Hilton may be adding a new top status and reducing requirements for other tiers — here’s what we know so far
In a recent revelation, the Hilton Honors loyalty program, often regarded as less robust than its competitors, is reportedly set to undergo significant changes. According to findings from U.S. Credit Card Guide users, Hilton appears to be introducing two new status tiers—Diamond Reserve and The Honors Society—while also lowering the qualification requirements for existing tiers. This speculation arises from alterations noted in the source code of the Hilton Honors website, which were confirmed by logging into personal accounts. Hilton has acknowledged the changes, stating that they are continuously refining the program to enhance the experience for their loyal guests, with more details expected to be released soon.
The proposed Diamond Reserve status is poised to become the highest tier within the Hilton Honors program, requiring an eligible spend of $18,000 and either 40 stays or 80 nights each calendar year. This new tier promises a “confirmable upgrade reward for an even better room,” although the limited nature of this reward raises concerns among frequent travelers who expect more from such a significant investment. Comparatively, this requirement aligns closely with Marriott Bonvoy’s Ambassador Elite status, which necessitates 100 nights and $23,000 in eligible spending annually. Meanwhile, the new Honors Society status remains shrouded in mystery, with no details available on its qualification criteria, suggesting it could be an invitation-only or paid membership status.
Additionally, Hilton is reportedly reducing the qualification thresholds for its current tiers, making elite status more accessible. The anticipated changes include lowering the requirements for Silver, Gold, and Diamond statuses, which could foster greater loyalty among members. For instance, the current requirement for Hilton Gold status of 40 nights might drop to just 28 nights. While these modifications could entice more travelers to engage with the Hilton Honors program, it’s crucial for members to wait for official confirmation from Hilton before making any decisions based on these speculative updates. Overall, these potential changes signal a strategic move by Hilton to enhance its loyalty program and remain competitive in the hospitality industry.
Among the four most popular
hotel loyalty programs
with TPG readers (World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards), the elite perks within the
Hilton Honors
program are the weakest. Part of this is surely because you can maintain top-tier
Hilton Diamond status
just by holding the
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
.
However,
U.S. Credit Card Guide
users caught that Hilton Honors appears to be adding two new tiers to its loyalty program and reducing qualification requirements for its current tiers.
This reporting is based on changes Hilton Honors has made in the source code of its website. I confirmed the reported changes by logging into my own Hilton Honors account and checking the website’s source code. Additionally, Hilton sent the following statement to TPG shortly after we published this story:
At Hilton, we recognize that our most loyal guests truly are diamonds, so we are constantly polishing Hilton Honors behind the scenes to introduce new facets and make sure the program remains a cut above the rest. As you may have read, we have something exciting in the works – but you haven’t heard it all. We plan to reveal the full news soon – and at that time, we will be sure to reach out.
Here’s what we know so far.
New Hilton Honors status tiers
Users of U.S. Credit Card Guide found references to two new tiers in the source code on the Hilton Honors website: Diamond Reserve and The Honors Society.
Based on the source code, Diamond Reserve will become the new top-tier Hilton Honors elite status and will offer “a confirmable upgrade reward for an even better room.” However, this status will require $18,000 in eligible spend and either 40 stays or staying 80 nights each calendar year.
Meanwhile, “The Honors Society” also appeared as a new status level in the source code. No other details, nor qualification requirements, appear related to this status. Therefore, it could be an
invitation-only status
, a status reserved for Hilton owners or perhaps a paid membership status similar to
InterContinental Ambassador
or
Wyndham’s new subscription
.
DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Without concrete information from Hilton Honors, we can only speculate about these new status tiers. But the eligible spend requirement for Diamond Reserve makes it comparable to
Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite status
(which requires 100 nights and $23,000 in eligible spending each year).
Plus, although a confirmable upgrade reward for Diamond Reserve members sounds appealing, the fact that it’s “a” confirmable upgrade is a bit worrying. After all, I’d expect more than just one confirmable upgrade reward if I spend $18,000 in eligible spending with Hilton Honors in a year and meet the stay requirements for Diamond Reserve. After all,
Hyatt Globalist
members (who only need to accrue 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 qualifying base points each year with Hyatt) can earn up to five
suite upgrade awards
each year by the time they meet the 60-night requirement for Globalist.
Based on what I could find in the source code, confirmable upgrade rewards might become options you can select at certain Hilton milestone bonuses.
Related:
The 21 best Hilton hotels in the world
Lower Hilton Honors qualification requirements
Even if you don’t plan to earn Diamond Reserve or The Honors Society status, you’ll be happy to learn that the qualification requirements for other
Hilton Honors status tiers
also appear to be decreasing soon. In particular, the source code on the Hilton Honors website indicates that the following changes may occur:
Status
Current requirements
Potentially new requirements
Hilton Silver
10 nights, 4 stays or 25,000 base points
7 nights, 3 stays or 17,500 base points
Hilton Gold
40 nights, 20 stays or 75,000 base points
28 nights, 14 stays or 52,500 base points
Hilton Diamond
60 nights, 30 stays or 120,000 base points
42 nights, 21 stays or 84,000 base points
Interestingly, Choice Privileges recently announced plans to
decrease its elite requirements and introduce a new top-tier status
. Therefore, it wouldn’t be unheard of for Hilton Honors to also reduce its elite status requirements in an effort to foster greater loyalty among its members.
However, keep in mind that you can earn elite status, including Hilton Diamond status, as a benefit of
Hilton Honors cards
. So, for Hilton Honors cardmembers, these reductions won’t matter unless the status offered as a perk of Hilton Honors cards changes (or you decide to strive for Diamond Reserve status).
Related:
How to maximize the statement credits on Hilton’s cobranded credit cards
Bottom line
For now, this news is interesting. It likely indicates changes Hilton Honors will make soon, but I suggest not acting upon this information until Hilton confirms the changes. After all, at this point we don’t know when (or if) Hilton Honors plans to roll out these changes.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
