Guide to Marriott and Hilton elite status with Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, updated regularly with new information.
Many of them best travel rewards cards providing valuable premium travel benefits. For example, American Express Platinum® Card And American Express Business Platinum® Card offers many perks, including free admission Centurion lounge and the added benefits of staying at a luxury hotel booked through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program.
But one benefit these two cards offer is often overlooked: the ability to apply for free elite status with Marriott Bonvoy And Hilton Title. Here’s what you need to know about hotel status with Amex Platinum and Business Platinum.
What is this benefit?
Cardholder’s American Express Platinum Card And American Express Business Platinum Card — including authorized users with additional Platinum or Business Platinum cards — can enroll for free Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite And Hilton honored gold status.
Once signed up, you’ll maintain at least Gold status if you keep an Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum account open (assuming American Express continues to offer this benefit on your card).
Related: Complete guide for authorized users on the Amex Platinum Card
How do I register?
To sign up for either (or both) for free The hotel’s elite statusLog in to your American Express account, click “Rewards & Benefits” in the top navigation bar, then select “Benefits.” Scroll down – you may need to expand the “Luxury Travel” section – to find separate icons for Hilton and Marriott.
Click “Learn more” in either (or both) boxes for more information. If you want to sign up, click “Register Now” and enter your membership number with the hotel’s loyalty program. This online enrollment process will apply to both primary Platinum cardholders and additional Platinum cardholders, but you can also enroll by calling the customer service number on the back of your Amex Platinum or Amex Business card My Platinum.
Once you request a check-in, American Express will share your check-in information with hotel loyalty programs, which will upgrade your status to Gold if you currently hold status lower. The upgrade process usually takes 3 to 5 business days but can take longer, so don’t wait until right before your trip to apply for these benefits.
Related: This is how much you can get from the Amex Platinum card in the first year
What are the benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status?
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status typically requires you to accumulate at least 25 elite night credits per calendar year. As a Marriott Gold Elite member, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- 25% extra points on stays: Earn 25% more points than base-level members on qualifying hotel purchases at participating Marriott hotels.
- Advanced room upgrade: Female Marriott Bonvoy Terms and Conditions note that Gold Elite members can receive complimentary upgrades to “view rooms, high floor rooms, corner rooms, special amenities rooms, Executive Floor rooms” at properties join. However, each hotel reserves the right to determine room upgrades; Some brands do not offer free upgrades and upgrades are subject to availability.
- Late check-out at 2pm: 2pm late checkout at participating brands upon request (based on availability).
- Advanced Internet: Enjoy free enhanced Internet when staying at participating hotels.
- Welcome point: Get 250 or 500 welcome points per stay at participating brands.
In addition to Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, several Marriott Bonvoy Card provides automatic elite status. For example, you can automatically receive Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Meanwhile, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card provides automatic Platinum Elite status.
Related: 29 best Marriott hotels in the world
What are the benefits of Hilton Honors Gold status?
Hilton Honors Gold status typically requires you to stay 40 nights per calendar year, stay 20 times per calendar year, or earn 75,000 base Hilton Honors points per calendar year. As a Hilton Gold member, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- 80% elite status bonus on stays: Get an 80% bonus on the base Hilton Honors points you earn on stays.
- Continental breakfast or dining credit daily: Some brands offer breakfast to all customers as a brand amenity. But in most other brands, you can choose one Daily food and beverage credit (at select brands in the US and at Motto by Hilton properties globally) or complimentary daily continental breakfast (at select brands outside the US, except except Motto by Hilton) for yourself and up to one other guest checked into your room as a MyWay benefit.
- Upgrade available room: Gold members can receive a complimentary upgrade to a preferred room category up to an Executive Floor room category. the Hilton Honors Terms and Conditions note that “Preferred Rooms may also include rooms that are not on the Executive Floor but have Executive Lounge access (excludes Club Sakura at Conrad Washington, DC and Club Signia at Signia by Hilton hotel) , the next best room types, rooms with desired views, amenities, or other rooms identified by the hotel as ‘preferred’ and may vary by brand.” Additionally, upgrades are “issued on an available basis for the entire stay” and some brands and properties do not participate in free upgrades.
- Thursday night is free: Hilton elite members get everything Thursday night is free (up to four free nights per stay) when booking a reward stay of five nights or more using points.
In addition to Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, you’ll also automatically receive Hilton Gold status if you have one Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or Hilton Honors American Express business card. Additionally, you can automatically get the highest level Hilton diamond status as a privilege of Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
Information about the Hilton Aspire card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: 20 best Hilton hotels in the world
Bottom line
Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status offer some valuable perks, so it’s great for cardholders of American Express Platinum Card And American Express Business Platinum Card can apply for these statuses as a perk of their card.
Getting Hilton Gold and Marriott Gold Elite status through Amex Platinum or Business Platinum can be helpful if you don’t participate often enough with these programs to earn elite status naturally and don’t want to add more. hotel credit card into your wallet.
However, having an Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum will not help you achieve higher status with either program. After all, it’s not the same as choosing The Marriott Bonvoy card offers premium night credits As a cardholder perk, you will not receive Marriott Bonvoy elite night credits for Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum benefits.