Master List of Hotel Status Match and Challenge (2024)

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UPDATES:

Receive Hilton Honors instant Silver Status and Fast Track to Gold through April 29, 2024.

Corporate Employees Hyatt Staus Challenge is extended through December 31, 2024.

Status with GHA Discovery With Mastercard Priceless Special through December 31, 2024.

Having high elite status with a particular hotel rewards program can yield substantial benefits during your stay at that hotel chain. However, each hotel program may require several nights to achieve higher tier status.

Fortunately, there’s a shortcut method known as “status match” to achieve elite tier status for the following hotel programs: Accor, Best Western, Choice, Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, MGM, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Radisson, Shangri-La, Sonesta, and Wyndham.

Accor

UPDATES:

  • Starting August 1, 2023, the paid Accor Plus membership offers 20 Status Nights annually.
  • Learn more about the Accor Plus program here.

  • The following is a targeted offer. 
  • Accor sends an email to members with Accor Plus Membership with a new fast-track offer that you can get up to 20 status nights for 2022. Therefore, please check your email.
  • Then, depending on your ALL Accor Live Limitless account, you can fast-track with 10, 15, or 20 status nights:
    • Accor Plus Silver: Stay 1 Night & Get 10 Status Nights
    • Accor Plus Gold: Stay 1 Night & Get 15 Status Nights
    • Accor Plus Platinum: Stay 1 Night & Get 20 Status Nights
  • Moreover, you receive at least ten status nights after staying at least one night at any participating Accor Hotels and Resorts before December 31, 2022. 
  • There’s no link to the offer. Therefore, please check your email.

How to Request Status Match with Accor

Accor does not appear to offer any status match from other hotels’ loyalty programs. However, the only possible status match is through Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel programs due to the merger of these programs with ACCOR. As a result, you may need to contact those programs to inquire about possible status matches with Accor.

Best Western

Best Western offers one of the most straightforward hotel status match processes and policies without proof or challenges. It is, therefore, the eaist status match program. Once your request is approved, you will be matched to Best Western Diamond or Best Western Diamond Select if you hold a high elite status with the other hotel program. 

How to Request Status Match with Best Western

Complete the Status Match online form.

Alternatively, you can sign up for the Business Advantage Program and instantly receive automatic Best Western Diamond elite status. See the following blog post for more information on the sign-up process. 

Choice

First, for those who do not want to deal with the status match or the status challenge, there’s an easy shortcut to reach the Choice Privileges Platinum elite status through a Choice Privileges credit card.

You can earn Choice Elite status from the Wells Fargo Choice Privileges credit cards:

  • Automatic Gold Elite Choice Privileges Mastercard Credit Card (no annual fee)
  • Automatic Platinum Elite with Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Credit Card

Choice Hotels offers two status match opportunities:

  • Choice allows status match per member, once in a lifetime only. This means that once you have status-matched before, you won’t be eligible to request the status match in the future. The highest Choice status you can receive after that from the status match is the Choice Privileges Platinum.
  • Moreover, you can jump to the highest Choice Privileges Diamond status after staying at least one points-eligible night at a Cambria hotel.

If you already requested the status match that is only once in a lifetime, can you request the second status to Choice Privileges Diamond after an eligible Cambria hotel stay? The answer is YES!

Choice Hotels treats these two status match programs separately. In other words, if you have applied for the status match to Choice Privileges Platinum, you are still eligible to apply for the status match to Choice Privileges Diamond after emailing Choice proof of a completed Cambria stay.

How to Request Status Match with Choice

Email [email protected] (for the United States and Canadian members) or [email protected] (for European members) with the following information:

  • Full Name
  • Choice Privileges Member Number
  • Proof of Elite status in another hotel program:
    • Screenshot or copy of your other program’s loyalty card (with expiration date), or screenshot or copy of other program’s current statement or account status page.
    • Screenshot or copy of Cambria Hotel guest folio/receipt if you also apply for Diamond Elite Status Jump.
  • Direct Link to the Choice Hotels Status Match
  • Direct Link to Cambria Hotel Stay Diamond Elite Status Jump (you may need to search the page for the key term “Diamond” to see the offer).

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA)

The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the alliance of many independent hotel brands globally. Meanwhile, they have a loyalty program called DISCOVERY, often called the GHA Discovery

Subsequently, they offer instant GHA Discovery Gold, Platinum, or Titanium elite status through Mastercard’s Priceless Special redemption. See below. 

How to Redeem Status with GHA Discovery With Mastercard Priceless Special

The following offer comes and goes. Therefore, keep checking and activating the offer if available.

  • The offer appears to be ongoing.
  • The offer is only available for the following countries: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  • Mastercard World Elite cardholders:
    • Complimentary fast-track to GHA DISCOVERY Titanium
  • Mastercard World cardholders:
    • Complimentary fast-track to GHA DISCOVERY Platinum
  • Mastercard Platinum & Titanium cardholders:
    • Regular enrolment to GHA DISCOVERY Gold
  • To request the status upgrade, you must, therefore, email GHA DISCOVERY with the following information:
    • Existing GHA DISCOVERY Membership number.
    • Type of Mastercard you have. 
    • The first six digits of your eligible Mastercard
  • Once your request is approved, your new status will be updated on GHA DISCOVERY’s membership portal within ten business days.
  • Direct Link to the Offer

Hilton

UPDATE: Receive instant Silver Status and Fast Track to Gold.

  • Receive instant Silver Status through April 29, 2024.
  • In addition, if you stay eight (8) nights by April 29, 2024, you’ll earn Gold Status through March 2026.
  • Direct Link to the Offer

If you do not want to go through the process for the status match or the status challenge with the Hilton Honors program, then the quickest way to receive a top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond elite status is to get the American Express Hilton Aspire Card. Once approved for the card, you will receive automatic complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status with no stays or spending requirements.

Hilton allows the status match request to Hilton Honors Gold or Hilton Honors Diamond for 90 days and requires proof of status and stay within the last 12 months with the other hotel loyalty program. Furthermore, to keep the successfully matched Hilton status, Hilton requires the following:

  • Gold: Stay seven nights within your 90-day trial period to keep Gold status.
  • Diamond: Stay 12 nights within your 90-day trial period to attain the Diamond status.

How to Request Status Match with Hilton

Complete the Hilton status match form and upload the required proof screenshot via Hilton’s status match page. Remember that Hilton requires proof of status and stays within the last 12 months with the other hotel loyalty program.

Editor’s Note: If you want to avoid dealing with Hilton’s status matching and receive automatic Hilton Honors Diamond elite status, consider applying for the American Express Hilton Aspire Card. This card gives you a complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status with no stays or spending requirements.

Hyatt

Before diving down to the Hyatt status match or status challenge, I want to point out that there are a few shortcuts to attaining World of Hyatt elite status, up to Globalist with the help of Hyatt credit cards.

For examples:

  • The consumer version of Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card offers two tier-qualifying elite nights after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases every time.
  • Similarly, the Chase World of Hyatt Business Credit Card gives you five tier-qualifying elite nights. As a result, this opens opportunities to spend your way up to Hyatt’s top-tier Globalist elite status. It will require a lot of spending, but with creativity, you can maximize spending on personal and business Hyatt credit cards to earn all of Hyatt’s benefits and milestone rewards. See this post: Maximizing World of Hyatt Credit Card Spend To Earn Hyatt Globalist Status.

The World of Hyatt program does not offer a status match. However, other loyalty programs and Hyatt’s exclusive partner, American Airlines, offer a status challenge.

FoundersCard Hyatt Status Challenge:

  • FoundersCard offers a Hyatt Globalist status challenge.
  • So, you must sign up for the FoundersCard, which costs $690.
  • FoundersCard has other travel benefits, including Caesars Rewards Diamond and more travel benefits.
  • Upon registration for the FoundersCard, members will receive Explorist status. Maintain that status through February 2025 by staying ten nights within 90 days, then staying another ten nights within 90 days to get Globalist status. 
  • Register by November 16, 2023.
  • Direct Link to FoundersCard

Corporate Employees Hyatt Staus Challenge:

Hyatt targets corporate employees with the opportunity to earn Explorist status and a shortcut to Globalist status. 

  • Must register by December 31, 2024.
  • Enjoy Explorist status for 90 days. Note: After registering, the 90-day trial period begins when you check out for the first time. Night(s) from the first stay will count in the offer.
  • After that, stay ten qualifying nights at any Hyatt hotel or resort within 90 days after registering to maintain Explorist status through February 29, 2026.
  • Stay an additional ten qualifying nights at any Hyatt hotel or resort within your original 90 days of registration and earn Globalist status through February 29, 2026. With Globalist status, enjoy even more rewards like room upgrades up to Standard Suites, 30% Bonus Points, full daily breakfast, and more
  • Direct Link to the Offer

How to Request Status Match with Hyatt

The World of Hyatt program does not directly offer status matches. However, Hyatt’s partner American Airlines sometimes offers a reciprocal trial Hyatt elite status for AA elite members.

American Airlines Hyatt Status Challenge:

American Airlines Elite Members Receive Fast Track Challenge & Earn Up to World of Hyatt Globalist Elite Status through American Airlines Instant Status Pass:

  • Enjoy American Airlines AAdvantage elite status for four (4) months:
    • Explorist members receive AAdvantage Platinum status. You can maintain AAdvantage Platinum status when you accrue 25,000 Loyalty Points in 4 months after registering. 
    • Globalist members receive AAdvantage Platinum Pro status. You can maintain AAdvantage Platinum Pro status when you accrue 42,000 Loyalty Points 4 months after registering. 
  • You can keep your status for up to a year by completing the same qualifying activity every four months. The status will be extended through the remainder of the 2023 membership year.  
  • You must register for the offer by December 28, 2022.
  • You must link your AAdvantage and World of Hyatt accounts by December 12, 2022. See this post for more information on how to link your accounts
  • If your accounts are already linked, check the Promotions tab in your AAdvantage account for the American Airlines Instant Status Pass offer. 

Similarly, American Airlines AAdvantage elite members with Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum elite status can register for a 90-day trial of Hyatt Explorist status:

  • Within 90 days, you can maintain, extend, or upgrade the status after completing the following requirements:
    • All AAdvantage elite members can maintain Explorist status after staying ten tier-qualifying nights. 
    • AAdvantage Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members can earn up to Globalist status after staying 20 tier-qualifying nights. 
    • The status will be good through February 2024. 
  • Direct Link to the Offer

IHG

IHG is not offering a status match at this time. However, IHG sometimes offers a Fast Track Challenge to Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite status. Meanwhile, you can skip the status match or challenge and receive a complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status with no stays or spending requirements through the Chase IHG Premier Credit Card or the Chase IHG Premier Business Credit Card.

If you want an IHG elite status to stop your IHG One Rewards points from expiring, the Chase IHG Traveler Credit Card does not have an annual fee and offers a complimentary IHG Gold Elite status and 4th IHG Reward Night Free.

The following trick is DEAD!

There’s an unofficial method to extend IHG Diamond Elite status through the InterContinental Ambassador Program. See the post below for more information:

How to Request Status Challenge with IHG

 IHG offers status Fast-Track challenge to IHG Diamond Elite status.

  • Register and then stay eight nights.
  • Stay by March 31, 2023.
  • The promotion is called “Just for you: Private Diamond Offer,” so check to see if your account can register. 
  • Direct Link to the Offer & Register
  • You must register through April 30, 2023. Then complete the following requirements/challenges:
  • Stay five nights to earn Platinum Elite status until December 2024.
  • Stay two nights to earn Gold Elite status until December 2024.
  • Direct Link to the Offer & Register

Editor’s Note: You can get automatic complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status without any stays or spending requirements through the Chase IHG Premier Credit Card or Chase IHG Premier Business Credit Card.

Marriott

Marriott currently does not offer the status match; however, Marriott offers a status challenge, but you must contact Marriott to enroll and learn more about the qualifications.

Good News: Marriott is offering Status Soft Landing to elite members who did not achieve elite status in 2023, and here’s the offer:

  • Members who achieved their existing Elite status again in 2023 will have their current status renewed through February 2024.
  • Moreover, members who did not re-achieve their current Elite status in 2023 will be offered one tier below their current status through February 2025. These members will see their new status starting in March 2024 and can enjoy their current status through February 2025.
  • Direct Link to the Offer

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card members can receive three months of complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status by registering for the fast-track offered through Chase.

Here’s the offer in detail:

  • Register for the offer by September 30, 2023. 
  • Register at the benefits tab in your Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card account. 
  • You will then receive Marriott Gold Elite status for three months. 
  • Lastly, you could keep the Gold Elite status until February 2025 if you complete three (3) paid stays during the three months. 

Get the elite nights to boost with Marriott Bonvoy credit cards:

  • If you have one personal and one business Marriott credit card, you will receive complimentary automatic elite nights in your Marriott account each year. 
  • American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers 25 elite night credits, while other personal Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards offer 15 elite nights each year. 
  • Similarly, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card offers 15 annual elite night credits
  • Please note that if you have two personal Marriott credit cards, you can only receive the elite night’s boost benefit on one credit card. The same thing applies to the business Marriott credit cards. 

To do that, apply for the following recommended cards. Once approved and you become a card member, you will receive elite night credits per card. That is in addition to the card’s welcome sign-up bonus offer:

  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card offers
  • American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers
  • American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card offers

Marriott Bonvoy offers Amazon employees a trial period of Marriott Silver Elite and Marriott Platinum Elite status.

  • To participate in this trial offer, you must enroll with your Amazon email address to be eligible.
  • The trial offer is available to new and existing Marriott Bonvoy account members.
  • Members who have participated in a Marriott Bonvoy status challenge in the past three years are ineligible to participate in this promotion. 
  • Direct Link to the Offer

How to Request Status Challenge with Marriott

Marriott currently does not offer the status match; however, Marriott offers a status challenge, but you must contact Marriott to enroll and learn more about the qualifications. After enrollment, you must stay a specific number of nights within 90 days to earn elite status with Marriott. 

MGM Rewards

From time to time, MGM Rewards allows status matches from another Casino loyalty program as part of its ongoing promotion. See below.

How to Request Status Match with MGM

The following offer comes and goes. Therefore, keep checking and activating the offer if available.

  • Do you hold top-tier status with another Casino Loyalty Program? MGM Rewards wants to match your status. 
  • Visit the MGM Rewards desk through September 30, 2023, to match your tier!
  • Direct Link to the Offer

Preferred Hotels & Resorts

Preferred Hotels & Resorts I Prefer rewards program offers quick, straightforward status match requests. Once the request is approved, you will receive the upgraded status immediately. 

How to Request Status Match with I Prefer

If you are new to Preferred Hotels & Resorts, I Prefer the reward program; you must enroll first before requesting the status match. It is a free enrollment, and when you register through the following link, you will also receive an additional 1,000 bonus points to get you started: 

  • Go to Direct Link to Enroll in I Prefer Hotel Rewards
  • On the sign-up page, enter c0f72f1a-63e8-47f3-a99c-ac6ad416a6a0 in the enrollment code section to receive your extra 1,000 bonus points. 

After enrollment, email [email protected] and provide proof of your status at another hotel rewards program.

I requested a status match using my Hilton Honors Diamond elite status (complimentary through American Express Hilton Aspire Card). The same day after sending my status match request email, I received a quick response from them that my I Prefer membership tier had been upgraded to their top-tier Elite, effective immediately.

Radisson

Radisson Rewards split its program into two loyalty programsRadisson Rewards Americas and Radisson Rewards Outside the Americas.

Choice Hotels now owns the Radisson Rewards Americas properties. Therefore, see the Choice Hotels section for the status match

Radisson Rewards International is not offering any status match at this time. I’ll update this post when it becomes available; subscribe to our blog posts below.

Shangri-La

Shangri-La does not offer status matches; however, a fast-track status challenge is available. 

  • Shangri-La offers “Fast Track to Jade” status after you register and then reach ten qualifying nights or 3,000 Tier points before May 31, 2023
  • Jade status in Shangri-La Circle offers the following perks:
    • 25% more Points
    • Complimentary daily breakfast
    • Early check-in / late check-out
  • Direct Link to the Offer

Sonesta

Sonesta Travel Pass allows status matches from your other hotel’s loyalty program to their Preferred or Elite status. The Elite level is Sonesta’s highest elite status, and the status match request is quite simple. 

How to Request Status Match with Sonesta

Wyndham

The quickest way to earn Wyndham Diamond Elite status is through the Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Credit Card. Status earned through the credit card also allows you to match tier status to Caesars Rewards Diamond status each year. See below.

Starting in 2023Caesars Rewards no longer grants status to Wyndham Rewards members who receive Wyndham Diamond status through a tier match promotion with other programs. See the wording below. However, the following rule does not apply if you have Wyndham Rewards Diamond status through Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Credit Card

Please Note: You must have earned Tier Status with your current loyalty program in order for your status to be matched.  Caesars Rewards will not grant status to WR members who came into the WR program from a tier match promotion with other programs or who previously had recent Caesars Rewards status that was about to expire, and vice versa.

While Wyndham used to be very generous with their status match, they are not offering a status match now, except from Caesars Rewards. However, they are offering the following status challenge.

  • Wyndham offers status match challenges from other hotel loyalty programs. After you’re matched:
    • You stay one qualifying night in 90 days to keep the Gold level.
    • Stay four qualifying nights in 90 days to keep the Platinum level.
    • Stay ten qualifying nights in 90 days to keep Diamond level. 
  • This matched Diamond status is not eligible for Caesars Rewards Diamond status match. 
  • Direct Link to the Offer

How to Request Status Match/Challenge with Wyndham

Wyndham Status Match and Challenge

Wyndham Status Match with Caesars Rewards

  • Follow this direct link to request a status match from Caesars Rewards to Wyndham Rewards.

8 thoughts on “Master List of Hotel Status Match and Challenge (2024)

  1. Hi James, Marriott currently does not have a status match but they have a status challenge. There's no link for the challenge at this time, you'll have to contact Marriott Here and inquire about enrolling in the challenge.

  2. Thank you for bringing the IHG status match link asking for a promo code to my attention. Nothing has changed, I just needed to update the link to include the appropriate promo code so you won't be prompted for it. Please try again.

  3. I am having the same issue with the IHG status match promotion code. Would love to sign up – deadline is tomorrow though.

  4. IHG system may give you the error registering you for the fast track Platinum promotion and asks for a promo code. But if you look at your IHG offers, it shows that you are already registered for the promotion under My Offers (link here).

  5. Hi,

    Your site states: Visit the M life Rewards desk now through January 31, 2023, to match your Tier!

    MGM T&C states:
    2. The “promotional period” to request a Tier Match in connection with this Promotion begins at 12:01 AM Pacific Time (PT) on Tuesday, September 1st, 2020 and ends June 30, 2022 at 11:59 AM Pacific Time (PT).

    Where do I find the info that states it's extended to January 31, 2023? Thank you!

  6. Apologies. It was a typo from the last M life status match, and the date didn't get changed correctly. It's now corrected. Thanks for pointing this out.

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