When Hotel Elite Status Is Worth More Than Hotel Points

For frequent travelers, hotel loyalty programs can be a useful way to get more value from money that would otherwise be spent on accommodation. Most hotel programs offer 2 main incentives for loyal guests: points and elite status.

Points can be earned and redeemed for free nights, but elite status is often overlooked. For some travelers, status can be considerably more valuable than points. It comes down to how often you stay at hotels, the properties you visit, and which benefits you actually use.

Here’s a look at when hotel elite status can be worth more than hotel points.

Hotel Points: Rewards for Future Stays

Hotel points are a rewards currency that encourages loyalty to a specific hotel chain and its loyalty program. Guests typically earn them by staying at participating hotels, spending on eligible purchases, using affiliated credit cards, or taking advantage of promotions.

The biggest benefit of hotel points is the ability to redeem them for hotel stays. Instead of paying the full cash rate for a room, you can use points to cover some or all of the cost. For many, this is the main reason to participate in hotel loyalty programs — earning rewards that can be used for future stays.

Hotel points can be particularly valuable when cash rates are expensive. If you are visiting a major city during a major event or a resort destination in a peak travel period, you might encounter rates that are substantially higher than usual.

If an award night at that hotel is available for a reasonable number of points, redeeming points can reduce the amount paid out of pocket. Sometimes, that can be the entire cost.

Additionally, hotel points can sometimes provide access to properties that would otherwise be outside your budget. This is the case for many travelers, myself included. Though I normally book inexpensive to mid-range hotels, I try to redeem points at much nicer properties, where cash prices are often much higher.

However, hotel points are not necessarily as straightforward as they may seem. Their value can change depending on the redemption. Hotel programs can devalue award pricing, introduce new restrictions, or modify benefits associated with different member tiers.

Points can also encourage you to think about future stays rather than just the current one. If you earn thousands of points but rarely have the opportunity to redeem them, the theoretical value may be less important than it first appears. This is where hotel elite status becomes more valuable.

Hot Tip:

Points are worth different amounts. Check out our in-depth points and miles valuations guide to see what your points and miles are worth.

What Hotel Elite Status Provides

Hotel elite status is designed to reward travelers who stay with a hotel chain frequently. Instead of just earning points, you can earn your way into different membership tiers based on various factors, including how many nights you stay with a specific chain, how much you spend with the program, or other similar requirements.

Elite status benefits vary widely across loyalty programs, but there are some common perks. These include:

• Complimentary room upgrades (when available; sometimes, even suites)
• Early check-in (when available)
• Late checkout (when available)
• Complimentary breakfast (or a breakfast-related credit)
• Lounge access (when available)
• Bonus points
• Welcome amenities

The exact benefits you receive depend on the hotel loyalty program and your tier within the program. Unlike redeemable hotel points, many of these benefits have value every time they are used.

For example, consider breakfast. If my wife and I stay at a luxury property for 5 nights, we might spend a significant amount on breakfast each morning. That can be more than $50 per person, which would total $500 before tax and tip.

If we received complimentary breakfast with elite status, the savings could rival the value of points earned from the stay. Let’s say we pay $500 per night at a Hilton property and earn 14x points with my Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. We’d earn 35,000 points, which we value at 0.5 cents each — a total value of $175 that’s far less than the $500 breakfast value.

The same principle applies to room upgrades. A standard room might be perfectly comfortable, but an upgrade to a larger room, one with a view, or even a suite, can substantially improve the hotel experience without requiring additional payment.

Why Hotel Elite Status Can Be So Valuable for Frequent Travelers

The more frequently you stay with the same hotel chains, the more opportunities you have to use the elite benefits. Each additional stay offers another chance to use the benefits of your membership tier.

Even if an individual perk may seem relatively minor, it can add significant value over time. A complimentary breakfast may save a decent amount of money on a single morning, and a late checkout may provide a few hours of convenience.

When you take advantage of these perks repeatedly throughout the year, they can become a significant part of the overall value of a hotel loyalty program.

Fortunately, there are many shortcuts to earning elite status at hotels, including co-branded credit cards. Many of our favorite hotel credit cards provide elite status as a card benefit.

For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card provides complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. Similarly, the Hilton Aspire card provides automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status.

Bottom Line:

Elite status at smaller properties or limited-service brands may offer less value, but it can be more valuable at upscale and full-service hotels, where members can access a wider range of perks, amenities, and on-property experiences. Fortunately, many hotel credit cards offer elite status as a perk.

Finding the Benefits That Matter the Most to You

Of course, not all benefits are equal. Finding which benefits matter most to you is crucial when considering elite status.

Complimentary Breakfast Can Add Up Quickly

For me, breakfast is arguably the most valuable elite-status benefit and deserves special attention because it is one of the clearest examples of how hotel status can outperform points.

Typically, I chase elite status across most major hotel chains to the elite tier that provides complimentary breakfast, whether as a standalone perk or as a welcome amenity.

Suppose a hotel charges my partner and me $25 per person for breakfast. For 2 people staying 4 nights at a property, breakfast could cost $200 — and that’s before any taxes or service charges.

If elite status provides complimentary breakfast as a perk, that benefit alone is typically worth more than the points earned from a hotel stay. This can be even more valuable for larger groups, such as a family with kids.

Conversely, someone who normally skips breakfast will place little value on the benefit. The value of status depends on how you travel, since a benefit is only valuable if you would actually use it.

Room Upgrades Enhance the Overall Experience

Room upgrades are the second most important perk of hotel elite status. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to determine their true value, since it is not always reflected in direct cash savings.

Sometimes, I get upgraded to slightly larger rooms or ones with a slightly better view. Though the hotel may sell that upgraded room for considerably more, I am typically not willing to pay a premium for an upgrade that is only marginally better.

Suite upgrades, while uncommon, can further enhance the hotel experience. I have never paid directly for a suite, but have been upgraded to them many times over the years.

Room upgrades are subject to availability, and elite status doesn’t guarantee an upgrade with each hotel stay. I consider upgrades a potential benefit rather than a sure thing.

Bottom Line:

Hotel elite status can sometimes offer luxury that would otherwise be difficult to justify paying for.

Credit Cards Have Changed the Game

Co-branded hotel cards can offer benefits such as complimentary elite status or shortcuts to status. They can also provide other perks, such as additional points on hotel spending or free night certificates.

For travelers who frequently stay at hotels and spend heavily with specific chains, having a co-branded hotel card can provide substantial value. These cards can increase the rewards you earn and help you qualify for elite status, which is a major benefit.

Hotel cards offering complimentary elite status can be valuable if you use the benefits that come with the status. Getting automatic status can also eliminate the need to earn it with hotel stays, so you can choose hotels based on other factors than chasing elite nights.

Still, a hotel card’s benefits need to be valuable enough to justify any annual fee.

Final Thoughts

Redeemable hotel points and elite status serve different purposes. Points offer free or discounted future stays, and status can enhance the overall experience. But earning points and elite status isn’t an either-or situation — you can do both.

Generally, a good loyalty strategy is not necessarily about maximizing points or achieving the highest possible status. It is about maximizing the benefits that match your travel patterns. This is especially true for frequent travelers who regularly stay at full-service and luxury properties. If you frequently use status benefits such as complimentary breakfast, upgrades, and late checkout, it may be helpful to earn elite status by consolidating your stays to a particular hotel chain or using a credit card that offers automatic elite status.

For occasional travelers, points may be more appealing, as they can be earned gradually without requiring a high level of loyalty to one particular hotel chain. While points redemptions typically make the headlines, elite-status benefits are arguably more valuable to frequent travelers like me.