One feature of the Hilton Honors Diamond program is that members can gift someone Gold status when they reach 60 qualifying nights in a year. If they stay 100 nights, the gift becomes Diamond status.

In addition to this standard offer, Hilton will allow all Diamonds to gift someone elite status this year.

• They’ll have between next week and January 31, 2021 to nominate someone for status

• Diamond members can gift Gold status, lifetime Diamonds can gift Diamond status

• If they also earn the ability to gift status by staying 60 or 100 nights, they can do that also so this is truly on top of the usual status gifts.

Emails to Diamond members with instructions on making this gift will go out next week. It’s a way for Hilton to use members as customer evangelists to attract additional business, while also giving something to their members which is the ability to give a gift.

Hilton is also promoting holiday gifting by running a 100% bonus on purchased or gifted points through December 31, 2020. That lets you buy 5000 or more points at a cost of half a cent apiece, which is closer to the value of what those points are worth than the normal penny apiece.

Right now many hotels are a better deal in cash than on points, but at half the cost to buy them it’s a good time to top off an account. And status is easy to acquire in other ways as well to enhance stays on points – I was thrilled for instance with the Gold elite status from my Platinum Card® from American Express because it meant free breakfast at my last Hilton resort stay, at the Conrad Bora Bora.