Do hotel stays on Dec. 31 count toward status this year?

As 2025 nears its end, travelers are busy reviewing their achievements to secure benefits for 2026.

Whether you’re aiming for elite status for the first time or striving for a higher tier, you might consider achieving this through regular travel or a last-minute booking.

Gaining elite status with hotels is typically easier than with airlines, as award stays at major hotel chains count towards your elite status.

However, if you find yourself one night short of earning status for 2025, do hotel stays that extend from December 31 to January 1 count towards this year or next? A Flying Frugal reader named Hailey inquires:

Given my work travel, I’ll be one night shy of Marriott Platinum status this year. If I book an award stay on New Year’s Eve, will that count for this year (when I check in) or next year (when I check out)?

Related: Last-minute strategies to secure hotel elite status before year-end

Earning Elite Credits on New Year’s Eve Stays

In short, Marriott Bonvoy credits stays from December 31 to January 1 to the prior year, while Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and World of Hyatt attribute those stays to the following year.

This means if Hailey books a one-night stay over New Year’s Eve, she will secure Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status for 2025, valid for 2026.

Things get more intricate with longer stays. If she checks in on December 31 and checks out on January 3, Marriott counts nights up to December 31 for the previous year, while nights from January 1 onward go toward the next year.

For Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt, the entire stay counts toward the next year’s qualification. Hyatt credits based on the checkout year, and manual year-end adjustments are generally not allowed, so plan accordingly.

How to Achieve Elite Hotel Status with a Credit Card

With the right credit card, there’s no need to scramble for a hotel stay on New Year’s Eve to achieve elite status in your preferred hotel loyalty program.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card grants Platinum Elite status to all cardholders. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card each provide 15 elite night credits annually, and if you have both, you’ll receive 30 elite night credits—more than halfway to Bonvoy Platinum status.

If you hold the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you’ll automatically earn five tier-qualifying nights each year and two additional nights for every $5,000 spent. The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers five tier-qualifying nights for every $10,000 spent annually.

For Hilton Honors, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card provides Diamond status.

IHG Platinum Elite status is a benefit of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.

Holding the United Club℠ Card also allows you to register for complementary IHG Platinum Elite status.

Lastly, the American Express Platinum Card® grants Gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors (enrollment required).

Conclusion

Waiting until the very last moment to requalify for elite status can be risky, especially considering the significant differences in benefits across hotel status tiers.

For Marriott, you can earn that final elite night on December 31, even if your stay continues into January. In contrast, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG generally attribute stays that cross years to the checkout year.

If you’re planning to travel over New Year’s to qualify for hotel elite status, check your account during the first week of January to ensure your stay credits are recorded correctly.