumel, Mexico, hotel elite status might not be for you! Photo by: Evan Berman

Elite is a word that is often overused. Anything can be “elite,” it often depends on the context to understand what the word references. When people start travelling, they often hear about “elite status” and all of the perks that come with it. I’ll explore airline elite status and rental car elite status further, but let’s start with hotels. Note that these articles will not try to convince you of the merits or demerits of elite status. I will share my opinion, but at the end of the day, it is up to you to decide if the benefits outweigh the costs. There is a lot of information here, bookmark this page for easy access if you decide that elite status may be worth considering.

What is Elite Status?

Elite status, in general, is the name for the incentives that a brand provides to foster loyalty among its customers. You may already have some sort of elite status. Perhaps your coffee shop has a program where if you buy 5 drinks a week, you get 5% off 1 drink per week (fictitious example, though that would be interesting. Starbucks, are you listening?)

For hotels, generally this means that if you have enough stays with a brand (or spend enough with them), they will reward you by providing discounts, benefits, or other items that reward your loyalty and encourage you to keep coming back.

Elite Status vs. Loyalty Program:

It is important to understand the difference between elite status and a loyalty program. While anyone can sign up for a loyalty program (and almost always these are free to join), elite status must be earned. There is a famous saying, “If everybody is elite, nobody is.”

Who Offers Elite Status?

As mentioned above, there several different types of elite status. For the purposes of travel, there are three main types of elite status: hotels, airlines, and rental cars. Each works differently and may be more or less valuable, depending on your habits.

Hotels:

Focusing on hotels, the main players for those based in the US are Choice, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG One, and Wyndham. There are certainly others, such as Accor, Best Western, Shangri-La but for the purposes of this article, we will focus on the above brands.

How do You Earn Elite Status?

Every brand is slightly (or dramatically different). The qualifications for each brand are listed below but it is important to note the similarities. All programs have at least 3 statuses: entry level, mid-tier, and top-tier. All offer nights towards the required threshold courtesy of holding a co-branded credit card and/or spending on a card.

The following are the requirements to earn status “the old-fashioned way”– i.e. by staying in hotels (assume nights are per calendar year unless otherwise stated):

	Entry-Level	Mid-Tier	Upper-Tier	Top-Tier	Extra
Choice	7 Nights (Gold)	15 Nights (Platinum)		25 Nights (Diamond)
Marriott	10 Nights (Silver)	25 Nights (Gold)	50 Nights (Platinum)	75 Nights (Titanium)	100 Nights & $20,000 spend (Ambassador)
Hilton	7 Nights (Silver)	28 Nights (Gold)		42 Nights (Diamond)
Hyatt	10 Nights/25k base points (Discoverist)	30 Nights/50k Base Points (Explorist)		60 Nights/100k Base Points (Globalist)
IHG One	10 Nights (Silver)	20 Nights/40k Points (Gold)	40 Nights/60k Points (Platinum)	70 Nights/120k Points (Diamond)
Wyndham	3 Nights (Gold)	9 Nights (Platinum)		24 Nights (Diamond)

What Perks Come with Elite Status?

Next up, here’s a list of the benefits that come with each tier of status. All tiers include the perks in the level below, in addition to the ones listed (point bonuses are not cumulative and choice benefits only refresh where explicitly mentioned):

	Member (no status)	Entry-Level	Mid-Tier	Upper-Tier	Top-Tier	Extra
Choice	Member Rate1	10% Point Bonus, Early Check-In, Rollover Nights, Elite Hotline1	25% Point Bonus, Late Check-Out1		60% Point Bonus1
Marriott	Member Rate, Free Wi-Fi, Mobile Check-In	10% Point Bonus, “Priority” Late Check-Out	25% Point Bonus, Room Upgrade, 2pm Late Checkout	50% Point Bonus, Room Upgrade (Including Suites), 4pm Late Checkout, Lounge Access, Annual Choice Benefit2, Welcome Gift3	75% Point Bonus	Dedicated Ambassador, Your244
Hilton	Member Rate, No Resort Fees on Rewards Stays, Mobile Check-In, Mobile Check-Out, Choose Your Room, Free Wi-Fi	20% Point Bonus, Free Bottled Water, Fifth Night Free5, Elite Rollover Nights	80% Point Bonus, Space-available Room Upgrades, Daily F&B Credit or Continental Breakfast6, Milestone Bonuses		100% Point Bonus, Lounge Access, Diamond Status Extension7, Premium Wi-Fi, 48-hour Room Guarantee8, Elite Status Gifting9
Hyatt	Member Rate, No Resort Fees on Rewards Stays, SLH Benefits10	10% Bonus Points, Premium Wi-Fi, Free Bottled Water, Preferred Room w/in Type Booked at Check-In, Elite Check-In, 2pm Late Checkout, 1 WoH Point per $1 Spent w/ American Airlines	20% Bonus Points, Room Upgrade to any Room Excluding Suites and Rooms w/ Lounge Access, Guaranteed Availability up to 72 Hours11		30% Bonus Points, No Resort Fees on any Stays Including Paid Stays, Room Upgrade to any Room Including Standard Suites and Rooms w/ Lounge Access, 4pm Late Checkout, Club Lounge Access, Free Parking on Award Nights, Early Check-In, Guaranteed Availability up to 48 Hours11, Guest of Honor12
IHG One	Member Rates, Free Wi-Fi, 2pm Late Checkout	20% Bonus Points, Points Don’t Expire, Priority Check-In,	40% Bonus Points, Rollover Nights for Next Year Status	60% Bonus Points, Reward Night Discounts, Guaranteed Room Availability13, Complimentary Upgrades, Welcome Amenity (Points or drink/snack), Early Check-In	100% Bonus Points, Diamond Support, Welcome Amenity (Free Breakfast, Points, or Drink/Snack) Hertz Five Star Upgrade
Wyndham	Member Rates, Free Wi-Fi, Rollover Nights Never Expire	10% Bonus Points, Member Services, Preferred Room Choice, Late Checkout	15% Bonus Points, Early Check-In, Caesars Rewards Status Match, Avis & Budget Car Rental Upgrades		20% Bonus Points, Suite Upgrades, Welcome Amenity (Snack or Beverage) at Check-In, Give Gold Membership to 1 Family Member or Friend

Notes:

Choice:

1 Perks not valid at hotels in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden

Marriott:

2 Annual Choice benefit for Marriott entails 5 Suite Night Upgrades or gift options. 1 Suite Night Upgrade is required per night, rather than per stay. Stay 5 Nights, use 5 SNU’s.

3 Welcome gifts are usually offered as a choice between points (ex. 500 points), breakfast, or an amenity but will vary from property to property

4 Your24 allows you to choose the 24 hours of your stay. If you wish to check in at 11pm and check out at 11pm, you can do that.

Hilton:

5 Fifth Night Free allows you to book 4 nights using points and get the 5th at no extra cost. The average cost of the five nights is calculated and one of those “nights” is taken off from the total cost. For example, if you book 3 nights at 30,000 points per night and 2 nights at 20,000 nights, the total is 3*30,000+ 2*20,000= 130,000 points. 130k/5= 26k so your 5 night stay would cost 130,000-26,000= 104,000 points. This is valid for any multiple of 5, up to 20 nights (maximum of 4 free nights).

6 In US Hotels, those with Gold and Diamond Status at Hilton receive a credit for Food & Beverages each day. The amount depends on which hotel you are staying at: $10 per day at Hilton Garden Inns; $15 per day (or $18 in certain cities) at Hilton, Signia, Doubletree, Curio Collection, Tapestry Collection, Canopy, or Motto properties; and $25 per day at Waldorf Astoria, LXR, or Conrad properties. This may be a great deal or not depending on your habits. Outside of the U.S., a free continental breakfast is provided.

7 Hilton Diamond Status Extension is for current Diamond members who have had at least 3 total years at Diamond Status (consecutive is not required) and have either stayed at least 250 nights (paid or award) OR earned 500k+ Base Points since joining Hilton. This once-per-lifetime offer extends status an additional year, but will require requalification to further extend the status.

8 A room reservation is guaranteed for Diamond Members so long as they make a paid reservation before midnight local time two days before arrival. Note that this benefit guarantees a room, it does not guarantee a reasonably-priced one.

9 If you achieve 70+ eligible nights in 2023/onward, you are able to grant another member Gold status. If you hit 100+ eligible nights in a year, you can give Diamond status.

Hyatt:

10 Small Luxury Hotels of the World are a group of Hyatt-affiliated hotels primarily in more unique locations. Hyatt Elite Status does not carry over to SLH always, yet you will receive some benefits guaranteed.

11 Ensure a room is available up to 72 hours in advance (excluding certain properties and blackout dates apply). These rooms will be expensive, but if you need a room, you can have the comfort of knowing one will be available.

12 Guest of Honor allows you to share your Globalist status perks with another person. Book an eligible award and the recipient will receive the same benefits that you, as a Globalist, receive. Hyatt allows you to transfer points to another person, so your Guest can send you the requisite points and you may book for them. Restrictions on number of times per year and points transferred apply.

IHG One:

13 One Guest Room guaranteed when reservations are made at least 72 hours prior to date of arrival. Only applicable to member’s room. Price will be “Best Flexible Rate.” Not valid on Reward Nights or Six Senses. Other terms and conditions may apply

Via Credit Cards:

Unless otherwise stated, all cards offer status as long as you hold the card.

Choice:

• The Barclays Choice Privileges Visa card (no annual fee, appears to be unavailable for new offers) offers entry-level Gold Status.

Marriott:

• The American Express Platinum card ($695 annual fee, review) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The American Express Business Platinum card ($695 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card from Chase ($250 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card from Chase ($0 annual fee) offers entry-level Silver Status.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card from Chase ($95 annual fee) offers entry-level Silver Status.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card from Chase ($250 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card from American Express ($650 annual fee) offers upper-tier Platinum Status.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Business card from American Express ($125 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The Ritz-Carlton Card by Chase ($450 annual fee, not available for application though you can product change from another Chase Marriott card) offers mid-tier Gold Status.

Hilton:

• The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($450 annual fee) offers top-tier Diamond Status.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($95 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Card ($0 annual fee) offers entry-tier Silver Status.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card ($95 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.

Hyatt:

• The Chase World of Hyatt Card ($95 annual fee) offers entry-level Discoverist Status.
• The Chase World of Hyatt Business Card ($199 annual fee) offers entry-level Discoverist Status.

IHG One:

• The Chase IHG Rewards Premier Business Card ($99 annual fee) offers upper-tier Platinum Status.
• The Chase IHG Rewards Premier Card ($99 annual fee) offers upper-tier Platinum Status.

Wyndham:

• The Barclays Earner Rewards Card ($0 annual fee) offers mid-tier Gold Status.
• The Barclays Earner+ Rewards Card ($75 annual fee) offers top-tier Platinum Status.
• The Barclays Earner Business Rewards Card ($95 annual fee) offers top-tier Platinum Status.

Credit Card-Related Shortcuts:

Most of the options to earn elite status (as opposed to it coming with the card) involve more spend than I recommend on cards with sub-par earning. For example, several cards offer elite status with $40,000 annual spend. However, other shortcuts apply:

Hyatt:

Reminder: Hyatt requires 10/30/60 elite nights for entry-level/mid-tier/top-tier status

• 5 Elite Nights per year for holding the Chase World of Hyatt personal card ($99 annual fee).
• 2 Elite Nights per $5,000 in spend on the Chase World of Hyatt card (ex. 4 Elite Nights if you spend $10,000-$14,999 on the card).
• 5 Elite Nights per $10,000 in spend on the Chase World of Hyatt Business card ($199 annual fee). Ex. 10 nights if you spend $20,000-$29,999 on the card.

Marriott:

Reminder: Marriott requires 50/75/100 elite nights for upper-tier/top-tier/extra status. Entry-level and mid-tier status is not listed as most cards offer the status.

• 25 Elite Nights per year for holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card ($650 annual fee).
• 15 Elite Nights per year for holding the following cards: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express card ($250 annual fee), Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold card ($0 annual fee), Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card ($95 annual fee), Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card ($250 annual fee), Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Business American Express card ($125 annual fee), Marriott Bonvoy American Express card ($0 annual fee, no longer available for applications), Chase Marriott Bonvoy Premier Plus Business card ($99 annual fee, no longer available for applications), Marriott Rewards Premier card ($85 annual fee, no longer available for applications), The Ritz-Carlton card ($450 annual fee, no longer available for applications).

It is important to note that may not earn elite nights until after renewal. Also, the maximum amount of elite nights one can earn is 40 in a year. 15 is the max for business cards and 15 (or 25 with the Brilliant card) is the max for personal cards. There is no way to earn elite nights from spend.

Should You Try for Elite Status?

The clear answer is… it depends. There are a few guiding questions to ask yourself:

• How often do you stay in hotels?
• Do you stay in chain hotels or boutiques?
• Do you have a preferred hotel brand?
• Does your employer pay for or prefer one brand?
• Would you stay at this brand over all others if
  • the price was more expensive? (say, $50 more than a hotel with an alternate brand)
  • there was a hotel affiliated with another brand located more conveniently? (say 10 miles away from a hotel affiliated with another brand)

If you are a huge fan of one brand or your employer pays for one chain, you may be interested in elite status with a hotel brand. Status is of course only useful if you are able to enjoy it– ensure that you are staying enough to get value out of the perks. A suite upgrade is great, but you need to be staying in a qualifying room in order to get it 🙂 .