Hilton and Hyatt Make Hotel Status Easier to Get, With a Catch

Everybody talks about airline status. What about hotel status?

Well, frankly, it might not be so difficult to come by. While airlines responded to a pandemic-era explosion in travel by simply making status more restrictive, many large hotel chains have always offered some level of status to members.

And rather than take after the airlines post-COVID, hotels seem to be embracing a different angle of attack — making status more accessible.

Hy-falutin expectations: For years, you’ve been able to collect courtesy Marriott and Hilton Gold status by simply having an American Express Platinum Card — which is supposed to confer more points, later checkout, and the occasional room upgrade. As you can imagine, this means that lots of people have status at the hotel chains. The jury’s still out on whether that’s ultimately a bad thing, but as many hospitality giants don’t want to invest in expensive new perks, Hilton is taking an inventive approach by making it easier to qualify.

• As part of a reported overhaul of its status program, Hilton Honors is reportedly planning to roll out a new top elite tier for those who spend $18K per year, “plus either 80 nights or 40 stays.”
• The upside of this change won’t just mean more targeted perks for top stayers, but a 30% reduction in requirements to earn the lowest level, Silver — and assuming no changes, this means existing benefits will be more accessible and valuable.

Elite Status Gets Crowded

Even Hyatt, which has gained a penchant for running a more upscale hotel program, is trying to open up its elite doors — but just a little. Historically, scoring status at the chain has required either staying a lot of nights or having existing status with American Airlines. But soon, there could be more avenues.

• After renewing their partnership, Chase will offer more Hyatt hotels through its travel portal, along with ‘elite-like’ status at the brand’s high-end properties.
• Hyatt is also expected to announce a new high-end card with an easier path to earn points and status; Chase already offers the ability to earn Hyatt points on its flagship cards.
• Alternatively, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders will soon be able to unlock Hyatt Explorist — the hotel’s middle status — outright if they spend over $75K a year.

But why? Hotel brands reckon there’s value in bringing more travelers into the fold, even if benefits and results may vary. For Hilton, that means making it easier to earn status — and a payoff on the value you’ve put into your stays. For Hyatt, that means building on the benefits of its ecosystem with Chase, raising its brand awareness in the process. But there could be a big catch: maybe the downside of more access is the washing away of what few perks remain in the hotel status game. Or maybe — just maybe — the airline status carrot just has us cynical…