Last-minute tips for locking in hotel elite status before the end of year

Hotel elite status can greatly enhance your vacation experience. From snagging room upgrades to bonus points and even indulging in a complimentary breakfast, having the right status can save you money and add more perks to your trips.

If you haven't accumulated enough points to earn (or retain) your elite status this year, here are some last-minute tips to help you secure your benefits for another year.

Related: So, what exactly is elite status in travel — and how can I get it?

How to earn hotel elite status

To earn hotel elite status, you can follow these common methods:

• Elite night credits: You generally receive one credit for each eligible paid night at a participating property in a major hotel loyalty program. Award nights, "points and cash" stays and certain credit cards may also earn you elite night credits.
• Stays: Some programs allow you to qualify based on stays — which can be any number of nights.
• Points earned: You earn points based on your spending at participating hotels. Usually, only "base points" count toward elite status, excluding bonus points from status, promotions and other offers. Some programs also count spending with partner companies.
• Credit card elite status: Many hotel and travel credit cards provide automatic elite status as a benefit.
• Spending on credit card: Certain hotel credit cards allow you to earn elite status or progress toward it based on your annual spending.

Of course, whether it's worth going out of your way to earn status is a question only you can answer.

Here's a quick overview of how to close the gap and lock in status with the major hotel programs before the end of the year.

Hilton Honors elite status

End of the elite year: Dec. 31.

Hilton Honors is one hotel loyalty program that counts award stays toward elite status qualifications. If you have Hilton Honors points or free night certificates, redeeming them for free nights gets you closer to your next elite tier. Hilton also allows you to roll over any extra elite night credits at the end of the year and put them toward your status goals for the following year.

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For travelers who want Hilton elite status benefits immediately, getting one of Hilton's many cobranded credit cards is the quickest path. Even the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card (see rates and fees) includes complimentary Silver status, with the ability to earn Gold status through the end of the next calendar year when you spend $20,000 in a calendar year.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card includes complimentary Gold status, and you'll be upgraded to Diamond through the end of the next calendar year when you spend $40,000 on the card in a calendar year. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card gives small-business owners the same elite status benefits, complimentary Gold status and the chance to upgrade their status to Diamond through the end of the next calendar year after spending 40,000 or more on the card in a calendar year. For members who don't want to deal with the high spending hurdle, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card includes automatic Diamond elite status.

Alternatively, you could consider The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express to enjoy automatic Hilton Gold status as long as your card remains open (enrollment required).

Read more: Guide to hotel elite status with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum

IHG One Rewards elite status

End of the elite year: Dec. 31.

IHG One Rewards provides several ways to earn elite status, including booking award stays using points or free night certificates and spending with partners like Hertz and Viator. However, points you earn from spending on IHG cobranded cards do not count toward elite status points qualification.

IHG offers three credit cards featuring complimentary elite status, including one with no annual fee. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (see rates and fees) automatically comes with Silver Elite status and an upgrade to Gold Elite when you spend $20,000 in a calendar year. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (rates and fees) and the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) include automatic Platinum Elite status, and you can earn Diamond Elite status by spending $40,000 on either of these cards in a calendar year.

Another option for earning IHG One Rewards elite status is to buy an InterContinental Ambassador membership. For $200 or 40,000 points, you'll enjoy Ambassador benefits — which include Platinum Elite status — for 12 months from purchase.

Related: I stayed at the InterContinental New York Times Square as a Platinum Ambassador: Here's what it was like

Marriott Bonvoy elite status

End of the elite year: Dec. 31.

Marriott Bonvoy makes earning elite status simple. You must earn elite night credits, either through hotel stays or credit cards, or hold a card that provides elite status. Nights booked with Marriott Bonvoy points and free night certificates also count toward elite status qualification.

Chase and American Express offer various Marriott personal and business credit cards with complimentary elite status. For example, you can enjoy automatic Gold Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Meanwhile, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card includes automatic Platinum status. No Marriott card includes complimentary Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite status.

In addition, some Marriott cobranded cards include 15 elite night credits toward your desired status level each year, and the Bonvoy Brilliant Amex includes 25 elite night credits annually. Moreover, members can stack elite night credits from any business and personal card for a total of 30 or 40 credits, putting higher elite tiers easily within reach. You can also earn one elite night credit for every $5,000 you spend on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) each year.

And finally, as with Hilton status, the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum both include complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status (enrollment required).

Related: Is Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status worth it?

World of Hyatt elite status

End of the elite year: Dec. 31.

With World of Hyatt, you can achieve elite status based on nights stayed or base points earned at Hyatt properties. Elite night credits also include nights booked with points or free night certificates.

Two Hyatt credit cards are available — one for consumers and one for business owners. Both cards have unique features that can help you earn Hyatt elite status quickly.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) includes entry-level Discoverist elite status. While this status may not offer many standout benefits, you can spend your way to a higher tier. The card provides five qualifying night credits every year, and you'll earn an additional two credits for every $5,000 you spend on the card.

Business owners also receive Discoverist status with the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) . However, this business card is unique on this list because it allows the cardholder to give the gift of Discoverist status to up to five employees. Additionally, you'll receive five tier-qualifying night credits for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year. This rate is 25% higher than what's offered by the personal version of the Hyatt card.

World of Hyatt used to allow members to earn status by hosting a certain number of meetings or events — three for Discoverist, 10 for Explorist or 20 for Globalist — but this is being discontinued on Dec. 31, 2024. In 2025, event planners will earn night credits toward status at a rate of 2 credits per $5,000 spent on meetings and events (up to $150,000 or 60 credits, enough for Globalist status).

Related: Here's how to quickly stock up on Hyatt points for your next vacation

Other ways to earn hotel elite status

You can earn hotel elite status — or at least receive similar benefits — in other ways than having a hotel cobranded credit card. Use these strategies if you don't want to be tied to one hotel's card:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: As noted previously, this luxury travel card includes complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. To receive these benefits, you must enroll in this perk to activate your status. You'll also receive these statuses with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
• American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts: This is an exclusive hotel booking program for Amex cardmembers with a Platinum or Centurion-branded card. It offers elite-level benefits and promotions at premium properties worldwide, including an on-property spending credit, room upgrade and late checkout. Both personal Platinum and Business Platinum cardmembers can even receive up to $600 in statement credits each year for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts stays charged to the card (given as up to $300 biannually).
• The Hotel Collection: This program offers benefits at participating properties on stays of at least two nights, and it's available to those with an Amex Platinum or American Express® Gold Card.
• Capital One's Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection: These two boutique hotel programs are available to select Capital One cardholders and offer benefits like free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast and bonus miles.
• The Edit by Chase Travel: Formerly known as Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, The Edit offers elite benefits to select Chase cardholders at over 1,000 highly rated properties (including Four Seasons) worldwide, including daily breakfast for two, a unique benefit worth up to $100, complimentary Wi-Fi, room upgrades and early check-in/late checkout at select properties.
• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection: When you have a Visa Signature card and book through the Visa Signature website, you'll receive exclusive perks at participating properties.

Related: Complete guide to current hotel elite status match and challenge offers

Bottom line

Options are available if you haven't locked in your hotel status this year.

Many popular hotel loyalty programs offer alternative ways to achieve elite status without going on an expensive mattress run. Holding the right credit card can often grant you elite status or allow you to earn additional nights through card spending to reach an even higher tier.

If these options don't work for you, consider looking into hotel booking programs affiliated with your credit card issuer. These programs offer on-property benefits without requiring loyalty to any specific hotel program.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Card, click here.