[Updated 2021.8] M life has reopened its status match offer. You can now use elite status from other casino programs to match to higher-tier M Life status. One useful path is:

  1. Get Caesars Rewards status via Wyndham elite status, either from a Wyndham credit card or by matching from Hilton Diamond
  2. Use Caesars Rewards status in this promotion to match to higher-tier M life status
  3. Use M Life status to match to Hyatt elite status

If you already have one of the relevant statuses, you can go around this loop and pick up several elite statuses, which is pretty nice. Hyatt elite status is especially valuable.

About Matches and Challenges

If you want hotel elite status, the most common methods besides holding a credit card are status matches and status challenges. These two approaches can help you quickly get elite status with major hotel programs and enjoy the benefits that come with it. You can also combine matches and challenges across multiple hotel programs and use a few sweet spots to keep elite status for the long term.

A Status Match means using high-tier status from one program to match into high-tier status with another program. In practice, you send proof of your hotel elite status, such as a screenshot, to the other hotel program’s customer service, and they may directly upgrade your membership tier. The process is simple, but status obtained this way usually comes with a time limit. In other words, even if you get elite status through a match, you may still need actual hotel stays to keep it. That said, some hotel programs allow repeated matches, so doing it once a year may be enough.

A Status Challenge means completing certain requirements in order to earn elite status. Different hotel programs have different rules. Some require both a match and a challenge, such as Hilton, although the AMEX Hilton Aspire gives you Diamond status automatically. A typical challenge requires a certain number of paid nights within a set time period. One simple trick, if your only goal is elite status, is to stay at the cheapest properties in the chain or do mattress runs by checking in and out electronically without actually showing up.

Hilton

Standard Diamond Challenge

At this link, you can use status from another program plus stay history to match into Hilton status. Complete 18 paid nights within 90 days to earn Diamond status, or 10 paid nights within 90 days to earn Gold status. Award stays and FN do not count. You receive Gold benefits during the challenge period. The Diamond challenge is probably limited to once per account.

If you are already Hilton Gold, you can also apply for the Diamond challenge, which again requires 18 paid nights within 90 days to earn Diamond status. Hilton’s policy used to be much more generous: only 8 stays within 90 days were required, and award stays counted as qualifying stays. I helped my father apply during that period, and since they were already taking a road trip, it was very easy for them to complete the challenge.

Gold After Two Nights

Last year there was a promotion for Asia-Pacific Visa Infinite and Visa Signature cardholders that upgraded you to Gold after two nights, but it has expired for now. It is unclear whether it will return.

Hyatt

Match Wyndham Status to Explorist

For the detailed process, see these two articles. If you remember to do the match each year, you can keep Explorist status continuously.

Globalist Challenge for Employees of Partner Companies

Register with your work email at this link. Complete 20 nights within 90 days to earn Globalist, or 10 nights within 90 days to earn Explorist. You receive Explorist benefits during the challenge period.

Match Through AA Status

Top-tier AA members may also receive invitations for Hyatt elite status, usually through a challenge similar to the one above. Be sure to link your accounts through this link.

Marriott

Standard Platinum Challenge

You need 16 paid nights within 90 days. Award stays and FN do not count. You do not receive Platinum benefits during the challenge period. You can participate once every 3 years, although you can always try asking customer service to enroll you again within that 3-year window. You can apply by phone or email. One important detail is that after successfully completing the challenge, Platinum status is valid for one year plus through February of the following calendar year, because Marriott updates status each February. For example:

  • If you complete the Platinum challenge in January 2020, your Platinum status lasts through February 2021.
  • If you complete the Platinum challenge in March 2020, your Platinum status lasts through February 2022, or nearly 2 years.

So if possible, try to complete the Platinum challenge in March to maximize the value of the status.

Platinum Challenge for Taobao 88 VIP Members

After purchasing the membership, you can join a one-time Platinum challenge that requires 8 paid nights within 120 days. There are no Platinum benefits during the challenge period, but it is much easier than the standard Platinum challenge. For details, see KUKU’s article:

Fliggy F3 Platinum Challenge

You need 8 paid nights within 120 days, and you do receive Platinum benefits during the challenge period. If you do not complete 8 nights, you are automatically downgraded to Gold and lose suite upgrades and free breakfast. For details, see KUKU’s article:

Didi Platinum Premier Match and Platinum Challenge

Didi elite members can also participate in the Marriott Platinum challenge. For details, see KUKU’s article:

Buy a BMW in China

BMW owners in China could match to Marriott Gold and receive executive lounge access, though the promotion appears to have ended. If any readers have bought a BMW recently, please share a dp.

IHG

Platinum Challenge for Employees of Partner Companies

Use this link to register, enter promo code 25142, complete 5 nights within 120 days to earn Platinum, or 2 nights within 120 days to earn Gold.

IHG also occasionally has status match promotions with China Southern or other hotel programs. However, IHG elite benefits are fairly modest, and a credit card can give you Platinum status directly, which is the second-highest tier, so few people go out of their way to match into IHG elite status.

Wyndham

Wyndham used to allow matches from other hotel statuses as well, but the official site says the match is currently paused. It is unclear when it will return. If you matched before and already have Caesars Diamond, however, that is unaffected, and you can still keep the cycle going by timing the matches.

Summary of Techniques

Using Credit Cards

Let’s first look at hotel status that you can get directly just by holding a credit card.

Hotel Program Status Credit Card Annual Fee & FN Notes
Hilton Diamond AMEX Hilton Aspire $450, one weekend night FN every year Highly recommended as a long-term keeper if you can fully use the credits for reimbursement
Gold AMEX Hilton Surpass $95, earn one weekend night FN after spending $15,000 per year Gold status gets you free breakfast
Gold AMEX Platinum $550, no FN One of the many Platinum card benefits
Silver AMEX Hilton Honors No annual fee, no FN This status does not offer much practical value
Hyatt Discoverist Chase World of Hyatt $95, one Cat 4 FN every year, plus another FN after spending $15,000 per year Discoverist basically comes with very limited benefits
Marriott Silver AMEX Marriott Bonvoy $95, one 35,000-point FN every year After spending 35,000, you can upgrade to Gold, but neither status is especially useful
Silver Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless $95, one 35k FN every year After spending 35,000, you can upgrade to Gold, but neither status is especially useful
Gold Chase Ritz-Carlton $450, one 50k FN every year Can be upgraded from the card above; after spending $75,000, you can upgrade to Platinum
Gold AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant $450, one 50k FN every year After spending $75,000, you can upgrade to Platinum
Gold AMEX Platinum $550, no FN One of the many Platinum card benefits
IHG Platinum Chase IHG Premier $89, one 40k FN every year

It has to be said that the Hilton family of credit cards is extremely powerful. If you can get a top-tier hotel status from a credit card, you can often use that status to match into elite status with other hotel programs. After going through a round of status matches, you can often end up with elite status across several hotel chains. For example:

  • Hilton Diamond -> Wyndham Diamond -> Caesars Diamond -> MGM Gold -> Hyatt Explorist

Looping status matches by taking advantage of timing gaps

The Caesars/Wyndham status match trick is a classic. Caesars Diamond and Wyndham Diamond can be matched to each other, and their expiration dates are one month apart:

  • Wyndham status expiration: January 1 each year
  • Caesars status expiration: February 1 each year

If you start with either Diamond status and match to the other one, you can keep the loop going indefinitely. For example, after January 1, your Wyndham Diamond may have expired, but your Caesars Diamond is still active, so you can quickly match back to Wyndham. Then after February 1, when Caesars Diamond expires, you can use your Wyndham Diamond to match back again.

Another classic "forever renewable" pairing is the Hyatt/MGM reciprocal status match. If you are interested, this is also worth watching, and it works even better when combined with Caesars Diamond:

Using easy status challenges

Some hotel chains have relatively easy status challenges, and the status earned from those challenges can also be used to match into elite status with other hotel programs. So all you need to do is pick the easiest challenge and complete that one.

Starting from other routes

Airline elite status can also be matched to hotel elite status. For example, UA and Marriott can match with each other. If you have airline elite status, you can also try approaching it from that angle.

Summary

Top-tier hotel elite status comes with excellent benefits, but if you do not travel very often each year, just holding the AMEX Hilton Aspire is probably enough. If you expect a large number of hotel stays in the short term (usually within 90 days), then it may make sense to do a Hyatt or Marriott elite status challenge.