How I Got Elite Status with 8 Airlines & Hotels (Without Flying Much)

Is chasing elite status worth it? Chris shares his journey of earning elite status with 8 hotel and airline loyalty programs for 2025, weighing the pros and cons amid recent devaluations. He also highlights listener stories showcasing over $100,000 in combined savings through smart points and miles strategies. Click "More" to see the Advertiser Disclosure.

Partner Deals
Thrive Market: https://chrishutchins.com/thrivemarket
Gelt: https://chrishutchins.com/gelt
LMNT: ⁠⁠https://chrishutchins.com/lmnt
Bilt Rewards: https://chrishutchins.com/bilt
Vuori: https://chrishutchins.com/vuori
For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: https://chrishutchins.com/deals

Resources Mentioned
Bilt Air France-KLM Flying Blue Status Match: https://support.biltrewards.com/hc/en...
Marriott Free Breakfast Article: https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-pl...
Marriott Secret Award Chart: https://frequentmiler.com/marriotts-s...
Loyalty Point Hunters: https://loyaltypointhunters.com/

Credit Cards
Advertiser Disclosure: https://chrishutchins.com is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CardRatings, Bankrate.com and MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Alaska Airlines® Business Card: https://alaskaair.com/content/credit-...
AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard: https://creditcards.aa.com/credit-car...
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: https://citi.com/credit-cards/citi-st...

Automate Card-Linked Offers
CardPointers Pro: 30% off here or 50% off for ATH members: https://chrishutchins.com/join
SaveWise: https://getsavewise.com/?ref=chris79

Prenuvo: Get $300 off a whole body scan: https://chrishutchins.com/prenuvo

TV Show Recommendations:
Paradise: https://press.hulu.com/shows/paradise/
Landman: https://paramountplus.com/shows/landman/
Silo: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/silo/umc...
The Day of the Jackal: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/the-day-...

Free Unclaimed Money Site: https://unclaimed.org/search/

Pic of Brandon at Lowe’s: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15V7N...

ATH Podcast
Ep #101: Planning the Best Japan Trip Ever with Brandon Pressor: https://chrishutchins.com/japan-brand...
Ep #102: Traveling to Japan with Points & Miles: https://chrishutchins.com/japan-on-po...
Ep #166: Best Award Search Tools for Booking Flights with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler: https://chrishutchins.com/greg-freque...
Ep #182: Shortcuts to Elite Travel Status with Greg the Frequent Miler: https://chrishutchins.com/shortcuts-t...
Ep #216: Purpose, Friendship, and Human Skills with Simon Sinek: https://chrishutchins.com/simon-sinek...
Ep #215: Medical Travel: Better Care and Lower Costs for Surgery, IVF, Dental, Advanced Screenings and More with Josef Woodman: https://chrishutchins.com/medical-tra...
Iceland 2025 Trip: https://chrishutchins.com/iceland
Membership: https://chrishutchins.com/join
Newsletter: https://chrishutchins.com/email

Full Show Notes
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Quick Overview
01:43 Southwest Airlines: A-List Status
06:16 United and Delta Status
09:51 Earning American Airlines Status
15:01 The Perks of Marriott Elite Status
18:19 Achieving Top-Tier Hyatt Status
22:24 Hilton Honors Elite Status
23:29 Is Chasing Status Actually Worth It?
33:06 Leveraging Card-Linked Offers and Tools to Automate
38:43 TV Show Recommendations
39:44 How to Avoid Uber Fees Abroad
41:27 Get Free Unclaimed Money From Your State
43:40 Amazing Listener Wins

Connect with Chris
Newsletter: https://landing.chrishutchins.com/new...
Membership: https://chrishutchins.com/join
X: https://x.com/hutchins
Instagram:   / chrishutchins  
LinkedIn:   / chrishutchins  

Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.