What is Leaders Club Sterling status, and is it valuable?

Leaders Club is the loyalty program of The Leading Hotels of the World, a collection of more than 400 independent luxury properties worldwide. Rather than a traditional hotel group that may manage (and even own) some of its own properties, it markets independent properties.

American Express recently added complimentary Leaders Club Sterling status as a benefit for cardmembers of both The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment is required).

Here's what you need to know about this elite hotel status and how best to use these two premium credit cards when staying at properties.

Related: Best hotel rewards programs in the world: Which one is right for you?

What is Leaders Club Sterling status?

Leaders Club publishes two public tiers: Club (entry level) and Sterling (upper tier, earned after spending $5,000 on qualifying Leaders Club stays in a calendar year or by holding a Platinum Card or Business Platinum Card).

Club benefits

• Upgrade priority at arrival (based on availability)
• Daily continental breakfast for two
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Access to members-only rates
• Earn 1 point per dollar spent on eligible stays toward free nights (maximum of three rooms per booking)
• One confirmed prearrival upgrade each membership year (unlocked after your first qualifying paid stay; valid for a room-to-room category upgrade, suites and villas excluded)
• Early check-in and late checkout "considerations"
• Sixt Gold car rental status

Sterling benefits

• All the Club benefits listed above
• Stronger upgrade priority at arrival
• Five confirmed prearrival upgrades per membership year, valid for a room-to-room category upgrade (suites and villas excluded), with the upgrade request outcome advised at least three days before check-in
• 5% bonus points earned on every stay
• Sixt Platinum car rental status

While many hotel loyalty programs offer minimal benefits to entry-level and low-level members while stacking perks for top-tier elite members, Leaders Club takes a different approach. There are only two tiers, and entry-level members get a very generous list of benefits, while top-tier Sterling members only receive incremental benefits.

Leaders Club points expire 24 months after the last date on which you have earned or redeemed points.

Related: Citi ThankYou adds luxury hotel program Leaders Club as new transfer partner

How can Amex Platinum cardmembers use this status benefit?

Cardmembers of the Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card have access to both Leaders Club Sterling elite status and the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program; however, these benefits unfortunately cannot be used together.

Think of this as an either/or choice for each stay. Leaders Club status benefits generally apply only when you book eligible public rates with The Leading Hotels of the World program/Leaders Club. Avoid booking directly with the hotel to avoid confusion.

So, when a Leading Hotels of the World property can be booked with Amex FHR and the benefits cannot be combined, which option should you choose?

For many short luxury stays, FHR provides the stronger overall value:

• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available at check-in (properties may exclude some room types, and some may only give you a room with a better view)
• Daily breakfast for two people
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Noon check-in, when available
• Complimentary Wi-Fi (when a property includes Wi-Fi in a mandatory resort fee, you'll receive a daily credit equal to the Wi-Fi cost)
• Experience credit (the experience should be valued at $100 or more and usually consists of a property, dining or spa credit)

Also, remember both cards offer up to a $600 statement credit (up to $300 semiannually) for prepaid bookings on American Express Travel® with Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings (two-night minimum for The Hotel Collection). You still earn Leaders Club points on FHR bookings, but you cannot apply prearrival Leaders Club room upgrades.

Those inclusions often outweigh Leaders Club Sterling for short stays on the same dates, especially as early check-in and late checkout will only be "considered" for Sterling members, whereas the FHR 4 p.m. late checkout is guaranteed.

Using your Sterling status is more compelling when a property isn't part of FHR, or when you want to use your confirmed prearrival upgrade, especially for longer stays. Booking directly also lets you access members-only rates.

In practice, the best approach is to price both paths every time:

• Book with Leading Hotels of the World directly if Sterling's package wins
• Book with FHR if Amex's program delivers more

Related: 10 hotels where your Amex Platinum hotel credit covers half (or more) of your stay

Is Leaders Club Sterling status valuable?

If you plan even one or two stays per year with The Leading Hotels of the World, using your Sterling status offers real value.

Breakfast for two can easily save $50 to $100 daily, depending on the property, and the five confirmed upgrades each year could save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars annually, if used strategically, especially at high-end properties. The ability to earn points toward free nights adds longer-term upside if you return to the same hotels.

Where Sterling falls short is in comparison to FHR's guaranteed late checkout and $100 property credit, which are hard to beat for short luxury trips.

Still, since the benefit is complimentary with the Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card, there's no downside to enrolling — you can simply choose the more valuable package each time you book.

Related: Our favorite American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts properties where you can get elite perks

Bottom line

Leaders Club Sterling status is a useful new perk offered with both the Platinum Card and the Business Platinum Card.

It provides continental breakfast for two, upgrade priority, five upgrades per year, additional points-earning on eligible The Leading Hotels of the World bookings and other minor benefits.

While you can't stack these benefits with the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts hotel program, having access to both programs gives you options: Enroll for Sterling, then compare booking directly with The Leading Hotels of the World versus FHR whenever you plan a luxury stay.

With two valuable options to book these unique yet luxurious hotels, Platinum and Business Platinum cardmembers are now better positioned than ever to maximize their hotel stays.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Platinum and our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.

Related reading:

• Amex Platinum refresh: Higher fee, richer perks — is it worth $895?
• Amex Business Platinum Card refresh: More perks, more points — and a steeper price tag
• Comparing the best hotel elite status tiers and how to earn them in 2025
• A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi