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With just weeks left in 2025, travelers are tallying their status-earning achievements to lock in benefits to enjoy in 2026.
You may hope to earn elite status for the first time this year, or maybe you're chasing a higher status tier. If you’re in either boat, you might plan to get there through organic travel or even a last-minute mattress run.
It’s often much easier to qualify for elite status with hotels than with airlines because award stays at major chains count toward hotel elite status.
However, if you risk falling a night short of earning status in 2025, do hotel stays crossing from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 count toward earning status this year or next? TPG reader Hailey asks:
After accounting for all my work travel I’m going to be one night short of Marriott Platinum status this year. If I book an award stay over New Year’s Eve, would that count towards this year (when I check in) or next year (when I check out)?
Related: Last-minute tips for locking in hotel elite status before the end of the year
Earning elite credits on New Year’s Eve stays
The short answer is that Marriott Bonvoy credits stays from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 to the previous year, while Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards and World of Hyatt credit the stays to the following year.
That means if Hailey books a one-night stay over New Year’s Eve, it will push her over the threshold to earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status in 2025 to enjoy in 2026.
Things start to get a little more confusing if Hailey were to book a longer stay. For example, if she checks in Dec. 31 and checks out Jan. 3. Marriott splits the stay; so, nights up to (and including) Dec. 31 count toward the previous year while nights from Jan. 1 onward count toward the next year.
Hilton, IHG and Hyatt differ: The stay is not split, and the entire stay counts toward the 2026 qualification. Hyatt credits based on checkout year. Manual year‑end adjustments are generally no longer granted, so don’t rely on them.
How to earn elite hotel status with a credit card
With the right credit card, you won’t need to worry about squeezing in a hotel stay on New Year’s Eve to earn elite status in your favorite hotel loyalty program.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card provides Platinum Elite status for all cardmembers. Alternatively, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and "Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card each offer 15 elite night credits each year. And if you have both, those credits stack, meaning you'll receive 30 elite night credits — more than half of the number needed for Bonvoy Platinum status.
If you have the World of Hyatt Credit Card(see rates and fees), you’ll automatically get five tier-qualifying nights yearly. You’ll also earn two tier-qualifying nights for every $5,000 spent on your World of Hyatt Credit Card. The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) provides five tier-qualifying nights for every $10,000 spent on the card each calendar year.
If you prefer Hilton Honors, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Diamond status.
IHG Platinum Elite status is offered as a perk of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees) and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees).
If you hold the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees), you can also register for complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status.
Finally, you can enjoy Gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors with American Express Platinum Card® (enrollment is required).
Bottom line
It’s risky to leave requalifying for status until the very last day possible, especially given the big gap in benefits across hotel status tiers.
For Marriott stays, you can earn that last elite night on Dec. 31 even if the stay stretches into January; Hilton, Hyatt and IHG generally credit cross‑year stays to the checkout year.
If you plan to use New Year’s travel to qualify for hotel elite status, monitor your account during the first week of January to ensure your stay credits are recorded as expected.
