Travelers with elite status often enjoy a range of privileges, such as complimentary breakfast at hotels and flight upgrades. These perks are not only limited to the elite member but can also extend to their companions when they travel together. However, what options are available when your family or friends travel without you? Luckily, there are several programs that allow you to gift elite status to someone else for a stay or a trip, making it possible for your loved ones to enjoy the same privileges even when you’re not there.
One such program is Hyatt’s Guest of Honor program. While World of Hyatt does not offer the option to directly gift status, it provides a unique alternative through its Guest of Honor program. This program allows Hyatt loyalists to earn their first Guest of Honor award each calendar year after 40 nights or 65,000 base points. The Guest of Honor perk is tied to Hyatt Milestone Rewards and offers all the in-hotel benefits typically enjoyed by Globalist members during their Guest of Honor stay.
Air Canada’s Aeroplan also offers a similar option called Status Pass. This benefit is available to Air Canada’s 50K, 75K, and Super Elite members through Select Benefit Bundles. Super Elite members automatically receive two passes each year as a Core Benefit. The Status Pass allows elite members to share their privileges with another traveler, even when not traveling together. The recipients of the passes enjoy benefits such as priority check-in, three checked bags with priority handling, priority security screening, access to Maple Leaf lounges, priority airport standby, and priority boarding. Each Status Pass covers an entire Air Canada reservation for up to nine travelers booked together.
American Airlines’ AAdvantage program also allows members to gift status to another person at different Loyalty Point milestones through Loyalty Point Rewards. Members who reach milestones such as 175,000, 250,000, 400,000, 550,000, 750,000, 1 million, 3 million, and 5 million Loyalty Points can choose to gift various levels of AAdvantage status, including Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum.
Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan offers a similar benefit to its members who achieve MVP Gold 75K or MVP Gold 100K status during a calendar year. Once you earn MVP Gold 75K status, you can share MVP status with a friend or family member by completing a form on Alaska’s website. If you earn MVP Gold 100K status, you can select one 100K Choice Benefit for the following year, which includes the option to upgrade the individual you nominated for MVP status to MVP Gold status.
Delta Air Lines also allows its Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion members to gift status to others. Platinum Medallion members can gift Silver Medallion status, while Diamond Medallion members can gift Gold Medallion status. These benefits are part of Delta’s Choice Benefits, which are rewards offered to members upon achieving Platinum or Diamond Medallion status.
Hilton Honors offers its members the opportunity to gift Gold or Diamond status to another member by staying with Hilton for 60 or more eligible nights within a calendar year. If you stay for 100 or more nights within a calendar year, the gift is upgraded to Diamond status. Once you meet the required number of nights, you receive an email containing a code that can be used to gift status to another member. Alternatively, Hilton Honors status also comes as a benefit of certain Hilton-affiliated credit cards.
Marriott Bonvoy allows members who reach the 50 and 75 elite night milestones in a calendar year to choose annual Choice Benefits. One of the options at these milestones is to gift Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite or Gold Elite status to another member. However, it’s worth noting that earning Marriott Bonvoy elite status through credit cards is often a better option, as there are other Choice Benefit options that offer greater value.
In conclusion, if you have elite status with an airline or hotel program, you may have the option to gift that status to someone else. Programs like Hyatt’s Guest of Honor, Air Canada’s Status Pass, American Airlines’ Enhance with Miles, Alaska Airlines’ MVP status gifting, Delta Air Lines’ Choice Benefits, Hilton Honors’ gifting through eligible nights, and Marriott Bonvoy’s Choice Benefits all provide opportunities to share the privileges of elite status with your family and friends. Gifting elite status can be a thoughtful and valuable gift for loved ones who frequently travel, allowing them to enjoy the perks and benefits of your elite status even when you’re not there.