Hilton Honors will start selling upgrades to elite members of the Honors program through their mobile app.
The new Upgrade at Digital Check-In capability gives eligible members real-time visibility into both complimentary and paid upgrade options directly within the Hilton Honors app.
They say that:
- this is “redefin[ing] the room upgrade experience”
- selling upgrades to elite members makes the process “more transparent, more flexible, and more rewarding than ever” because members have “greater choice” to spend money for their upgrades “and confidence” that they will get a better room when they pay for it
- but they will still be “leaving room for genuine moments of surprise and delight” because complimentary upgrades won’t cease to exist even if they’re crowded out by monetizing rooms for incremental cash from elite members.
Elite members can see what if anything is offered as a complimentary upgrade when checking in through the app – or pay for an upgrade.
For the first time, eligible members can view both complimentary and paid upgrade options during digital check-in, rather than wondering what might be available or needing to ask at the front desk.
While hotels have been selling ‘eStandby upgrades’ to program members for years – pitching them on paid upgrade options if available at check-in – I broke the news about Hilton’s plan to sell upgrades to elites instead of offering them complimentary. They explained to hotel owners that offering upgrades for sale to elites generated real incremental revenue for them:
Participating Full Service hotels saw 57% of incremental upsell revenue driven by Elite members. …Expansion of Upsell to Elite members is intended to drive incremental revenue into your hotels by offering more guests the ability to purchase an upgraded room via Digital Check-In.
That moves Hilton further along the path that airlines paved the way for, where twenty five years ago 90% of first class seats went to upgrades, awards and employees; over half were still upgrades a dozen years ago; and now Delta says they have it down to about 13% and American Airlines CEO Robert Isom declared excitement last month about heading down the same path.
And it’s a direction we’ve seen from other hotel chains, too. Marriott has too many elites, has turned upgrades over to AI, and is training Bonvoy members to consider a high floor an upgrade. They have renamed ‘suite night awards’ to ‘nightly upgrade awards’ to normalize that you shouldn’t expect to see suites if you’re an elite member of Bonvoy.
Hard to say which is worse between Hilton and Marriott.
Suffice it to say that neither program is worth paying any attention to. The redemption rates are beyond absurd
Just wait till some people upgrade to the “Executive Room” only to find there’s no Executive Lounge!
Old news (and you reported it before so try more recycling). I’m Diamond but have no problem with this. Frankly I like it given how difficult it is to get upgrades. I mean half the hotel is elite since all it takes is a credit card (and I don’t do it by having the Aspire).
This way if I want the upgrade I buy it. Otherwise I roll the dice to see what happens. Just like airlines I like this and let’s the company monetize the room while letting guests lock in an upgrade
This is the new business model for all airlines and hotels. You may not like it and want your “free” upgrade but that isn’t practical given the business dynamics. Like many other things you post about you can adapt or not but whining about the “good old days” or asserting this will ruin the “elite experience” (it won’t since that hasn’t existed for years) accomplishes absolutely nothing! Get over it dude
Hilton redemptions are sad outside of 0.6 cpp in the UK.
Bonvoid offers valu in Italy if location isn’t a primary concern.
@Retired Gambler – no, the original test I reported on, this is new out of HIlton
Reactions like those of @retired gambler are why hotels and airlines continue to do this and get away with it. Of course, he is free to “like” these changes, but they unequivocally demonstrate a reduction in value for loyalty programs and that’s the point.
When Hilton tries to upsell elite members with an “upgrade” to a higher floor—just like Marriott training their elite Bonvoy members to believe altitude equals luxury—remember that most fire department ladders can’t reach above the 10th floor. So, unless you’re auditioning for a role as Extra-Crispy Guest #7 in the next disaster movie, tell the check-in clerk you’d prefer a complimentary upgrade to a lower floor, where your chances of survival are higher than your room number. For reference, the Las Vegas Hilton Fire (February 10, 1981) had 8 deaths and over 300 injuries, and the Westchase Hilton in Houston (1982) added 12 more deaths, mostly due to smoke inhalation and inadequate escape routes. Stay low, stay safe, and leave the sky-high drama to the movies.
Does this feature allow you to choose and confirm a complimentary upgrade at digital check-in or just see what’s possible and still roll the dice at check-in upon arrival? I can see pros and cons either way.
Sorry, @Gene, I’m holding onto my Aspire for now, only because Hilton still offers un-capped Free Night Certificates, unlike the competition. Since automatic Diamond means I didn’t actually “earn” status through organic spend, missing out on check-in upgrades doesn’t sting—though it sucks for the loyalists who actually earned it. The alternatives are a joke anyway: Marriott’s 85k certificate is routinely outpriced by savvy 111k/night properties, IHG is outmatched by the CSR, and Hyatt’s Cat 1-4 certificate is worthless unless you’re vacationing at a Hyatt Place in Florence, SC. Until Hilton ruins the FNC, the Aspire stays.
@Retired Gambler – Agreed. “Loyalty programs” are effectively dead. Businesses are not going to leave money on the table if they don’t have to. And if you want a better seat, room, etc., you’re going to have to pay for it, just like anything else.
The industry’s candor about it these days is rather refreshing.
More reason I’m glad I dumped Hilton and Marriott years ago.
Buy your own upgrades if you weren’t promised them; but I was promised them and I will demand them where they offered as an EARNED benefit.
Quit whinin’ about buying your own upgrades if you never earned them to begin with.