Hilton has just announced some changes to their loyalty program — and it’s mostly good news! Here’s what you need to know.
1. Gold and Diamond elite members will earn points faster, but non-elites and Silver elites will earn more slowly and you can no longer earn points and miles.
As of now, base-level Hilton members earn 10 points per dollar spent on their room and elite members receive a percentage bonus depending on their elite level.
Starting in April 2018, Hilton is removing the option to earn points and miles, and you’ll only be able to earn points for stays. Along with that change, the number of points you’ll earn is changing.
For those with Gold and Diamond status, this is a pretty favorable change, even considering that you’ll no longer be about to earn points and miles. For Silver elites and those without Hilton status, this change is a bit of a hit.
2. Earn a Milestone Bonus
After you stay at least 40 nights with Hilton in a year, you’ll be eligible to earn Milestone Bonuses. Every 10th night after your 40th, you’ll be awarded 10,000 bonus Hilton points. Additionally, those with Diamond status will be able to earn another 30,000 bonus points after staying 60 nights within a year.
These bonuses will start in April, and Hilton will count all of the nights you’ve stayed in 2018 prior to April for these bonuses.
3. Elite Rollover Nights
Starting in 2018, elite members will be able to rollover elite-qualifying nights to the next year. You won’t be able to rollover elite-qualifying nights from the Hilton credit cards, however. This will make qualifying for status easier for many. Elite-qualifying stays and points will not rollover to the next year.
4. Gift Gold Status
If you stay 60 or more nights within a calendar year, you’ll be able to gift Gold status to someone. If you stay 100 or more nights, you can gift Diamond status! This is a great additional perk for those very frequent travelers.
Overall, these changes are mostly positive, especially for those with Gold and Diamond status. Those without status or with Silver status will take a small hit on points earning, but it is possible to earn Gold status automatically through some credit cards like the Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express.
What do you think of these changes?
For the FlyerTalk on this topic, head to the Hilton forum thread here.