The major hotel chains determine qualification for elite status over the course of a calendar year. For most of us, December 31st is clearly a part of 2021. But for the major hotel chains, it isn’t quite so straightforward, since you are actually checking out on January 1st, 2022 (or even later)…

World of Hyatt

With World of Hyatt, the default setting is for all nights to credit to the year in which check-out occurs.

This can have odd, but potentially very appealing, outcomes. For example, if a Christmas holiday stay lasts from December 23 until January 2, all 10 nights would credit to 2022.

If you have already reached your desired level of elite status with Hyatt, this could give you a big head start on 2022.  But if you actually do need those nights to apply to 2021, you can contact Hyatt for a manual adjustment.  (in my example above, that would mean 8 nights applying retrospectively to 2021 and 2 to 2022)

Hilton Honors

Because elite status has been extended and ALL nights accumulated in 2021 will rollover to 2022, this is less of an issue in 2021/2022 than it might have been in previous years.

But Hilton’s systems are programmed to apply the stay / night / point credit to the year of check-out (i.e. 2022) –  Hilton Honors’ Terms & Conditions confirm this.

As a result, if you are hoping to upgrade your Hilton status in 2021, you must check-out on or before December 31, 2021 to have the stay / night / points count for 2021.

It is worth noting that Day Use rates for December 31st would credit to the following year, as Hilton’s systems treat day rooms as an overnight stay.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott’s IT problems are legendary. But the principle is clear, a December 31st hotel stay is supposed to credit to 2021 (and usually would do so). If you have a longer stay straddling 2021 and 2022, the system is supposed to automatically allocate the elite nights accordingly.

But those IT systems…  $%^!  If your December 31st stay ultimately credits to 2022, and you would like it to stay that way, then you certainly have the option to keep quiet about it.

IHG Rewards

Because IHG has extended elite status for another year, you might not have any compelling reason to credit any further stays, including New Year’s Eve, to 2021.

Nonetheless, IHG’s systems will automatically apply any night / point credit to the year of check-out. (i.e. 2022)

If you really need your December 31st stay to apply to 2021, you can contact IHG for a manual adjustment.

The Bottom Line

It might seem a bit odd that only Marriott explicitly considers a December 31st hotel stay to be a part of the year of check-in – i.e. 2021.

Hyatt and IHG are a bit fuzzy on the matter – but you can request that it apply to 2021 if you wish.

Hilton is very clear… check out in 2022 and your elite credit applies to 2022!

Does this match with your experience? Have you ever qualified for status based on a New Year’s Eve hotel stay? Let us know in the comments section…