A guide to Marriott and Hilton elite status with Amex Platinum and Business Platinum

Editor’s note: This is a regular post, updated regularly with new information.

Many travel rewards cards offer valuable travel benefits. For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer many benefits, including free entry to Centurion Lounges and additional benefits on luxury hotel stays booked through the American Express Fine Hotels + program Resorts.

But one benefit offered by these two cards is often overlooked: the ability to register for elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Here’s what you need to know about hotel status with Amex Platinum and Business Platinum.

What is this benefit?

Cardmembers of The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express – including authorized users with additional Platinum or Business Platinum cards – can register on a complimentary basis with Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold .

Once you sign up, you’ll retain at least Gold status if you keep your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum account open (assuming American Express continues to offer this benefit on your card).

Related: The Complete Guide for Authorized Users to the Amex Platinum Card

How do I register?

To sign up for either (or both) of the paid hotel conditions, log into your American Express account, click on “Rewards & Benefits” in the top navigation bar and select “Perks.” Scroll down — you may need to expand the “Premium Travel” section — to find different icons for Hilton and Marriott.

Click “Read More” on a tile (or both) for more information. If you want to register, click “Register Now” and enter your hotel loyalty program membership number. This online registration process should work for primary and additional Platinum cardholders, but you can also register by calling the customer service number on the back of your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum card.

Once you request enrollment, American Express will share your enrollment information with hotel loyalty programs, which will upgrade your status to gold if you currently have low status. Upgrades usually take three to five business days but can take longer, so don’t wait until before travel to enroll in these benefits.

Related: Here’s how much you can get on the Amex Platinum card in your first year

What are the benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status?

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status typically requires you to accumulate at least 25 exclusive night credits per calendar year. As a Marriott Gold Elite member, you will have access to the following benefits:

• 25% points over stay: Earn 25% more points than base-level members on eligible hotel purchases at participating Marriott properties.
• Improved room development: Marriott Bonvoy’s terms and conditions note that Gold Elite members can receive complimentary upgrades to “rooms with desirable views, superior rooms, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors” at participating locations. However, it is left to each hotel to identify room upgrades; some brands do not offer complimentary upgrades, and upgrades are subject to availability.
• He left late at 2 pm: Get late checkout at 2pm at participating brands upon request (based on availability).
• Improved internet: Enjoy enhanced internet when you stay in participating locations.
• Reception points: Earn 250 or 500 welcome points per stay at participating brands.

In addition to Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, several Marriott Bonvoy cards offer automatic elite status. For example, you can earn automatic Gold Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Meanwhile, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers automatic Platinum Elite status.

Related: 29 of the best Marriott hotels in the world

What are the benefits of Hilton Honors Gold status?

Hilton Honors Gold status typically requires you to stay 40 nights in a calendar year, stay 20 times in a calendar year or earn 75,000 Hilton Honors points in a calendar year. As a Hilton Gold member, you will have access to the following benefits:

• 80% bonus for special stay status: Get an 80% bonus on base Hilton Honors points you earn per stay.
• Continental breakfast or daily food and beverage credit: Some brands provide breakfast to all guests as a brand. But for many other brands, you can choose a daily food and beverage credit (at select companies in the US and Motto by Hilton properties worldwide) or a daily continental breakfast (at select companies outside the US, except Motto by Hilton) on your own and one guest registered in your room as a MyWay benefit.
• Room upgrades available: Gold members can get a modest upgrade to preferred rooms up to Executive Floor room types. The Hilton Honors terms and conditions note that “Preferred rooms may also include those not on the Executive Floor but providing access to the Executive Lounge (with the exception of the Sakura Club at the Conrad Washington, DC and Club Signia at the Signia by Hilton hotel ), available next. room types, rooms with desirable views or amenities or other rooms identified as ‘preferred’ by the hotel and may vary between each type.” Additionally, upgrades are “awarded on an availability basis for the duration of the stay,” and some types and properties do not participate in complimentary upgrades.
• The fifth night is free: Hilton elite members get every fifth night free (up to four free nights per stay) when they book an award stay of five nights or more using points.

In addition to Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, you’ll also get automatic Hilton Gold status if you have the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® card or the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. Additionally, you can earn Automatic Hilton Diamond status as a perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Hilton Aspire card information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card information on this page has not been updated or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The 20 best Hilton hotels in the world

Bottom line

Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status offer significant benefits, so it’s good that card members of The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express can register for these statuses as a benefit of their card.

Achieving Hilton Gold and Marriott Gold Elite status with Amex Platinum or Business Platinum can be helpful if you don’t stay with these programs often enough to get a higher status in life and don’t want to add a hotel credit card to your wallet.

However, having Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum will not get you a higher status with either program. After all, unlike select Marriott Bonvoy cards that offer elite night credits as a cardholder perk, you won’t get Marriott Bonvoy elite night credits like the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum benefits.