Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to qualify for hotel status every year? In some hotel chains, there is such an option – the lifetime status. This means that you will not fall below a certain status, regardless of how many times you stay in a year.
There are a few small problems to overcome on the way. Firstly, only a small number of programs offer lifetime status. In fact, I have only identified three such programs.
Secondly, and maybe more significantly, is that the thresholds to achieve status are usually set quite high. In some cases, so high you wonder how anyone achieves it.
What is lifetime status?
The first thing to consider is the question of just what it is we are talking about. In essence, when you achieve a particular lifetime status, you are no longer required to meet the annual requirements to keep that level. So, for example, if you were to achieve lifetime Hilton Diamond, you would no longer need to meet the annual requirements for Hilton Diamond.
While you may think that the programs refer to your lifetime, there is always the outside chance that they could mean the lifetime of the program. It is possible that a program could end, or status is no longer recognized in a program.
Which chains offer lifetime status?
Based on my survey of the larger programs, the following offer some form of lifetime status:
Of those that do offer lifetime status, Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt only offer it on the top tier. As we shall see, achieving that lifetime status is going to take some effort (or at least sleeping). The bar is really set quite high.
On the other hand, Marriott Bonvoy offers lifetime status across three levels, starting at Silver. While the bar is again set quite high, the lower levels may be quite achievable.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors only offers lifetime status for its highest elite level – Diamond. This status is awarded to people who can meet the following requirements:
- 10 years of status at the Diamond Level and:
- Either
- 1,000 nights at Hilton properties worldwide, or
- 2,000,000 base points in the Hilton Honors program
The first thing to be aware of is how Hilton counts the 10 years. While they do not need to be consecutive years, they do need to be full calendar years. As such, if you earn Diamond status halfway through the year, the year you earn it won’t count. However, the subsequent calendar year will.
While 1,000 nights is a lot, the good news is that award nights are currently counted in that total.
While those requirements are well documented, neither the website nor the app shows you your progress. However, you can flick an email to Hilton Honors, and they will get back to you with your current lifetime statistics.
Marriott Bonvoy
Unlike the other programs offering lifetime status, Marriott Bonvoy offers lifetime status at its first three elite levels. On the downside, It is not currently possible to earn lifetime status on the highest tier (titanium). There are some members grandfathered into this status following the merger with SPG, however, it is not currently available.
The requirements for the three levels are as follows:
Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Silver status:
- 250 nights at Marriott properties worldwide and
- 5 years of elite status at any level
It’s probably worth noting that Silver is a fairly entry-level status. As such, it only has a few perks. These include a 10% point bonus and the chance of a late checkout.
Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Gold status:
- 400 nights at Marriott properties worldwide and
- 5 years of elite status at the Gold level or higher
This is a step up from Silver, and offers a few more perks, but realistically, is still fairly basic. You get a 25% bonus on points, late checkout, and a welcome gift,
Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum status:
- 600 nights at Marriott properties worldwide and
- 10 years of elite status at the Platinum level or higher
If you were going to strive for a Marriott Bonvoy lifetime status, then this would be the one to go for. It does, however, have a fairly lofty requirement.
World of Hyatt
As with Hilton Honors, Hyatt only offers Lifetime status on its top level. In the case of Hyatt, that’s the “Globalist” status. They do, however, set the bar pretty high to achieve this
- 1,000,000 Base World of Hyatt points earned since you joined the Hyatt program.
This equates to a spend of at least $US200,000 at Hyatt hotels. This makes it a fairly expensive proposition, however, Globalist does provide some worthwhile benefits.
While there doesn’t appear to be a way to view your base points, a total is provided in the monthly email statement.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we can see that only three of the major hotel loyalty programs offer a path to Lifetime status. Of those, two only offer their highest tier, with just one offering a path to lower tiers.
Given how high the bar has been set for some of these, it may be difficult for the average guest to achieve without spending a considerable sum of money. Anyone looking at achieving such a level should probably consider this cost carefully.
