Anyone can join a hotel loyalty program to earn points redeemable for award nights and other perks. But if you can qualify as an elite member in your favorite program, the perks get better. Free breakfast, free room upgrades and bonus points on stays are just some of the benefits that can make hotel elite status worthwhile.

So what does hotel elite status mean? How do you get elite status with hotels? Which hotel elite status is best? This guide explains everything you need to know about hotel elite status and its benefits.

Common hotel elite status perks

Every hotel loyalty program rewards its elite members a little differently — but not that differently. Common perks include:

Bonus points on hotel stays.

Late checkout.

Free breakfast/meal credit or access to lounges serving breakfast or hors d’oeuvres.

High-speed internet.

Bottled water.

The benefits depend on your elite status “tier.” There are usually three to five levels of elite status, with the perks getting increasingly better with each tier.

For example, in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, Silver elite members get a 10 percent bonus on the points they earn when they stay at participating hotels, while Titanium elites get a 75 percent bonus. In the World of Hyatt program, lower-level Discoverist members might get upgraded to a “preferred room” when they stay, but top-tier Globalist members can often get their room upgraded to a suite for free.

How to earn hotel elite status

You qualify for elite status by paying for stays at participating properties in the hotel loyalty program. The more of these “elite qualifying nights” you accumulate in a year, the higher elite status tier you will earn. Usually, the minimum number of nights to earn the lowest level of elite status is about five to 10 nights annually, depending on the program.