With 2024 just weeks away, travelers are counting down their status-earning achievements to reap the benefits in 2025.
You may be hoping to achieve elite status for the first time this year or you may be chasing higher status levels. If you’re in that boat, you can plan to get there with organic travel or even a last-minute mattress run.
It is often much easier to qualify for elite status with hotels than with airlines because the awards remain with the major chains in the calculation of hotel elite status.
However, if you risk falling short of earnings status in 2024, will a hotel stay from December 31 to January 1 count toward earnings status this year or next? TPG reader Haley asks:
After accounting for all my business travel I will be one night short of Marriott Platinum status this year. If I book an award stay for New Year’s Eve, does it count for this year (when I check in) or next year (when I check out)?
Related: Last-minute tips to lock in hotel elite status before the end of the year
Elite credits remain to be earned on New Year’s Eve
The short answer is that Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards credits last from December 31 to January 1 for the previous year, while Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt offer credits for stays up to the following year.
That means if Haley books a one-night stay for New Year’s Eve, it will push her over the threshold to earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status in 2024 to enjoy in 2025.
Things start to get a bit more complicated if Hailey is booking a longer stay – for example, checking in on December 31 and checking out on January 3. Marriott and IHG split the stay, so nights up to (and including) December 31 count toward the previous year while nights after January 1 count toward the next year.
Hilton and Hyatt are different; The investment is not split, and the entire investment is calculated towards 2025.
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A Hyatt agent previously advised TPG that while the default setting is for overnight to post to 2025, members can call and request a manual adjustment. Bookings can be split, so nights up to December 31 count towards the 2024 World of Hyatt status requirements.
However, several TPG readers reported earlier this year that Hyatt refused to do this when requested by phone, so just to be safe, you’ll want to make sure you reach the required number of nights by December 31.
How to get elite hotel status with a credit card
With the right credit card, you won’t have to worry about spending New Year’s Eve at a hotel to earn elite status in your favorite hotel loyalty program.
This Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card All cards offer Platinum Elite status for members. Alternatively, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offer 15 Elite Night Credits each year. And if you have both, those credits stack, meaning you’ll receive 30 Elite Night credits, more than half the number required for Bonvoy Platinum status.
If you have a World of Hyatt credit card, you automatically get five tier-qualifying nights annually. You’ll also earn two tier-qualifying nights for every $5,000 you spend on your World of Hyatt credit card. The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers five tier-qualifying nights for every $10,000 spent on the card each calendar year.
If you choose Hilton Honors, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Diamond status.
Information for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
IHG Platinum Elite status is offered as a benefit of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.
If you have the United Club℠ Infinity Card, you can also register for complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status.
Finally, you can enjoy Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Platinum Card® from American Express (registration required).
The bottom line
Leaving eligibility for status until the last possible day is risky, especially given the large differences in benefits across hotel status tiers.
That said, Haley will be able to get her last elite qualifying night on December 31, even if her stay extends to January next year.
If you are planning to use New Year travel To qualify for hotel elite status, monitor your account during the first week of January to ensure your stay credits as expected.