With it now being 2026, I thought it would be fun to share my hotel elite status strategy for the coming year. While I think the value of airline elite status has decreased considerably over the years (well, in many ways), I continue to greatly value hotel elite status, including for suite upgrades and more.
As we start a new year, let me share a general overview of how I’m approaching hotel elite status, what elite status tiers I am starting the year with, and intend to end the year with.
In this post:
What my 2026 hotel stays will likely look like
Over the years, the average number of nights per year that I spend in hotels has decreased. Back in the day, I lived in hotels full time, so I suppose just having a home at all represents a reduction in hotel stays. 😉 Honestly, though, the older I get, the more I realize that no hotel bed can beat the comfort and familiarity of sleeping at home.
That being said, I actually think 2026 will be a year where I see an increase in hotel stays again, and that comes down to a couple of factors.
First of all, my mom passed a few months ago, after a long battle with cancer (I miss her every day… ugh… anyway). For over six years, I felt like I couldn’t actually make any long term travel plans, since we never knew how much longer she’d have (and she outlived all our expectations). For that matter, I’d spend almost all of my spare time with her, rather than traveling. So with my mom’s passing, I also once again have a bit more time to travel, and also have the ability to plan in advance.
Second of all, we now have two kids — Miles is around three years old, while Jet is around six months old. Having two kids is certainly an incentive to be as home as much as possible, since time flies. However, we are at the point where we actually see value in traveling with our older son (in the sense that we feel he gets something out of it), which is a relatively recent development. We’ve been doing a significant of travel with him, and plan to continue that going forward.
Beyond that, I anticipate my travel will primarily come in a couple of different forms. For one, I want to take several trips with my dad (who I wasn’t great about prioritizing while my mom had cancer, since I was so focused on her), and I also hope to take some trips with Ford.
Lastly, much of my remaining travel will come in the form of review trips, where I travel exclusively to review airlines, and in some cases hotels. For these trips, the goal is to be away from home for as little time as possible.
I hope that this will finally be the year where I can check out some of the places on my bucket list, and also stay at the points hotels that have been on my radar.
My 2026 hotel elite status strategy
Hotel loyalty programs can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can offer valuable benefits and the ability to redeem points for free night awards. On the other hand, they can make us act irrationally, and choose overpriced and less charming hotels than you may otherwise find if you were a “free agent.”
Let me share how I’m approaching 2026 elite status with some of the major hotel loyalty programs. I’m starting the year with quite a bit of flexibility, between the status that I’ve earned the “hard” way, plus the status that I receive through other means, which doesn’t require much effort to maintain.
Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador status (earned)
Marriott Bonvoy has historically been my backup hotel loyalty program. While the number of nights I was spending with Marriott was decreasing with each year, that trend reversed a couple of years back. In 2024, I qualified for Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador status, which is probably the hardest published elite hotel tier to earn.
For some historical context, I had Ambassador status up until the start of the pandemic, but I then dropped to Titanium status, and then even to Platinum status. Fortunately I have lifetime Platinum status, so that’s not even a status that I need to earn, and I always have that to fall back on. However, there are still incentives to rack up elite nights, in order to receive Choice Benefits.
Marriott Bonvoy members can earn up to 40 elite nights per year with co-branded Marriott credit cards, like the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review) and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review). Furthermore, just for having the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, you receive Platinum status.
I ended up requalifying for the status this past year, so I have another year on the Ambassador “hamster wheel.” Frankly, I think I might even end up requalifying again, given that we have a Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise booked this spring, which puts a good dent in the spending requirement for the status.
While my first full year back with Ambassador status hasn’t been that exciting, I plan to make full use out of it this year, and am planning lots of trips to Marriott properties that have been on my radar.
World of Hyatt Globalist status (lifetime)
World of Hyatt Globalist is my favorite top tier hotel status, and it ordinarily requires 60 elite nights or 100,000 base points in a year to earn. Fortunately I’ve earned lifetime Globalist status, so I get that status every year without having to actually qualify.
While the Milestone Rewards program is tied to the number of elite nights you rack up, lifetime Globalist members get quite a few of the rewards each year automatically, including four suite upgrade awards, a Category 1-7 free night award, five Guest of Honor awards, and access to My Hyatt Concierge.
While I’m hoping to qualify for Globalist status the “normal” way in 2026 (so that I earn even more Milestone Rewards perks), I’m not convinced that will happen, so I guess we’ll see!
Depending on how the year evolves, I might shift some credit card spending to Hyatt’s co-branded credits in order to earn more elite nights:
- With the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) you receive five elite nights toward status annually just for having the card, plus an additional two elite nights for every $5,000 you spend on the card
- With the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review) you receive five elite for every $10,000 spent on the card in a calendar year
However, that also comes with some opportunity cost. Still, if it’s just an incremental top-off on otherwise earning 40 or so nights, maybe it’s worth it.
We’ll see how the year goes. I’m going to assume that I’ll fall back on my lifetime Globalist status, but I’m not ruling out the possibility of making it to 60 elite nights.
Hilton Honors Diamond elite status (credit card)
Hilton is a brand that has grown on me in recent years, thanks to how its luxury portfolio has grown. Furthermore, I appreciate how just for having the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (review), you get Hilton Honors™ Diamond status. On top of that, the $550 annual fee card (Rates & Fees) more than pays for itself based on all the other perks, which really add up.
However, I’m getting less excited about the program again, between awful points devaluations, plus the introduction of a new top tier status above Diamond.
While I don’t specifically seek out Hilton properties, I do find myself staying at Hilton when they’re the best option at a destination. From the perspective of chasing status, there’s limited need to stay with Hilton, though, since I get the status that I’d like just by having a credit card.
I usually complete a handful of stays at Hilton properties per year, and I suspect that will be the case in 2026 as well.
IHG One Rewards Platinum status (credit card)
The IHG One Rewards loyalty program was nicely revamped several years back, especially with the Milestone Rewards program. However, I just don’t love IHG’s portfolio overall, as well as the lack of good points redemption opportunities for luxury hotels, like at Six Senses properties.
IHG is very much my backup backup backup hotel program, after World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hilton Honors. 😉 I have IHG One Rewards Platinum status, which is offered just for being a cardmember of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (review). The status ultimately isn’t that valuable, but it comes in handy for the one or two times that I do stay at IHG properties annually.
IHG is even more a hotel group that I only stay with if the brand has the best (by some metric) property at the destination that I’m visiting, or when I have a credit card free night award to redeem.
Virtuoso & other programs
The truth is that you don’t actually need to be loyal to a hotel group to receive elite-like benefits. There are all kinds of programs offering room upgrades, breakfast, hotel credits, and more, all based on the method you use to book.
These include programs like Accor Preferred, Belmond Bellini Club, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Hilton for Luxury, Hyatt Privé, Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, Marriott STARS, Oetker Collection Pearl Partner, Peninsula PenClub, Rosewood Elite, Shangri-La Luxury Circle, Virtuoso, and more.
I find myself booking through these programs quite often, regardless of whether I’m staying at a luxury points hotel, or whether I’m staying at an independent hotel.
Bottom line
My hotel elite status situation and strategy in 2026 looks very similar to how it did in 2025. Specifically, I have lifetime World of Hyatt Globalist status, and I have Hilton Honors Diamond status and IHG One Rewards Platinum status through credit cards. On top of that, while I have lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status, I’ve also qualified for Ambassador status for the second year in a row.
In the coming year, I think I’ll continue to be largely focused on Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt, since those are the two programs where I have the highest status, and generally have the best experiences (well, I appreciate Marriott more for its huge footprint than great elite recognition, but still…).
What’s your hotel loyalty strategy for 2026? Does it differ from past years?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (Rates & Fees).
I'm looking forward to seeing some more economy / premium economy and more basic hotel reviews.
As LTT with Bonvoy, I'll continue my post-Bonvoy strategy of primarily trying to stay at Hyatts or thru FHR/similar, then IHG, then Marriotts/Hiltons.
My hotel strategy for 2026 - I have none.
I have reached Platinum status with Marriott solely because it is my company’s preferred hotel and required for business travel, combined with the fact that several conferences and business stays occur during its double-night promotions. As a result, I have reached Platinum status for the past two years without actively pursuing it or deriving meaningful value from the status itself.
For personal travel, I will redeem...
My hotel strategy for 2026 - I have none.
I have reached Platinum status with Marriott solely because it is my company’s preferred hotel and required for business travel, combined with the fact that several conferences and business stays occur during its double-night promotions. As a result, I have reached Platinum status for the past two years without actively pursuing it or deriving meaningful value from the status itself.
For personal travel, I will redeem any points accumulated from these stays; however, when paying cash, Marriott is generally a last-choice option.
I just book through my travel agent who has virtuoso and access to the preferred programs of all the chains so i never have to worry about this ridiculous hamster wheel. Why bother?
Travel agents may have been fantastic in 1993, but nowadays they're almost extinct in many parts of the world. While I don't doubt that a good TA can help in some circumstances, I think that overall you're better off looking at Trivago etc and reserving exactly what you need for each trip as opposed to arguing whether the virtuoso late check out is guaranteed or merely subject to availability and/or whether you can use your...
Travel agents may have been fantastic in 1993, but nowadays they're almost extinct in many parts of the world. While I don't doubt that a good TA can help in some circumstances, I think that overall you're better off looking at Trivago etc and reserving exactly what you need for each trip as opposed to arguing whether the virtuoso late check out is guaranteed or merely subject to availability and/or whether you can use your Accor Gold welcome drink voucher for a double espresso or a glass of vermouth.
I've been using her for the hotels I wanted to book for the past 5 years and have had zero issues- the rate i find online is always what she finds and i pay, and the benefits I get through booking with her are better than I get on my own. Not sure what outdated thoughts you are referring to here. Dont know what an "Accor Gold welcome drink voucher" is supposed to mean but...
I've been using her for the hotels I wanted to book for the past 5 years and have had zero issues- the rate i find online is always what she finds and i pay, and the benefits I get through booking with her are better than I get on my own. Not sure what outdated thoughts you are referring to here. Dont know what an "Accor Gold welcome drink voucher" is supposed to mean but I've always been happy with the amenities, upgrades, free breakfast, etc, I've received when I've booked through her.
The voucher is an elite benefit which obviously comes with terms and conditions which can create amusing debates.
These programmes aren't available for every hotel, your choices are restricted to what is available on the reservation systems she's using. Do you ever stay in non-chain hotels that aren't luxury/upper upscale?
I do not stay in hotels often, and when I do i'm willing to pay for a good one.
Fair enough, the approach can work, particularly if you mostly tend to visit places with lots of tourist infrastructure.
What a load of BS. You go on about earning status. The average person on street would never spend 60 nights in a hotel, other than a business person. Backup of a backup of a backup.....what BS.....
The funny thing is that Ben himself doesn't really spend that many nights on the road nowadays!
What a strange post - this blog's target audience is not random people on the street who don't travel much
The point still sort of stands though - even for those who do travel frequently, there's arguably not a lot of benefit to chasing elite status unless one already needs to do lots of work travel with limited options in terms of where they stay (owing to corporate contracts and/or work locations).
Check out Choice Privilieges.
Best value. No $500 per night hotel room where somehow everything right down to parking, breakfast and use of pool is extra!
This is pretty much the same hotel strategy for 2025 for Lucky. As much as Lucky complains about Marriott he still chooses to stay at a Marriott. There are other programs that readers have wrote about and Lucky knows but he has never tried hard with them.
IHG has improved a lot so at least give it a real shot for at least a year or more as a diamond and/or ambassador. Why not...
This is pretty much the same hotel strategy for 2025 for Lucky. As much as Lucky complains about Marriott he still chooses to stay at a Marriott. There are other programs that readers have wrote about and Lucky knows but he has never tried hard with them.
IHG has improved a lot so at least give it a real shot for at least a year or more as a diamond and/or ambassador. Why not other chain hotels such as Best Western, Wyndham, or Choice? You write about them but don’t ever stay at one of these hotels.
What about GHA or LHW? You can even try an OTA or two to give us your opinion about whether these programs are really any good. And yes Marriott has its footprints but in any given city you can find one of these other hotels to stay at. Stay at a Marriott but you can stay there less and get off the Marriott/ Ambassador/Titanium hamster wheel.
Thanks. Happy New Year Lucky. Even with my two cents you are by far even with setting the bar high the best blogger ever.
As much as Ben travels internationally, he should be looking at NH/GHA or Accor. Heck, even Radisson.
Radisson now part of Choice. Only way to go anyway.
No, Radisson in the US is part of Choice. Radisson internationally is a different company and a different program.
I'm fascinated by your Hyatt strategy and predictions. I am also a Lifetime Globalist but I do still spend upwards of 120 nights at Hyatt regardless. As well an Ambassador with Marriott which I consider secondary.
You seem to infer that the best route forward is not trying to get nights at Hyatt because you are already Lifetime Globalist. This is exactly my issue at times with how they level these tiers. There is...
I'm fascinated by your Hyatt strategy and predictions. I am also a Lifetime Globalist but I do still spend upwards of 120 nights at Hyatt regardless. As well an Ambassador with Marriott which I consider secondary.
You seem to infer that the best route forward is not trying to get nights at Hyatt because you are already Lifetime Globalist. This is exactly my issue at times with how they level these tiers. There is no incentive. Basically, as you say, you will maybe, or maybe not, get 60 nights while I will achieve 120+ and yet we are considered the same? This is the absolute fault of the Lifetime aspect in that it does not recognize in anyway those who continue to rack up huge nights through loyalty despite Lifetime.
Solution? There should be a next tier level for Globalist that mixes both Lifetime status with hitting Globalist status, A Lifetime+ if you will. Otherwise your very post just tells everyone that once you hit Lifetime move on and target the next brand. That's not loyalty. That's gaming. And that's what ends up killing these programs and any incentive at all.
Oddly, as they are usually not focused on fairness, Bonvoy has it right. Capping out Lifetime at Platinum. That is the second solution.
Lucky, have you considered getting status in GHA Discovery? You only need to stay in 3 different hotel brands to qualify for Titanium (although I’m pretty sure NH hotels and other brands under their banner only count as one), and it could be useful to combine it with Virtuoso benefits if reviewing a Capella hotel
I’m curious how many nights you had at hotels this year…
We travelled with our kids from age 2 to n+1. We were employed overseas with kids aged 3 through 18. The youngest doesn't remember much from below 6 and both often regret our nomadic living having missed the opportunity to bond with local Canadian kids K-12. So travel with young un's is perhaps a mixed blessing. Our thoughts of world wide experience don't appear to be fully shared.
Do you have any insight as...
We travelled with our kids from age 2 to n+1. We were employed overseas with kids aged 3 through 18. The youngest doesn't remember much from below 6 and both often regret our nomadic living having missed the opportunity to bond with local Canadian kids K-12. So travel with young un's is perhaps a mixed blessing. Our thoughts of world wide experience don't appear to be fully shared.
Do you have any insight as to how Hilton's DFL program will handle the new higher level? Or do you think it will be a continuous "need to reapply" forever?
Answers: NO and NO. Also, TOTALLY FALSE.
I will probably make most use of my purchased IHG Diamond status this year, which I purchased for a grand cost of $800 but will likely amount to only maximum $200 out of pocket since I’m using the affiliated purchased points to offset no less than $600 of room nights that I would be having anyway.
Not sure if I will make Hyatt Globalist this year, but if a fast track promo comes along for...
I will probably make most use of my purchased IHG Diamond status this year, which I purchased for a grand cost of $800 but will likely amount to only maximum $200 out of pocket since I’m using the affiliated purchased points to offset no less than $600 of room nights that I would be having anyway.
Not sure if I will make Hyatt Globalist this year, but if a fast track promo comes along for it, I would easily do it.
Have more mid and top-tier hotel status in a variety of other programs but barely use those.
I usually like your stuff, but $800 to buy Diamond with IHG…Why??
Came with 120k points.
$800 gave Diamond status plus 120k points; the 120k points will cover at least 5 hotel nights for me and include complimentary breakfast(s) because of Diamond status. Even if I lowball value the hotel room award nights at $80 per night (when the lower quality & nearest Comfort hotel asks for $110 or more) and each breakfast at $5 (when the hotel charges $25), the status is not really costing me more than $375 out...
$800 gave Diamond status plus 120k points; the 120k points will cover at least 5 hotel nights for me and include complimentary breakfast(s) because of Diamond status. Even if I lowball value the hotel room award nights at $80 per night (when the lower quality & nearest Comfort hotel asks for $110 or more) and each breakfast at $5 (when the hotel charges $25), the status is not really costing me more than $375 out of pocket and I’ll eat that $375 in breakfasts pretty quickly at higher end hotels. This assumes I am around for a few more weeks at the very least. :D
Oh! I almost forgot about that promotion. Now, I recall Ben mentioning it earlier in December. I have Platinum via the Chase Premier card. And I earned Diamond via $75K spend on CSR, so I had not considered purchasing the points for status, but glad it seems to have worked for you!
Also I value IHG Diamond status a bit more because IHG full service hotel rates tend to be lower than Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and they also often have 10-12% cashback on regular paid rates using cashback portals. So lower rates + higher cashback + breakfast value make for a sweet spot.
I don’t usually value upgrades as long as I don’t get stuck in the proverbial windowless broom closet by the elevator or close to the main entrance.
Lately, Hilton and Marriott have followed IHG in devaluing their points to near 0.5 cents per point. Hyatt is the only program that has maintained its value over the years, closer to 2 CPP.
I often say 'don't hoard points,' but, I can't help but hold onto hundreds of thousands of IHG points, waiting for that idealistic 4th night free at an InterContinental in Maldives or whatever. LOL. Some day...
The multipliers via the...
Lately, Hilton and Marriott have followed IHG in devaluing their points to near 0.5 cents per point. Hyatt is the only program that has maintained its value over the years, closer to 2 CPP.
I often say 'don't hoard points,' but, I can't help but hold onto hundreds of thousands of IHG points, waiting for that idealistic 4th night free at an InterContinental in Maldives or whatever. LOL. Some day...
The multipliers via the portals is a more advanced method, and it relies on those third entities staying afloat. (I feel more confident with an AA Hotels, especially if it enables status earning with AA, etc., but, not necessarily Rakuten, namely because of the delay, yet, I know some evangelize for those.)
I'm with you on hotel upgrades, generally (I don't rely on them), unless it's a certificate, confirmed in-advance, etc. And, quite honestly, unless you really 'need' the extra space, or want a specific room for the view, amenities (tub, work desk, etc.), it's not necessary.
I'm a hotel free agent. Amex green + expedia (through rakuten) = 9 - 13X MR
Any expedia one key discount is a bonus
Hotel status? Lol. If it doesn’t come with the card, why even bother. Hilton Diamond thanks to Aspire; Marriott Platinum thanks to Brilliant; IHG Platinum thanks to several; Hyatt Discoverist thanks to their card. If it helps with a later checkout, free WiFi, bottles of water, and maybe free breakfast, that’s enough. Otherwise, book through Amex FHR for better benefits (guaranteed 4PM late checkout, breakfasts, property credits). Status at hotels is overrated.
My strategy is no more loyalty to any specific hotel group. Continued no more business with Marriott. Amex fine hotels and expedia for 90% of my stays now and focus on smaller hotel "non us based" chains, prioritize boutique hotels. Will only use hilton for their certificate and maybe book another 2 nights in conjunction. The remaining 50-80 nights will be amex and expedia.
I think I’m more focused this year on looking for opportunities to get those Amex FHR/Chase credits when it works in my favor than giving any hotel company loyalty. They just don’t make it worth my while to change my spending habits for hotel status.
You criticize Marriott and acknowledge the hamster wheel but then keep staying and spending enough to re-qualify for ambassador status. It's kind of like the battered wife who keeps going back to the abusive husband.
@ Nick -- Hey, I won't deny that, you're largely right. :-) In fairness, when I earned Ambassador status, my intent was to actually use it and report back on my experience, which I think I've done (and in the process I requalified again, oops).
You're absolutely right that I criticize Marriott and then go back to the program. Here's my only defense, though -- I don't just blindly stay at Marriotts, and I'm not...
@ Nick -- Hey, I won't deny that, you're largely right. :-) In fairness, when I earned Ambassador status, my intent was to actually use it and report back on my experience, which I think I've done (and in the process I requalified again, oops).
You're absolutely right that I criticize Marriott and then go back to the program. Here's my only defense, though -- I don't just blindly stay at Marriotts, and I'm not some Bonvoy loyalist who starts and ends my hotel search on Marriott's website. That being said, if Marriott does have a good hotel in a market, I'm happy to stay there.
So in many cases I stay at Marriott affiliated properties because I think they're decent, and if you're going to stay at one of those hotels, you might as well have as high of a status as possible. But yeah, in terms of my perception of the program and general level of customer service, I think much more highly of Hyatt than Marriott.
That argument is exactly why Marriott doesn’t fix anything. They sell elite benefits and brand standards they don’t enforce, then rely on smart travelers to rationalize the failure because of their “scale” or the “market reality.” At some point, continuing to participate — and excuse it — stops being punditry or analysis and becomes complicity in a loyalty program that’s more fictional than a fiction novel.
Agree Nick. I used to stay at Marriott brand hotels 50+ nights a year without trying. Now I'll maybe scrape 10 nights a year where there is limited choice/alternatives in one of the big four programs. If people don't change their behavior and move away from Marriott, there's zero incentive for them to change Bonvoy or to prioritize the consumer.
@ Nick
100% correct. I find this so strange.