Quick Points: Earn elite nights on award stays with these hotel loyalty programs
Hotel elite status provides plenty of benefits to make your next stay more comfortable, including room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout, bonus points and complimentary breakfast. These can be valuable, especially for top-tier elite members who receive far more perks than nonmembers in most loyalty programs.
You probably know that you can redeem hotel points for free nights, and if you hold status in that program, you can enjoy your status benefits during your stay, regardless of whether you booked the stay with cash or hotel points.
Related: Best hotel rewards programs in the world: Which one is right for you?
Be aware that when you book through a third-party accommodation provider like Booking.com, you will usually be unable to use status benefits and will not accrue elite night stays from that booking. This is because hotel providers want to encourage you to book directly with them rather than paying a commission to a third party. So, they offer fewer perks if you choose to book indirectly.
Did you know that booking free nights with hotel points at the following programs counts toward your status level like cash rates booked directly with the hotel do?
This can be an especially handy benefit if you're hoping to earn and requalify for a particular elite status level before the end of the calendar year and are points-rich but cash-poor.
You could consider doing a "mattress run" by redeeming points at a lower-priced property within the program to earn the necessary elite nights to secure the status in time. Aside from the points you choose to redeem, this would have very little out of pocket costs.
Related: Last-minute tips for locking in hotel elite status
Bottom line
Earning elite night credits is a generous way for popular hotel programs to help you reach your elite status goals. You don't need to worry about whether you are paying cash or redeeming points to earn status, as both will do the job for the above programs. This differs greatly from most airline loyalty programs, where award seats do not earn elite status tier points or qualification dollars (with a few exceptions).
Also, don't forget World of Hyatt's unique Brand Explorer promotion, where you can earn a free Category 1-4 night for every five different Hyatt brands you stay at. There is no time limit to complete the stays, so you have years to complete the challenge, and if you are traveling to destinations with multiple Hyatt brands, it could be easy to earn several free nights by choosing different brands for your stays.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
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