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We're approaching the end of 2024, but it's not too late to achieve top-tier hotel elite status. Here are some last-minute strategies that you can use to qualify (or re-qualify) for hotel elite status with your favorite hotel loyalty programs.
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Accor Live Limitless
Top-tier Accor Live Limitless Diamond elite status can't be achieved through stays and requires a year-long spending commitment of 10,400 euros (~$10,980). However, you can earn Platinum status after 60 nights in a year. If you're within reach of that threshold, it might be worth taking an end-of-year vacation.
There's also a fast-track promotion available for Accor Plus Silver and Gold members, in which 10 nights earn you Gold status, and 18 nights yield Platinum status.
Best Western Rewards
The most straightforward path to Best Western Rewards elite status is to carry a co-branded credit card. The Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card (Gold) and Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card (Platinum) each offer complimentary elite status for as long as you keep your account open. Additionally, Best Western also offers an instant status match from numerous programs.
If you want to earn Best Western status the old-fashioned way, Best Western lowered its status qualification requirements in 2022 and has kept them in place ever since. So, you need just 15 nights for Diamond or 25 nights for top-tier Diamond Select status.
Choice Privileges
For most travelers, the most straightforward path to Diamond status is having the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard®. This card awards complimentary Platinum status and gives 20 elite night credits. Choice Privileges requires 40 nights per year to attain Diamond status, so holding the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard can put you halfway there for an annual fee of $95.
You might be able to match with Choice Privileges to get up to top-tier Diamond status.
Note that Choice Privileges offers elite rollover nights, so you may want to roll over as many nights as possible into 2025 for a jump start toward the following year's status. Gold members can roll over 9 nights, 19 rollover nights for Platinum members, and Diamond members can roll over 39 nights.
Hilton Honors
The quickest path to top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status is carrying the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and paying its $550 annual fee. This is one of the few credit cards offering top-tier hotel status as an automatic Card Member perk.
You can also use a Hilton status match to get complimentary Gold elite status for 90 days if you have elite status with another hotel program. Then, you can move up to Diamond by completing the Hilton Honors elite status fast track option during your 90-day trial and staying 14 nights within 90 days. If you meet the requirements, you will earn Hilton elite benefits until March 31, 2026.
It's also possible to move up to Diamond status if you hold The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card or Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Both cards offer complimentary Hilton Gold status and provide a path to Diamond status by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Related: How To Receive Elite Hotel Benefits Without Elite Status
IHG One Rewards
Diamond Elite is the top elite status level with IHG One Rewards, and this status level typically requires 70 nights or earning 120,000 qualifying points in a calendar year.
However, You can enroll in an IHG status match from other hotel programs. If you are targeted, you can stay 10 nights between now and the end of the year to have Diamond Elite status through 2025.
Also, both the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offer complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status. Spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year on either of these cards qualifies you for Diamond Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy®
The highest tier of Marriott Bonvoy elite status is Ambassador Elite. This level requires 100 nights and $23,000 in qualified spending each year.
That's going to be a tall task for many award travelers. So, let's look at the two highest tiers you can earn through just nights: Marriott Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite.
The easiest way to earn Platinum Elite status is getting it as a built-in benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
If you're pursuing Titanium Elite status — which requires 75 Elite Night Credits per year — your best avenue is holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. You'll start with Platinum Elite status and 40 elite night credits. Then, you will need just 35 more nights for Titanium Elite. You can earn those night requirements on both paid and award stays.
If you're a few nights short, remember that you can earn Marriott Elite Night Credits without hotel stays. For example, consider spending on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, which awards one elite night for every $5,000 spent on the card.
There aren't any publicly available Marriott status matches at this time. But you can try calling Marriott and asking for a status challenge. It is worth a try if you know you will stay at Marriott properties soon.
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Related: Start the Year With up to 40 Marriott Elite Night Credits
Sonesta Travel Pass
The top elite status with the Sonesta Travel Pass program is Platinum. You need 40 nights or 40,000 points per year for Sonesta Platinum status, although you can also status match to Platinum from other programs.
The Sonesta World Mastercard® will give you Gold status. You can also spend on this credit card to receive points toward Platinum status. The card has an annual fee of $75 (waived for the first year).
Related: Best Mid-Tier Hotel Elite Status And How To Earn It
World of Hyatt
Many travelers choose the World of Hyatt hotel loyalty program because of its excellent benefits. Top-tier Hyatt Globalist status requires 60 nights, 100,000 base points, or 20 annual meetings or events.
There aren't currently any publicly available Hyatt status matches or challenges. However, Hyatt occasionally runs promotions for corporate partners, including periodic status shortcuts for AAdvantage® elite members.
If you need a last-minute hotel elite status strategy for more Hyatt nights, here are two options to consider:
- Stay at Category 1 Hyatt hotels on off-peak dates: Hyatt Category 1 hotels cost just 3,500 points per night on off-peak dates. These are an excellent choice for a low-cost staycation or vacation to pick up the final Hyatt nights you need before the end of the year.
- Spend on a Hyatt co-branded credit card: The World of Hyatt Credit Card provides complimentary Discoverist status and five tier-qualifying nights each year. You also can earn two tier-qualifying night credits for every $5,000 spent on your card in a calendar year. Finally, the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card also provides Discoverist status and five tier-qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent on your card in a calendar year.
Related: 5 Reasons to Get The World of Hyatt Credit Card
Wyndham Rewards
The most straightforward path to top-tier Wyndham Rewards status is the Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Card, which gives complimentary Diamond status.
The Wyndham Rewards status match program currently lets you match your status from many other programs. The matched status will be good for 90 days, and you can retain Diamond status if you stay ten qualifying nights within 90 days of starting the challenge.
However, the length of time you retain status depends on when you apply. For example, if you wait to register and complete your challenge in January 2025, you will receive status through December 31, 2026. In other words, you might not need to act by the end of this year to secure benefits for next year.
If you don't have the Wyndham Earner Business Card, Wyndham Diamond typically requires that you stay 40 nights per calendar year.
Bottom Line
As we approach the end of the year, you may need to activate one of the last-minute hotel elite status strategies discussed above to earn your desired status. If you're interested in earning elite status with one or more programs, now is the perfect time to examine your options and start planning before time runs out and qualification metrics reset.
Are you looking for options to reach other hotel status tiers? Check out our guide to all the current hotel status match opportunities.
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