Current Hotel Elite Status and Points Expiry Extensions

See also: COVID-19 Updates for our most up-to-date tracking. 

I’m not sure about everyone, but when I start travelling again, it will most likely be road trips within Canada ONLY for the foresable future. For this reason, I have been tracking hotel points expiry policies, elite status extensions and other relevant information more closely than airline industry.

I still hope to see hotels being used for multi-purposes, not just for tourism. For example, government buying up rooms to house certain people temporarily to alleviate the hospitals. Marriott has introduced a work anywhere program.

Hotels are doing their best to stay afloat and I hope they continue to do so going forward. Below is a snapshot of the current highlights that I have been keeping tabs on:

Best Western

• Flexible cancellation policy. Check individual booking for detail.
• Members who were downgraded a tier at the end of 2019 were upgraded back to their previous tier and will maintain that status through January 31, 2022 without needing to fulfil the necessary qualifications.
• Current elite status are extended through January 31, 2022.
• No expiry policy.

Hilton

• Most hotels have a no cancellation fee if they are made at least 24 hours before arrival day.​​
• 2019 Status Extension: all members whose 2019 status were scheduled to be downgraded on March 31, 2020 were automatically extended through March 31, 2021.
• 2020 Status Extension: all elites status earned in 2020 will automatically be extended through March 31, 2022
• Effective January 1, 2021, members can earn Status with half the nights, stays or base points required in 2021. All 2020 nights will rollover to 2921.
• Expiration of all points are paused until December 31, 2021.

Hyatt

• No cancellation fee for existing reservations booked before July 1, 2020.
• With some very limited exceptions, no cancellation fees for reservations booked on July 1, 2020 or beyond for arrival dates through July 31, 2021. Cancellations need to be made at least 24 hours before scheduled arrival day.
• Awards with 2020 Expiration: (i.e. all unused Free Night, Suite Upgrade or Club Lounge Access awards) with expiration dates between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 will be extended to December 31, 2021.
• Awards with 2021 Expiration: (i.e. all unused Suite Upgrade and Club Lounge Access awards) with February 28, 2021 expiration dates will be extended to December 31, 2021.
• All unused Free Night awards that were earned in 2020 with 2021 expiration dates will be extended to December 31, 2021.
• Current elite statuses (i.e. earned in 2019) expiring on February 28, 2021 will automatically be extended to February 28, 2022.
• Expiration of points are suspended from forfeiture through June 30, 2021.

IHG Hotels and Resorts

• No cancellation or change fees for all bookings until December 31, 2020.
• Current elite statuses (i.e. earned in 2019) will be automatically extended through January 31, 2022.
• Points never expire for all members with Elite status members, for everyone else, points expiry are paused until December 31, 2020.

Marriott Hotels and Resorts

• No cancellation fees for reservations made on or after July 6, 2020, for arrival dates through December 30, 2020. Cancellation must be done 24 hours before arrival date.
• For all other reservations, the policies that were in place at the time of reservation, or as previously communicated, will continue to be honoured.
• Suite Night Awards have been extended from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021.
• Effective December 11, 2020, members with a Free Night Award with an original expiration date in 2020, or expiry before July 31, 2021, will be able to redeem it through August 1, 2021.
• Current elite statuses (i.e. earned in 2019) will be extended to February 1, 2022.
• Points expiration are paused until August 1, 2021. At that time, points will only expire if an account has been inactive for at least 24 months.

Wydham Hotels and Resorts

• Properties required to accommodate non-cancellable rate for bookings made before June 6, 2020, for stays after June 30, 2020. Request must be made received at least 48 hours prior to arrival the same number of room nights or more are booked for a future stay.
• Business as usual for bookings made on or after June 6, 2020 for stays after June 30, 2020.
• Cancellation and change fees waived for guests who are prohibited from travelling to their booked hotel under applicable law.
• Current elite status are extended through to December 31, 2021.
• Expiration of Wyndham Rewards points are paused until December 31, 2020.