The Offer
- Hilton is offering status matches up to their highest tier (Diamond). You need to have status with another hotel chain and must have stayed with them at least once in the past year. Matched status is valid for 90 days and is valid until March, 2019 if you complete 4 stays (for gold) or 8 stays (for Diamond) within that 90 day period (note the website still says March 2018 but the confirmation e-mail will say March, 2019). Here is what you need with the other loyalty programs to be matched to diamond:
- IHG: Platinum Elite (comes for free with the co-branded credit card)
The Fine Print
- Hilton HHonors elite tier status will be valid through March 2019, thereafter; standard tier requirements must be met to maintain elite status
- Please allow up to 10 business days for your upgraded elite status to be reflected in your HHonors account profile
- If you’ve received a status match that is currently still valid, I don’t think you can get it extended to the new 2019 date. Happy to be corrected in the comments. Also becareful applying for a second match (read this comment for more info)
Hilton Diamond Status
Diamond status usually requires one of the following:
- 30 stays in a calendar year, or
- 60 nights in a calendar year, or
- 120,000 HHonors Base Points in a calendar year
Diamond status gives you the following benefits:
- 50% Elite Status Bonus
- 48-hour Room Guarantee
- 5th Night Free
- Guaranteed Discount: A discounted, changeable & refundable rate is exclusively available for Hilton HHonors members.
- Digital Check-In: choose your room, and customize your stay from your mobile device up to 24 hours in advance.
- Complimentary in-room and lobby Premium Internet access, during stays at Waldorf Astoria™ Hotels & Resorts, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton™, Canopy™ by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels™, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, Home2 Suites by Hilton®, and Hilton Grand Vacations™. Premium speed Internet may not be available at all hotels.
- Quick reservations and check-ins based on your room preferences
- Late check-out2
- Express check-out
- 2nd Guest stays free3
- Complimentary access to fitness centers and health clubs4
- Two complimentary bottles of water per stay (at Waldorf Astoria™ Hotels & Resorts, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton™, Embassy Suites Hotels™, Hilton Garden Inn™ and Hilton Grand Vacations™ hotels)
You can read more about all these benefits at the following link:Â http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/benefits/index.html
Our Verdict
People are likely interested in Hilton after they announced four positive changes, the fact they are removing award categories reinforces my belief that chasing status is generally a waste of time (at least for my circumstances). The stay requirement is also new (at least it wasn’t necessary last time I posted). Makes this deal much less attractive, but at least the status will last into 2019.
Hat tip to Loyalty Lobby
Does Cash + Points consider as an eligible stay for the 90 days status match challenge?
Didn’t stay at Hilton at all last year, and still showing Diamond. Odd.
Hilton tends to end status in late March – nothing odd about still having status in February with zero stays last year.
Does SPG/Marriott or Hyatt do status matches to Hilton right now? My Diamond with Hilton expires in March.
Status Matcher has a few DPs that go either way on this at http://statusmatcher.com/company/hilton-hotels-resorts. I’m not sure what will happen, but it can’t hurt to try!
I just got my citi Hilton card that comes with gold status. I had read where gold was sometimes seen as better than diamond due to the free breakfast at many more of the hotels. Do others agree with this? I have zero Hilton experience.
If you have Diamond, you get breakfast at all the same hotels that you get breakfast at for having Gold. Some people say Gold is better b/c you can get it way cheaper (the cost of an annual fee credit card…$95) than Diamond (staying at Hilton A LOT or spending $40k on a credit [which has a $95 annual fee]) and the benefits are very similar. See the post above yours for one of the very few benefits that Diamonds get and Golds do not get.
Thanks for the reply!
Does hilton diamond come with guaranteed access to club level (usually on top floor with free food and drinks)?
Yes — that’s actually one of the big differences between Gold & Diamond. Gold members only get executive lounge access if upgraded to the executive floor. Diamond members always get access to the executive lounge, even if they are not upgraded.
Is there a expiration date on when you have to status match by? Is this status match an ongoing promotion?
I only have 1 stay planned at Hilton this year and would like to be Diamond for it so I don’t want to status match until that stay will fall within 90 days after I status match. I definitely won’t hit the 8 stays necessary to maintain Diamond through to 2019.
Will also warn others that if you’ve already received a status match to apply with care, as my account was shut down and points “due to violating Hilton’s once per lifetime match policy.” After noting that policy appeared nowhere in their T&C’s my account was reinstated, but no guarantees that would work for another. To further complicate this DP, I like others who tried to re-match inexplicably had my status extended from Feb. 2017 to Feb. 2018. I applied and received the first match in late 2015.
Added to post
that sounds so ridiculous. too heavy handed. i mean, its not your fault you applied twice without a clear indication that its not allowed. they also couldve just denied you the match instead. glad you got it reinstated. i really dont see actual abuse here. makes me think of US Bank and Cumenity Bank.
Yikes, that is a bit extreme.
if you’re hilton gold, you can match to best western to get best western diamond. i have yet to try but i’m hoping to stay at a best western soon then attempt to match best western diamond to hilton diamond. i’ll update.
Others haven’t had success with this from memory
ah okay. i found this http://statusmatcher.com/report/55361 but it guess this is quite some time ago. thanks.
I see your Fine Print notes:
“Hilton HHonors elite tier status will be valid through March 2018, thereafter; standard tier requirements must be met to maintain elite status”
March 2018?
Fixed
Hi, sorry, can you list what statuses from the other program will match to Diamond? I only see IHG at this time. Thanks for all your hard work.
That’s the only one I know 100% will work, if others post success I’ll add it.