About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Hilton Confirms New Top Elite Tier — Confirmed Upgrades Coming and Other Status Levels Become Easier to Reach

Nov 09 2025

Hilton has confirmed a new Diamond Reserve top-tier status that will finally include confirmed upgrades — while reducing qualification requirements for lower elite levels by 30%. The new tier requires 80 nights and $18,000 in annual spend, positioning Hilton to compete more directly with Marriott and Hyatt’s highest-status travelers.

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