Top credit cards for hotel elite status of July 2024

Why this card made the list

The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees) is ideal for those who want mid-tier status with more than one hotel loyalty program. The card offers Gold status with Hilton Honors and Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy upon enrollment. Notable Hilton Honors Gold benefits include continental breakfast or a daily food and beverage credit (varies by brand and region), space-available room upgrades and 80% points earning bonus on paid stays. Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite members earn 25% bonus points on paid stays, an enhanced room upgrade (based on availability upon arrival) and priority late checkout (subject to availability). Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Cardholders can also get over $1,500 in annual statement credits towards hotel stays, airline fees, entertainment, transportation and more. These perks can save you money and enhance your travel experience, making the Amex Platinum Card’s $695 annual fee worth it for frequent travelers.

• Elite status: Gold status with Hilton Honors and Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy upon enrollment.
• Annual fee: $695.
• Rewards: 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

Why this card made the list

Earning mid-tier Bonvoy Platinum Elite status takes 50 nights per year, but you can get there just for having a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (terms apply, rates & fees). In turn, you’ll enjoy practical perks like 50% bonus points on stays, enhanced room upgrades (including select suites) based on availability, a welcome gift choice of points or breakfast (varies by brand), lounge access at participating hotels, late checkout subject to availability, free in-room Wi-Fi and more. You’ll also get 25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year, giving you a jumpstart towards higher elite status tiers and the annual choice benefit, which requires 50 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year.

The Bonvoy Brilliant card’s high annual fee is partially offset by an up to $300 (up to $25 per month) dining statement credit for eligible restaurant purchases and an annual Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Considering Marriott’s steep award prices for top-tier hotels, this Free Night Award will go a long way.

• Elite status: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
• Annual fee: $650.
• Rewards: 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, 3 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2 points per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
• Welcome bonus: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

Why this card made the list

If you’re a Best Western loyalist looking for fast-track elite status, the Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard® * The information for the Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is ideal. The card comes with instant mid-tier Platinum status, which normally requires completing 15 nights. As a Best Western Platinum member, you’ll earn 15% bonus points on qualifying paid stays, early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability), a welcome amenity of 500 bonus points and complimentary water upon arrival. For an $89 annual fee, this is a great way to enhance your next Best Western stay.

• Elite status: Best Western Platinum status.
• Annual fee: $89.
• Rewards: 20 points per $1 spent on Best Western purchases and 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 80,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three billing cycles from account opening, plus an additional 40,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases every 12 billing cycles.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.
• Other benefits and drawbacks: The Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard doesn’t have many additional benefits outside of the earn rate, elite status and annual bonus. Usually, mid-tier hotel credit cards offer annual free night benefits. Unfortunately, this card does not.

Why this card made the list

The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® * The information for the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is a great choice for those who want Choice Platinum status without completing the 20-night requirement. Cardholders automatically get 20 Elite night credits annually, which qualifies them for Platinum status and gets them halfway to top-tier Diamond status. Platinum status comes with perks including a 25% point bonus on qualifying stays, early check-in and late check-out and the ability to rollover up to 19 Elite qualifying nights into the next year. Cardmembers also receive up to a $100 statement credit every four years as an application fee reimbursement towards Global Entry or TSA Precheck plus up to $800 of cell phone protection against damage or theft (up to two claims per 12-month period and subject to a $25 deductible).

• Elite status: Choice Privileges Platinum status (20 Elite night credits).
• Annual fee: $95.
• Rewards: 10 points per $1 on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties plus on Choice Privileges point purchases, 5 points per $1 on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 90,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
• Foreign currency conversion fees: None.

Why this card made the list

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card * The information for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) is one of only two hotel credit cards that offers top-tier status benefits. Cardmembers receive Hilton Honors Diamond status in exchange for a $550 annual fee, which is less expensive and time-consuming than the 60 total nights or 30 consecutive-night stays required to reach that tier. Diamond members receive perks like space-available room upgrades, 100% points earning bonus on stays, a daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast (varies by brand and region) and executive lounge access. The card comes packed with other benefits, too, like an up to $400 Hilton Resort statement credit (up to $200 semi-annually each calendar year) for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts and an up to $200 airfare statement credit per calendar year (up to $50 per quarter) on flights booked directly with an airline or via amextravel.com. Those benefits alone make it well worth the splurge.

• Elite status: Hilton Honors Diamond status.
• Annual fee: $550.
• Rewards: 14 Hilton Honors points per $1 at hotels or resorts in the Hilton Portfolio, 7 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and U.S. restaurants and 3 points per $1 on other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 175,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $6,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 7/31/24.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

Why this card made the list

The World of Hyatt Credit Card * The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. cardholders receive automatic Hyatt Discoverist status, with the ability to spend their way all the way up to top-tier Globalist status. You normally have to complete 10 night stays, earn 25,000 base points or book three meetings/events to earn Hyatt Discoverists status. Once you earn this status level, you’ll receive 10% bonus points on paid stays, premium internet, bottled water, space-available preferred room upgrade, late checkout and the ability to earn reciprocal benefits with American Airlines.

The card also comes with a free night at any category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary with the ability to earn another free night at any category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year. This perk alone can be worth more than the $95 annual fee.

• Elite status: Hyatt Discoverist status.
• Annual fee: $95.
• Rewards: 9 points total per $1 at Hyatt — 4 points points on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels and 5 base points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member. Earn 2 points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 30,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months, plus up to 30,000 points by earning 2 points per $1 total on up to $15,000 in the first six months of account opening (then 1 point).
• Foreign transaction fees: $0.

Why this card made the list

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card * The information for the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. grants IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, which typically requires completing 40 qualified nights or earning 60,000 qualified points. Although Platinum Elite status is one rung below the highest-level Diamond Elite status, Platinum Elite still comes with plenty of perks like an anniversary free night, 60% bonus points, reward night discounts (fourth night free on a consecutive four-night reward booking at an IHG hotel), complimentary room upgrades when available, a welcome amenity, early check-in and late checkout based on availability.

The card also comes with an up to $100 Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS application fee reimbursement and up to $50 United Airlines TravelBank Cash each year, making the $99 annual fee on this card well worth it even for occasional stays with the brand.

• Elite status: IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status.
• Annual fee: $99.
• Rewards: 10 points per $1 at IHG Hotels and Resorts, another 10 points per $1 as an IHG One Rewards member, 6 points per $1 from IHG with Platinum Elite Status (a benefit of this card), 5 points per $1 on travel, dining and gas stations and 3 points per $1 on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: five Free Nights (worth up to 60,000 points each) after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

Why this card made the list

The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card * The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is the only card (aside from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card * The information for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. ) to offer a top-tier status, in this case Wyndham’s Diamond status, without having to spend a slew of nights at the hotel brand. Typically, Diamond requires 40 nights a year and comes with perks including preferred room choice, suite upgrades (when available), 20% bonus points, a welcome amenity, early check-in and late checkout (subject to availability), Caesars Rewards status match, Avis and Budget car rental upgrades at participating location in the U.S. and more.

• Elite status: Wyndham Rewards Diamond status.
• Annual fee: $95.
• Rewards: 8 points per $1 spent on Hotels By Wyndham and gas purchases, 5 points per $1 on marketing, advertising and utility purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: Earn 45,000 points, enough for up to six free nights at participating properties, after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. Free nights can require up to 30,000 points per bedroom at participating properties and are subject to availability. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points.
• Foreign transaction fees: 0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.