Being an elite member at a hotel chain can significantly enhance your travel. There is nothing like getting free upgrades, late checkout, free gifts when you arrive, and much more! In this post we will discuss the different benefits you can get by being an Elite member at Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and Wyndham. And more importantly, how you can reach the top tier status via credit cards. 

Hilton - Honors

The Hilton loyalty program includes 4 tiers; Member, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Here is the chart of benefits that you receive with each tier: 

Hilton is pretty generous with giving away their top tier status to their loyal credit card holders. You can go all the way to the top status just as a credit card perk. Here are the details.   

Which credit card offer Hilton Silver status 

• Hilton Honors American Express Card ($0) – complimentary 

Which credit card offer Hilton Gold Status 

• Amex Hilton Surpass Card ($95) – complimentary 
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($95) – complimentary 
• Amex Platinum Card (all flavors) ($695) – complimentary 
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express ($695) – complimentary 

Which credit card offer Hilton Diamond Status

• Hilton Honors Amex Aspire Card ($450) – complimentary 
• Amex Hilton Surpass Card ($95) – after spending $40,000 on your card within a calendar year. (status lasts until the end of the upcoming calendar year) 
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($95) –  after spending $40,000 on your card within a calendar year. (status lasts until the end of the upcoming calendar year) 

How long does status last with Hilton?

• During Covid Hilton has suspended status expirations and have not reinstated it yet

Marriott - Bonvoy

The Marriott loyalty program includes 5 elite tiers; Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador. Here is the chart of benefits that you receive with each tier: 

* Late checkout subject to availability at all hotels.

** Late checkout subject to availability at resorts and convention hotels.

*** In-Hotel Welcome Gift varies by brand.

***** Annual Choice Benefits at the 50 night level include your choice of suite night awards, 40% off of purchasing a bed, gifting Silver status to someone else, a charitable donation, or an additional five night credits. At the 75 night level, gift options are a free night certificate valid for stays of up to 40,000 points, or gifting Gold status to someone else. 

Marriott Gold is available on multiple credit cards as a benefit. But anything higher will require a nice amount of spend on your Marriot cards in order to achieve it. Here are the details. 

Which credit card offers Marriott Silver status? 

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card ($0) – complimentary 
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card ($95) – complimentary 

Which credit cards offer Marriott Gold Status? 

• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card ($125) – complimentary 
• Marriott Bountiful ($250) – complimentary
• Marriott Bevy ($250) – complimentary
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card ($0)  – after completing 10 elite nights (to reach Marriott Gold Status you need a total of 25 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Marriott Bold card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card ($95) – after spending $35,000 on the card within a cardmember year or after completing 10 elite nights (to reach Marriott Gold Status you need a total of 25 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Marriott Boundless card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)
• Amex Platinum Card (all flavors) ($695) 
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express ($695) 

Which credit card offers Marriott Platinum Elite?

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card ($650) – complimentary 
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card ($0)  – after completing 35 elite nights (to reach Marriott Platinum Status you need a total of 50 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Bold card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card ($95) – after completing 35 elite nights (to reach Marriott Platinum Status you need a total of 50 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Boundless card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights) or spend a total of $175,000 on your card (you get 1 elite night credit for each $5,000 you spend on the card).
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card ($125) – after completing 35 elite nights (to reach Marriott Platinum Status you need a total of 50 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Business card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card ($450) – after completing 35 elite nights (to reach Marriott Platinum Status you need a total of 50 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Brilliant  card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)

Pro tip

Each Marriott credit card product type that you get gives you 15 complimentary EQNs. These EQNs are stackable.  So if you sign up to multiple Marriott cards you will get the status faster and with less spend required.

Which credit card offers Marriott Titanium Elite?

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card ($0)  – after completing 60 elite nights (to reach Marriott Titanium Status you need a total of 75 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Bold card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card ($95) – after completing 60 elite nights (to reach Marriott Titanium  Status you need a total of 75 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Boundless card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights) or spend a total of $300,000 on your card (you get 1 Elite Night credit for each $5,000 you spend on the card)
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card ($125) – after completing 60 elite nights (to reach Marriott Titanium Status you need a total of 75 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Business card you get complimentary 15 Qualifying Elite Nights)
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card ($450) – after completing 50 Elite Nights (to reach Marriott Titanium Status you need a total of 75 Qualifying Elite Nights. With the Bonvoy Brilliant  card you get complimentary 25 Qualifying Elite Nights)

Pro tip

Each Marriott credit card product type that you get gives you 15 complimentary EQNs. These EQNs are stackable.  So if you sign up to multiple Marriott cards you will get the status faster and with less spend required.

Which credit card offers Marriott Ambassador Elite

You cannot get Marriot Ambassador Elite via credit card spend (you need 100 Elite Qualifying Nights plus you need to spend $20,000 at Mariott properties)

How long does status last with Marriott 

• Complimentary status lasts as long as you hold the card open
• Status earned by Tier-Qualifying Nights lasts until the 28th of February two years after the year the status is earned (status earned in 2022 lasts until February 28, 2024).

World of Hyatt

The World of Hyatt loyalty program includes 4 levels: Member, Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist. Here is the list of benefits included in each tier: 

In order to reach the higher levels at Hyatt purely via credit card spend you need to be ready to swipe a nice amount on your cards. Here are the details. 

Which credit card offers World Of Hyatt Discoverist?

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card ($95) – complimentary
• World Of Hyatt Business Credit Card ($199) – complimentary 

Which credit card offers World Of Hyatt Explorist? 

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card ($95) – You get 5 complimentary Tier-Qualifying Night Credits each year,  plus you can get  2 additional Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for each $5,000 you spend on your card in a calendar year. You need 30 nights to reach Explorist status. So to reach it through credit card spend you will need to spend $65,000 on your card. 
• World Of Hyatt Business Credit Card ($199) – You get 5 complimentary Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year . You need 30 nights to reach Explorist status. So to reach it through credit card spend ou will need to spend $60,000 on your card

Which credit card offers World Of Hyatt Globalist? 

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card ($95) – You get 5 complimentary Tier-Qualifying Night Credits each year,  plus you can get  2 additional Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for each $5,000 you spend on your card in a calendar year. You need 60 nights to reach Globalist status. So to reach it through credit card spend you will need to spend $140,000 on your card. 
• World Of Hyatt Business Credit Card ($199) – You get 5 complimentary Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year. You need 60 nights to reach Explorist status. So to reach it through credit card spend you will need to spend $120,000 on your card

Which credit card offers World Of Hyatt Lifetime Globalist

Cannot be earned via credit card spend 

How long does status last with World of Hyatt

• Complimentary status lasts as long as you hold the card open
• Status earned by Tier-Qualifying Nights lasts through February 28 of the year after status is earned (status earned in 2022 lasts through February 28, 2024).

IHG Hotels

The IHG Loyalty program includes 5 levels: Club, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. One of the unique features of the IHG Loyalty program that isn’t found in other major hotel programs is that extra elite nights roll-over to the next year and apply to qualification for that year. Here is the list of benefits included in each tier: 

These benefits look impressive. But the good thing is that you can go up all the way to Diamond status without even ever sleeping in an IHG hotel. Rather purely through credit card perks and spend.  

Which credit card offers IHG Sliver Elite? 

• IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card ($0) – complimentary 

Which credit card offers IHG Gold Elite? 

• IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card ($0) – after spending $20,000 on the card each calendar year

Which credit card offers IHG Platinum Elite? 

• IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card ($99) – complimentary 
• IHG Rewards Premier Business card ($99) – complimentary
• United Club Infinite Card ($525) – complimentary  

Which credit card offers IHG Diamond Elite? 

• IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card ($99) – after spending $40,000 plus one additional purchase on your card per calendar year
• IHG Rewards Premier Business card ($99) – after spending $40,000 plus one additional purchase on your card per calendar yea

Wyndham Hotels

The Wyndham Loyalty Program includes 4 levels; Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Here are the benefits offered for each tier.    

Here is how to push yourself into a higher status with Wyndham without even ever sleeping in a Wyndham hotel. Only by signing up to a Wyndham credit card.  

Which credit card offers Wyndham Gold?  

• Wyndham Rewards Earner Card ($0) – complimentary

Which credit card offers Wyndham Platinum? 

• Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card ($75)  – complimentary 
• Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card ($95) – complimentary 

Which credit card offers Wyndham Diamond? 

Cannot be achieved via credit card spend 

——————————

Thanks to the great Matthew Wood from Miles Earn And Burn for working with us to put together this post.