Does a hotel stay on December 31 count toward earning status this year or next?

With 2024 just weeks away, travelers are tallying their status achievements to grasp the benefits that will be enjoyed in 2025.

You may hope to earn elite status for the first time this year, or you may pursue a higher status level. If you’re in that boat, you might plan to get there via nature travel or even at the last minute. running mattress.

Achieving elite status with hotels is often much easier than with airlines because the awards lie with the major chains counts toward the hotel’s elite status.

However, if you’re at risk of falling one night short of earning earning status in 2024, do hotel stays between December 31 and January 1 count toward earning status for the year? today or next year? TPG reader Hailey asked:

After accounting for all my business travel, I’m one night short of achieving Marriott Platinum status this year. If I book a reward stay over New Year’s Eve, will it count this year (when I check in) or next year (when I check out)?

Related: Last-minute tips for keeping your hotel’s elite status before the end of the year

Earn elite credits when you stay on New Year’s Eve

The short answer is Marriott Bonvoy And IHG One Rewards The credit remains the same from December 31 to January 1 of the previous year, while Hilton Title And World of Hyatt credit the stay amount the following year.

That means if Hailey books a one-night stay on New Year’s Eve, it would push her over the threshold of earning Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status in 2024 to enjoy in 2025.

Things start to get a little more confusing if Hailey books a longer stay – for example, checking in on December 31 and checking out on January 3. Marriott and IHG split the stay, because so nights up to (and including) December 31 are counted in the previous year while nights from January 1 onwards are counted in the following year.

Hilton and Hyatt are different; The period of stay is not divided and the entire period of stay is calculated up to 2025.

A Hyatt agent previously advised TPG that while the default setting is to post for all nights through 2025, members can call and request a manual adjustment. Reservations can be split, so nights through December 31 will count toward 2024 World of Hyatt status requirements.

However, several TPG readers reported earlier this year that Hyatt refused to do this upon phone request, so to be safe, you can make sure to get the requested number of nights in advance December 31.

How to earn elite hotel status with a credit card

With the right credit card, you won’t have to worry about squeezing into a hotel on New Year’s Eve to earn elite status in your favorite loyalty program.

the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers Platinum Elite status to all cardholders. Besides, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card And Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card each offers 15 elite night credits per year. And if you have both, those credits will stack, meaning you’ll get 30 elite night credits, more than half the amount needed for Bonvoy Platinum status.

If you have Hyatt World Credit Cardyou will automatically receive five qualifying nights annually. You’ll also earn two qualifying nights for every $5,000 spent on your World of Hyatt Credit Card. the World of Hyatt corporate credit card offers five qualifying nights for every $10,000 spent on the card each calendar year.

If you like Hilton Honors, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Diamond status.

Information about the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

IHG Platinum Elite status is offered as a perk of Premier IHG One Rewards credit card And IHG One Rewards Premier business credit card.

If you keep United Club℠ Unlimited Passyou can too apply for IHG Platinum Elite status for free.

Finally, you can enjoy Gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors with American Express Platinum® Card (registration required).

Bottom line

It is risky to leave status recertification until the last possible day, especially when there is a large disparity in benefits between hotel status levels.

That being said, Hailey should be able to claim her final night of elite qualifying on December 31, even if her stay extends into January of next year.

If you plan to use your Tet trip to qualifies for the hotel’s elite statusPlease monitor your account during the first week of January to ensure your stay is as you expected.