What is hotel status match and which hotels offer it?

By Holly D Johnson Bankrate com The hotel industry is competitive which is part of the reason hotel brands launch loyalty programs to lure in and reward frequent travelers But there s another tool hotel brands use to steal business travelers and jet-setters from other brands and it s known as a status match If you frequently stay with one hotel brand and you have elite status to show for it you re maybe busy enjoying hotel benefits like room upgrades early check-in late checkout and lounge access But what happens if you want to change your preferred hotel brand Hotel status match programs can help you enjoy elite benefits with other hotel loyalty programs for a limited time or even in perpetuity if you switch programs What is a status match Status match is a tool that hotel loyalty programs use to snag frequent travelers from competing hotel chains Essentially these programs let elite members from another brand qualify for top-tier perks that they would normally have to earn through paid hotel stays or having a co-branded hotel credit card Whereas a few status matches are offered automatically to those who sign up others are offered in the form of a status challenge When the latter applies customers typically need to complete a specific number of paid stays or reach a specific spending threshold with the new hotel brand in order to qualify Which hotels offer status matches Here s a rundown of which hotel brands are offering status matches right now Hilton Honors Hilton Honors members who have not applied for a status match in the past and are a Silver tier or lower can apply for this benefit Essentially frequent travelers need to submit proof of elite status with another hotel brand upfront at which point they ll be upgraded to Hilton Gold status for days At that point guests can do one of the following Stay at least eight nights with Hilton within the -day trial period to keep Gold status through March Stay an additional six nights total nights within the -day trial period to upgrade to Diamond status through March Also be aware that several Hilton credit cards provide automatic elite status just for signing up A few options to consider include Hilton Honors American Express Card comes with automatic Silver status Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card comes with automatic Gold status Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with automatic Diamond status The Platinum Card from American Express comes with automatic Hilton Gold status The Business Platinum Card from American Express comes with automatic Hilton Gold status Marriott Bonvoy At the moment the Marriott Bonvoy activity does not have an official status match offer you can apply for However the brand has an unpublished status challenge that you can call and request The details include Related Articles Voyage A Bigfoot- and UFO-lovers guide to Colorado things to eat and drink when you re in Portugal and Northern Spain Reader trip to Portugal and Spain features funiculars fun fabulous food Smart journey hacks for the well-heeled from hotel designer Kelly Wearstler What to know as US prepares to require REAL ID for countless air travelers next month Stay eight nights within three months of enrollment to get Marriott Bonvoy Gold status Stay nights within three months of enrollment to get Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status If you meet the requirements you keep the status for the remainder of the current year plus all of the following membership year Unlike a status match you don t need existing status to apply Note that only paid stays count and you can t request a challenge if you already have elite status with Marriott To enroll call Marriott and request a status challenge Because this is an unofficial offering be sure to take note of any requirements you get from the representative There are also co-branded Marriott credit cards that offer automatic elite status Consider the following cards if you want to get automatic elite status and earn rewards for your spending Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card comes with automatic Silver Elite status Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card comes with automatic Silver Elite status Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card comes with automatic Gold Elite status Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card comes with automatic Platinum Elite status Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card comes with automatic Gold Elite status The Platinum Card from American Express comes with automatic Marriott Gold Elite status The Business Platinum Card from American Express comes with automatic Marriott Gold Elite status World of Hyatt The World of Hyatt scheme doesn t offer a status match plan at the moment and it has not had a constituents offer for status matches in the past However you can get automatic World of Hyatt elite status by signing up for the right World of Hyatt credit card The World of Hyatt Credit Card comes with automatic Discoverist status for as long as the account stays open The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card comes with automatic Discoverist status for the cardholder and up to five employees IHG One Rewards IHG One Rewards is another hotel brand that is not offering a society status match challenge at the moment It s been quite a while since one was available However you can still get automatic elite hotel status with an eligible credit card Related Articles How to avoid credit card late fees after a court threw out a proposed cap Does a plan affect financial aid Requested on Reddit How should I trim my monthly budget Facts high school grads facing k in college pupil loans Home buyers may face surprise credit hit from participant loans IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card comes with automatic Platinum Elite status IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card comes with automatic Silver Elite status IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card comes with automatic Platinum Elite status Keep in mind If you have the New United Club Card you can enroll for IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status Wyndham Rewards Wyndham Rewards offers the chance to match your status as of the time of publication To qualify you ll send in proof of your existing hotel elite status with the chance to maintain a corresponding status level if you complete a minimum number of paid stays with the hotel brand within days The new status you receive depends on the status you have For example Gold Elite status or higher with Marriott Bonvoy translates to Diamond status with Wyndham Rewards You can also get automatic Wyndham Rewards elite status with the following rewards credit cards Wyndham Rewards Earner Card comes with automatic Gold status Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card comes with automatic Platinum status Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card comes with automatic Diamond status This is one of the easiest status matches to get so if you have any Wyndham stays coming up you might want to enroll Choice Privileges Choice Privileges at this time offers a status match You can apply for a status match by submitting proof of elite status with another hotel brand You ll email your full name Choice Privileges member number and proof of status such as a screenshot that shows your elite hotel status to Status Match choicehotels com Within days you ll automatically become an elite member with Choice Privileges You ll then be eligible for elite perks like bonus points on paid stays and a welcome gift at eligible properties in the U S and Canada Details are scant about how the match works but there are three possible status tiers Gold Platinum and Diamond You ll likely be matched as closely as doable from your existing elite status You can also cut to the chase and get instant elite status with the right credit card Choice Privileges Mastercard comes with automatic Gold Elite status Choice Privileges Select Mastercard comes with automatic Platinum Elite status Best Western Rewards Best Western offers a operation called Status Match No Catch which lets you request a status match without much work required on your part This project requires you to email StatusMatch bestwestern com with your name contact information Best Western loyalty number and proof of status in another hotel activity Best Western says that new elite members will receive status through Dec Should you do a hotel status match Using a status match activity is a no-brainer if you already have elite status with a particular hotel brand but you want to try out a new project After all bulk status match programs give you a higher tier of status just for proving your current status and you may get to enjoy elite status perks for a year or longer That explained you can get automatic elite status through a number of top hotel credit cards which might be even easier Hotel credit cards even let you earn generous sign-up bonuses and hotel points on all your spending and countless offer a free award night each year often after your cardmember anniversary Plus specific of the best voyage rewards cards offer hotel status for cardholders Mind the timing It s best to apply for a status match or challenge shortly before you stay with the new hotel chain That gives you more time to complete any requirements and enjoy your newly minted status The bottom line Status match programs tend to come and go over time so you ll want to frequently check the hotel programs you re interested in to see which new status match offers have come along By proving you have elite status and taking approaches to have it matched you can enjoy elite perks and try out a competing hotel brand before fully committing to a new brand Information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card from Chase The World of Hyatt Credit Card World of Hyatt Business Credit Card IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card IHG One Rewards Premier Business Card New United Club Card Wyndham Rewards Earner Card Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card and Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card has been collected independently by Bankrate com The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer Bankrate com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC