Image courtesy of Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
The Hilton Honors loyalty program allows you to earn points across an impressive portfolio of brands and redeem them for free nights, exclusive perks and other experiences. We’ll break down Hilton Honors benefits and its different tiers, answer common questions and explain how booking your stay at Hilton properties with a Fora Advisor can help you get the most out of your trip.
What Hilton Honors is, and why it’s worth it to sign up
Hilton Honors is completely free to join, and you get permanent perks just for signing up. These perks include a special discount rate and complimentary basic WiFi at all properties — plus a digital key, digital check-in/out and the ability to choose your own room at all participating properties. Every time you spend money at Hilton properties — bookings, dining, etc. — you’ll earn points (10 for every $1 spent) that can be redeemed for free nights, upgrades or exclusive experiences like private tours and wine tastings. If you redeem a reward stay, resort fees are waived. It’s also possible to pool points with up to 10 other members to redeem reward stays, which is particularly great if you’re planning a group trip.
If you’re a frequent traveler, it’s easy to upgrade your status and enjoy enhanced perks. The full range of Hilton hotel brands, which encompass thousands of properties around the world, participate in the program.
Hilton Honors benefits and perks by tier
There are four tiers of Hilton Honors benefits. The base tier is free to unlock. From here, you can upgrade to Silver, Gold and then Diamond. Each subsequent status offers enhanced perks. Higher statuses are usually earned through bookings or points accumulation.
Silver
Image courtesy of Crockfords Las Vegas LXR Hotels & Resorts
To achieve Silver status, you have to spend either 10 nights with Hilton or complete four separate stays at the brand’s properties within a calendar year. Alternatively, you’ll achieve Silver status if you earn 25,000 points. Silver perks include a free fifth night for reward stays, free water bottles, spa discounts at all-inclusive resorts and a 20% points bonus (i.e., you’ll earn 12 points for every $1 instead of 10 points). Once you hit Silver status, you’ll receive rollover benefits: Any stay after you qualify for Silver status in a calendar year can be applied to next year’s status. For example, if you stay 19 nights in a calendar year, the first 10 nights will earn you Silver status for the current year, and 9 nights will count toward Silver status next year.
Gold
Book 40 cumulative nights, 20 different stays at Hilton properties or accumulate 75,000 points to earn Gold status. Certain Hilton Honors-branded American Express cards grant automatic Gold status, as well. As for perks, Gold status offers the same benefits of the Silver and basic tiers, plus an 80% points bonus (you earn 18 points per $1), daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast at on-site restaurants and a complimentary room upgrade when available. Gold status also unlocks milestone bonuses, like 30,000 points for staying 60 nights in Hilton properties during a calendar year.
Diamond
Diamond status is Hilton Honors’ top tier; it offers the most expansive list of benefits. To earn Diamond status, you have to accumulate 120,000 points, stay at Hilton properties for at least 60 cumulative nights or complete 30 separate stays. Diamond perks include priority for room upgrades whenever available, executive lounge access, premium WiFi and double the points.
Additionally, Diamond members are offered a 48-hour room guarantee: If you only book a room 48 hours in advance, you’re guaranteed a room at the resulting property — unless the hotel has been overbooked by 110% (or 102% at select properties) or you attempt to book during high-demand periods (New Years, Christmas, etc.). Only a single room can be guaranteed and you can’t use your points to book this benefit.
Fora perks are comparable to Hilton Honors Benefits
Image courtesy of Conrad Tokyo
Hilton Honors isn’t the only way you can enjoy perks at Hilton’s top properties. Hilton is a preferred partner of Fora, meaning you can enjoy complimentary perks when you book your stay at select Hilton properties — including all Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and LXR properties — through a Fora Advisor. These perks often include resort credit (usually worth $100), daily breakfast and an upgrade whenever possible. Moreover, any booking made through a Fora Advisor still earns you Hilton Honors points. In fact, your advisor can even score you double points at many Hilton properties.
Hilton Honors benefits: FAQs
Read on for answers to common questions about Hilton Honors benefits.
Is Hilton Honors really free?
It’s 100% free to sign up and maintain a Hilton Honors account, and basic tier perks are always free. However, you will have to spend money to achieve higher tiers (Silver, Gold or Diamond).
What’s Hilton Honors’ relationship with AmEx?
There are several American Express-Hilton co-branded credit cards that offer various Hilton property-related benefits, including automatic Gold status.
How many Hilton points do you need for a free night?
It can cost anywhere from 5,000 to 120,000 points to redeem a free night at a Hilton property. Exact amounts vary by property, and you can reasonably expect higher-end brands like Waldorf Astoria to require significantly more points for free nights.
Can you share Hilton Honors’ benefits or accounts?
Image courtesy of NoMad London
You can’t share a Hilton Honors account with anyone else, including your spouse (unless you have a legacy joint account from before 2004). Gold and Diamond status members can gift the same status to another person once they’ve hit certain milestones (60 nights for a Gold member in one calendar year or 100 nights for a Diamond member).
How do you get Hilton Honors Diamond status for life?
You have to qualify for Diamond status 10 separate times (it doesn’t have to be consecutive), and have either earned two million cumulative points or spent at least 1,000 total nights at Hilton properties.
Do Hilton points expire?
Yes. Hilton Honors points expire after 24 months of zero activity. That said, any action on your account — whether it’s a booking or a purchase at a Hilton property — will reset the tracker.
Do you lose Hilton status each year?
Yes. You must requalify for status each calendar year. On the bright side, once you hit Silver status, you can start applying nights and stays toward your status for the following year.
Does Hilton have anything higher than Diamond?
Not technically. But you could make the argument that Hilton’s preferred partner perks are comparable, and in some cases better, than Diamond status benefits.
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