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In recent years we’ve seen some very generous status match promotions from Hilton with the requirements for top-tier Diamond Elite status reduced to just 9 or 12 nights.
Hilton’s current status match promotions aren’t quite as generous, but they’re still pretty good, and if you don’t have access to credit cards that offers Hilton elite status as a benefit, these promotions may offer you the easiest route to more comfortable and rewarding stays with Hilton.
What is a status match?
A status match is a tool that loyalty programs use to encourage elite members of other programs to switch over to them.
Loyalty programs give their elite members select benefits when they book travel with them (e.g. upgrades, complimentary breakfast, bonus points, etc…), and travelers who value these benefits are often less likely to book travel away from a given program if they’re not likely to get similar benefits elsewhere. That’s where status matches come in.
Loyalty programs like Hilton Honors offer travelers immediate but temporary elite status (a status match) to get them to move their business over to them (the traveler will enjoy elite status benefits as they try the program out), and if the traveler goes on to complete a pre-set “challenge” in a pre-set period, they get to keep the status they have been given.
If they exceed the basic requirements of the challenge, they may even earn an improved level of elite status.
What is Hilton’s status match?
To be eligible for a Hilton status match you need to be able to demonstrate that:
- You hold elite status in another hotel loyalty program
- You had at least one stay (of any length) at a property within your existing program in the past 12 months.
Before the pandemic, if you fulfilled the two simple criteria above, Hilton would match you to their mid-tier Gold status level for a period of 90 days (from when the status match was confirmed) and you then had 90 days in which to do one of the following:
- Stay 10 nights at Hilton properties worldwide to retain Hilton Honors Gold status
- Stay 18 nights at Hilton properties worldwide to earn Hilton Honors Diamond status.
Since the pandemic, however, Hilton’s status match requirements have often been lower and right now, this is what they look like:
- Earn Hilton Gold Status through 31 March 2026 by staying 8 nights in a 90-day period
- Earn Hilton Diamond Status through 31 March 2026 by staying 14 nights in a 90-day period
Note: Award bookings do not count for the purposes of a Hilton status match challenge.
Link to Hilton status match page
Quick thoughts
This is a very good offer for anyone who doesn’t have access to Hilton status through a credit card, and although Hilton Diamond Status can often be a little underwhelming when used at properties in the US, its benefits in Europe can be very good and in Asia, they can be stellar.
Personally, I hold Hilton Honors Gold status courtesy of the Platinum Card® from American Express and that’s good enough for me as most of my stays are at Hyatt properties. If, however, you’re a fan of Hilton but never seem to be able to put together enough stays to earn top-tier status, this status challenge may be your best chance to see what you’ve been missing and to enjoy top-tier status through March 2026.
That’s top-tier status for up to 17 months.
Link to Hilton Honors Benefits
Bottom line
Hilton’s status match program continues to offer lower than normal requirements and is currently offering Gold and Diamond status to anyone who spends 8 or 14 nights (respectively) at any of its properties within a 90-day period.
Award bookings don’t count towards the status match targets, but as the nights required don’t all have to be earned in one stay, this should be a relatively easy status challenge for most people to complete.
Will you be going for a status match with Hilton?
