How to choose the ideal hotel loyalty program for your road trip style

With air travel paused, many are turning to road trips during the coronavirus pandemic. Your vehicle—be it a rental or your own—serves as a refuge from the outside world. However, you're not always in your car. Unless you're in an RV, you’ll be spending nights in hotels either on your journey or at your destination.

This shift has made hotel loyalty programs and elite status increasingly valuable during the pandemic, especially when compared to airline elite status. With the right level of status, you can enjoy complimentary room upgrades, free breakfasts, and more. Earning hotel status is also relatively easy—sometimes, a credit card is all you need.

Additionally, booking directly with major hotel chains allows you to accumulate hotel points, which can be extremely valuable for redeeming free nights. This makes road trips more budget-friendly and enables you to enjoy more luxurious accommodations that might otherwise be unaffordable.

However, not all hotel loyalty programs are created equal. Depending on your road trip style, some programs may suit your travel needs better than others. In this article, I'll explore which hotel loyalty program is the best fit for your road trip preferences. I’ll provide an overview of each program, discuss the benefits of elite status, and highlight the easiest ways to earn that status.

Let’s dive in!

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The urban explorer — World of Hyatt

World of Hyatt is the preferred hotel loyalty program for many TPG team members. It offers an exceptionally rewarding elite status program with industry-leading perks like free parking on award nights, extensive lounge access, and the ability to share status when booking awards for others. Additionally, the program features great redemption rates, and earning points is relatively straightforward.

Sounds appealing, right? It can be — but the limited presence of this hotel group makes it more suitable for those visiting major cities. Let’s take a deeper look.

Overview of World of Hyatt status

As mentioned, the benefits of World of Hyatt elite status are arguably unmatched in the travel industry. There are three tiers of status, creatively named Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist. At the entry level, Discoverist offers basic perks such as a 10% bonus on paid stays, complimentary water bottles, access to Preferred Rooms when available, and a 2 pm late checkout.

Explorist offers a 20% bonus on points earned and provides access to upgrades based on availability. Explorist members can receive upgrades, excluding suites, which means you might end up in a nicer room than what you paid for. This is the most significant advantage of Explorist over Discoverist.

Globalist represents the pinnacle of hotel loyalty programs. This tier increases the points bonus to 30% and grants access to standard suites for complimentary upgrades. You also enjoy access to hotel lounges for breakfast, a 4 pm late checkout, and free parking on award stays — essential perks for road trippers. Additionally, your elite status benefits can be used by other travelers when you redeem points for them through the Guest of Honor benefit.

All World of Hyatt elites can also earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles alongside their World of Hyatt points. Simply link your AAdvantage account to your World of Hyatt account, and you'll earn 1 mile for every dollar spent on all Hyatt stays booked directly. Best of all, you'll still earn World of Hyatt points, allowing you to easily double-dip on your rewards.

Who is this most suitable for?

While World of Hyatt is impressive, it may not be the ideal choice for every road tripper. The Chicago-based hotel group boasts only 900 properties worldwide, primarily in major cities, with limited options in suburbs and along highways — common stops for road trippers after a long drive.

That said, it’s hard to surpass if you frequently visit major cities where Hyatt is present. The elite status benefits are unparalleled, and the program offers some of the best redemption rates in the industry. It adheres to a standard award chart with very reasonable rates: Category 1 hotels require 5,000 points per night, while Category 8 hotels are 40,000 points per night. However, the company plans to implement peak and off-peak pricing next year.

Before choosing Hyatt, consider your destinations for upcoming road trips. If you intend to explore less-traveled areas, opting for another loyalty program may be wiser. Conversely, if you’re a city traveler seeking the best experience, World of Hyatt is likely your top choice.

How to quickly achieve World of Hyatt status

Now for the unfortunate news: earning World of Hyatt status can be challenging. The World of Hyatt Credit Card is the only cobranded credit card available in the U.S. for the hotel. This card offers generous rewards with appealing bonus categories and a significant welcome bonus. It includes complimentary Discoverist status, but upgrading will require a considerable amount of spending.

The card offers five elite qualifying nights each year, and you can earn an additional two nights for every $5,000 spent. There’s no cap on the number of bonus elite nights you can accumulate. To achieve Globalist status, you'll need 60 nights, meaning you would have to spend an astounding $140,000 on the card within a single calendar year to earn status solely through credit card spending.

With this in mind, consider credit card spending as a way to complement your hotel stays. You can earn elite qualifying nights on both paid and award stays, making it relatively straightforward to reach the necessary nights if you plan to travel.

Unfortunately, the hotel group does not provide status matches to the general public. However, some American Airlines elites may be eligible for an upgrade to Globalist, so be sure to link your accounts.

For adventurous road trippers — Best Western Rewards

Best Western Rewards may not be the most renowned loyalty program, but it certainly holds value for road trips. The hotel group's locations are typically well-priced and situated in road-trip-friendly areas, including smaller cities, suburbs, and along major highways. Additionally, you can find a variety of Best Western properties in larger cities across the U.S. and internationally.

However, Best Western Rewards elite status isn’t particularly thrilling, and accumulating points without actually staying at Best Western properties can be challenging. Nonetheless, some travelers might find it beneficial based on their road trip patterns — let’s explore further.

Best Western Rewards status overview

Best Western Rewards features four elite status levels: Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Diamond Select. Unfortunately, the primary advantage of these tiers is earning bonus points on stays, which can range from 15% to 50% extra points.

In addition, all elite members receive complimentary water and bonus points upon check-in. However, these tiers do not provide upgrades or other perks typically found in more generous programs, so don’t anticipate a luxurious experience with Diamond Select status.

Who is this best suited for?

The Best Western Rewards program is primarily designed for road trippers seeking budget-friendly, no-frills accommodations in less traveled areas. With 4,500 Best Western properties globally, 2,000 are located in North America. In the U.S., you can find these hotels scattered throughout, particularly near major highways and in smaller towns.

While there’s no official information on how Best Western award nights are priced, it appears to be dynamic based on the specific hotel rates. You may not get a significant return on your points, but they can help lower the cost of an extended road trip. Given that Best Western hotels are generally affordable, it's best to use points for costly last-minute bookings whenever possible.

For instance, a night at the Best Western Plus North Canton Inn & Suites in Ohio costs $72.75 after taxes when booked a month ahead. Alternatively, you can redeem 12,000 Best Western points for the same night, yielding a value of 0.6 cents per point. Conversely, a last-minute stay booked just one day prior costs $135.12 after tax or 20,000 points, offering a value of 0.67 cents per point.

How to quickly achieve Best Western Rewards status

If Best Western Rewards aligns with your travel preferences, you can swiftly gain elite status using the hotel’s two cobranded credit cards. Here’s what each offers:

• Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard ($59 annual fee): Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in your first three billing cycles; earn an additional 20,000 bonus points when you spend at least $5,000 during each 12-billing cycle period. Includes Platinum status as long as your credit card account remains active.
• Best Western Rewards Mastercard (no annual fee): Earn 16,000 bonus points after your first purchase; earn another 16,000 bonus points after your first stay at Best Western. Includes Gold status while your credit card account is open.

You can also benefit from Best Western's ongoing status match program. The hotel chain matches most major elite statuses, valid through January 2022. Simply submit a form on the company's website to take advantage of this offer.

Keep your options flexible — Marriott Bonvoy

With over 7,000 properties across the globe, Marriott Bonvoy offers numerous opportunities to earn and redeem points while enjoying elite status perks. Marriott operates in both the largest and smallest cities in the U.S., from Manhattan, NY to Manhattan, KY, ensuring at least one Marriott option in each.

Overview of Marriott Bonvoy status

Marriott Bonvoy features five elite status levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador. Silver status provides limited benefits, such as a 10% bonus on points for paid stays and priority late checkout. Fortunately, Gold status offers more appealing advantages.

This tier provides a 25% bonus on points for all stays and grants members access to complimentary upgrades based on availability. During my time as a Gold member, I enjoyed several nice room upgrades and even scored a Junior Suite once in Philadelphia. This is when the advantages of elite hotel status truly shine.

Platinum and Titanium statuses represent the higher echelons, which are more challenging to achieve. They come with superior upgrades, better late checkout options, complimentary breakfast, lounge access, and other perks that enhance the travel experience. The free breakfast is definitely my favorite benefit of Platinum status — on a recent trip to Newport, Rhode Island, I indulged in a sit-down breakfast featuring lobster at the Marriott Newport.

Every time Platinum members achieve or maintain their status by reaching 50 elite qualifying nights, they receive a Choice Benefit. My top pick is the 5 Suite Night Awards option, which allows for a suite upgrade. While these upgrades depend on availability, I’ve noticed I have a higher chance of securing one with these coupons than through standard upgrade requests.

Ambassador status represents the pinnacle of Marriott’s offerings. It encompasses the standard Titanium benefits but adds a dedicated Marriott Ambassador who assists with bookings and special requests, along with extended late checkout. Unfortunately, Marriott recently terminated all of its Ambassadors, leaving the future of this status tier uncertain.

Who is this ideal for?

With an extensive portfolio of properties, Marriott Bonvoy is a fantastic option for road trippers who value flexibility. You can enjoy your elite status perks anywhere in the world — so when international travel becomes more accessible again, you'll continue to benefit from your status.

It's also a great choice for travelers looking to earn points. Accumulating Marriott Bonvoy points is relatively straightforward with cobranded credit cards from American Express and Chase. Additionally, you can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, although I wouldn't typically recommend it as you might lose value in the transfer.

Marriott Bonvoy redemptions are generally quite predictable. The program features a standard award chart organized by category, with peak, standard, and off-peak pricing available, although the rates tend to be reasonable. However, we have noticed price hikes for many properties during the summer and holiday seasons.

You'll usually find the best value when booking mid-tier hotels. For instance, a weekend stay at the Residence Inn Philadelphia Airport costs a staggering $285 after taxes and fees in late October. In contrast, the same hotel can be reserved for 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, providing you with 1.14 cents per point in value, nearly double TPG's current valuation.

How to quickly achieve Marriott Bonvoy status

Similar to how you accumulate Marriott Bonvoy points, you can rapidly earn status through credit cards. Each of Marriott's cobranded credit cards grants a specific status tier, and you'll receive 15 complimentary elite qualifying nights annually as long as your card remains active, giving you a solid start toward a higher status level.

Take a look at the top credit cards for earning Marriott Bonvoy elite status:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership. The annual fee is $450 (see rates & fees).
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 5 Free Nights (each night valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening. Enjoy an annual award night worth up to 35,000 points and immediate Silver status, with the potential to earn Gold status after $35,000 in annual spending. The annual fee is $95.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. This card also grants Marriott Bonvoy Silver status due to the 15 elite night credits. No annual fee.

However, my preferred method for earning Marriott status is through the Platinum Card® from American Express. This card provides both Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as the card is open and in good standing (enrollment required). Additionally, this premium travel card offers various other travel perks, such as Priority Pass Select lounge access and a Global Entry fee waiver. Enrollment is required for certain benefits.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first 6 months of card membership. The annual fee is $695 (see rates & fees).

Already holding elite status with another loyalty program? Marriott Bonvoy provides elite status matches to various major loyalty programs. For further details, check out our comprehensive guide on hotel elite status matches.

The straightforward points traveler — Hilton Honors

I have a mixed experience with Hilton Honors. On one hand, I appreciate that Hilton boasts a vast number of properties globally, and they are generally quite pleasant. However, the elite status perks are not the best and can be quite uneven. As a Diamond elite member, I occasionally receive upgrades, but most of the time, my status seems to go unnoticed.

When it comes to accumulating points, earning Hilton Honors points is a breeze thanks to the extensive range of cobranded credit cards. These cards frequently feature welcome bonuses of 80,000 points or more, along with free night certificates, elite status, and additional benefits. I'll delve into that further in this section. However, the downside is that the program's pricing can be extremely dynamic and unpredictable.

Overview of Hilton Honors status

Now, let’s explore Hilton elite status. The program consists of three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Diamond. As you might expect, Silver tier benefits are rather minimal, yet they are still noteworthy. Key features include a 20% bonus on points for paid stays, a fifth night free on award bookings, and two complimentary bottles of water at most locations.

Gold status adds a bit more appeal. This tier provides an 80% bonus on paid stays and grants access to upgrades based on availability. You may also enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast at select properties, which can save you money when traveling in pricier cities. The breakfast quality varies by property, but I’ve found that it’s often quite basic at many mid-tier hotels.

Diamond status elevates the experience further. You receive a 100% bonus on paid stays, translating to 20 points per dollar spent. This significant bonus is particularly beneficial for business travelers who prefer sticking to one hotel chain. Additionally, you gain access to executive lounges, premium wifi, and the possibility to upgrade to a one-bedroom suite.

Unfortunately, accessing these benefits can be quite challenging. As a Diamond member, I’ve experienced upgrades a few times, but the consistency is lacking. As previously mentioned, my status isn’t typically acknowledged at mid-tier properties. Conversely, I have received upgrades at more upscale locations and have been granted lounge access.

Who is this most suitable for?

I believe Hilton Honors status is ideal for travelers who intend to use points for payments and are okay with less impressive elite status perks. Despite the erratic award chart, it’s often possible to snag great deals when traveling during off-peak times and booking higher-end hotels. For instance, a night at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills costs $702 after taxes if booked a week in advance, or you can redeem 95,000 points for a value of 0.74 cents per point.

In contrast, a weekday stay at the Hampton Inn Manhattan Empire State Building is priced at $122 when booked about a month in advance. You can spend 28,000 points for the same night, yielding a value of 0.4 cents per point, which is 0.2 cents lower than TPG's latest valuation.

One of the standout features of the Hilton Honors program is the absence of blackout dates. While certain prime dates may require a hefty point expenditure, this could ultimately save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. This aspect makes the program an appealing choice for those looking to minimize cash spending on accommodations.

How to quickly achieve Hilton Honors status

Similar to Marriott, you can swiftly earn Hilton Honors status through a credit card. In fact, a single credit card can secure you top-tier Diamond status. These cards also come with substantial welcome bonuses, attractive bonus categories, and, in certain instances, a complimentary night certificate each time you pay the annual fee. Here’s an overview:

• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of card membership. No annual fee (see rates and fees).
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first three months. You'll receive instant Gold status and can achieve Diamond status with $40,000 in annual spending. Annual fee of $95 (see rates & fees).
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Enjoy complimentary Diamond status, an annual Hilton resort credit of up to $250, a free weekend night upon renewal, and a Priority Pass Select membership. Annual fee of $450 (see rates & fees).

The details for the Hilton Aspire Amex card have been independently gathered by Dinogo. The information presented here has not been reviewed or authorized by the card issuer.

As previously mentioned, the Platinum Card by American Express also provides complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. You can activate this benefit through the Benefits page on the American Express dashboard. This status remains valid as long as your Amex Platinum card is open and in good standing.

You can also transfer your current elite status to Hilton. The hotel chain offers status matches from leading hotel and airline loyalty programs, allowing you to instantly achieve Gold or Diamond status. However, keep in mind that these matches require you to stay a specified number of nights to maintain your status until March 2022.

In summary

Achieving hotel status can enhance your road trip experience by making it more affordable and luxurious. In this guide, I've outlined the best hotel loyalty programs for different types of travelers and ways to quickly earn elite status. Assess these options to determine which status suits your travel style best — it will lead to more enjoyable and budget-friendly road trips. Safe travels!

Feature photo by OLOS/Shutterstock