With it now being 2024, I thought it would be fun to share my hotel elite status strategy for the coming year. While I think the value of airline elite status has decreased considerably over the years, I continue to greatly value hotel elite status, including for suite upgrades and more.
As we start a new year, let me share a general overview of how I’m approaching hotel elite status for the coming year, and what elite status tiers I am starting the year with, and intend to end the year with.
In this post:
What my hotel stays in 2024 will look like
The number of nights per year that I’m spending in hotels has decreased significantly over time. Back in the day I lived in hotels full time, while nowadays my favorite place to be is at home. The older I get, the more I realize that no hotel bed can beat the comfort and familiarity of sleeping at home.
Admittedly a large factor here is that our son, Miles, was born in August 2022, so I try to be home as much as possible. While I have a lot of respect for people who galavant around the globe with their infant, personally that’s not something we have much interest in doing until he’s a bit older.
Our son is super easy (by infant standards) when he’s at home and has a routine, and that makes our lives easier. Meanwhile travel makes everything a lot more complicated, and being a parent to an infant is complicated enough under the best of conditions. So most of our travel with him is within a timezone or two of Florida.
Currently a lot of my travel comes in the form of review trips, where I travel exclusively to review airlines, and in some cases hotels. But still, the goal is to be away from home for as little time as possible.
For those “real” trips we take, ultimately the priority is to have as good of an experience as possible and to make it something that’s worth leaving home for, and that means not blindly staying with any one hotel group due to loyalty.
I’m just trying to temper expectations upfront. In the coming years, we’re excited to start traveling with Miles a lot more once he can actually get more out of travel, and then my hotel elite status goals will reflect that increased travel.
So 2024 will be a very busy airline year for me (with a lot of review trips), but probably not a very busy hotel year.
My 2024 hotel elite status strategy
Hotel loyalty programs can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can offer valuable benefits and the ability to redeem points for free night awards. On the other hand, they can make us act irrationally, and choose overpriced and less charming hotels than you may otherwise find if you were a “free agent.”
Let me share how I’m approaching 2024 elite status with some of the major hotel loyalty programs. To be honest, I sort of feel liberated, because I can maintain the status that I currently have without spending a single night in hotels, which gives me a lot of flexibility. That’s thanks to having lifetime elite status with my two preferred hotel loyalty programs.
Now, there are still incentives to stay with certain hotel groups, and only time will tell how that plays out.
World of Hyatt Globalist status (lifetime)
World of Hyatt Globalist is my favorite top tier hotel status, and it ordinarily requires 60 elite nights or 100,000 base points in a year to earn. Now, a confession — 2023 was the first time in about 15 years where I didn’t qualify for Hyatt’s top status through nights.
I only ended the year with about 30 elite nights, a far cry from the 60 required for Globalist under normal circumstances. Fortunately thanks to my recently earned lifetime Globalist status, I get that status every year without having to actually qualify.
While the Milestone Rewards program is tied to the number of elite nights you rack up, lifetime Globalist members get quite a few of the rewards each year automatically, including four suite upgrade awards, a Category 1-7 free night award, five Guest of Honor awards, and access to My Hyatt Concierge.
While I’m hoping to qualify for Globalist status the “normal” way in 2024 (so that I earn even more Milestone Rewards perks), I’m not sure this will necessarily be the year where that happens, and I’m not putting any pressure on myself to do that.
I suppose I could shift some credit card spending to Hyatt’s co-branded credits in order to earn more elite nights:
- With the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) you receive five elite nights toward status annually just for having the card, plus an additional two elite nights for every $5,000 you spend on the card
- With the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review) you receive five elite for every $10,000 spent on the card in a calendar year
However, that also comes with some opportunity cost. Still, if it’s just an incremental top-off on otherwise earning 40 or so nights, maybe it’s worth it.
We’ll see how the year goes. I’m going to assume that I’ll once again fall back on my lifetime Globalist status, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I make it to 60 elite nights either.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status (lifetime)
Marriott Bonvoy is generally my backup hotel loyalty program, though with each passing year I seem to spend fewer nights at Marriotts. My status in the Marriott Bonvoy program keeps decreasing… and I’m totally fine with that.
Up until a few years ago, I had Ambassador status, and then I dropped to Titanium status. However, in 2023 I only earned around 65 elite nights, so I dropped to Platinum status. Fortunately I have lifetime Platinum status, so that’s not even a status that I need to earn. However, there are still incentives to racking up elite nights, in order to receive Choice Benefits.
Marriott Bonvoy members can earn up to 40 elite nights per year with co-branded Marriott credit cards, like the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review) and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review). Furthermore, just for having the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, you’ll receive Platinum status.
2023 just wasn’t a very big Marriott year for me, and I think I’m fine with “just” maintaining Platinum status. That offers the basic perks I value, like some sort of breakfast, guaranteed late check-out, suite upgrades subject to availability at most brands, etc.
Nowadays I only stay at Marriott properties when it’s the best option, either in terms of quality or value. I don’t generally enjoy staying at Marriott Bonvoy properties in the United States, as I find that they often overpromise and underdeliver.
There are some regions where Marriott is much better. For example, I love some of Marriott’s Luxury Collection resorts in the Mediterranean, and being able to redeem points there in summer is always a highlight of my year.
Hilton Honors Diamond status (credit card)
Hilton is a brand that has grown on me in recent years:
- Hilton has greatly increased its portfolio of luxury hotels, which makes me actually want to stay at more Hiltons
- Just for having the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (review) you get top tier Honors Diamond status; on top of that, the $550 annual fee card more than pays for itself based on all the other perks, like an anniversary free night award, up to $400 in Hilton resort credits annually, up to $200 in flight credits annually, and much more
- Hilton Honors has gotten better at delivering on elite benefits than Marriott Bonvoy has in many ways, or at least the program doesn’t overpromise and underdeliver in the same way
While I don’t specifically seek out Hiltons, I do find myself staying at Hiltons when they’re the best option in a city, and in many cases I’ve come to prefer Hiltons to Marriotts. From the perspective of chasing status, there’s limited need to stay with Hilton more, though, given that there’s nothing beyond Diamond status.
I usually complete a handful of stays at Hilton properties per year, and 2023 was no different.
The information and associated card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
IHG One Rewards Platinum status (credit card)
The IHG One Rewards loyalty program has been nicely revamped, especially with the Milestone Rewards program. However, I just don’t love IHG’s portfolio overall, as well as the lack of good points redemption opportunities for luxury properties.
IHG is very much my backup backup backup hotel program, after World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hilton Honors. 😉 I have IHG One Rewards Platinum status, which is offered just for being a cardmember of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (review). The status ultimately isn’t that valuable, but it comes in handy for the few times that I do stay at IHG properties.
IHG is even more a hotel group that I only stay with if the brand has the best (by some metric) property at the destination that I’m visiting.
Virtuoso & other programs
The truth is that you don’t actually need to be loyal to a hotel group to receive elite-like benefits. There are all kinds of programs offering room upgrades, breakfast, hotel credits, and more, all based on the method you use to book.
These include Virtuoso, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, Belmond Bellini Club, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Hilton Impresario, Hyatt Privé, Marriott STARS & Luminous, Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, Rosewood Elite, etc. I find myself booking through these programs quite often, regardless of whether I’m staying at a luxury points hotel, or whether I’m staying at an independent hotel.
Bottom line
I don’t stay in hotels quite as much as I used to, given that we have an infant, so I try to prioritize being home as much as possible. Suffice it to say that the number of hotel stays I complete has nosedived, and nowadays I often just stay places for one or two nights.
Fortunately I’m in a pretty good spot when it comes to hotel status at the moment, in terms of being able to maintain what I have with absolutely no effort.
I have lifetime World of Hyatt Globalist and Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status. While there are incentives to still stay with those brands and qualify the “hard” way to get incremental perks, we’ll see how that plays out this year. Meanwhile I have Hilton Honors Diamond and IHG One Rewards Platinum status through co-branded credit cards, also with no stay requirements.
It feels really liberating to be a “free agent,” and to be able to maintain four status tiers without any elite nights required. It really allows me to pick the hotel that’s best for a particular occasion, rather than just blindly staying with one hotel group.
What’s your hotel loyalty strategy for 2024? Does it differ from past years?
I'm focusing on Marriott and Hilton. Marriott esp with double elite nights promotion Q1 and Hilton, is usually where I stay at the most. IHG is my backup (w/ credit card status). Hyatt just don't have the footprint I need
How did you get lifetime Globalist? Was that just spending nights at their properties and spending money there?
Simple process: 10 years at top level and 1 million points (bonuses don't count) (have to spend $200,000 not including taxes etc).
Hello Mr. Ben Schlappig,
How close are you to lifetime Diamond with Hilton?
Hi Ben, I saw your post about a WOH premium credit card survey. I wanted to know if you think it might be coming out soon or is now a good time to apply for the personal WOH card? Or should I do the business version so it doesn't affect 5/24.
So long story short. You either have lifetime status and don't need to worry about where you stay or you have the credit card. You prefer to stay with Hyatt, like usual. You'll stay at a Marriott, but not in the US. Hilton has surprised you lately and IHG is just there in case there's no other option. Oh, and don't forget the other travel agent options where Ford makes money from the bookings or gets a reduced rate later on down the line :). Sound about right Lucky?
Oh Ben, I have been following you for ages and I am now following your footsteps with surrogacy! My husband and I are doing it in Argentina so travels will be drastically reduced. Living in Australia means we don’t have the luxury for co-branded credit card. But will definitely be sticking to Hilton for myself and Accor for he (being French )
I mean this as constructive feedback: I love reading this blog, but I am increasingly being worn down by the drumbeat of "I just want to be at home, I love my family, I don't care about travel at all but its my job so let me clock in-clock out and get back home." This blog is informative and I will keep reading it for that reason, but the constant downer comments about how you'd...
I mean this as constructive feedback: I love reading this blog, but I am increasingly being worn down by the drumbeat of "I just want to be at home, I love my family, I don't care about travel at all but its my job so let me clock in-clock out and get back home." This blog is informative and I will keep reading it for that reason, but the constant downer comments about how you'd really rather not be traveling is dfeinitely a detraction. It was totally engagable the first 3 times, but now its in the first paragraph of every third post.
@ Franklin -- Totally fair feedback, I appreciate it, and thanks for reading! :-)
@mm Just wondering why you choose to still read if you don't like his content? I wouldn't continue to go to a restaurant I didn't like so I could keep posting bay Yelp reviews. And yes, I'm genuinely curious.
She didn’t says she don’t like :-( your imagination is insane
huh? I absolutely love Ben's content. And complimented his volume of posts...yesterday and, generally of late.
JoeSchmo seemed to minimize the work involved on Ben's part and I sarcastically conferred.
Perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . Ben reposts fundamental topic articles for the newbies who are joining the hobby. Or, it's simply a new year. And, perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . he's not just reposting just to create volume.
At least you accurately describe this post - FUN. Most people would not consider each loyalty program unless they are really on the road often for work and have the flexibility to choose the hotel.
I wonder how the strategy changes without Lifetime Globalist/Platinum? Marriott Platinum is still easy via holding the Amex Marriott Brilliant, but given the lack of high status Hyatt cards, does that just mean general avoiding Hyatt (or booking via Prive/FHR/Virtuoso/etc. every time)?
@ David -- If I didn't have lifetime Globalist, I probably would have found a way to still earn it, since it's a status I do value. I probably would have shifted more credit card spending to Hyatt.
MM -
Ben posted a lot of recycled content for the newbies or those that missed it the first time around.
MM giveth
JoeSchmo taketh away.
Are you saying that Ben doesn't write 100% original articles each time he posts one about "How Long Do Amex Membership Rewards Points Transfers Take?" And some of the words in the old article made it into the new article? OMG, that's terrible. He plagiarized himself? Ben is just giving the appearance of being productive? So so disappointing.
GMAB JoeSchmo
Shocking, I know. But I'll cut you this one break, MM.
@ JoeSchmo -- Regarding a lot of the more "fundamental" posts I've been publishing in recent days, I often try to do that at the beginning of each year. The intent isn't to have a high volume of posts, but rather many programs make changes around the beginning of the year, so I try to address those changes, and make sure as much content as possible is accurate.
I see Ben is on speed again. 13 posts in the last 24 hours, all of which have highly detailed and relevant information.
Wow