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Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
2026 Elite Status Changes and Ways to Earn Status and Nights More Easily
00:49:18
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- [00:00]
A
The following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Bilt. You've heard me talk about Bilt as a loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live. And they just leveled up even more. As of 2026, renters and homeowners can also earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments. This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian card, and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards so you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points. And exclusive built points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments and more. Built points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable points currency. Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and apply today at joinbilt.com smarttravel that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com smarttravel make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply subject to approval and eligibility. Built cards are issued by column N, a member FDIC pursuant to license from MasterCard International, Inc. Sally I would call.
- [01:08]
B
Myself a recent Elite Status convert.
- [01:10]
A
Megan, haven't you had American Airlines Elite status for at least a few years now?
- [01:15]
B
Yes, but I recently got status in a few other programs including one through a Status Match challenge. And Sally, it was way easier and way less expensive than I was expecting.
- [01:25]
A
Wow, I didn't realize people actually did these things. So you have status now for the rest of your life?
- [01:30]
B
No, not exactly. But I did invite our colleague Benjamin Dinn to come on the show to talk about how he is pursuing lifetime elite status with an airline and might just get it this year. Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars. I'm Megan Coyle.
- [01:49]
A
And I'm Sally French and we're the.
- [01:51]
B
Travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip. Today we are talking to our wonderful colleague Benjamin Din all about Elite status, including some of the changes to airline and hotel elite status in 2026 and how to strategize your travel plans and credit cards if Elite Status is one of your goals.
- [02:07]
A
But first, our disclaimer, and that is that Megan and I will talk about a few credit card companies that are NerdWallet partners in this episode that does not influence how we discuss them. The benefits, terms and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting, but things can change. Some offers may have expired by the time you're listening, so for the latest details, follow the links in the episode description.
- [02:24]
B
All right, Sally, so this one is really important for anyone with a UK trip coming up, especially Americans who are used to just rolling up to the airport with just a passport, no visa, no nothing, you are going to have.
- [02:35]
A
To be a little more prepared next time you go to the UK. That is because starting February 25, 2026, the UK will fully enforce its Electronic Travel Authorization Policy. That means if you are from a visa free country, which includes the US as well as Canada and most of Europe, and you do not have this approved eta, you will not be allowed to board your flight, train or ferry to the uk.
- [02:58]
B
This isn't something where you can land in the country and sort it out at passport control. You really need to do this before you leave.
- [03:05]
A
There is no sort of we'll get there and figure it out once we get there because airlines and other carriers will be checking to make sure you have this before you travel. If you have not done this in advance, you will not be able to board that flight.
- [03:17]
B
If you feel like you've been hearing a little bit about the ETA before, you are totally right. The UK has been rolling this out very gradually and it's just now that they're going to start enforcing that you have an eta. I actually got one for my trip to the UK back in the fall and no one asked me about it, but I was glad I went through the process and figured out how to do it.
- [03:37]
A
Well, I'm actually going to have to go through the process because I am stopping in London this April after my big honeymoon in Madagascar. I'm going overnight because I did not want to do that whole flight in one go. So I'm kind of an expert in figuring out how this works. So if you two are going to London or somewhere else in the UK this year, you need to apply through the official UK ETA app. It costs 16 pounds. That's about $22. Most people get approved in minutes, though the government does recommend applying at least three working days in advance just in case.
- [04:10]
B
And this applies even if the UK isn't your final destination. So if you're just doing a layover there, you still need to download the app, submit all of your information and pay the fee.
- [04:20]
A
I'm doing a whole night so I will be doing this. But even a lot of people think I'm just doing a connecting flight. Do I need to do this? If you are going through passport control, even if you are not leaving the airport, you still need to go through this process.
- [04:32]
B
So if the UK is on your 2026 travel list, add apply for ETA to your pre trip checklist. And also make sure to check your passport expiration dates. You should do that anytime you go abroad.
- [04:43]
A
Ooh. That's also a good reminder. Thank you for that one, Sally.
- [04:46]
B
It feels like my new beat is covering people with a million points.
- [04:51]
A
That's a good beat.
- [04:52]
B
I interviewed Ashley about earning a million Turkish miles. Ben is talking about becoming a million miler today with United. If you are feeling some FOMO and you want to be a points millionaire, there is a new opportunity.
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A
All right, I want to know because how can I finally become one?
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B
If you have a Hawaiian airlines World Elite MasterCard, the airline is giving away 1 million at most points once a month from now until the end of the year.
- [05:18]
A
Okay, I could use a million points. What do I got to do to enter? Because I am ready.
- [05:22]
B
You get one entry for every card purchase you make on the Hawaiian airlines World Elite MasterCard from February 2 through December 31, 2026. And you know every month they're going to do a drawing for the 1 million grand prize. But there's also a chance to win other prizes like a hundred thousand at most points every week that goes to seven different people. So there's a lot of chances to win points through this giveaway.
- [05:48]
A
And it's based on how many times you swipe your card into a transaction.
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B
Right.
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A
Megan, you know what this reminds me of?
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B
Oh, what does it remind you of?
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A
The people who buy the built bananas and they just buy one banana at a time. I'm just going to be that crazy person like, swipe it banana. Swipe it banana. I want to win the million at most points.
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B
I will not be standing behind you at the self checkout line.
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A
I'm kidding. I would never do that. Terrible.
- [06:13]
B
I also want to mention there's a special promotion specifically for Hawaii Hawaii residents. So card members who live on the islands will also receive a 50% bonus on points earned per dollar spent during this entire promotional period. So that means you'll earn four and a half points for every dollar spent on Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines purchases, 3 points per dollar on gas, dining and eligible grocery store purchases, and 1 1/2 points per dollar for all other purchases. I love to see these high rewards rates for these cards, especially ones that benefit people who live in Hawaii.
- [06:46]
A
Pretty neat that they are giving bonus points to people who live in Hawaii. But even if you do not live in Hawaii or anywhere near the West Coast, Atmos Rewards points can be so valuable because you can use those Atmos points to book flights on other airlines where you can get really amazing redemptions. I'm thinking Japan Airlines is a great one even if you're not going international. American Airlines is a great one. Also. This giveaway is open to new card members as well. We will link to our article on the Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard in the episode.
- [07:17]
B
Description Hope one of you guys is a winner out there.
- [07:20]
A
All right, lots of news coming out of Disney over the past week. First off, Disney announced that Josh d' Amaro will become its new CEO. His resume includes stints as president of both Disneyland park as well as Walt Disney World. He more recently leads all of the Disney parks and resorts worldwide, and his new role will start on March 18th. He succeeds Bob Iger.
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B
What you need to know about this is that the Disney Parks guy is basically taking over the entire company.
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A
I'm excited about this because we are travel people. What I love most about Disney is not necessarily the movies or the merch, it is the parks. So this suggests that the aspect of traveling to a Disney park or a cruise will still stay central to Disney's strategy, even possibly more of a focal point. And also it has been the company's most reliable profit engine lately, so it.
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B
Makes sense as their choice for the new head of Disney. Speaking of profit, Disney also just had its latest earnings call and there are some really interesting little nuggets in there.
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A
If you look at what's called Disney's Experiences segment, that's the part of the company that encompasses the theme parks, hotels, Disney Cruise Line. They posted record quarterly revenue of $10 billion.
- [08:29]
B
Ooh, that is a lot of dole whip.
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A
It also hints at what Disney thinks travelers will keep paying for. Disney says domestic park attendance was up 1%. However, this is interesting. Per capita spending was up 4% in the quarter, so not a huge attendance spike. But people are spending more money once they're inside the parks.
- [08:50]
B
I think that tracks with what we hear from listeners, which is that they can't go more often to Disney, but when they do go, they're trying to make the most of the experience and buy everything they want, including the merch, including the food. They're spending a lot once they're inside the parks.
- [09:04]
A
But I got to say, you don't have to spend as much as you think. I would remind listeners of the boring Save with Sally money moves. Compare ticket types. Look hard at those off peak dates. It is unbelievable how much less you might pay to go in the off season versus a peak season. Also, I know people hate to wake up early on vacation, but wake up early. This way you are less pressured to buy those lightning lanes, which are those expedited line passes. And do not forget, you can bring your own outside snacks. If you pay for a bag of peanuts at Disney and complain that they're $10, you should have just brought your own.
- [09:40]
B
The best part is you don't have to waste any time waiting in line for food if you brought your own outside snacks. I'm eating it while I'm in line waiting for my next ride, you know.
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A
Yeah, and time is money. I'm not waiting in line. All right.
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B
Speaking of trips that are expensive, we spent a lot of time on this podcast talking about the rise of luxury travel. We're talking premium cabins, fancy resorts, even glamping like the luxury camping.
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A
Glamping. Great word. We are now, though, seeing the first real signal that the demand for luxury travel may be cooling. Deloitte just released its 2026 travel outlook. It suggests that even those high income travelers are starting to pull back.
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B
That's really interesting because high earners have been carrying a lot of the travel industry recently.
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A
Yes, they have been. However, Deloitte is saying that they're seeing financial pessimism even among Americans who are making $200,000 or more. That means that those travelers in that really high income bracket, they are either more likely to plan fewer trips, they're choosing more conservative options like shorter stays. They're not opting for those upgrades anymore. They're not splurging as much.
- [10:42]
B
My hunch is that even high income earners are thinking about the value. It's like, yes, they can afford to go on travel, but their travel budget isn't going as far when it comes to flights for the entire family or a nice hotel. Everything is just getting more expensive with inflation. So I think they are looking at the value and saying, you know what, maybe I don't need to take as many trips this year because I'm not going to get as much value out of it.
- [11:05]
A
And I think what this means is that there's going to be less demand for what were previously those really coveted top tier experiences. I mean, they're still coveted, but now people are less likely to pay for those business class upgrades, less likely to go for the upscale hotels, all those things we've been talking about, like more business class seats, more of those luxury hotels, hotels, I actually think we are going to see less demand for those things than what maybe they predicted a couple years ago.
- [11:31]
B
That's interesting. And we're not talking about all luxury here. Deloitte makes this distinction between luxury and ultra luxury. So ultra luxury is like the five star hotel nights, really exclusive properties, long haul, international, first class. Those types of products still look relatively insulated. So it's everything that's a step below that where a lot of travelers have kind of splurged in recent years to be able to afford like for example, business class or maybe a four star hotel. That's where we think we'll see less demand.
- [12:05]
A
So for travelers, there could be some good news here, is that maybe we'll see deals in these places. It also means you might get better upgrade offers if you have that silver status that you're like, I never get upgraded. This might be your year that you get upgraded because fewer people are actually splurging.
- [12:22]
B
All right. There have been so many changes to elite status in the past year that I think we're due for an update.
- [12:27]
A
And changes don't always mean bad. The good thing is that this year there are actually some positive changes for travelers. And believe it or not, some of the requirements to earn elite status this year actually went down.
- [12:39]
B
And some credit cards added new benefits. The Chase Sapphire reserve card members now get complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status until December 31, 2027. So again, if you're one of those elite status chasers, you might have a new credit card to add to your wallet.
- [12:55]
A
Although this is nice, I gotta say, I still think Hilton gold and Mary Gold that I get from my AMEX Platinum is a little bit better.
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B
I agree. Well, you know, our colleague Ben is trying to get gold for life in a different program. United Airlines.
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A
Oh my gosh. Lifetime elite status. How much has this guy flown? I need to know.
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B
I. That's why we invited him on the show to talk about it. He is trying to get a million miles with. I don't know why this is a theme for me. I'm obsessed with a million miles now.
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A
So am I. So is everyone.
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B
So Ben is going to come on and talk about some of the changes to elite status this year and also lifetime status.
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A
Let's go, Ben. Let's hear from him.
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B
Ben, welcome back to Smart Travel.
- [13:39]
C
Yeah, thanks for having me.
- [13:40]
B
You have written a lot about elite status for Nerd Wallet. And you also have elite status. For people who are thinking, why should I care? I don't travel enough to earn elite status, what would you tell them?
- [13:52]
C
I think that's a really good question, Megan. I would tell them that earning elite status might be more attainable than you think. Elite status programs have really come a long way from what they used to be. They used to reward you for how much you fly, how much you stay. But these days, we're seeing elite status programs are really looking at how much you're spending with the program, with its partners. And there are also a lot of new ways to earn elite status. You can earn them through spending on your credit cards. You can earn them by holding certain credit cards. Sometimes you can status match. Really? For most people, elite status can be attainable as long as you have a strategy at the beginning of the year. When you think about how you're going.
- [14:31]
B
To earn that elite status, I 100% agree. I would not have been able to earn elite status myself without a lot of these changes that have happened to reward spending as well. And also, one thing you didn't mention was elite status comes with certain perks that really come in handy if you are dealing with flight cancellations or needing to rebook or something like that.
- [14:54]
C
Yeah, I think that's the place where elite status really can shine, is when you have those regular operation situations like you're talking about. I remember one time, the first year I got elite status with United, I was United Silver. That's their lowest tier of status. And I got off the plane, there was a delay, Everyone got off the plane, um, and I was instantly on the phone calling their dedicated support number. I was able to get rebooked right away while people were still in line waiting to talk to an agent.
- [15:23]
B
Oh, yeah. Oh, that's such a lifesaver. Like, just being ahead of a couple people can really get you the last seat on the next flight leaving. That's incredible. You were able to get that. So let's talk about the elite status that you've gotten. How do you evaluate which elite statuses to go for?
- [15:41]
C
I think the big thing is really just looking at how much travel you have planned for the year you can consider. You know, where are you going, what airlines can get you there, what hotels you're thinking about staying at when you're there. And I think what you want to do is really try to identify any trends or commonalities there. Maybe you're going somewhere where you really like the Hyatt properties, and that might be A reason why you'd go for Hyatt elite status. I think for airline elite status, you really want to think about where you live and what is your closest airport. I think that matters a lot because you want to have elite status at your home airport, where there's a lot of different flight options in case things go wrong. And if you're at an airport with a lot of flight options, you can get easily rebooked. And sometimes they'll have more agents on ground than other airlines or have better lounges there.
- [16:30]
B
And let's say you are at one of those airports that does have a lot of different airlines and you really have a choice in which one to pursue elite status with. What do you think about when you're in that situation? Like, I feel like I'm like that at lax, where I could choose between United, American, Delta, even Alaska. All four of those airlines have a huge presence there, so I could really pick anyone.
- [16:54]
C
I think at that point you'd really want to look more closely at the different perks and pros and cons of each program. I think there are some obvious ones, like United has a really strong global network. American has really valuable miles, as does Alaska. Delta has really nice lounges if you can get into them. So those are things that I think can really tip the scales, depending on what you're most into.
- [17:20]
B
All good features to consider. So let's talk about some of those changes to elite status programs that have happened in the last couple of years. Sally and I did an episode about elite status last year, and honestly, there's been enough changes that everything needs to be updated. So, Ben, in terms of airline elite status, what should people know about for 2026?
- [17:42]
C
Yeah, Megan, you're absolutely right. Earning elite status. There's so many changes this year. Let's start with Southwest. Southwest last year, as we all know, completely blew up its operating model. It introduced assigned seating. It started charging for checked bags. And those are things that it's never done before. So now elite status can be really valuable with Southwest because those perks can really get you those things like free checked bags, free seat selection, and things like that.
- [18:11]
B
It's kind of more similar to a elite status with a legacy airline like United or like American or Delta now, because they do make you pay to choose your seats now. So elite status could help you with some of those things. What about boarding groups and some of the other perks you might get with Southwest elite status, you also will get.
- [18:33]
C
Priority boarding, depending on your status. I think with a list, you can board no later than group five. And if you have a list preferred, you can board no later than group two. So those are really nice. Although now that open seating is no longer a thing, I don't know how much of a difference that will really make. I think one thing you'll also want to consider with Southwest is that they don't have a true premium cabin. So you won't get things like complimentary upgrades to business class or first class. With Southwest, the most you can really get is that extra legroom seating.
- [19:02]
B
They don't have a lot of international partnerships either, even though they are expanding that portion of their route network. But I found that sometimes the best ways to get value out of Elite status is using your elite status on other airlines as well. Can you talk a little bit about that?
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C
I think that's really interesting that you brought that up, Megan, because can you remind me, is it right that you have American elite status?
- [19:26]
B
Yeah, that's right. I'm an American girl.
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C
Yeah. So that makes a lot of sense, Megan, because American is a part of One world, and One World is the alliance that offers the strongest alliance by perks.
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B
No way. Really?
- [19:40]
C
Yeah. They do seat selection across airlines. American also has that partnership with Alaska. So if you're flying on Alaska with American status, you can also get upgraded on Alaska. And I think one of my favorite things about oneworld elite status is that if you can reach the highest tiers of One World status, which is One World Emerald, you actually get access to international first class lounges, which are a step up from even business class lounges. So that's a really nice perk that none of the other alliances offer.
- [20:10]
B
So elite status sometimes gets you lounge access even when you're flying with other airlines or even if you're not flying business or first class. That's important to point out and something that you won't really get with Southwest in its current Elite status program. Okay, since we were just talking about One World, let's talk about Alaska Airlines, which is in the One World program. And they also made some changes to their Elite status program this year.
- [20:34]
C
Alaska. Last year, they launched their Atmos rewards program. It's their joint program with Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. And what you can expect later in 2026 is that they'll roll out a new way for you to choose how you earn points and status points, which go toward your Elite status qualification. So now you'll be able to earn points based on either how much you fly, how much you spend, or how often you fly with Alaska. Or its partners. And that's a really innovative thing that we haven't really seen any other airlines do.
- [21:07]
B
Yeah, that's way better than those. Choose your own perks, where it's like once you reach a certain level of elite status, you get to choose between some, like, very random list of perks. I like this that they're letting their members choose how they earn points, because then you can start earning points and also elite status based on the way that you actually travel. So, for example, Alaska, if you do a lot of long haul, like transcontinental flights, I'm often flying between the east and west coast, then earning points based on distance is probably the best method for me to choose to earn elite status with Alaska. Is that how you interpret it?
- [21:49]
C
Yeah, you're absolutely right, Megan. It really depends on how you fly. And I think each traveler will kind of need to evaluate what their flying habits are to figure out what really works best for them. I will add, though, Alaska still does have those milestone rewards. So it's kind of the best of both worlds if you do like those rewards because you can choose how you want to earn and then you can also get those random little goodies as you climb the elite status ranks. I think another thing to think about with Atmos rewards is that starting this year, you'll be able to earn elite status faster when you spend through their premium credit card. So if you have that card, that can be an option to really supercharge your way to get to higher tiers of status.
- [22:34]
B
I just got that card, so I'm very excited to see how it works out because I also have an American card that earns loyalty points towards their elite status. And now I'm like, oh, no, am I going to try to go after elite status in two programs? Is that too much? I think I'm over committing myself, yeah.
- [22:51]
C
And I think you'll also want to consider, because they're both a part of one world, there might be some limited upside to having status in both just because Alaska and American do have that reciprocal partnership. So as an American elite, you're already getting the seat selection, your spot on the upgrade list. So those are definitely things to consider.
- [23:09]
B
You're totally right. We try to avoid reciprocal benefits when choosing credit cards and when choosing elite status programs. Now that we're on American, let's go there. I would say the major change there is that basic economy fares no longer earn American miles, which are used to redeem for American flights or flights with any of their partners. And basic economy fares Also no longer earn loyalty points. That's so sad. There's just really, if you are trying to go for elite status at all with American, you can no longer book basic economy fairs.
- [23:44]
C
So if you're an American elite, you'll definitely want to rethink before you book a basic economy fair. I think one thing that's interesting though is American of American, Delta and United, they do offer basic economy flyers the most elite perks on their flights. So it really will become a decision of whether you want to earn more status or whether you want to save money on those flights.
- [24:09]
B
And by perks you mean checked bags or what?
- [24:12]
C
Checked bags is one of them. But when you fly American with basic economy, you're also still getting your spot on the upgrade list and you're also still getting seat selection. And those are things that you're not getting if you're flying on United or Delta on a basic economy fare.
- [24:28]
B
Okay, I didn't know that either. Another good reason to maybe think about whether or not you want to earn more elite status next year. Or if you are done for this year, you could book basic economy and still be able to enjoy your status through the end of the year. Now let's go to JetBlue. I would say these are medium sized updates to the JetBlue mosaic program. What would you say?
- [24:49]
C
I think it depends on how you travel because one of the things that they introduced, which was also really unique to their program, is that they introduced this concept of family tiles. So now you can earn JetBlue mosaic tiles not just based on your own travel, but also on the travel of your family. And I think that's something that people will really like because I think families travel with their kids, they're spending money on their kids tickets and they're always asking, can I use list spend to count toward my status? And with this new introduction, now they have a way to do that. So I think this will really appeal to families.
- [25:26]
B
That's really interesting. Some of those elite status benefits do also transfer to the people you normally travel with. So it's like the parent could earn elite status and then be able to book a seat upgrade for both of them by being able to choose their seats for a parent and a child. That's really interesting. I'm very curious how that's going to work once people have been trying it out for a little bit. And also JetBlue is introducing lounges this year, which as we just talked about, is kind of part of the equation of thinking about elite status.
- [25:59]
C
Yeah, for sure. So JetBlue, I think, has really been trying to step into this premium position. So now they're trying to do that, like you said, by going into the lounge space. Last year in December, they opened their first lounge in jfk. I was at the opening for that. It was not a huge lounge, but it definitely is a really nice space. So if you have some time to kill before your flight, it's a great place to hang out, grab some food. I will say though, they're limiting lounge access for Elites to Mosaic Fours. So that's their top tier of elite status. So you really need to be on that elite status hamster wheel in order to get into this lounge.
- [26:40]
B
Good luck to all the JetBlue people trying to earn Mosaic status this year. If you're going for Mosaic four, that's a lot of flying and spending. United, this is probably the last of our major US Airlines. What is changing in the United Premier program?
- [26:56]
C
Requirements to earn are staying the same, which I'm thankful for because I'm fly United a lot. But I think some of the big things that people will be excited about is they're changing the way that you can upgrade if you're a top tier elite. So if you're a top tier elite, you get these things called plus points, which can be applied to your itinerary to get international upgrades.
- [27:19]
B
That's where you want the light flat seeds.
- [27:21]
C
Yes, definitely. And starting this month, you can actually apply plus points to award reservations. Previously you had to have this invite only status to do that, but now everyone can apply plus points to reservations booked with mild.
- [27:34]
B
That's a lot of different currencies. I don't entirely understand what that means, but I'm sure you will walk us through it. Because Ben, you have United Elite status, is that right? So plus points is something you're very familiar with.
- [27:46]
C
So I have United 1k status, which is their top tier status. So every year I get a bunch of these plus points. I'm excited about this change, but I think most United flyers, if you don't have that status, this really is not going to matter that much to you.
- [28:00]
B
Okay, that's fair. Moving on, let's talk about hotels, starting with Hilton, and they've actually added an entire new tier of status.
- [28:08]
C
Yeah. So this year Hilton is introducing a top tier status called Diamond Reserve. If you're familiar with the Marriott Bonvoy status program, it's kind of similar to the Ambassador Elite status. Basically this status will have a nightly stay requirement, but it'll also come with a dollar spent requirement. So you'll need to spend at least $18,000 at Hilton properties in order to qualify for this status. Wow.
- [28:35]
B
And that's all in one year?
- [28:37]
C
Yeah. That's a lot of expensive hotel stays.
- [28:40]
B
Definitely. And this type of status, the requirements are so high that you actually can't earn this status automatically through a credit card.
- [28:48]
C
Yeah. And that'll be a big change for Hilton members, including myself. I have one of the Hilton credit cards that grants you automatic Diamond Elite status. Previously, that was the highest tier of status, but now this new Diamond Reserve will be the highest. I do think Hilton is trying to differentiate the perks of Diamond Reserve a little bit to kind of justify how much they want you to spend. If you have Diamond Reserve status, you'll get these certificates that you can use to confirm suite upgrades at the time of booking. You'll also get guaranteed 4pm late checkout. So if you're spending a lot and staying a lot at Hilton, I think those perks can definitely be worth it. But I think most people will never get to be Diamond Reserve.
- [29:33]
B
Not me this year, that's for sure. Let's talk about the lower levels of Elite status. Something more achievable for me.
- [29:40]
C
I think one of the really good things about the introduction of this top tier status is that Hilton also introduced lower Knights requirements for earning the lower tiers of status. That's silver, gold, and diamond. So now you don't need to stay as much as you did before in order to reach those levels.
- [29:59]
B
And Gold status is actually pretty decent. I love that Hilton Gold status comes with a food and beverage credit. I think it's usually $15 a day at some brands. And even though that might not pay for your entire continental breakfast or whatever, I think it's great to still be able to pick up a little snack on your way through the lobby.
- [30:21]
C
That's definitely true. Although I will say that's mainly for US Properties. If you go abroad, like you go to Asia, you go to Europe, you typically will get that standard complimentary breakfast that Hilton used to offer in the US and those are incredible. So if you can. I would really say going after Gold status is worth it with Hilton. If you travel abroad a lot, where.
- [30:45]
B
Have you gone that you've had a great continental breakfast at a Hilton?
- [30:49]
C
Okay. I don't know if it counts as a continental breakfast, but last year I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in Bangkok and they had this incredible breakfast. Megan, I'm telling you, the entire floor was dedicated to the breakfast restaurant. Basically, you walked around the perimeter of the hotel. And you went to all these stations. They got western food, Asian food, fruit station pastries, desserts, someone walking around with a mango sticky rice cart. And I didn't even mention you get an entree to start. And I had eggs Benedict with caviar.
- [31:23]
B
What? Oh my goodness. That's so fancy.
- [31:27]
C
Yeah, so definitely use that Hilton status when you travel abroad.
- [31:31]
B
It's relatively easy to get this Hilton Gold status through travel credit cards. I know the Amex Platinum comes with automatic Hilton Gold status and some of the other Hilton cards also offer this or at least a way to spend towards it. So check out our article on NerdWallet about the credit cards with automatic hotel elite status. We'll link to it in the episode description. Okay, I'm getting hungry after that description of breakfast, so I'm gonna go grab a quick bite and we'll be right back to talk more about elite status.
- [32:10]
A
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B
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A
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B
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A
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- [34:43]
B
International, Inc. Ben, thanks again for being with us. Let's get back into hotel elite status changes. We're almost done. HYATT Elite Status. This is a favorite among people who like points and miles. What is new there?
- [34:58]
C
The big news coming out of Hyatt this year is that starting in the middle of 2026, you'll now be able to earn Hyatt Explorer status when you spend 75, 000 on your Chase Sapphire Reserve. I don't know if it's worth spending that much money just to get Hyatt Explorist, but if you're already a big spender, that's definitely a nice little perk there. Hyatt has also been teasing that it might launch a premium credit card soon, so that's something to look forward to because it's definitely a hole that's been missing in Hyatt's credit card portfolio.
- [35:29]
B
And moving on to choice, I think a lot of people don't really know too much about the Choice Privileges loyalty program in general, but they have completely revamped their program. Tell us what we need to know about that.
- [35:41]
C
Yeah, I was going to say it probably doesn't matter because they completely redid the program, which is great. So their changes are kind of similar to Hilton's changes. They actually made Elite status easier to earn. I think you only need five nights just to earn the lowest tier of status. And they also introduced a top tier elite status, Titanium, which also has pretty cool perks, I'll say. The one thing that looks really interesting about this program is that choice is introducing software landings. So if you don't reach a certain level of status one year, like if you don't requalify, you won't go back to the beginning. You'll just drop one level below the status that you had before, which is really good.
- [36:21]
B
Yeah, it's kind of like a nice consolation prize. I think Marriott is doing this too this year where they're giving people a soft landing. If you didn't quite reach the requirements and they can give you one level lower, that is good news for those mid tier and high tier elites. It is hard for people to reach a lot of these requirements to earn Elite status. But Ben, I thought it'd be fun to kind of tell listeners which kinds of elite status we both have and how you got each one. Like is it through a credit card or was it through flying? That kind of thing. So which ones do you have?
- [36:53]
C
Like I mentioned, I have United 1k status. I earned that last year by flying a lot, but also through credit card spending. One of my credit cards earns one status point for every $15 I spend. It also comes with an annual status point boost. I also opened a United credit card that had some status points as part of its signup bonus. So that helped me get over the finish line. That's the only airline status I have. But in terms of hotel status, I don't find myself particularly loyal to a specific brand. So I have status across a bunch of them. Like I mentioned, I have Hilton diamond status through the Hilton Aspire card from Amex. I have Marriott Gold status. And I actually have that through a bunch of different ways. Like we said, Amex Platinum has that. I have the Ritz Carlton credit card, which is no longer available, but it also comes with Marriott Gold status. And one cool thing about United status is if you have United Gold or above, you can actually status match that to Marriott Gold. So I guess I have Marriott Gold through three different ways. For Hyatt, I have Explorist status. That's mainly through holding the World of Hyatt credit card, which gives me elite Knights boosts at the beginning of the year and then through staying at Hyatt's. And then for ihg, I have the IHG Platinum Elite status. You can get that by holding the United Club credit card, which I have. Or you can get that by holding an IHG credit card, which I also have.
- [38:19]
B
I think you're a good example because you have elite status sometimes in multiple ways from different credit cards and a mix of spending and traveling and flying, all that kind of stuff. And it sounds like the airline elite status is keeps you the busiest. So I would kind of agree with that. My mix is similar. I have American Airlines Gold Elite status, which is literally just the entry level tier. And I talked about this last year on the show, but I love having just that entry level tier. It's just a little chance that you could get a complimentary upgrade. It does not happen to me regularly. I think it only happens like once or twice a year. But I got one upgrade when I was feeling a little sick from New York to LA a couple of weeks ago actually, and I was like, okay, it was all worth it to get elite status with American.
- [39:13]
C
Was it a lie flat seat, Megan?
- [39:15]
B
Yeah, it was lie flat. And you know when you're feeling a little sick and congested and you're like, I actually kind of don't really want to lie flat. I want to be slightly elevated. And at home that's kind of hard because you have to to stack all these pillows. But on the airplane, all I did was like hit a button and I was like perfectly perched so that I was like slightly elevated and I could breathe through my nose a little bit. So it really came in clutch when.
- [39:39]
C
I needed it to American Elite status more, you know.
- [39:44]
B
And then similarly, I also have hotel Elite status through some credit cards, Hilton and Marriott Gold status through the AMEX Platinum. And I actually just earned Hyatt Elite status. It's kind of similar to the Marriott United partnership that you were talking about. American and Hyatt also have a partnership. They don't status match you right away. I don't think it's one of the benefits you have to choose. But Hyatt ran a status match challenge for American Airlines Elite. And so it was, I think, 90 days. And if you stayed 10 nights in those 90 days, you could earn the second level of Hyatt elite status, which is explorist in one you have. And I did that. So I'm very excited about my new Hyatt Elite status. And I have no plans to stay at a Hyatt yet this year, so I need to do some research. Do you have any suggestions? Where should I go now that I have explorist?
- [40:37]
C
No, this is also my first year as explorist. Usually I just have Discoverist because I have the credit card, and that's an automatic perk. So I'm also curious to see whether or not it'll really make a difference. I'm not convinced, but I'm willing to be convinced.
- [40:54]
B
We're hopeful. We're hopeful.
- [40:56]
C
We're hopeful.
- [40:57]
B
And, Ben, the most important thing is you are on track to earn lifetime status with United. We've never really talked about what that is on the show. Can you tell us about what that is and what you're going to earn if you achieve it?
- [41:10]
C
I love talking about this. So lifetime status is a way that airlines or hotel loyalty programs reward customers basically for how much they travel with that program. I think it's really one of the only ways left where we see travel brands recognizing customers for the amount of activity that they have with the brand versus how much money they're actually spending with the brand. So I'm on track to earning Million Miler status with United States. And to earn that, you need to fly 1 million physical miles with United, we like to call these but in seat miles. So you actually have to be on a plane for 1 million miles, and you have to fly them on paid tickets and not award tickets. So it's kind of a long journey to get there.
- [41:56]
B
How long have you been trying to do it?
- [41:58]
C
So I joined the Mileage plus program in 2002. So I've been a part of the United States family, I guess, for more than 20 years. So it's definitely been a long time coming. Wow.
- [42:10]
B
And was it just recently that you were like, oh, I actually could reach this reasonably with all the travel I do, or was it something that 10 years ago you were like, you know, if I just chip away at this, I'll get to a million miles?
- [42:24]
C
No, I'll say, before the pandemic, I had no idea what the Million Miler program was. I just grew up living in United hubs. I went to college at a United hub, and now I live somewhat close to a United hub. So I think it's just been a slow accumulation of my lifetime miles. And then after the pandemic, I noticed that there was that number there on my app, and I was like, maybe this is something that I could try to get. And I Definitely think I've traveled a lot more since the pandemic, so it's definitely a newer goal for me. Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention what you get for flying a million miles when you do that with United, you get lifetime premier gold status. So that's the second level of elite status in their program. And with that you'll get Star Alliance Gold. So you'll get access to business class lounges on partner airlines. And like I mentioned earlier, you'll also get that status match with Marriott to Marriott Gold.
- [43:22]
B
So you'll have not just United's gold status for life, but then you'll also have Marriott gold status for life. I see what you did there. How long do you think it's going to take for you to reach a million miles?
- [43:34]
C
I just crossed the 900,000 mile threshold earlier this year and I think I'll probably be able to hit it later this year.
- [43:42]
B
Whoa, Congrats. Wait, so you're going to fly 100,000 miles in 2026? Basically, yeah, I think so. Incredible. Where are you planning on going? Is it like you are trying to plan trips that are very long so that you can pick up those last hundred thousand miles or are you just going to travel to places you've never been and see where it takes you?
- [44:07]
C
I think it'll be a mix of both. I was actually looking at my United app last night and I don't have any United itineraries booked for this year, so I definitely need to get on it soon. The way I do it is I try to look for cheap fares traveling to far places. So, you know, United flies to Singapore, United flies to Dubai. So I've definitely been there a couple of times in the last few years. But I also try to look at, you know, what routes is United launching? United is really well known for their route launches, their new routes. So they're always trying to pick these new destinations that are pretty cool and off the beaten track. So I'm hoping to get myself to one of those destinations this year as well.
- [44:53]
B
I'm hoping that you go to Mongolia, which is one of United's newer destinations that is so far from New York you'll get so many miles and then you'll have to come back and tell me, did you ride horses and have cashmere and eat stew and all the things you do in Mongolia?
- [45:10]
C
I will say that flight is on a 737 from Tokyo, so probably not the most comfortable way to get to Mongolia.
- [45:17]
B
Oh no. Okay, well you will find some way there. I am sure. I'M curious, has having elite status in any of these programs, airline or hotel, changed the way you book travel or the way that you do travel?
- [45:31]
C
I would say for flights it hasn't affected it that much, mainly because I have been on this million miler quest. But I would say for hotels, it's definitely had an impact. I think. I'll often try to look for hotels that are in programs where I have elite status and then I'll try to compare prices for those hotels when booking direct and then when booking through an online travel agency, whether that's Expedia or booking.com and when I look at those prices, what I'm trying to figure out is whether or not it's worth the premium to pay for booking direct in order to get, you know, that extra elite night credit to earn those extra points to get those elite benefits. You know, sometimes it's worth it, sometimes the price difference is hundreds of dollars and it's not. So that's definitely another extra added layer that I have to do when I book hotels. What about you, Megan?
- [46:30]
B
I have become kind of crazy with making changes and last minute flights because of my American elite status. Because one of the benefits of elite status is you're often on the top of the standby list. I will stand by on so many different flights now just because I know it's pretty likely that I'll get a seat. And having done this a few times now, I have a better sense of which flights generally do have open seats. And even if they the airline will tell you like, oh, you can't do standby on this particular itinerary because it has an international leg, I'll be like, watch me. And then I'll do it on the domestic leg, you know. So I think I've gotten a lot more cavalier about just flying at random times that I didn't actually book. And then the other thing is now I've started really trying to book those off time flights like the 6am flight because I've found that there's a better chance of getting that complimentary upgrade, my once a year complimentary upgrade. So now I'm like, I think it is kind of worth it to fly at 6am with the chance that you might have a nicer seat, but kind of depends on the airplane. I've definitely been burned by that as well.
- [47:49]
C
Yeah, I love that you mentioned the standby thing. I do that too all the time. So that's how I know you're a true frequent flyer. Megan.
- [47:57]
B
Well, Ben, thank you so much for Being on the show, it's been such a pleasure.
- [48:02]
C
Thanks for having me.
- [48:05]
A
Ben, my man, I am rooting for you. One million miles is so impressive.
- [48:09]
B
Very. It makes me wish I had stayed loyal to United because I have had a frequent flyer account with them, I think since 2001 or something. Since I was literally a baby.
- [48:20]
A
Yeah, but have you flown a million miles?
- [48:22]
B
No, I switched loyalties. You know, it's tough. I had to start over.
- [48:28]
A
I actually looked at my account and I was like, how much do I compare to Ben? And I was at like 100,000 miles, which is a lot. But nothing compared to Mr. Ben.
- [48:38]
B
I don't know. You might make a million miles in your life, though.
- [48:42]
A
All right, let's go.
- [48:44]
B
Let's do a listener question. This one is from Josephine. Is there any credit card that offers free checked baggage for international travel?
- [48:53]
A
Josephine, you are listening to the Right podcast. It really depends on where you're going and which airline you are flying. So first off, you might not need to have a credit card that offers free checked baggage because a lot of the major US Carriers, I'm talking United, American and Delta, do not charge for the first checked bag if you're flying internationally and you bought a main cabin fare anyway. I rarely buy even fancy fares and I find always on international flights, I get a free checked bag when I wouldn't get a free checked bag for a similar flight in domestic flights. So. So just keep that in mind.
- [49:27]
B
And of course, the rules are different if you are flying internationally, like within another country abroad, or you're flying with a budget carrier from another country. The rules are completely different.
- [49:38]
A
Yes, it's the budget carriers that get you. And those are the ones where they're like, you can get a hundred dollars flight to Iceland, but the bag fee is going to be 150. And also if you want a Coke and flight, it's going to be $10.
- [49:50]
B
Oh no. You can check out our article though, on airline cards with free checked bags. We'll link to it in the episode description. There are some options like cards for international airlines if you do fly those regularly. Or you could also use travel credits to cover some of those extra fees. Anyways, we'll link to that article in the episode description. And if you have more questions, don't forget to email us@travelerdwallet.com and while you're.
- [50:16]
A
At it, make sure that you follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app. That includes Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio. That way you can automatically download new episodes. Don't just listen to this one. Get them all every week and if you are so inclined, please leave us a comment. We love to read the comments, particularly if they are attached with a little five star next to them.
- [50:36]
B
I know our producers, our editors would love five stars. Their work is so good. This episode was produced by Tess Viglin and edited by Nick Karisimi. Claire Socie and Hilary Georgie helped with.
- [50:47]
A
Fact checking and time for that disclaimer. We are not financial nor investment advisors. This info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.
- [50:57]
B
We hope you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. Thanks everyone. We'll see you next time.
- [51:10]
C
Foreign.
- [51:16]
D
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