Hotel elite status can make your stays more rewarding.
Most hotel elite status requires that you stay a certain number of nights per year at a hotel.
For instance, Marriott’s Platinum status (the sweet spot in the chain) requires a whopping fifty stays a year.
That is quite a bit even for a road warrior.
Why work that hard when a credit card can give you elite status?
A credit card might not give you Platinum status, but it will help you get there quicker.
Most credit cards will just give you entry level status.
If you want the higher statuses, like Marriott Platinum, they will give you a shortcut though.
In the past, I stayed at fifty hotels a year.
Even with that frequency, most of my hotel elite statuses came from credit cards.
Unless you are a frequent business traveler, this is the easy way to go.
It also allows you to hold elite status at more than one chain which is my preference.
In the past, I have held the following elite status:
- Marriott Gold
- Hilton Gold
- IHG Platinum
I took time off travel, so some of these have been downgraded.
In the future, I would like Marriott Platinum status as well as status with Hyatt.
My preferred chains are Hilton and Marriott, and I plan to stay at more Hyatt hotels in the future.
Again, most of my elite status comes from credit cards.
Why work hard if you don’t have to?
What is hotel elite status?
Hotel elite status is a way of recognizing loyalty members, usually based on frequency.
Here are the levels in the major chains:
Hilton:
- Silver
- Gold
- Diamond
Marriott:
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Titanium
- Ambassador
Hyatt
- Discoverist
- Explorist
- Globalist
IHG
- Gold
- Platinum
- Spire
IHG has a special program for it’s Intercontinental program called Ambassador.
This is separate from the regular IHG program.
Is hotel elite status even worthwhile?
It depends.
In general, the most important benefit of mid-tier elite status is free breakfast.
Top level status will get you more free night certificates, upgrades to suites, etc.
Each chain is different.
So, this will depend on your preferred chain.
Hilton hotels will give you any elite status for holding a credit card.
The top level status, Diamond, is gotten with the $450 Aspire card.
If you are a Hilton loyalist, the sweet spot for most people is still Gold though which you can get with the $95 Surpass card.
You will have to decide if the $95 fee is worth the free breakfast.
You get free breakfast for you and one other person.
So, if you have more than two people, maybe you want two cards.
If this is worth the $95 fee, then Gold is for you.
If not the no fee card will give you Silver status for free.
Since that card has no fee, why not?
Marriott and Hyatt will take more than a credit card for their elite status that gives you free breakfast.
They will also give you more benefits like suite upgrades and another free night (Hyatt).
IHG will give you Platinum status just for having the card.
Although there is no breakfast with IHG Platinum, I have gotten upgrades to huge suites.
In the present, they explicitly state that suites are not included, but they often upgrade you to larger rooms.
Since the card pays for itself with the free annual night, you might as well take Platinum status.
The Hyatt and Marriott $95 credit cards pay for themselves too, so you might as well take Hyatt Discoverist and Marriott Silver status.
So, most hotel credit card, except Hilton, don’t give you anything but entry level status.
That will not get you a lot, but it is something.
If you were going to get the credit card anyway, entry level status is better than nothing.
I used to be Marriott Gold when it was the sweet spot for years, and it offered free breakfast.
Since I took time off travel, I am down to entry level Silver status.
This still gets me upgraded to larger rooms, early/late checkout, and extra points.
At the last Westin hotel I stayed at, I was upgraded to an enhanced room.
It was not a suite, but it was better than nothing.
I am also used to checking in early and out late, so entry level status does get you something again.
It also gets you a few extra points for your stay again.
Hilton will not give you the fifth night free without status.
If you want to go for higher status, like my Marriott Platinum aspirations, the credit card will give you more elite credits.
Below, you will find what you will get with each credit card and elite status.
Again, benefits of elite status are:
- more points
- free upgrades
- free breakfast
- early and late checkout
- 5th night free
If you go out of your way to get higher elite status, make sure you will use it.
8 Credit Cards That Give You Elite Status With Just A Credit Card
Hilton
1. The American Express Hilton Credit Card
This card will give you entry level Hilton Silver status.
The card has no fee.
The benefits of Silver Elite Status are:
- 15% point bonus: Comes to an extra 2 points per dollar (1 point per dollar at Home 2 Suites and Tru)
- 5th Night Free On Award Stays
- 2 bottles of water
You can upgrade it to one of the paid Hilton cards.
I started with this card and upgraded to the Hilton Surpass.
In addition to your extra 2 points for Silver status, you will also get 7 points per dollar with the credit card.
Since Hilton gives 10 points per dollar base points, as a Silver elite, you will get 19 points per dollar.
Silver also unlocks your fifth night free on award stays which can be a valuable perk.
Remember, American Express does not allow you to earn a sign up bonus more than once in a lifetime.
They will offer you points for upgrading to cards like the Surpass if you have never got the bonus on that card. .
2. American Express Surpass credit card
The Surpass card gives you Gold status.
Hilton Gold status is the best mid-level hotel status in all the hotel chains.
Here is what Gold status gets you:
- 80% bonus: Extra 8 points per dollar (4 points per dollar at Home 2 Suites & Tru)
- 5th night free
- 2 bottles of water
- Room upgrades
- Breakfast: You & one additional guest
Even though you can get entry level Silver status with Hilton for free with the previous credit card, I think most people should go for this status.
If the free breakfast is not worth the fee, then you can stick with the first Hilton card.
You have to do the math.
The Surpass card costs $95 a year again.
The fee is not waived the first year.
Again, the main perk of Hilton Gold status is free breakfast.
I enjoyed many nice upgrades as a Hilton Gold over the years, but I still think the breakfast is the main perk.
It is for two people.
If Hilton is your preferred chain, I think Gold status is the most valuable status again.
You will need to do the math though.
3. American Express Aspire card
This card comes with a $450 fee.
This may not be for all though it does give more value.
Because this credit card gives you a $200 credit, $250 resort credit, and a free night certificate, this can cover the fee.
Again, this gives you more for your money.
We are in a pandemic though, and people may not be able to use these credits.
They were offering a $250 restaurant credit instead for a limited time.
I think this has expired, but if it is still available this is good during the pandemic.
Under normal circumstances, if you can use all the perks, this card would pay for itself, and you could just have Diamond status as an extra.
This is the only hotel credit card that gives top hotel elite status with just a credit card.
Hilton Diamond status does not offer much more than Gold status although they are trying to change that.
Hilton Diamond status includes:
- 100% point bonus: Earn 10 points per dollar extra (5 points per dollar at Home Suites & Tru)
- 48 hour room guarantee:
- 5th night free on award stays
- 2 bottles of water
- Room upgrades
- Free breakfast
- Executive lounge access:
I am thinking about this card later.
Marriott
4. Marriott Boundless credit card
The Marriott Boundless credit card comes with a $95 fee, but gives you a free certificate at a category 5 hotel each year which will more than cover the cost.
If you will stay at a Marriott hotel once a year, this card should make sense.
The free certificate will cover the card’s cost again.
You will get a Marriott hotel for $95.
This card gives Silver status, which does not give much, but is ok.
Marriott Silver status includes the following:
- 10% point bonus: An extra 1 point (only .5 point at Element, Residence Inn, or Towneplace Suites)
- Late checkout
- Elite reservation line
The neat thing this year in terms of elite status is the ability to earn 30 credits from multiple cards towards Platinum or other statuses with Marriott.
Since if you stay at a Marriott hotel a least once a year, the fee will pay for itself, you might as well keep Silver status.
Remember, Platinum status is the sweet spot in the Marriott program.
Because I took time off travel before starting the blog, I am currently Marriott Silver.
I still get upgraded sometimes, so I am sure it will come in handy and is better than nothing.
Platinum status requires fifty stays a year again.
This card will give you 15 credits toward Platinum status.
Why not have Silver status anyway if you stay at least once a year at a Marriott hotels?
Honestly, I take things like early and late checkout for granted with just Silver status as well as enhanced room upgrades.
5. American Express Marriott Brilliant card
This is Marriott’s luxury card.
It has a $450 fee.
We are in a pandemic, and people are staying at hotels less.
Normally, since this card gives you a $300 credit for Marriott hotels, this is a valuable card.
Spending $300 per year at Marriott hotels is just 2-3 stays when hotels average $100-$150 a day.
The card comes with a free night certificate.
The card gives Marriott Gold status.
Marriott Gold status gets you:
- 25% point bonus : Earn extra 2.5 bonus points at most hotels
- Priority early and late checkout
- Enhanced internet
- Upgrades to enhanced rooms
- Welcome gift
Remember, the sweet spot in the Marriott chain is Platinum status where you get free breakfast and suite upgrades.
You get 15 credits from each Marriott credit card toward Platinum status up to 30 credits a year.
Hyatt
Hyatt only offers one credit card.
6. World Of Hyatt credit card
The World of Hyatt credit card comes with entry level Discoverist status.
This gives you:
- 10% point bonus: Earn extra .5 point bonus
- Upgrades to preferred rooms
- Daily bottle of water
- Complimentary premium internet
- Early and late checkout
- Elite reservation line
- Pearl status with M Life
- Bonus points on American flight
Like the Marriott Boundless credit card, this gets you a free night certificate for the $95 fee.
So, again, if you were going to stay at a Hyatt hotel once a year, the fee will pay for itself.
Hyatt’s best elite status is Globalist.
it is the best hotel top level status.
It is not for the faint of heart though because you need fifty stays a year with not many shortcuts.
You will get 5 credits from this card.
Award nights count too.
IHG
7. IHG credit card
The IHG Premier credit card gives you Platinum status.
I enjoyed this for years.
IHG Platinum status gives you:
- 50% Bonus points: This is an additional 5 points per dollar
- Early/Late Checkout:
- Room upgrades
- Welcome amenity: extra points or free food
Like the Marriott and Hyatt cards, if you are going to stay in an IHG hotel once a year, the card will pay for itself.
This card is $95 and gives a 4th night free which is rare.
Like I said, I enjoyed Platinum status for years and got upgraded to suites quite a bit.
Again, though they exclude suites in the present day, a nice larger room is still nice.
Other
Last, the Platinum card from American Express will give you Gold Status with both Hilton and Marriott.
8. The American Express Platinum credit card
The American Express Platinum credit card gives Gold status with both Marriott and Hilton again.
Honestly, this may not be for everyone.
First, Marriott Gold status is no longer the sweet spot that once included free breakfast.
Again, that is Platinum status.
So, I am not sure how valuable Gold status is with Marriott.
Second, most people tend to hold a Hilton card with Gold status.
So, even though this card gives two hotel elite statuses, they can be repetitive or not as useful.
For other perks, the Platinum credit card shines in perks like lounge access, so if you like the other perks you might as well take the Gold status from both chains.
If you just held the Platinum card, you would miss bonus points without the Hilton or Marriott credit cards, so most people just have Gold status with the Hilton card.
You can decide.
Summary
Unless you are a road warrior, you will need a ton of stays at a hotel chain to earn elite status.
Most of my elite status comes from credit cards.
I suggest yours do too.
Why work hard when you can just have a credit card?
When I go for higher status like Marriott’s Platinum in the future, I will use credit cards to get me there quicker.
So, I suggest getting your elite status through credit cards with less work, whether entry level cards or a shortcut to higher status.
Elite status can have valuable perks like free breakfast, upgrades, and extra points.
I was once upgraded to the Presidential Suite at The Doubletree hotel in Charleston, South Carolina with only Hilton Gold status.
I don’t think that would happen today though.
Entry level status has gotten me upgraded to bigger rooms.
So, even entry level elite status gets you something.
Most of these cards, except Hilton, will only give you entry level elite status again.
That is enough to get you more points, a larger room, and early/late checkout.
For higher elite status, these credit cards will usually offer a shortcut again.
Remember, if you have even one status level at any chain, you can match it to all the other chains by doing a status challenge.
Why work harder even if you want higher status?
Do you have elite status through a credit card, or did you use a credit card as a shortcut to higher elite status?
