Hilton Honors Diamond Benefits Guide (Upgrades, Lounge Access, etc.) [2022]

With Hilton Honors Diamond status becoming increasingly easier to obtain, many travelers are wondering what exactly are the Hilton Diamond benefits and whether or not it’s worth it to pursue this top-tier Hilton status.

This article will take an insightful look into the benefits of Hilton Honors Diamond status like room upgrades, lounge access, breakfast, and several others. 

I’ll also show you the various ways that you can earn Diamond status.

What is Hilton Honors Diamond status?

Hilton Honors Diamond status is the top-tier status offered by Hilton Honors that provides solid perks like free breakfast, lounge access, and upgrades to suites.

How do I earn Hilton Honors Diamond status?

There are a few ways to earn Hilton Honors Diamond status.

Earn it with hotel stays

The first way to earn Hilton Honors Diamond status is to earn it the old-fashioned way by physically staying at Hilton hotels.

You can earn Diamond status this way be accumulating:

  • 30 stays or
  • 60 nights or
  • 120,000 base points

That’s a lot of stays and nights, so unless you’re a frequent business traveler or living in hotels, it may not be realistic for you.

A far easier method is to earn Diamond status with a credit card or to obtain Hilton Honors Gold status through credit cards and then work your way up to Diamond status or just utilize a status match.

Credit cards

Hilton Honors Surpass Card

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card comes with a lot of benefits like:

  • 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
  • 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
  • 10 free Priority Pass lounge passes
  • One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15,000 in purchases in a calendar year
  • No foreign transaction fees

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card is an awesome hotel card for people who don’t want to shell out a lot of dough for a high annual fee but still want some solid hotel perks. 

Earning 12X on Hilton purchases is a big deal.

If you value Hilton points around half a cent per point, that’s like getting back 6% on your Hilton purchases which is competitive with some of the most premium credit cards.

Also, the free night certificate offered by this card is one of the best because you can use it at even the most expensive properties which could go for close to $1,000 per night or more! 

You can also earn Diamond status by putting $40,000 in spend during a calendar year on your card.

Hilton Aspire

Hilton Aspire Bonus

You can get automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status with the American Express Hilton Aspire.

The Aspire is one of the most loaded premium cards in terms of benefits.

Here’s a look at everything the Hilton Aspire card has to offer:

  • 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
  • 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and at U.S. restaurants
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases
  • Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status
  • One weekend night at any hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio (upon opening account and on account anniversary)
  • Weekend night after spending $60,000 on the card within a calendar year
  • Unlimited Priority Pass membership
  • $250 airline incidental fee statement credit
  • $250 Hilton resort statement credit
  • $100 on property credit at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts when booking the exclusive Aspire Card package
  • $450 Annual Fee 

Tip: Get the free credit card app WalletFlo to help you optimize your credit cards with smart automation!

Credit cards + status challenge

You can get automatic Hilton Honors Gold status by getting approved for the following credit cards:

  • Platinum Card from American Express
  • Hilton Honors Surpass card

Once you have Hilton Honors Gold status, you can inquire about a “status challenge.”

These challenges involve you staying a certain number of nights within a specified time period to earn status.

For example, Hilton once offered me a challenge to stay 16 nights to earn Diamond status (versus the additional 20 nights I would’ve needed).

Related: Top Hotel Credit Cards for Optimal Rewards

Status matches

You can also utilize “status matches” to earn Hilton Honors Diamond status.

These typically require you to have a certain level of status with another hotel loyalty program and proof that you’ve stayed with that hotel in the past year.

After you show that, you’ll be matched with a corresponding level of Hilton Honors status.

For example, IHG Platinum status could get you Hilton Honors Diamond status. 

Sometimes you’ll be able to keep that status without doing anything further but other times you’ll need to book some Hilton stays in order to retain the status.

Status challenges are shortcuts to elite status.

What are the Hilton Honors Diamond Benefits?

The main Hilton Diamond benefits are:

  • 100% bonus on base points
  • Daily Food & Beverage Credit
  • Lounge Access 
  • Upgrades (subject to availability)
  • Premium internet
  • 48-hour room guarantee
  • Late check-out
  • Diamond status extension
  • Elite gifting

I will go into detail about these benefits below.

100% bonus on base points

With Diamond elite status, you automatically receive a 100% bonus on all the Honors Base Points you earn.

You will automatically earn 10X base points per dollar spent on most Hilton stays so this 100% bonus amounts to 20X total points per dollar spent.

At a WalletFlo valuation of .52 cents per point, this amounts to a 10.4% return which is pretty good. If you’re using the Aspire, you’ll earn an additional 14X which comes out to a total of 17% back! 

However, Hilton runs so many lucrative promotions that you can sometimes double this return which is very compelling.

In fact, I have seen instances where Hilton members can get 30% or more back in value for their stays!

Daily Food & Beverage Credit

As a Diamond member, you can receive a Daily Food & Beverage Credit as a MyWay Benefit.

Basically, if you’re staying in the US you can expect a credit you can use towards breakfast and if you are staying at an international property you can get a free breakfast. 

Whether you get a credit or a free breakfast it should be offered to you plus one guest.

The amount of the Daily Food & Beverage Credit will depend on the type of brand you’re staying at.

For example, you’ll receive a credit of $25 at Conrad Hotels & Resorts in the U.S but at DoubleTree by Hilton, you’ll receive a credit of $15 in the U.S. ($18 in select markets).

Here’s a breakdown of the Food & Beverage Credit amounts:

Daily Food & Beverage Credit prices

Keep in mind that many hotels usually offer complimentary breakfasts to all guests, such as Homewood Suites, Hampton Inns, etc.

Related Reading: What Hotels Have Free Breakfast?

Executive lounge access

Diamond members also receive access to the Executive Lounge regardless of room type booked (Gold members must be bumped up to an Executive level floor).

Lounges give you a nice spot to relax, get complimentary drinks and snacks, enjoy hors d’oeuvres in the evening, and it’s often the place where you’ll receive a breakfast.

Lounges can differ quite a bit in terms of luxury offered but I’ve enjoyed some very nice Hilton Executive Lounges at some properties.

At hotels that have an Executive Lounge that offers complimentary breakfast, Diamond members will not receive the Daily F&B Credit.

Executive lounge at the Hilton Americas in Houston, Texas.

Upgrades

Some people knock on the Hilton Diamond benefits because they don’t always have a good experience with receiving upgrades.

They either don’t happen enough, occur inconsistently, or just don’t live up to expectations.

I’ve personally had decent luck with upgrades as a Hilton Diamond member, so I’ve been mostly pleased.

My one complaint is that I’ve always had to request an upgrade rather than being offered one.

Also, unlike some other programs like Marriott or Hyatt where you can use certificates to get upgrades to better rooms, Hilton does not offer that.

Below are the official Hilton Honors terms regarding upgrades for Hilton Honors Diamond members.

Properties offering upgrades

  • Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
  • Conrad Hotels & Resorts
  • Canopy by Hilton
  • Hilton Hotels & Resorts
  • Curio – A Collection by Hilton
  • DoubleTree by Hilton
  • Tapestry Collection

Suites?

Diamond Hilton Honors Members will receive upgrades to preferred rooms, based on availability at the time of arrival.

Upgrades for Diamond members may include upgrades up to “junior”, “standard” or “one-bedroom” suites.

Upgrades may also be rooms with desirable views, corner rooms, rooms on high floors, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors Upgrades.

Excluded upgrades

Upgrades exclude executive suites, villas and specialty accommodations (which may include, but not limited to, “Vista” and “Villa” accommodation types), subject to the discretion of the hotel.

Group reservations and certain rates are not eligible for suite accommodations and may not be eligible for complimentary upgrades.

All upgrades are granted on a space-available basis for the entire stay, as determined at the time of arrival.

Preferred rooms are identified by each individual property and may vary within each brand.

Upgrades will be given only for one room for the member, regardless of additional rooms the member may have purchased at or after the time of booking.

Properties NOT offering upgrades

The following Hilton brands do not offer complimentary upgrades:

  • Embassy Suites
  • Hilton Garden Inn
  • Hampton by Hilton
  • Tru by Hilton
  • Homewood Suites by Hilton
  • Home2 Suites by Hilton
  • Hilton Grand Vacations.

Complimentary Premium internet

Diamond members will be offered complimentary in-room and lobby premium internet access, during stays at.

  • Waldorf Astori Hotels & Resorts
  • Conrad Hotels & Resorts
  • Canopy by Hilton
  • Curio – A Collection by Hilton
  • Hilton Hotels & Resorts
  • DoubleTree by Hilton
  • Tapestry Collection by Hilton
  • Embassy Suites Hotels
  • Tru by Hilton
  • Hilton Garden Inn
  • Hampton by Hilton
  • Homewood Suites by Hilton
  • Home2 Suites by Hilton
  • Hilton Grand Vacations

Premium speed internet may not be available at all hotels.

Free internet is offered to Silver and Gold status holders but Diamond members are given premium internet in the lobby and your room.

In my experience, the difference in speed varies hotel to hotel and for most purposes, the complimentary standard internet has been sufficient for me though I always appreciate the faster wifi when it’s available.

48-hour room guarantee

You are guaranteed a room when you make a reservation at least 48 hours prior to your arrival.

This is an invaluable benefit for those who travel to big events that often have hotels sold out for those time slots months or weeks in advance.

If you’re a business traveller who gets sent out to events or just busy areas at the last minute, this benefit can be one of the most valuable to you.

Late check-out

Late check-out with Hilton isn’t as strong as with other brands.

Often times I’ve only been given late check out until about 1pm or 2pm if I’m lucky. Meanwhile, other brands have guaranteed late check out until 4pm.

Related: Ultimate Late Check-Out Guide for Hotel Stays

Diamond status extension

Eligible Diamond members can choose to extend their status for an additional year beyond the expiration date, one-time, for any reason.

Available when you have been a Diamond Member for 3 years and stayed 250 lifetime nights or earned 500,000 Base Points.

Points earned via bonuses, promotions and/or co-branded credit cards do not count towards meeting the Diamond Status Extension criteria.

You can read more about Hilton Diamond extension here.

Elite gifting

If you hit 60 nights in the calendar year, you can gift Gold status to any member, and if you hit 100 nights then that gift is upgraded to Diamond!

Milestone Bonuses

Earn 10,000 Bonus Points every 10 nights after you’ve stayed 30 nights in a calendar year.

5th night free

You will receive every 5th night free on standard room reward stays of five nights or more. Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members all get this benefit, so it’s not exactly exclusive — just a nice perk you should be aware of.

Utilizing the fifth free night is how to capture ridiculous value with your Hilton points.

We once used the fifth night free at the all-inclusive Hilton Playa del Carmen and we came out with over $3,500 worth of free travel on that trip. It was pretty fantastic.

You can read more about how the free night is calculated here.

Tip: Save on Hilton stays with Hilton MVP!

Other perks

.Almost all of the the other Hilton Diamond benefits are the same as Gold:

  • Guaranteed Discount: A discounted, changeable & refundable rate is exclusively available for Hilton Honors members.
  • Digital Check-In: choose your room, and customize your stay from your mobile device up to 24 hours in advance.
  • Quick reservations and check-ins based on your room preferences
  • Express check-out
  • 2nd Guest stays free
  • Complimentary access to fitness centers and health clubs
  • Two complimentary bottles of water per stay

Hotel-specific benefits

There are also select benefits at different Hilton properties you can take advantage of.

Many of these benefits are the same to what is offered to Gold status members but there are some differences.

Members with Diamond status receive all member benefits:

Waldorf Astoria™ Hotels & Resorts

  • Space-available upgrade to a preferred room
  • 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay
  • Daily Food & Beverage Credit (U.S. hotels only) or Continental Breakfast (non-U.S. hotels)

Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton™ and Tapestry Collection by Hilton™

  • Space-available upgrade to a preferred room
  • 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay
  • Daily Food & Beverage Credit (U.S. hotels only) or Continental Breakfast (non-U.S. hotels)Executive Floor Lounge Access (available at select properties)

Canopy™ by Hilton

  • Space-available upgrade to a preferred room
  • 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay
  • Daily Food & Beverage Credit (U.S. hotels only) or Continental Breakfast (non-U.S. hotels)

Embassy Suites Hotels™

  • 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or three snack/refreshment choices per stay

Hilton Garden Inn™

  • 750 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or a Daily Food & Beverage Credit (U.S. hotels only) or Continental Breakfast (non-U.S. hotels)

Hampton by Hilton™

  • 250 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or choice of snack and non-alcoholic beverage

Tru by Hilton™

  • 250 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or choice of snack and 2 bottles of water per stay

Homewood Suites by Hilton™

  • 250 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or two bottles of water and sweet snack per stay

Home2 Suites by Hilton™

  • 100 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or choice of snack and bottled water per stay

Hilton Grand Vacations™

  • 2,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay

The Maldives also offers special benefits.

Hilton Honors Diamond FAQ

What are the main Hilton Diamond benefits?

100% bonus on base points
Daily Food & Beverage Credit
Lounge Access 
Upgrades (subject to availability)
Premium internet
48-hour room guarantee
Diamond status extension
Late check-out

What is the difference between Hilton Gold and Diamond?

The biggest differences are that Hilton Diamond offers guaranteed lounge access, upgrades to suites, and premium internet. Both offer Daily Food & Beverage Credits.

Does Hilton Diamond get you upgrades to suites?

Yes, Hilton Diamond will sometimes get you upgraded to suites (usually lower level suites).

Can you get Hilton Diamond with a credit card?

Yes, you can get instant Hilton Diamond status with the Hilton Aspire.

Do I get free breakfast with Hilton Diamond?

You will get a Daily Food & Beverage Credit you can use on breakfast with Hilton Diamond status.

Can you do a status challenge to Hilton Diamond?

Yes, Hilton may offer a challenge to stay 16 nights to earn Diamond status.

Final Word

In the end, the most notable Hilton Diamond benefits are Executive Lounge access, premium internet, and better upgrades. Hilton Diamond status can also be a real life-saver when you’re in need of a hotel room on short notice.

However, it’s not clear that the benefits outweigh those of Hilton Honors Gold, as most people likely will only be in need of complimentary internet and a breakfast — two Hilton Diamond benefits that Gold status already provides.

Still, for those interested in better upgrades, lounge access, and special treatment at places like the Maldives, Diamond could be worth pursuing, especially if you can obtain a status match.  

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit: Everything You Need to Know [2022]

Marriott Bonvoy has two annual milestones and these allow you to choose a benefit after reaching 50 and 75 nights in one calendar year.

With Marriott Annual Choice Benefits, you can choose some unique benefits that can push you to the next elite status tier, get you upgraded into suites, or even covered for a free night.

In this article, I will go over the options for Marriott Annual Choice Benefits, explaining each choice benefit offered and which ones I think are the best.

Then I will explain when and how to choose your Annual Choice Benefit.

What is the Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?

The Marriott Annual Choice Benefit is a milestone benefit for elites that reach 50 and 75 elite nights.

Benefits include Suite Night Awards (SNAs), elite night credits, a free night certificate, gifting elite status, 40% off a hotel bed, and a UNICEF donation.

Each benefit will give you a certain amount of value back and in my eyes, there are few that stand out.

I explain more below.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How to reach Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones are based on the number of elite nights you earn within a calendar year.

The two Annual Choice Benefit milestones are at:

  • 50 elite nights
  • 75 elite nights

Any elite nights you earned between January 1st and December 31st will count towards the nights needed for the Annual Choice Benefit milestones.

You might also notice that 50 nights is the requirement for Platinum Elite status and 75 nights is the requirement for Titanium Elite status.

So, once you reach Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite status through nights, you have the ability to pick one of the Annual Choice Benefits.

Ways to gain elite nights

The best way to gain elite nights is by staying in Marriott Bonvoy properties. Stay one night in a Marriott Bonvoy property on cash or points, you would earn an elite night for each night you actually spend at the property.

If you want short cuts, you could hold one of the three premium Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

  • Complimentary Gold Elite status
  • Spend $75,000 on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Platinum Elite status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year (not stackable with other personal Marriott cards)
  • $300 restaurant statement credit (as of 9/22/22)
  • Annual free night certificate valued up to 50,000 points
  • 6X points per dollar spent at Marriott properties
  • 3X points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines
  • 2X points per dollar spent on all other purchases
  • $450 annual fee

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Chase Card

  • Automatic Silver Elite Status
  • Spend $35,000 on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Gold Elite status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year (not stackable with other personal Marriott cards)
  • Annual free night certificate valued up to 35,000 points
  • 6X at Marriott properties
  • 2X on all other purchases
  • $95 annual fee

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

  • Automatic Silver Elite Status
  • Spend $35,000 on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Gold Elite status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
  • Annual free night certificate valued up to 35,000 points
  • 6X at Marriott properties
  • 4X at US restaurants, US gas stations, US telephone services, and US shipping purchases
  • 2X on all other purchases
  • $125 annual fee

Each of these cards offers 15 elite nights each calendar year that counts towards the Annual Choice Benefit milestones.

So, holding one of these cards will only require you to spend 35 nights in Marriott Bonvoy properties a year.

Marriott allows you to stack the 15 nights from a business and a personal card for a total of 30 nights.

That means that if you have both cards you only have to stay 20 nights in a year to earn an Annual Choice Benefit.

Other great benefits included in these cards would be the annual free night certificate.

That annual free night certificate will also earn you an elite night when redeeming it. It also pays for the annual fee of these cards, sometimes even more as a category 5 property can cost more than $300 a night sometimes.

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones

Marriott has two milestones, one at 50 nights and another at 75 nights.

At those two milestones, you have the opportunity to pick your Annual Choice Benefit.

Marriott 50 Nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone

Once you reached 50 elite nights in a calendar year, you will have the following Annual Choice Benefits to choose from:

  • Five Elite Night Credits
  • Five Suite Night Awards
  • The ability to gift Silver Elite status
  • 40% off a hotel bed
  • A $100 donation

You can only choose one of the benefits above when reaching 50 elite nights.

Marriott 75 Nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone

Once you reached 75 elite nights in a calendar year, you will have the following Annual Choice Benefits to choose from:

  • Five Elite Night Credits
  • Five Suite Night Awards
  • A free night award (valid at a hotel costing up to 40,000 points)
  • The ability to gift Gold Elite status
  • 40% off a hotel bed
  • A $100 donation

You can only choose one of the benefits above when reaching 75 elite nights.

Which Annual Choice Benefit is the best?

As there are six Annual Choice Benefits, some might be more valuable than others.

Let’s take a look and see which benefit would be a good fit for you.

Five elite night credits

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

These five elite nights work just like elite nights you get from staying at a Bonvoy property. They even count towards lifetime status.

Once selected, your account will reflect the Elite Night Credits within 48 hours of the receipt of the confirmation of the Annual Choice Benefit selection

When you select this benefit you will only receive the five elite nights in the year you reached the milestone.

For example, if you reached your Annual Choice Benefit in 2023 and selected your choice benefit in January 2024, you will only get those elite nights for the 2023 qualifying year.

I think this is only worth it if you need elite nights to push you from 70 nights to 75 nights to become Titanium Elite.

Five Suite Night Awards (SNAs)

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

I did an everything you need to know article about SNAs. I suggest you read it as it will allow you to understand SNAs if you never got or used them before.

However, in summary, SNAs are used to upgrade to a suite or premium room at a hotel or resort.

Each SNA is worth one night. So, if you are given five SNAs, you can use them over five nights.

Sometimes they can be denied, but it’s all dependent on the properties you visit.

I think SNAs are worth it when reaching the 50-night milestone.

SNA upgrades aren’t always confirmed making SNAs inconsistent. Yet, when an SNA is approved, you could get an upgrade to a room that is double the price of your original booking.

So there is a lack of certainty with this benefit but potentially a very high ceiling for value.

And remember, Suite Night Awards expire on December 31 of the year following the year in which they were earned. So you can’t sit on these for forever!

Marriott Renaissance Hotel Phoenix.

A free night award

This Annual Choice Benefit is only available at 75 nights.

For the 75-night milestone, you have the added benefit of selecting a free night award valued up to 40,000 points. This award is equal to category 5 peak redemptions.

So, you actually have quite a lot of flexibility when using this as category 5 properties are all over the world.

You can find my favorite category 5 properties here.

Some could be luxury city hotels while others will be luxury beach resorts or off in the jungle. I believe you can find a category 5 property just for you.

For the 75-night Annual Choice Benefit milestone, this is the best value choice for many.

Free nights at some of these properties can cost $300+ a night. So, as you can get a free night at a luxury property anywhere in the world, then this one is a no brainer.

The ability to gift elite status

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

  • 50-night milestone: gift Silver Elite status
  • 75-night milestone: gift Gold Elite status

I personally think gifting low tier Marriott Bonvoy status as an Annual Choice Benefit is a waste because you can get Silver or Gold Elite status from a credit card.

While gifting status could be helpful to a friend or family member that cannot get a credit card, it’s also not as valuable as other Annual Choice Benefits.

40% off a hotel bed

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

If you love a particular bed from a Bonvoy brand and been meaning to buy a mattress, then this Annual Choice Benefit can actually be useful.

You can get the following hotel brands mattress and box springs 40% off:

You could save over $500 on a mattress and box spring when you apply the 40% Annual Choice Benefit. I for one would probably do this if I ever move back home.

Unfortunately, this Annual Choice Benefit is rather limited in terms of uses. I am sure you or I won’t be buying a mattress every year. So, this might be a one time Annual Choice Benefit that saves you $500+ on a bed purchase.

A $100 UNICEF donation

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

If you feel like giving, you can make donations to the following:

  • Support children through UNICEF. Donate US $100.
  • Support Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund. Donate US $100.
  • Support World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Donate US $100.

These donations could be a good use of your Annual Choice Benefit on the surface.

However, I would like to argue that the $100 price tag on this UNICEF donation is low.

I would personally rather choose SNA or free night award, both could get you well over $100 of value and then personally donate $100.

When can I select my Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?

Once you reached 50 or 75 nights, you have the ability to select your Annual Choice Benefit till January 7th the next qualifying year.

So, if you reached 50 nights in 2023, you have until 11:59 p.m. ET, January 7, 2024, to select your Annual Choice Benefit.

If you forget to select your Annual Choice Benefit, Marriott will automatically select the five Suite Night Awards (SNAs).

Unfortunately, there is no way to trade to another choice benefit once you or Marriott selected your benefit. Once selected, you are stuck with that selection.

Where do I select my Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?

You can access your Annual Choice Benefit from this link here.

You will then have to sign in to your Bonvoy account. Click on account -> Overview. Then scroll down to “You qualify for an Annual Choice Benefit for staying 50 nights.” and click “view gift.”

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit selection

Do Ambassador Elites have an Annual Choice Benefit?

One frustration I have with Marriott is the lack of milestones after 75 nights.

Once you reached 75 nights you have only Ambassador Elite status to qualify for, but that also requires a ton of spend and not easy for a big portion of travelers.

Hyatt and Hilton have milestones beyond achieving its top tier status that encourages elites to come back to their properties.

I for one feel less encouraged to stay at a Marriott Bonvoy property after I reached Ambassador status as there are no more milestones.

I think a program like Marriott needs to add a milestone for 100 nights and 150 nights to encourage travelers to keep on staying at their properties. This could be an Annual Choice Benefit or even a small amount of bonus points like 20,000.

Let’s hope Marriott does something to encourage their top tier elites, or I for one will keep turning to other programs for their milestones once I completed all of Marriott’s milestones and achieved Ambassador status.

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit FAQ

How many nights are needed for the annual choice benefit?

You will receive an annual choice benefit after 50 elite nights, and you can receive a second annual choice benefit after 75 elite nights.

How can I earn more elite nights?

You can earn more elite nights (15) by getting approved for Marriott credit cards such as the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Chase Card.

What is the most valuable annual choice benefit?

The most valuable benefit depends on your travel goals but many people prefer the Five Suite Night Awards.

Will benefits be extended due to coronavirus?

Your annual choice benefits may be extended due to the pandemic.

Elite Members who have Suite Night Awards (earned in 2019 as part of the 50- and 75-Night Annual Choice Benefit) with an expiration date of December 31, 2020 will be extended to December 31, 2021.

Final word

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones are well worth it in my eyes. They encourage travelers to stay at Marriott for at least 75 nights, but the lack of milestones beyond 100 nights is somewhat unfortunate.

However, the Annual Choice Benefits for 50 and 75 nights are certainly a good value, but not each choice benefit is worth as much as the others. I think the Suite Night Awards and the free night award would be my go-to as it’s easy to get hundreds of dollars worth of value out of them.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

What Are the Marriott Silver Elite Benefits?

Marriott Silver elite status is the bottom-tier elite status offered by Marriott. There’s not a whole to Marriott Silver to know about but since this is a frequently obtained status, it’s good to know what it offers. So here’s the rundown.

How to earn Marriott Silver status

To achieve or renew Marriott Bonvoy Elite Membership status, the following number of personal nights must be earned through stays at participating locations between January 1 and December 31 of any given year:

  • Silver: 10 to 24 nights
  • Gold: 25 to 49 nights 
  • Platinum: 50 to 74 nights 
  • Titanium: 75 to 99 nights
  • Ambassador: 100 nights +  $20,000 U.S. dollars in qualified annual spend

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Coronavirus update

Marriott has offered some pretty solid coronavirus elite benefits.

The first benefit is that your elite status earned in 2019 will be extended to February 2022.

In addition you will receive a one-time deposit of 50% of your tier’s annual Elite Night Credit requirement based on your status from 2019. This means that those Members who achieved Silver Elite status in 2019 would receive 5 Elite Night Credits. Find out more details here.

Marriott Silver via Credit cards

You can also achieve Silver status (and above) with the following credit cards.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card offers automatic Silver status but you can earn Marriott Gold status by spending $35,000 in a year. That’s a lot in spend per year for a status that doesn’t even offer breakfast so I would rather put $35K to use in another way.

You’ll also be given 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year, which can help you reach Gold status much quicker since you’ll only be 10 nights away from reaching Gold. Free nights start out at 5,000 points per night for off-peak Category 1 awards and welcome bonuses can range from 75,000 to 100,000 points after meeting minimum spend requirements.

So after earning the bonus you could use 50,000 Marriott points to climb your way to Marriott Gold status since free night stays count towards elite status. Another great benefit of this card is that you get an annual free night for properties that cost up to 35,000 points per night. See how the Boundless card compares to some of the top hotel credit cards!

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers automatic Gold status and you can also earn Marriott Platinum status by spending $75,000 in a year. 

Platinum status will get you breakfast and lounge access but that’s a lot of spend for Platinum status and once again, I don’t think I would go for it.

Here’s a look at the other features:

  • $300 in Marriott statement credits
  • Bonus earning:
    • 6x at Marriott properties
    • 3x at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
    • 2x on all other purchases
  • Each calendar year you can receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Elite status
  • Priority Pass Select membership
  • Receive a statement credit every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre√® ($85) with your Card.
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Free, unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide.

Platinum Card from American Express

With the Amex Platinum Card you can earn automatic Marriott Gold status along with Hilton Honors Gold status. The Platinum Card is also loaded up with additional benefits which include: 

  • Priority Pass access for you and two guests
  • Centurion lounges access for you and two guests
  • Delta SkyClub access when flying with Delta
  • $200 annual Uber credit
  • $200 annual airline credit
  • 5X on airfare and 5X on hotels booked through the Amex Travel portal
  • TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry $100 credit

Marriott Silver elite benefits

There isn’t a lot that distinguishes Marriott Silver status from the basic Rewards Member tier.

As a Silver elite member, you’re not entitled to free breakfasts, lounge access, or even late check out. The only benefit that’s unique is that you’ll get bonus points for your stays.

Below is a breakdown of the benefits.

10% Bonus on Marriott Rewards Points

Marriott Silver elite members are credited with a 10% bonus on base points earned during stays.

You typically will earn 10 base points on your stay so this means that you will be earning 11 points per dollar spent.

Marriott Renaissance Hotel Phoenix.

The benefits below are also provided to Marriott Silver members though note that many of them are also available to basic Marriott Rewards members.

Priority Late Checkout

Marriott Silver elite status doesn’t provide you with guaranteed late checkout like you get with Gold or Platinum, but you can still get it based on availability.

Ultimate Reservation Guarantee

If Marriott is unable to honor your reservation, they will pay for you to stay at a nearby hotel they will even compensate you for the inconvenience. You can read more about this perk here.

5th redemption night free

Book 5 consecutive nights and the 5th night is free (this perk is available to all Marriott status levels but is worth mentioning). 

Free standard in-room Wi-Fi

All Marriott Rewards members enjoy free in-room Wi-Fi when they book through Marriott. While this is not unique to Silver member, it’s nice that you’re entitled to free wi-fi — just remember that you need to book through Marriott to get this benefit (at least according to the terms).

Marriott Gift Shop Discount

You’re entitled to a a 10% discount at participating Marriott-operated and managed gift shops.

Marriott Silver elite upgrades?

Upgrades are only explicitly provided as a perk to Gold and above members but that doesn’t mean that you won’t ever get one.

Since Silver is the bottom of the elite totem pole, you’ll want to ask for upgrades, though. In fact, I would probably even email the property ahead of time to inquire about availability-based upgrades if I were really trying to get an upgrade.

Final word

Overall, Marriott Silver elite status doesn’t have a whole to offer other than a bonus on points earned for stays.

Wyndham Rewards Platinum Benefits Guide [2020]

Wyndham Rewards does not get nearly as much attention as other popular hotel programs like Hilton Honors or World of Hyatt but it’s an interesting program that offers some decent perks to its loyalty members.

In this article, I’ll be breaking down the Wyndham Rewards Platinum elite level and telling you everything you need to know about things like upgrades, bonus earnings, and how to earn the status.

What is Wyndham Rewards Platinum?

Wyndham Rewards Platinum status is the mid-tier elite level for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts although it compares with lower elite levels from other major hotel programs, such as Hilton and Marriott.

Related: 37 Best Wyndham Properties to stay at 

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How can you earn Wyndham Rewards Platinum?

You can earn Platinum status by staying 15 qualifying nights, by getting approved for the Wyndham Rewards Visa, or by completing a status match.

Earn Wyndham Rewards Platinum with stays 

As stated, you can earn Platinum status by staying 15 qualifying nights.

Here’s how the requirements stack up against each other.

  • Blue: Upon Enrollment
  • Gold: 5 Qualifying Nights
  • Platinum: 15 Qualifying Nights
  • Diamond: 40 Qualifying Nights

Qualifying nights are:

  • A paid, stayed night so long as the Qualified Stay has an average daily rate of at least $25
  • A paid, stayed Go Fast award night at any type of participating property;
  • A stayed Go Free award night at any type of participating property.

Earn Wyndham Rewards Platinum with a credit card

The easiest way to earn Platinum status is to simply get approved for the Wyndham Rewards Visa. I would not say that this is the best hotel credit card out there, but it’s one of the more underrated hotel credit cards in my opinion and it comes with the following perks:

  • Decent welcome bonus (varies)
  • 5 points per $1 spent on Wyndham 
  • 2 points per $1 spent on gas, utility, and grocery store purchases
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $75 annual fee

Tip: Be sure that before you apply you check your eligibility utilizing the free app WalletFlo!

Earn Wyndham Rewards Platinum with a status match

You can also earn Platinum status by doing a status match when available. Here are some of the other elite programs that match up with Platinum status.

  • Marriott Bonvoy Silver
  • Hilton Silver
  • Hyatt Discoverist/Explorist
  • IHG Gold Elite
  • Choice Privileges Gold/Platinum
  • Radisson Rewards Silver
  • Omni Select Guest Platinum

Caesars Rewards

At any time, you should be able to match your Caesars Rewards status to get instant Platinum level status. The Platinum Caesars Rewards Tier will give you Wyndham Rewards Platinum Level

Union Station HotelUnion Station Hotel Nashville. Photo by Geoff Stearns.

What are the Wyndham Rewards Platinum benefits?

  • Discounted rate
  • 10 points per dollar (or 1,000 points) plus a 15% bonus
  • Rollover nights
  • Free wifi
  • Go Free PLUS
  • Go Fast PLUS
  • Dedicated Member services
  • Preferred Room Choice
  • Late Check-out

You’ll also get additional benefits including:

  • Early Check-in
  • Avis and Budget upgrades

Discounted rate

You’ll get access to a discount on the Best Available Rate at participating Wyndham Rewards Hotels.

10 points per dollar (or 1,000 points) plus a 15% bonus

As a Wyndham Rewards member, you’ll earn 10 base points per dollar spent on each qualifying night. However, the cool thing about Wyndham is that you are guaranteed at least 1,000 points assuming that you meet the minimum average daily rate requirement of $25.

Because you will be Platinum, you’ll receive a 15% bonus on top of those points. So your total earnings would be 11.5 points per dollar. Using a WalletFlo valuation of .87, that comes out to 10% back which is pretty good if you ask me. 

Rollover nights

Another feature that I love about the Wyndham Rewards program is that your leftover elite qualifying nights will roll over to the next year and they don’t expire.

So if you were to earn 20 qualifying nights in one year, you would achieve Platinum status and then five qualifying nights could give you a head start on earning status the next year.

Free wifi

Like most other loyalty programs, you will be granted free Wi-Fi. Like other perks, this perk may be excluded at Caesars Entertainment hotels.

Go Free PLUS

Go Free awards are the standard free night awards for Wyndham. Wyndham has a very simplified award structure so that standard free awards will cost one of three prices: 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points per bedroom.

When you redeem a Go Free award night in certain cities, you’ll receive a gift code to save $10 on a local experience. You’ll will receive one Go Free PLUS promotional gift code for each Go Free award night booked

You can search for eligible activities here. 

The activities you get a discount for can vary but here are some examples you might encounter:

  • Pizza walking tour of Manhattan
  • Chicago Architecture River Cruise
  • Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in Chicago
  • Niagara Falls Canadian Side Tour and Maid of the Mist Boat Ride
  • New Orleans Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Walking Tour

In order to get the discount, simply make your booking and you will receive a follow up email with your discount code.

If you book your award night more than 7 days in advance, you will receive the email up to 7 days prior to your arrival date but if you book your award night less than 7 days in advance, you will receive the email the day of your booking.

Go Fast PLUS

Go Fast awards are discounted awards and you can redeem nights for just 1,500, 3,000, or 6,000 points per bedroom (plus a cash co-payment). 

When you redeem a Go Fast award night in certain cities, you’ll receive a gift code to save $5 on a local experience. See the link above for a selection of experiences.

Dedicated Member services

When you need assistance for things like bookings or itinerary changes, your calls will be handled by a representative specific to your member level. To find a dedicated services phone number, check your My Account page.

Preferred Room Choice

You can choose the preferred room type you would like within the same class of rooms you booked. Note that these are subject to availability.

Examples of preferred rooms include “a recently renovated room, a more spacious room, or a room with a desired view or location.” This is pretty standard upgrade language for a mid to lower-tier elite status. So while you can voice your preference for a better room, just don’t go expecting a suite upgrade.

Late Check-out

Late check-out is offered upon request and subject to availability during qualified stays. The terms and conditions state, “Requested checkout time is not to exceed two hours after the hotel’s standard checkout time.” So if the check-out time is noon, you might come in they get a 2pm late checkout.

But often the determination for late check-out just depends on the property that you are staying at. To get some tips on how to secure a late check-out on a regular basis be sure to read our detail guide here. 

Early Check-in

With this perk you can check-in “up to two hours prior to the applicable Participating Hotel’s standard check-in time.” A common check-in time is 3pm so this perk would allow you to check in at 1pm. However, a lot of hotels allow you to check in sooner if there is availability so it never hurts to try to get in extra early.

Early check-in is subject to availability.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Avis and Budget upgrades

Get a free upgrade on your car rental through Avis or Budget at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada (excludes Quebec).

New YorkerThe New Yorker, A Wyndham Hotel

Wyndham Rewards Platinum FAQ

Do you get free breakfast with Wyndham Rewards Platinum?

No, you do not get a free breakfast. But some properties will offer a free breakfast including:

Baymont Inn & Suites
Days Inn
Howard Johnson
Hawthorn Suites
La Quinta
Microtel Inn & Suites
Super 8
Travelodge
Wingate

Read more here about hotels that offer free breakfast.

How many points are needed for a free night?

Standard free awards will cost one of three prices: 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points. However, you can book discounted free nights for just 1,500, 3,000, or 6,000 points per bedroom (plus a cash payment)! Also, Wyndham is known to run great promotions for earning free nights.

Do you get upgrades with Wyndham Rewards Platinum?

Wyndham Rewards Platinum allows you to choose a preferred room which could be a room with a better view or a more spacious room but the room must be in the same room class as your original booking. So you typically will not get bumped up to a suite.

Can you earn Wyndham Rewards Platinum with a credit card?

Yes, you can get automatic Platinum status with the Wyndham Rewards Visa.

Does Wyndham rewards offer status matches?

Yes, Wyndham Rewards does offer status matches from various hotel programs. Platinum typically matches from a lower tier status. Check the article above for more details.

Do I still get the 3,000 point bonus?

As of 2019, Platinum members no longer receive a bonus of 3,000 Wyndham Rewards points, regardless of how they earned their Platinum Member Level status. This was replaced with “Accelerated Earning.”

Final word

Platinum status has a nice earning rate especially if you have the Wyndham Rewards Visa. There are also some other interesting perks like roll-over nights that don’t expire and discounts on certain activities. Overall though, the perks I care most about such as quality upgrades and breakfast are not included so I’m not a huge fan of this status.

Cover photo: Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific

What Are the Benefits of Hyatt Explorist Status? [2020]

Hyatt Explorist status is the mid-tier status of the World of Hyatt Program. Unlike the lower tier status, Discoverist, you won’t be granted this level of status with the World of Hyatt Credit Card and will have to do a little bit of work to earn it.

Here’s a look at the benefits of Hyatt Explorist status and whether all that work might be worth it.

What is Hyatt Explorist status?

Hyatt Explorist is the mid-level elite status in the World of Hyatt program.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

World of Hyatt Card

The World of Hyatt Card is one of the best hotel credit cards available since it comes with a great sign-up bonus, strong bonus category earning, and the opportunity for free nights. It’s also one of the best hotel cards for climbing your way up the elite status tiers for Hyatt. You can read our full detailed review here. 

  • Welcome Bonus
    • 30,000 Bonus Points after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening
    • Plus, 2 points total per $1 spent on purchases that earn 1 point, up to $15,000 in spend in the first 6 months of account opening
  • Bonus earning: 
    • 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
    • 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services
    • 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
    • 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
    • 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
  • Free nights: 
    • Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
    • Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
  • Elite status:
    • Comes with Hyatt Discoverist status
    • Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
    • Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
  • $95 Annual Fee 

How do you earn Hyatt Explorist status?

You can earn Explorist status by:

  • Staying at Hyatt properties
  • Using credit card elite credits
  • Status challenges

Staying at Hyatt properties

You can earn Hyatt Explorist status by getting a minimum of:

  • 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights
  • 50,000 Base Points
  • 10 Meetings/events

Note that Hyatt goes by nights and not stays for elite qualification.

Here’s how Explorist stacks up to the other Hyatt tiers.

StatusNightsBase PointsMeetings/events
Discoverist 1025,0003
Explorist3050,00010
Globalist 60100,00020
Lifetime GlobalistN/A100,000N/A
World of Hyatt elite levels

Credit cards

Hyatt offers one of the best hotel credit cards with the World of Hyatt Credit Card.

As far as elite status goes, you will get:

  • Automatic Discoverist status
  • 5 qualifying night credits towards elite status
  • 2 qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000

So you could spend your way to Explorist with $65,000 in spend. More realistically for some people, they might meet somewhere in the middle.

So your journey to earn Explorist status could go something like this:

  • Five qualifying nights automatically from the World of Hyatt Credit Card
  • 15 notes stayed in a hotel
  • 10 nights from $25,000 worth of spend on the World of Hyatt Credit Card

That would be 30 nights and you would have your status met without a super high amount of spend on your credit card needed.

Related: What’s The Best Top Hotel Elite Status?

Status challenge

You can also try to jump on a status challenge when they are available.

For example in late 2017, Hyatt allowed Discoverist members to earn Explorist status by staying 10 nights and could have even earned top-tier Globalist status with 20 nights within the span of 4 months.

This opportunity was only open to Hyatt credit card holders, however, so if you intend on climbing the Hyatt ranks it might be a good idea to get that card.

There have also been some random and unexpected status challenge/upgrades that have gone out as well. So stay on your toes!

Hyatt Ziva Butler Suite Rose Hall Jamaica.

What are the Hyatt Explorist status benefits?

Here are the main Explorist benefits:

  • 20% bonus on base points
  • Upgrades
  • Late check-out
  • Guaranteed Availability
  • M life Rewards Status Tier Match
  • Special reservations line

Here are some of the additional perks that other elite levels get:

  • Exhale benefits
  • Resort fees waived on awards stays
  • Small Luxury Hotels of the World Benefits
  • Premium Internet
  • Bottled Water
  • Elite check-in
  • American Airlines AAdvantage Bonus

Bonus points

Explorists will receive a 20% point bonus on the base points.

Members earn 5X at Hyatt properties so an additional 20% bonus means that you’ll be earning 6X.

If you value Hyatt points at 1.57 cents per point (which is the WalletFlo valuation) that’s a return of 9.4% back, which is not bad at all for a mid-level elite status.

If you add on the 4X at Hyatt hotels with the World of Hyatt Credit Card, that’s 10X per dollar spent or 15.7% back, which is very nice.

Upgrades to best room available

Explorists will be offered “the best room available” at the time of check-in at Hyatt hotels and resorts

It’s worth noting that this excludes suites and Club lounge-access rooms, though upgrades to suites can happen as an Explorist.

What exactly is the best room?

Well, that’s up to the hotel or resort and may vary from stay to stay. It will often be a room type/category higher than the one you booked.

One important thing to know is that upgrades for Explorists are not limited to rooms within the same type of category.

Note that these upgrades are not valid at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Destination Residences, or Hyatt Residence Club hotels and resorts.

Hyatt Ziva Butler Suite Rose Hall Jamaica.

Late check-out

Upon request, Explorists will receive a 2pm late checkout at Hyatt hotels.

Late checkout is subject to availability at hotels with a casino and Hyatt resorts and late checkout is not offered at Hyatt Residence Club resorts or M life Resorts.

Along with preferred room upgrades, late check out is a pretty solid perk. Being able to relax in your room the final morning of your stay feels great and it’s pretty normal to see restrictions for it at resorts.

Still, other programs like Marriott offer late check out to 4pm for mid-tier status which is more convenient.

For tips on how to maximize the late check out perk, click here.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

72-Hour Room Availability

Hyatt Explorist offers a guaranteed 72-hour room availability but subject to many restrictions, however.

Paid reservations

  • Explorists will be guaranteed a room at Hyatt hotels (subject to the exclusions detailed below) for their own personal use when making a paid reservation directly with Hyatt at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to arrival (local time for the applicable hotel) that is guaranteed with a valid credit card. All reservations are subject to hotel policies.

Standard rate rooms

  • This guarantee is only applicable when the hotel is otherwise entirely sold out (including all suites), is valid for one (1) standard guest room, and is subject to the applicable hotel’s reservation requirements (e.g., minimum length of stay, special packages, and meal plans).
  • Rooms secured under this provision are only available at the Standard Rate. Negotiated rates or other group, promotional, or discounted rates do not apply and Free Night Awards may not be redeemed for a room secured pursuant to this benefit.

Not valid during “extraordinary” demand

  • This guarantee is not valid during any period of extraordinary room demand and is subject to blackout periods set out by each hotel. Contracted last-room-available rates do not apply to rooms secured under this provision.

Not valid at certain properties

  • Guaranteed availability for Explorists is not valid at Destination Residences or Hyatt Residence Club resorts, any Hyatt hotel with a casino, or any Hyatt resort.

M life Rewards Status Tier Match

Explorists will receive Gold status with M life Rewards, the loyalty program of MGM Resorts International.

Special Reservation Phone Line

Explorists have access to a Hyatt reservation telephone line exclusively for use by Explorists. You can find the phone number for this phone line by logging into your account.

Hyatt Regency Dallas

Additional Explorist Benefits

Explorists also receive the same dedicated check-in area, complimentary premium in-room internet access, and daily bottled water benefits afforded to Discoverists below.

  • Exhale benefits
  • Resort fees waived on awards stays
  • Small Luxury Hotels of the World Benefits
  • Premium Internet
  • Bottled Water
  • Elite check-in
  • American Airlines AAdvantage Bonus

You can read more about these benefits here.

Milestone Rewards

Hyatt offers special Milestone Rewards that reward you for your stays as you pile up the nights and base points.

Here are the relevant rewards for obtaining Explorist.

  • 20 nights or 35K base points: 2 Club Lounge Access Awards
  • 30 nights or 50K base points: 1 Category 1-4 Free Night Award and 2 Club Lounge Access Awards

This means that if you obtain Explorist status by nights or base points, by the time you get the status you will have earned four club lounge access awards and a free night at a category 1 through 4 hotel.

Since you don’t get free breakfast as a Hyatt Explorist, these four club lounge access awards could be your ticket to getting one.

Hyatt Explorist FAQ

Can you get Explorist status with a credit card?

You can’t get Explorist status instantly with a credit card but you can use the credits that come with the World of Hyatt Credit Card to earn it faster.

You’ll get five qualifying elite night credits every year and for every $5,000 you spend on the card you will receive two additional qualifying nights.

Do Explorist members get free breakfast?

No, Explorist members do not get free breakfast. However, you can use club lounge access awards to receive a free breakfast at some properties.

Do Explorist members get club lounge access?

No, Explorist members do not get club lounge access.

However, you can use the club lounge access awards that you will receive along the way for club lounge access on certain stays.

How late is the late check out benefit?

You will get late check out until 2pm. However, be aware that the late check out is not guaranteed at all properties.

Does Explorist match to M Life?

Yes, Explorists will receive Gold status with M life Rewards.

How long will my status be good for?

Your status will be good through February of the second calendar year following qualification. So if you finish 30 stays in May of 2021 you will retain Explorist status through February of 2023 (the second calendar year).

Final word

I personally prefer Hilton mid-tier status to Hyatt because I can get lounge access and free breakfasts on a more consistent basis and it’s not restricted to 4 times a year.

Other benefits like late check out are also more convenient with other programs since they are later. And finally, there’s no quick short cut via a premium credit card to Explorist status like there is to Hilton mid-tier status, so for me Hyatt Explorist status leaves some to be desired.

Wyndham Rewards Diamond Benefits [2020]

Wyndham Rewards does not have an elite program quite as robust as other major hotel programs like Marriott or Hyatt. However, there are some pretty valuable aspects of this reward program that you should be aware of.

In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Wyndham Rewards Diamond status.

What is Wyndham Rewards Diamond status?

Wyndham Rewards Diamond status is the top-tier elite level for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts although it compares with mid-elite levels from other hotel programs, such as Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott. 

The reason that it compares with mid-level elite status is because it offers benefits close to what mid-level elite statuses offer and also the criteria for qualifying is close to what those levels require.

Fan of Wyndham? Check out the 37 best Wyndham properties!

How can you earn Wyndham Rewards Diamond?

You can earn Diamond status by staying 40 qualifying nights or by completing a status match. 

Earn Wyndham Rewards Diamond with stays 

As stated, you can earn Diamond status by staying 40 qualifying nights.

Here’s how the requirements stack up against lower elite levels.

  • Blue: Upon Enrollment
  • Gold: 5 Qualifying Nights
  • Platinum: 15 Qualifying Nights
  • Diamond: 40 Qualifying Nights

Qualifying nights are:

  • A paid, stayed night so long as the Qualified Stay has an average daily rate of at least $25
  • A paid, stayed Go Fast award night at any type of participating property;
  • A stayed Go Free award night at any type of participating property.

40 nights would get you Marriott Gold or Hilton Gold elite status which are both middle tier elite levels. So the Wyndham elite level requirements top out pretty low compared to other programs.

That’s significant because those other programs will continue to reward you as you stay more nights at their properties. So you should be aware of what you are giving up if you decide to pursue elite status with Wyndham.

Wyndham Rewards credit card

The Wyndham Rewards Visa comes with Platinum status and unfortunately it does not offer a way to earn Diamond status.

It’s not the best hotel credit card out there, but it has some decent perks such as:

  • Decent welcome bonus (varies) 
  • 5 points per $1 spent on Wyndham 
  • 2 points per $1 spent on gas, utility, and grocery store purchases
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases 
  • No foreign transaction fees 
  • $75 annual fee

That 5X earning rate can be combined with the bonus on Diamond status for some pretty lucrative earnings which I will talk about below.

Tip: Be sure that before you apply you check your eligibility utilizing the free app WalletFlo!

Earn Wyndham Rewards Diamond with a status match 

You can also earn Diamond status by doing a status match when available. Here are how some of the other elite programs match with Diamond status. 

  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold/Platinum/Titanium/Ambassador
  • Hilton Gold/Diamond
  • Hyatt Globalist
  • IHG Platinum Elite/Spire Elite
  • Choice Privileges Diamond
  • Radisson Rewards Gold/Platinum
  • Omni Select Guest Black

Caesars Rewards

You can also match your Caesars Rewards status to get instant Diamond level status. The Diamond Caesars Rewards Tier will give you Wyndham Rewards Diamond Level. 

What are the Wyndham Rewards Diamond benefits?

These are the exclusive Diamond benefits:

  • Suite Upgrades
  • Welcome Amenity at Check-In
  • Gift Gold
  • 10 points per dollar (or 1,000 points) plus a 20% bonus

And here are all of the other benefits lower elite level members may get:

  • Discounted rate
  • Rollover nights
  • Free wifi
  • Go Free PLUS
  • Go Fast PLUS
  • Dedicated Member services
  • Late Check-out
  • Early Check-in 
  • Avis and Budget upgrades

Suite Upgrades

The big difference between Wyndham Platinum and Diamond is that Diamond members can get suite upgrades while Platinum members only get a preferred room choice.

There are very mixed data points about Diamond members getting upgrades to suites. It sounds like this is something you will definitely want to be proactive about requesting.

Welcome Amenity at Check-In

When you check in, you should be offered some type of complimentary snack or beverage.

These welcome amenities should be available at:

  • AmericInn by Wyndham
  • Baymont by Wyndham
  • Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham
  • Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham
  • La Quinta by Wyndham
  • Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham
  • Ramada by Wyndham
  • TRYP by Wyndham
  • Wingate by Wyndham
  • Wyndham Garden
  • Wyndham Grand and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts

Gift Gold

Each year, you can gift one Gold level membership to a family member or friend (there is a limit of one per calendar year).

You can gift Gold to someone by contacting Member Services at the number found on the Diamond Level Member’s Wyndham Rewards card.

20% bonus

As a Wyndham Rewards member, you’ll earn 10 base points per dollar spent on each qualifying night.

You are guaranteed at least 1,000 points assuming that you meet the minimum average daily rate requirement of $25.

Because you will be Diamond, you’ll receive a 20% bonus on top of those 10 base points.

So your total earnings would be 12 points per dollar. Using a WalletFlo valuation of .87, that comes out to 10.4% back which is pretty solid.

If you are also using the credit card, you’ll be earning 17 points per dollar and at that same valuation, that comes out to 14.8% back. Not bad.

Discounted rate

You’ll get access to a discount on the Best Available Rate at participating Wyndham Rewards Hotels. 

This discount can save you something like 10% and you should see the discount clearly marked when choosing room rates.

Screenshot of Wyndham savings
Just by being a member you can save 10%.

Rollover nights

Each year, all of the leftover elite qualifying nights will roll over to the next year and they don’t ever expire.

So if you were to earn 50 qualifying nights in one year, you would achieve Diamond status and then 10 qualifying nights could give you a head start on obtaining elite status the following year.

Free Wi-Fi

As a loyalty member, you’ll get free Wi-Fi.

Go Free PLUS

Go Free awards are the standard free night awards for Wyndham that cost one of three prices: 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points per bedroom.

When you redeem a Go Free award night in certain cities, you’ll receive two free tickets to a local experience. (Lower elite levels just get a gift code to save $10.)

These passes do expire so pay attention to the expiration terms.

You can search for eligible activities here. 

Go Fast PLUS

Go Fast awards are discounted awards and you can redeem nights for just 1,500, 3,000, or 6,000 points per bedroom (plus a cash co-payment). 

When you redeem a Go Fast award night in certain cities, you’ll receive a gift code to save $10 on a local experience, a $5 increase from lower elite levels.

Dedicated Member services

When you need hotel assistance, your calls will be handled by an agent specific to your Diamond status. To find a dedicated services phone number, check your My Account page.

Late Check-out

Late check-out is offered upon request and subject to availability.

The terms and conditions state, “Requested checkout time is not to exceed two hours after the hotel’s standard checkout time.” So if the check-out time is noon, you might expect a 2pm late checkout.

This is very different from some programs that offer guaranteed 4 PM late checkout to top elite levels.

The determination for late check-out depends on the property that you are staying at. To get some tips on how to secure a late check-out be sure to read our detail guide here. 

Early Check-in 

Wyndham states you can check-in “up to two hours prior to the applicable Participating Hotel’s standard check-in time.”

A standard check-in time is 3pm so this would get you check-in at 1pm.

However, a lot of hotels allow you to check in sooner if there is availability so it never hurts to try to get in extra early.

Early check-in is subject to availability.

Avis and Budget upgrades

Get a free upgrade on your car rental through Avis or Budget at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada (excludes Quebec).

Wyndham Rewards Platinum FAQ

Do you get free breakfast with Wyndham Rewards Diamond?

No, you do not get a free breakfast. But some properties will offer a free breakfast including: 

Baymont Inn & Suites
Days Inn
Howard Johnson
Hawthorn Suites
La Quinta
Microtel Inn & Suites
Super 8
Travelodge
Wingate

Read more here about hotels that offer free breakfast.

Do you get upgrades with Wyndham Rewards Diamond?

Yes, you can get upgrades to hotel suites. However, you should be proactive in requesting these at check-in and they are subject to availability.

Final word

Wyndham Diamond status has pretty strong bonus earnings at over 10% back which can be stacked with the Wyndham Rewards Credit Card for even better returns. It’s nice that you can get suite upgrades and the savings on the free activities could add up over time.

Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Status Requirements (Progress Check) [2020]

Almost every major hotel program rewards those customers who have been loyal over the course of several years or even decades in many cases. One way that they accomplish this is by offering lifetime elite status. To get lifetime status it usually requires a lot of nights (several hundred to a thousand) and also a number of years holding certain elite levels (point earnings sometimes count, too).

In this article, I will tell you everything that you need to know about Marriott Bonvoy lifetime elite status. I will cover the different requirements for the elite levels like Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium. I’ll also discuss how to check your progress toward lifetime status and go over some of the recent changes.

What is Marriott Bonvoy lifetime status?

There are four different levels of Marriott lifetime status:

  • Lifetime Silver Elite
  • Lifetime Gold Elite
  • Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • Lifetime Titanium Elite (not available to new members)

I will go over the qualifications for each of these levels below and also highlight some of the benefits. But for starters, you just need to know that once you obtain lifetime elite status you will be able to enjoy those elite level benefits for your entire lifetime (subject to changes that take place).

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Lifetime Marriott Silver Elite

  • Lifetime Silver Elite Requirements: 250 Qualifying Nights + 5 Years as Silver Elite or higher

As a Marriott Silver member you will be entitled to the following benefits:

  • 10% Bonus Points
  • Priority late check out
  • Ultimate Reservation Guarantee

Overall, it is not a very rewarding status to be honest. Moreover, you can earn the status by holding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. That card also comes with some additional benefits that could be worth it.

These include benefits like:

  • Annual free night for properties that cost up to 35,000 points per night
  • 6X on Marriott properties
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year

Getting those 15 free night credits each calendar year can help you to climb up higher levels of status in future years. If you are constantly cutting it close to reaching elite levels then you might consider that credit card.

Also, something that is cool is that the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless elite night credits should count toward lifetime status. Not only that, but the status obtained via credit cards should also count towards lifetime status requirements. Note that I have seen some funky things going on with these credit card nights credits counting toward lifetime status (post-merger) so we may still need to see how it plays out.

Finally, I should note that you are limited to 15 credit card night credits per year. So if you hold several Marriott credit cards there is no way to double up or triple up on the 15 night credits.

Lifetime Marriott Gold Elite

  • Lifetime Gold Elite Requirements: 400 Qualifying Nights + 7 Years as Gold Elite or higher

As a Marriott Gold member you will be entitled to the following benefits:

  • 25% Bonus on points
  • Late check-out
  • Upgrades
  • Enhanced internet
  • Welcome gift

Marriott status begins to get a bit more valuable at this level but to be honest even Marriott Gold is not that valuable to me. The reason why I’m not too impressed with that is that you don’t get guaranteed breakfast or lounge access.

You might be able to get breakfast and/or lounge access if you get  the right upgrades though. Upgrades will be limited to “enhanced rooms” and enhanced rooms may include “rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors.”

  • You can read more about Marriott Gold elite status here.

Marriott Gold status can easily be achieved with the American Express Platinum Card. Not only can you get automatic gold status with Marriott, but you also get Gold status with Hilton Honors. And those benefits only scratch the surface of all of the benefits offered by the Platinum Card, which include:

You can also earn Marriott Gold status with the Marriott Brilliant credit card.

Lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite

  • Lifetime Platinum Elite Requirements: 600 Qualifying Nights + 10 Years as Platinum Elite or higher

Once you obtain the Marriott Platinum level the benefits really start to ramp up.

As a Marriott Platinum member you will be entitled to the following benefits:

  • 50% bonus on points
  • Complimentary upgrades
  • Guaranteed lounge access
  • Elite welcome gift
  • Guaranteed 4 PM late checkout
  • Annual choice benefit

The upgrades are definitely sweeter at this level because they include upgrades to suites. The terms and condition state:

Complimentary upgrade includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors.  At The Ritz-Carlton, suites are only included for Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Members and rooms with direct Club access are excluded.

As a Platinum member you will receive free breakfast and or lounge access. The lounge policy gets a little bit complicated depending on what the hotel offers but basically at the minimum you should be guaranteed a breakfast or a form of compensation.

One thing to note about Marriott is that there are several properties where lounge access is not given or available. These properties include:

  • The Ritz-Carlton
  • St. Regis
  • EDITION
  • The Luxury Collection
  • W Hotels
  • Design Hotels
  • Tribute Portfolio
  • Gaylord Hotels
  • Four Points
  • Quite a few others

Getting guaranteed late checkout at 4 PM is a nice perk but again this is not available at every property. The terms and conditions state:

This benefit is guaranteed at all Participating Properties, except at resort and convention hotels and Design HotelsTM, where it is based upon availability.  Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, and participating Vistana properties are excluded from this benefit.

The annual choice benefit is pretty interesting because you can choose between several different types of benefits, which include:

Platinum Elite Annual Choice Benefit Options:

Five (5) Suite Night Awards

40% off bed

$100 Charity Donation

The gift of Silver Elite status for a friend or family member

Five (5) Elite Night Credits

I will have a more detailed article breaking down these benefits at later date. But right now it is worth noting that if you chose the five elite night credits those should count toward lifetime status.

Lifetime Marriott Premier Platinum (Titanium) Elite

  • Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite Requirements were: 750 Qualifying Nights + 10 Years as Platinum Elite or higher

This requirement became no longer available as of December 31, 2018.

What counts as a year for lifetime elite status?

Whenever you earn elite status you typically will receive status for the remainder of that year, the full next year, and the very beginning of the year after that. For purposes of qualifying for a lifetime elite status the only year that counts is the year that you actually make the stays in. 

I will illustrate this with an example.

Let’s say that you achieve gold status in the middle of 2019. Now you will be able to enjoy that status for the remainder of 2019 and also all through 2020. However only 2019 will count as a year toward lifetime elite status. 2020 will only count if you also achieve the requisite number of nights during that calendar year.

Can I forfeit my points?

Having lifetime elite status will protect you from forfeiture of your points even if your account goes inactive. Marriott makes this clear when they state:

Lifetime Elite Status only provides a Member with Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, or Titanium Elite status and protection against the forfeiture of Points even if the Lifetime Elite Member is inactive

But it is worth noting that Marriott can still cancel your membership.

Annual elite status requirements

If you are wondering about the number of nights required to reach each level of Marriott elite status, here are the requirements for earning the different elite levels each year:

  • Silver: 10 to 24 nights
  • Gold: 25 to 49 nights
  • Platinum: 50 to 74 nights
  • Titanium: 75 to 99 nights
  • Ambassador: 100 nights +  $20,000 U.S. dollars in qualified annual spend

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Check your Progress toward Marriott lifetime status

If you want to check your progress toward lifetime status you have a few options.

First, you can call customer service at 1 (800) 535-4028. Explain to them that you are trying to find out the number of nights and years that you have held status and they should be able to help you out.

Second, you can check your nights store lifetime status online. Simply log into your account and then click on the activity tab. And then on the right side of the screen right underneath where the number of nights for your year is shown you should see a tab called “Details.” Click on that to bring up your information.

On the right side of the window that opens you should be able to the number of lifetime nights.

You can also check your lifetime nights through the app.

Unless I’m overlooking something, the biggest missing feature is showing you the number of years that you have qualified at a certain elite level. For example, it would be really convenient if you could see that you have obtained Gold for six years, Platinum for three years, etc. I know that this function existed in the past and I’m just waiting for it to return.

It is interesting because I have heard that the lifetime status determination/years of elite membership are made based on a manual review when evaluating lifetime status. This would explain why a lot of people unexplainably have several more years of elite status then they thought they did. And why others may have had missing status. I’m not sure if this will change in the future but it is something to be aware of.

Final word

Earning lifetime elite status with Marriott (or any program) is an exciting accomplishment but at the same time elite status at the silver and gold level can easily be obtained via credit cards. Obtaining elite status is going to take a long time at the Platinum level but at least credit cards can also help you get there with the elite night credits.

World of Hyatt Elite Tiers Review (Discoverist, Explorist, Globalist) [2019]

Hyatt is one of the most rewarding hotel programs and offers a lot of value for those who choose to stay at their properties, especially when it comes to free nights. The World of Hyatt tiers each have their strengths and this article will walk you through the highlights of Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist status so that you’ll know what type of benefits to expect.

If you’re looking to search Hyatt hotels by their award tiers, you can do that here. 

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out! 

What are the World of Hyatt tiers?

  • Discoverist (10 qualifying nights, 25,000 Base Points, or holding 3 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
  • Explorist (30 qualifying nights, 50,000 Base Points, or holding 10 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
  • Globalist (60 qualifying nights, 100,000 Base Points, or holding 20 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
  • Lifetime Globalist status (Earn 1,000,000 Base Points over the course of your program membership)

Note that Hyatt goes by nights and not stays for elite qualification.

Your status will be good through February of the second Calendar Year following qualification. So if you finish 10 stays in May of 2018 you will retain Discoverist status through February of 2020 (the second calendar year).

Free nights with elite status

As you make your way up the elite tiers of Hyatt by actually staying in hotels, you’ll be able to earn different types of free nights. This is a unique benefit offered by Hyatt that really helps to add value to those who earn status the old fashioned way — by actually staying at properties.

Actions Needed Rewards
Stay at 5 different Hyatt brands and pay an eligible rate starting March 1, 2017 Free night award in a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort (valid for one year from issuance)
Stay 30 qualifying nights or earn 50,000 Base Points in a calendar year Free night award in a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort 
Stay 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 Base Points in a calendar year Free night award in a Category 1-7 Hyatt hotel or resort Maintain Globalist status after 55 qualifying nights each subsequent year
Stay 70, 80, 90 and 100 qualifying nights in a calendar year Choose to receive 10,000 Bonus Points or a suite upgrade award

With these free nights, you’ll typically want to maximize your value and stay a property that is the best you can book. For most free nights this means staying in a Category 4 hotel. For a breakdown on the different Hyatt category 4 hotels, you can click here. 

The World of Hyatt Card

Update: Some offers are no longer available — click here for the latest deals!

The World of Hyatt Card is one of my favorite hotel credit cards and it comes with the following perks:

  • Bonus earning: 
    • 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
    • 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services
    • 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
    • 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
    • 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
  • Free nights: 
    • Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
    • Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
  • Elite status:
    • Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
    • Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
  • $95 Annual Fee ($20 higher now)

The World of Hyatt card allows you to receive 5 qualifying night credits towards elite status and allows you to earn 2 qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000. The ability to climb the elite tiers by putting spend on your Hyatt card is a great perk and starting off with five free qualifying nights and is a good way to jump start your progress toward obtaining elite status.

If you’re a high spender and a Hyatt loyalist then this card is pretty much made just for you.

Hyatt Discoverist

Qualifying

  • 10 qualifying nights
  • 25,000 Base Points
  • 3 qualifying meetings/events per year
  • As shown above, you can achieve Discoverist status with the World of Hyatt credit card.

Hyatt Discoverist is the lowest elite level for World of Hyatt and so as you would expect it doesn’t offer the richest line-up of benefits. But it’s not worthless either.

Bonus points

As a Discoverist, you’ll receive a ten percent (10%) point bonus on the Base Points earned on the Eligible Rate and Eligible Incidental Charges incurred during such stay.

Note that point bonuses are Bonus Points, not Base Points, and do not count towards the Member’s elite status qualification.

A 10% bonus rate for bottom tier status is not the best as Marriott and Hilton both offer higher bonus rates. However, Hyatt allows you to earn 5 base points per dollar spent and their points are worth more than other programs. If you value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents per point (which is on the low side) that’s a return of 8.25% back, which is actually a very competitive earning rate for bottom tier status compared to Hilton, SPG, IHG, etc.

So for a bottom tier status, Discoverist gives you a very decent return on spending when compared to other major hotel programs. 

Upgrades to preferred rooms

The official World of Hyatt Terms And Conditions state:

Subject to availability, Discoverists will be offered a preferred room at time of check-in at Hyatt hotels and resorts. Preferred rooms are determined by each hotel or resort (in its sole discretion) and include rooms on higher floors, corner rooms, or rooms with more appealing views.

So with Discoverist you can hope for an upgrade to a better room but you’re most likely not going to get an upgrade to a suite.

Premium internet access

At Hyatt hotels and resorts offering premium in-room internet access, Discoverists will be offered complimentary access during all stays.

Dedicated Check-In Area

At participating Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Zilara, and Hyatt Ziva hotels and resorts, Discoverists will have access to a dedicated check-in area for elite Members

2:00 PM Late Checkout

Upon request, Discoverists will receive a 2:00 PM late checkout (local hotel time) on day of their departure at Hyatt hotels, provided that (a) late checkout is subject to availability at hotels with a casino and Hyatt resorts; and (b) late checkout is not offered at Hyatt Residence Club resorts or M life Resorts.

Park Hyatt Milan.

Hyatt Explorist

Qualifying

  • 30 qualifying nights
  • 50,000 Base Points
  • 10 qualifying meetings/events per year

Bonus points

When choosing points for a stay, Explorists will receive a 20% point bonus on the Base Points.

An additional 20% bonus means that you’ll be earning 6 points per dollar spent. At a valuation of 1.5 cents per point, this amounts to a 9% return on Hyatt purchases. 9% back is a pretty solid return rate for a mid-tier status.

Upgrades to best room available

Explorists will be offered the “best room available” at the time of check-in at Hyatt hotels and resorts, excluding suites and Club lounge-access rooms. The best room available will be determined by the applicable hotel or resort in its sole discretion and may vary from stay-to-stay. The “best room” may, but will not necessarily be, of a room type/category higher than that booked by the Member.

Hyatt explicitly excludes suites and club lounge-access rooms but it’s not unheard of to be bumped to one of those rooms. One important thing to know is that upgrades for Explorists are not limited to rooms within the same type of category. So don’t be afraid to request for upgrades that above the category of room that you initially booked.

Explorist Club Lounge Access Awards

The defining perk of Explorist status is that if offers you four complimentary awards redeemable for Club lounge access. This is a nice perk but its subpar when compared to Hilton Gold which offers free breakfast. However, if you only travel a few times a year then this benefit might be all you need to get a free breakfast for your travels.

Here are a few basic things to know about these awards.

Explorist Club Lounge Access Awards are valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance and must be redeemed in connection with reservations with a checkout date before the expiration of the Explorist Club Lounge Access Award.

It’s really important to remember that this perk is limited to nights booked with points, cash, or cash + points. Free night certificates awarded via the sign-up bonus of the Hyatt Visa Card or its anniversary night are not eligible nor are other free nights described below.

There are a few things you should be aware of when it comes to using these club lounge passes and you can read more in detail about some of the different quirks of this benefit here.

72-Hour Room Availability

Hyatt Explorist offers a guaranteed 72-hour room availability (subject to many restrictions).

Earn a Free Night Award: Category 1-4 Hotel

If you earn your free night by completing 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights or earning 50,000 Base Points in a Calendar Year, you will receive one standard-room Free Night Award redeemable at a category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort.

Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Jamaica.

Hyatt Globalist

Qualifying

  • 60 qualifying nights
  • 100,000 Base Points
  • 10 qualifying meetings/events per year

Hyatt has offered status challenges/fast track in the past which have allowed you to earn Globalist status with only 20 nights stayed so be on the lookout for those offers. Some of these tend to go out to Hyatt credit card holders, so you might want to think about getting the card for that reason.

Bonus Points

If you’re a Globalist member, you’ll receive a 30% bonus on your base points, which amounts to 6.5 points per dollar spent. 

If you value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents per point, that’s 9.75% back. Compared to other programs, which is one of the worst returning rates for a top-tier status. However, if you value Hyatt points closer to 2 cents per point, it’s actually a decent return on your hotel spending.

Suite upgrade awards

You’ll receive 4 suite upgrade awards after 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 Base Points each calendar year. Being able to guarantee a suite upgrade is one of my favorite Hyatt Globalist benefits since you don’t have to deal with the anticipation and potential letdown that comes with relying on status for upgrades sometimes.

Complimentary Suite Upgrade Awards are valid on nights for which the Member has paid an Eligible Rate or has redeemed points for a standard-room Free Night Award, a Club Free Night Award, or a Points + Cash Award, up to a maximum of seven consecutive nights.

Note: complimentary Suite Upgrade Awards are to be used for standard suites — they cannot be redeemed for premium suites.

Late check-out

With Globalist you’ll be able to check out as late as 4pm.

Upgrades

Globalists may be upgraded to the best room, up to standard suites. In many cases, you’ll have to proactively seek out your upgrade by asking the front desk about upgrades. Make sure that you’re specific about upgrades for Globalists, too.

Club Lounge Access

Globalists will be given Club Lounge access.

Complimentary parking

Globalists will be given complimentary parking on free night awards at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts with parking that can be charged to a guest’s room.

48 hours

Globalists can get a room at participating Hyatt hotels 48 hours in advance of arrival (blackout dates apply.)

Gold status with M-life Rewards

Globalists get Gold status with M-Life, which can get you the following benefits:

  • Extended Expiration For Points and Express Comps
  • Invitations to Members-Only Events, Tournaments or Promotions
  • 20% Bonus on Points Earned Playing Slots at M life Rewards Destinations Nationwide
  • 20% Bonus on Express Comps Earned at M life Rewards Destinations Nationwide
  • Read more about M-Life Gold status here. 

Guest of Honor

You can share in-hotel benefits with friends or family when you gift an eligible award. (Note: this is not available on paid stays and these need to be booked over the phone.)

Hyatt breakfast at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome.

Lifetime Globalist status

Qualifying

  • 1,000,000 Base Points over the course of your program membership

Final word

Hyatt has a solid loyalty program. The features that I like most about the program are the following:

  • Ability to use the World of Hyatt credit card to climb the elite tiers
  • Lounge passes for Explorist members
  • Suite upgrades for Globalist members
  • Guest of honor benefits
  • Free nights when obtaining elite tiers

The biggest knock I have against the program is that it takes earning the top-tier status, Globalist, just to have a guaranteed breakfast. Meanwhile, Hilton Honors Gold, an easily obtainable mid-tier status offered by Hilton offers breakfast as a perk. Also, the bonus earning rates are a little on the low side compared to other programs at similar tiers. And finally, forcing people to qualify by nights with no option for stays, really makes it difficult for those who do longer stays (though they can still qualify with points earned).

But other than that, I think that the World of Hyatt tiers have a lot to offer in terms of their value proposition.

What Are The Benefits of SPG Platinum Status?

SPG Platinum status offers an extensive range of valuable hotel and airline benefits that can enhance your travels both in the sky and when you stay at a Starwood Preferred Guest property. Here’s a rundown of some the benefits you can expect to enjoy when you obtain SPG Platinum status. 

How to earn SPG Platinum status

You can earn Platinum status in a few ways: 

  • Complete 25 eligible stays or 50 eligible nights in a calendar year.
  • Complete a status challenge from SPG Gold to SPG Platinum (you can automatically hit SPG Gold status by holding the The Platinum Card® from American Express). 
  • Earn Marriott Platinum status and link your SPG account to automatically become Platinum. You could do this by completing a Marriott status challenge or by spending $75,000 in a calendar year on the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card.

Marriott Platinum/United Silver status

If you hit SPG Platinum you’ll be given Marriott Platinum status that comes with many of the same benefits as SPG Platinum like complimentary breakfasts, lounge access, better upgrades (which include suites), etc. One of the best perks of Marriott Platinum is that you’re also given United MileagePlus Premier Silver elite status, which can offer you complimentary upgrades to both economy plus and first class and benefits like priority boarding and free checked luggage.

United first class on the 737.

5th night free

This benefit is not exclusive to Platinum status but it’s still worth mentioning. When you redeem Starpoints for five free night awards, SPG will cover the fifth night. This is available for any of their Category 3-7 hotels. 

Bonus earning rate

  • Earn three Starpoints for every U.S. dollar spent on eligible stays — a 50% bonus over Preferred.

This is the same earning rate as SPG Gold. (However, if you stay 75 nights or more this rate will bump up to 4 Starpoints per dollar spent.) At 2.4 cents per point, 3 SPG points per dollar spent, is like a 7.2% return. Compared to top tier status with other major hotel programs like Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt, this rate is actually one of the lowest. 

Late check out

  • 4 PM late checkout, subject to availability.

4 PM late checkout can make your trip to the airport much less stressful by giving you plenty of time to relax in your room before having to pack. This benefit is guaranteed at all hotels, except at resorts, conference centers, and convention hotels, where it is based upon availability. Both Marriott and SPG are great about honoring this benefit, so I’m looking forward to them maintaining it as the merger between the two hotels completes. 

Upgrades

  • Platinum members receive upgrades to the best available rooms, including Standard Suites, subject to availability for the entire length of stay at time of check-in. Not offered at Aloft® or Element℠ hotels.

Gold members receive upgrades to “enhanced rooms,” subject to availability, which are rooms on higher floors, corner rooms, newly renovated rooms and rooms with preferred views. However, as a Platinum member you should be upgraded to a suite if there is availability. If you’re interested in your odds for an upgrade simply search “[Your hotel name] upgrade flyertalk” and you’ll probably be able to get a good idea on others’ experiences with getting upgraded.

W Dubai suite.

Welcome Gift

  • Your choice of welcome gift upon arrival — choose from bonus Starpoints, continental breakfast or local amenity.

The major difference between this benefit and what you get with SPG Gold status is that Platinum offers you the option to take a complimentary breakfast. Sometimes you get to double up on these perks. For example, at the new W Las Vegas, I was offered two free breakfasts (one for me and one for Brad) in addition to two free drink coupons. All together it was a total of $60 worth of freebies. 

Free $15 drinks at the W.

The free breakfast perk for SPG Platinum is particularly valuable since they offer free breakfasts at even their most luxurious properties. Contrast this with Marriott who will often leave you hanging for breakfast at top properties.

Complimentary premium internet access

  • Complimentary in-room, premium Internet access when you book on SPG digital channels. (Preferred level does not get premium internet.) This is in addition to your welcome gift.

When a reservation is booked at any SPG-participating hotel through Starwood-branded websites (e.g., spg.com, Sheraton.com, Westin.com) or through the SPG app, all SPG members receive complimentary in-room Internet access. That means that you can get your complimentary internet and still request a free cocktail or bonus points as your welcome gift. However, if you made your booking through a website like Expedia.com (an OTA), you would not receive complimentary internet in addition to your gift.

Complimentary health-club, Club-level and Executive-level access.

  • Platinum members receive complimentary access to the Sheraton Club lounges, Westin Executive Club Lounges and Le Méridien lounges, where available.

Complimentary snacks and champagne at the Executive Club at the Westin Cape Town, South Africa.

Promo offers

While this isn’t officially discussed in the benefits on the SPG website, SPG has been known to send out special promotions to members with Gold or Platinum status and offer special discounts, such as 25% off redemptions.

Delta Crossover Rewards

SPG Gold and Platinum members can register to earn one Starpoint per dollar spent with Delta Crossover Rewards on eligible Delta flights. Also, if you are registered for Crossover Rewards and are a Delta Medallion member, in addition to earning Starpoints for Stays at SPG Participating Hotels, you will earn one Delta mile for every one U.S. dollar or its foreign equivalent spent on eligible SPG stays.

However, SPG Platinum members can receive exclusive additional elite benefits, such as:

  • Priority Check-in
  • Priority Boarding (up to 8 passengers)
  • Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades (First Class and Delta Comfort+)
  • First checked bag free (up to four passengers)

Register for Delta Crossover Rewards here

Your World Rewards with Emirates Skywards

Similar to Delta, Crossover Rewards, as a Platinum Member you can receive

  • Priority check-in,
  • Priority boarding
  • Complimentary e-gate access

Read more about the program here.

Also, SPG has a partnership with China Eastern where you can earn one Starpoint for every 4 China Easter miles earned. You’ll also be able to enjoy elite in-airport benefits, including priority check-in, boarding and luggage handling as well as an excess-luggage allowance and access to the China Eastern business-class lounge. Register for that benefit here.

Bonus earning for events

  • Earn one Starpoint for every US$2 in eligible revenue when you book a group for any occasion, business or pleasure. From weddings to meetings to family reunions.

Guaranteed room

  • Guaranteed room availability when your room is booked by 3 p.m., 72+ hours prior to arrival.

Uber benefits

  • Register and earn with Uber. Earn 1 Starpoint per 2 U.S. dollars spent with Uber every day, and 2 Starpoints per U.S. dollar spent with Uber during your stays with SPG.

You’ll need to have one qualifying stay with SPG before you’re eligible to start earning points. You can find out more about this benefit here and here.

Increased awards for 50 night and 75 night stays

SPG Platinum is further divided into tiers, so that you are continuously rewarded for your stays as you hit higher thresholds. When you hit 50 nights you can choose from a range of different rewards to receive including:

  • 10 Suite Night Awards
  • The gift of Gold status for a friend or family member
  • One Free Night Award
  • Five Elite-Qualifying Nights
  • SPG donation to UNICEF
  • 40% off your favorite hotel bed

When you hit 75 nights you’re granted additional perks including:

  • Earn 4 Starpoints for every eligible U.S. dollar spent — a 100% bonus over the Preferred level
  • Your24™ — have the flexibility of choosing your check-in. For example, check in at 9 p.m. and check out 9 p.m. on the day of departure.
  • 2 points per $1 spent during a stay

When you hit 100 nights you can enjoy SPG Ambassador service.

And of course there’s lifetime status, achieve 500 eligible nights total and 10 years of Platinum status to earn SPG Lifetime Platinum status.

Final word

Although Marriott is my favorite mid-tier status, my favorite top tier status is probably SPG. I love that you’re offered so many perks for different airlines and can match to Marriott Platinum. The free breakfasts at top properties is nice and I like that upgrades to suites are based on availability.