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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
Comparing the best hotel elite status tiers and how to earn them in 2025
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
February 2, 2025 • 10 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article compares four top hotel elite status levels for U.S.-based travelers in 2025, highlighting their standout perks and how to qualify.
Key benefits discussed include complimentary breakfast, lounge access, late checkout and room upgrades, with each program offering unique strengths.
Not all recommended tiers are the highest available, as mid-tier statuses often provide strong value and are easier to obtain.
The guide outlines multiple paths to earning elite status, including qualifying nights, points or holding select travel-related cards.
What to consider
Some benefits, such as breakfast and late checkout, vary by hotel brand and location within each program.
Elite status can be earned through a combination of qualifying nights, points or by holding certain travel-related cards, but requirements differ by program.
Award pricing, upgrade options and lounge access policies are not uniform across all brands or tiers.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of elite status perks and practical advice on choosing the best hotel loyalty program for your travel style.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Hotel elite status offers many valuable perks. For example, you might enjoy complimentary breakfast, upgrades and even 4 p.m. late checkout with some hotel elite statuses.
But which hotel elite status tier is best? The best hotel elite status tier — and even the best hotel loyalty program — depends on your travel habits, likes and needs. So, in this story, I’ll describe four of the best hotel elite statuses for U.S.-based travelers and how to earn each status in 2025.
You’ll notice that the status levels I discuss aren’t the absolute top tier in some programs. After all, you don’t always need top-tier status to reap valuable perks.
Best hotel elite status levels to earn in 2025
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite: Best worldwide perks
World of Hyatt Globalist: Best for waived fees and predictable award pricing
Hilton Honors Diamond: Best easy-to-maintain status
IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite: Best for value-conscious travelers
Stay 40 qualifying nights or earn 60,000 qualifying points
Be a cardmember of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees), the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) or the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees)
Now, let’s take a closer look at these hotel elite statuses.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Platinum Elite status is widely regarded as a sweet spot in the Marriott Bonvoy program, thanks to its roster of perks and the relative ease of earning it.
As a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite member, you’ll get perks like 4 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability at Design Hotels, resort hotels and convention hotels; only guaranteed up to 2 p.m. at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy), room upgrades (subject to availability) and breakfast or lounge access at many brands. Plus, if you reach 50 elite night credits in a calendar year, you’ll get access to Marriott Annual Choice Benefits (including the option to choose Nightly Upgrade Awards).
Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Some benefits for Marriott elite members vary based on brand or location. For example, I always need to check our guide to Marriott elite breakfast benefits before booking a stay since the breakfast benefits vary greatly across Marriott brands. But overall, Platinum Elite status is very useful at most Marriott properties.
How to earn Marriott Platinum Elite status in 2025
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy elite status by accumulating elite qualifying nights each calendar year. To earn Marriott Platinum Elite status in 2025, you’ll need 50 elite qualifying nights, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stay in Marriott hotels for 50 nights this year.
Fairfield by Marriott New York Manhattan Times Square. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Some Marriott brands require guests to stay multiple nights per elite qualifying night. Thus, to earn Platinum Elite status, you may need to stay with Marriott for more than 50 nights in a calendar year.
Select cobranded Marriott cards provide elite night credits as a perk of holding the card. For example, if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, you’ll get 30 elite night credits (15 elite night credits per card) each year just for holding these cards. As such, you’d only need to earn 20 elite qualifying nights via stays this year to earn Platinum Elite status.
However, if you don’t want to worry about elite qualifying nights, you could get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. This card provides Platinum Elite status to basic cardmembers as an ongoing perk, making it a compelling option for those who want valuable elite benefits without staying at Marriott properties frequently.
World of Hyatt Globalist is a favorite hotel elite status for many TPG staffers and readers because of its perks.
Alila Kothaifaru Maldives. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Some of the best World of Hyatt Globalist perks are waived resort fees, room upgrades (based on availability), 4 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability at hotels with a casino, Destination Residences and Hyatt resorts; not available at Hyatt Residence Club resorts) and club lounge access (or breakfast at properties without a lounge).
You can earn World of Hyatt elite status via tier qualifying nights or base points. You’ll need 60 tier qualifying nights or 100,000 base points each calendar year to earn Hyatt Globalist status, but you can stay fewer nights and still earn Globalist status if you have a cobranded World of Hyatt credit card.
Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Specifically, if you have the World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees), you’ll automatically get five qualifying night credits each year. Plus, you’ll earn two tier qualifying night credits for every $5,000 spent on your card each calendar year. Meanwhile, if you have the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (see rates and fees), you’ll earn five tier qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent on your card each calendar year.
You could theoretically spend your way to Globalist status without ever stepping into a Hyatt hotel. But, especially since you’ll need to stay with World of Hyatt to get value from Globalist status, it’s best to use a combination of stays and credit card spending to earn Hyatt Globalist status.
Hilton Honors Diamond status affords valuable perks, including space-available room upgrades and executive lounge access. Plus, Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members get either daily food-and-beverage credits or daily continental Hilton breakfast, depending on the brand and region of their stay.
Breakfast buffet at the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
I’ve had some impressive stays as a Hilton Diamond member outside the U.S., but I wouldn’t maintain Hilton Diamond status if it weren’t easy since I struggle to get good value when redeeming Hilton Honors points.
How to earn Hilton Diamond status in 2025
You can earn Hilton Honors elite status via nights, stays or base points. For Hilton Diamond status, you need 30 stays, 60 nights or 120,000 base points each calendar year. It’s also possible to earn Diamond status without ever setting foot in a Hilton property. That’s because you can get Hilton Diamond status as a cardmember perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for as long as your card account is open.
IHG improved its elite benefits when it launched the revamped IHG One Rewards program in 2022. Now, IHG Platinum Elite status offers perks like reward night discounts, complimentary upgrades (subject to availability) and late checkout (up to 2 p.m.; subject to availability).
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Plus, you can earn extra rewards — including food-and-beverage rewards, bonus points, confirmable suite upgrades and an annual lounge membership — through the IHG Milestone Rewards program.
How to earn IHG Platinum Elite status in 2025
You can earn most IHG elite status tiers via qualifying nights or qualifying points. IHG Platinum Elite status requires you to earn 40 qualifying nights or 60,000 qualifying points in a calendar year.
Holiday Inn Johannesburg Airport. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
However, you can also obtain Platinum Elite status as a cardmember perk of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card. Likewise, United Club℠ Card members can also register for complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status.
IHG One Rewards properties often provide reasonable quality at a modest price. Especially since you can earn Platinum Elite status just by holding a card with a $99 annual fee, this status is a good option for value-conscious travelers.
Hotel elite status, especially at the higher tiers, can provide significant perks and enhance your travels. But there isn’t one best hotel elite status for everyone. Instead, the best elite status for you depends on your travel style, the perks you value most and where you like to travel. For example, I truly appreciate the 4 p.m. late checkout I can get as a World of Hyatt Globalist or Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite member at most Hyatt and Marriott properties.
Once you decide which hotel elite status is best for you, use the information above to find the best path to earn this status in 2025.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
