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Having recently written about the generous status match (of sorts) that IHG One Rewards is currently offering, I was reminded to check what Hilton’s latest status match offering looks like….and it looks good.
Last year, Hilton Honors fans were given a very easy path to top-tier Diamond Elite status when the Diamond Elites status match requirements were dropped to just 9 elite nights and while this current promotion isn’t quite as generous, it still offers an incredibly easy path to top-tier Hilton status through March 2024.
Before I go on, it’s important to point out that if you have access to the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, that card still offers the most economical path to top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status (it’s one of the card’s standard benefits that all cardholders enjoy). For everyone else, Hilton’s current status match promotion will probably be one of the easiest ways to get all the best benefits of the Hilton Honors program.
Note: All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Traveling For Miles. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is not currently available through Traveling For Miles.
What is a status match?
A status match is a tool that loyalty programs use to encourage elite members of other loyalty programs to switch over to them.
Loyalty programs give their elite members select benefits (e.g. upgrades, complimentary breakfast, bonus points, etc…) when they book travel with them, 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 of time, 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.
Ordinarily, if you fulfill the two simple criteria above, Hilton will match you to their mid-tier Gold status level for a period of 90 days (from when the status match is confirmed) and you then have 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.
Right now, however, Hilton’s status match requirements remain lower than normal so Hilton Honors members can earn elite staus a lot quicker:
- Earn Hilton Gold Status through 31 March 2024 by staying 7 nights in a 90-day period
- Earn Hilton Diamond Status through 31 March 2024 by staying 12 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 an incredibly good offer for anyone who doesn’t have access to the Hilton Honors Aspire card and although Hilton Diamond Status can often be a little underwhelming when used at properties in the US, in Europe the benefits can be very good and in Asia, they can be stellar.
Personally, I hold Hilton Honors Gold status courtesy of card_name and that’s good enough for me as most of my stays are at Marriott and 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 2024.
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 7 or 12 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?
I am Ambasador Elite with Marriott and have tried this status match. Heard nothing back from a Hilton Honors!
When did you send your information over?
I am Hilton Diamond and I tried to sign up. Website returns msg that I’m not eligible to apply. So this offer does NOT stack up like the IHG offer.