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Free breakfast is one of the perks of hotel elite status. High-tier elites get more perks than non-elites in most programs.

You can earn elite status in a hotel loyalty program if you stay for a certain number of nights every year. Some programs require members to spend a certain amount in order to get top tier status. You can earn elite status through a number of programs. Many of the best hotel credit cards give elite status as a perk and can be used to earn higher status.

If you want to qualify for hotel elite status based on nights, you might be wondering if award nights count. Most major hotel loyalty programs count award nights towards elite status if you purchase flights with miles. The policies of some major hotel loyalty programs are explained here.

Choice Privileges

The Ridgeline Hotel-Estes Park, Ascend Hotel Collection, in Colorado. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

Choice Privileges offers three tiers of status.

The number of nights you spend with the Choice Privileges program can be used to calculate elite status. There are rules and regulations for Choice Privileges.

Elite status is based upon the number of point-eligible or reward nights stayed per calendar year.

The nights you need to earn your tier of elite status will be counted towards your award nights. The Choice Privileges program gives award nights a starting point of just 6,000 points.

Even though award nights count towards Choice Privileges status, there is a simpler way to get elite status. You might want to get the Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card if you stay frequently at Choice hotels. The card gives 5 points for every dollar spent at Choice hotels.

The information for the Choice Privileges Visa card has been collected by a third party. The card issuer did not review or provide the card details on this page.

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Before the end of the year, the best credit cards to reach elite status.

Hilton Honors

Hilton’s Zemi Beach House in Anguilla. BENJI STAWSKI/THE POINTS GUY

The three elite tiers within the program are Silver, Gold andDiamond.

You can earn elite status with a certain number of nights, stays, and base points. After 21 stays, 42 nights or 84,000 base points, you can earn a diamond status with the hotel. It will return to its pre-pandemic elite status in three years.

Reward stays and nights within reward stays count towards earning the honor.

The number of Reward Stays and the number of nights during a Reward Stay will count towards the number of stays and/or nights required for Elite tier qualification.

Pricing is dynamic and rates can change. For as little as 5,000 points per night, you can still find award nights from theHiltonHonors. Standard room rewards can be found for as little as 150,000 points per night. Even though you can use award nights to earn thehonors, opening ahilton card is a better option

elite status as a perk is offered by severalHilton credit cards Silver status is offered by theHiltonHonors American Express card. The American Express Business Card and the American Express Surpass® Card are both gold-rated. Automatic top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status is offered by the American Express card.

You can get a fifth night free on award stays if you are a member of theHiltonHonors program.

The information for the card has been collected by a third party. The card issuer did not review or provide the card details on this page.

You can take advantage of these promotions for bonus points.

IHG One Rewards

IHG’s InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort in the Maldives. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

There are four elite tiers within the IHG One rewards program. You can qualify for each tier based on elite qualification nights, but you can also qualify for the lowest tier. The qualification period is a year.

The award stays towards elite status according to the terms and conditions of the program.

Reward Nights consumed by Members count as Qualifying Nights towards Elite membership qualification.

Dynamic award pricing was introduced by Ihg in 2020. The number of points required to book a reward night varies from night to night. Candlewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express have award nights that are as low as 5,000 points per night.

There is also an easy way. Adding a rewards card to your wallet is something you can do. You get automatic Platinum Elite status and the chance to spend on your card to earn Diamond Elite status if you have an IHG rewards credit card. Automatic Silver Elite status and the chance to spend on your card to earn Gold Elite status are available if you have the IHG® rewards traveler credit card.

I pay the annual fee on my credit card because I like it.

Marriott Bonvoy

Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott New York Manhattan/Central Park in New York. BENJI STAWSKI/THE POINTS GUY

Five tiers of elite are offered by Marriott Bonvoy. Each tier of Marriott Bonvoy elite status requires you to stay with Marriott for a certain number of nights each year.

Marriott Bonvoy loyalists are in luck. Marriott says that award stays count towards elite status.

Free Night Award stay(s) and night(s) will count toward earning Elite membership status.

Marriott Bonvoy award rates are always changing. Most properties are still within their previous award categories. There won't be any published bounds on award rates for stays of more than two years. If you redeem Marriott points for a five-night stay you can get a fifth night free.

Marriott credit cards are one of the easiest ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy elite status. The Marriott cards have elite status and elite night credits as perks.

Each year you can earn up to one personal card and one business card. If you have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card, you can earn up to 40 elite night credits a year.

There is a complete guide to earning Marriott elite status.

World of Hyatt

Park Hyatt Chicago in Illinois. CAMERON SPERANCE/THE POINTS GUY

The World of Hyatt has three tiers of status. You can earn World of Hyatt elite status through base points or meetings hosted.

There are a lot of questions on the World of HyattFrequently asked questions page.

A Tier-Qualifying Night is any night when the member stays at a Hyatt hotel or resort or an MGM Rewards destination, pays an Eligible Rate or redeems a free night award, and associates his or her World of Hyatt membership number with the reservation.

If you want to earn World of Hyatt elite status, you have to stay at least one night each year.

Hyatt moved to peak and off-peak award pricing if you want to redeem less points for a Hyatt free night award. Off-peak nights at Category 1 Hyatt properties can be booked for just 3,500 points.

Automatic World of Hyatt elite status is offered by a number of credit cards. The World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card have Discoverist status. You can earn night credits when you reach specific spending thresholds by using your card.

The guide to the World of Hyatt award charts is related.

Wyndham Rewards

Wyndham Viva Azteca in Mexico. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

Gold, Platinum and Diamond have different benefits. You can get to the tiers by completing nights at the properties.

Go Free awards are referred to by the company. A stayed night obtained by using any variety of Go Free Award is included in a qualified night to earn elite status.

Awards nights cost between 7,500 and 30,000 points per night. You can get 10% off your Go Free awards if you have the Wyndham rewards card. You can get automatic elite status in the form of Gold for the Earner card and Platinum for the Earner Plus card if you have these cards.

The Points Guy collected the information for theWyndham rewards cards. The card issuer did not review or provide the card details on this page.

There are 17 ways to earnWyndham rewards points.

Bottom line

You can earn elite status with all of the programs discussed above if you redeem your points for award nights.

Hotel credit cards can help you earn elite status if you don't have enough nights for it. Some credit cards will give you elite status just for having the card in your wallet, while others will give you elite night credits if you use your card for purchases.

You can earn credit for your preferred hotel's elite status if you redeem points frequently.

The additional reporting was done by Ehsan Haque and others.