With 2022 now fast approaching, the quest for elite status starts all over again (with the major hotel chains). Although we might reasonably expect to see the requirements relaxed at some point, these are the current requirements for 2022…
Earning Status via Stays / Nights
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors extended the current level of status of its members until March 31st, 2023. (click here for details)
But if you want to renew or upgrade your level of elite status in 2022 – which would be valid until March 2024 – you will need:
- Gold status – 14 stays, 28 nights or 52,500 base points
- Diamond status – 21 stays, 42 nights or 84,000 base points
If you had some Hilton nights in 2021, those nights have all rolled forward into 2022. To be clear, ONLY nights have rolled over, not stays or base points.
World of Hyatt
World of Hyatt did NOT extend the elite status of its members in 2021, although you might recall that it offered a double elite night credit promotion in the early part of 2021, which meant that many members could earn or renew Globalist status with just 15 nights. (I suspect that many did, which is why Hyatt did not feel the need to extend status for all…)
At the time of publication, Hyatt hads not announced any reduction in the requirements for 2022 – therefore you will need:
- Globalist status – 60 nights or 100,000 base points
- Explorist status – 30 nights or 50,000 base points
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott extended the current level of status of its members until February 2023. (click here for details)
Marriott has reverted to its standard requirements for earning elite status in 2022, meaning that you will need:
- Platinum status – 50 nights
- Titanium status – 75 nights
- Ambassador status – 100 nights + $20,000 of pre-tax spend
In 2020 and 2021, Marriott added complimentary elite night credits to the accounts of members with elite status. If Marriott chooses to repeat that offer, we should expect an announcement soon.
IHG Rewards
IHG extended the current level of status of its members until January 2023. (click here for details)
IHG has reverted to its standard requirements for earning elite status in 2022, meaning that you will require:
- Platinum status – 40 nights or 40,000 elite qualifying points (or buy Ambassador status for $200)
- Spire status – 75 nights or 75,000 elite qualifying points
IHG normally offers “rollover nights”. It is unclear at this stage whether ALL nights spent in 2021 will be rolled over to 2022 (since the threshold for renewal was reduced to 0 nights with the extension)
Credit Card Short-cuts
Hilton Honors
Diamond is automatically given to cardholders with the Aspire card from American Express.
World of Hyatt
5 elite nights are credited annually to Chase co-branded cardholders. You can earn additional elite night credits by spending large sums on your Hyatt card.
Marriott Bonvoy
15 elite night credits are given annually to personal cardholders (either American Express or Chase). You can only earn one set of elite night credits from a personal credit card. Small business owners can get a business card that provides an additional 15 elite nights.
Cards are occasionally available that offer Platinum status to cardholders spending large amounts. However, credit card spend does NOT result in additional elite night credit.
IHG Rewards
Platinum status is automatically given to Premier cardholders (Chase).
Credit card spend usually generates Elite Qualifying Points, meaning that you can spend your way to Spire status if you choose…
The Bottom Line
Hilton Honors might not offer the best elite status benefits – if everybody is elite… then nobody is – but it certainly makes it easy to become and remain a top-tier Diamond member.
The other hotel chains also give their co-branded credit card holders a head start towards elite status, something that makes the rest of the world rather jealous…
