Earlier I reported that Hilton is introducing a new top elite level. THe chain has now confirmed it, and several of the benefits have leaked.
For several years, Hilton Honors has had the weakest elite offerings of major hotel loyalty programs. They don’t guarantee late checkout, promise upgrades to suites, and the food and beverage benefit no longer covers the cost of breakfast at many hotels in the U.S. They’re simply uncompetitive with Hyatt, Marriott and even IHG.
Conrad Koh Samui
THey’re finally doing something about it with the new Diamond Reserve status tier.
- The new elite level above Diamond “requires 80 nights per year AND $18,000 in qualifying spend”
- 120% bonus points-earning (versus 100% for Diamond). There may be other benefits.
- Milestone rewards offered at 120 nights would include a choice between 30,000 bonus points and a confirmed upgrade (it is not clear whether this is a suite upgrade or not).
- All benefits of lower status tiers:
- And, reportedly, lower elite tiers have qualification requirements reduced 30%.
Resorts World Las Vegas
Hilton is now teasing a new top status level in social media, highlighting the leaks:
Hilton was surveying Diamond+ status in 2016. The Honors porgram tested confirmed-at-booking suite upgrades with a small group of top elite customers in 2019. So this has been a very long time in coming.
Conrad Bora Bora Nui
(HT: US Credit Card Guide)
Reading between the lines… Hilton Diamond is the new Marriott Platinum… many ‘earn’ it by paying a $550 annual fee… it’s mostly good for ‘free’ breakfast (often, a mere $25 credit!)… otherwise, gonna be a lot of ‘sorry, due to availability…’ for any and all requests for upgrades, early or late check-ins.
There is no change between new Diamond and old Diamond. It always provided very little real on the ground benefits. Gold is still the sweet spot if they provide free breakfast.
@1990 I wish it was $25. It’s generally $15 or $18 in select markets, and hasn’t changed since the amounts were rolled out 5 years ago, in spite of all the inflation we’ve had. ($25 might be at WA properties?) $15 doesn’t cover much at all these days.
What am I missing here? If the Diamond nights requirement is now only 42 shouldn’t we be expecting a 30% reduction in benefits? They have to make the new level so good you’ll at least want to try for it. Or does the Aspire card (or a new card) go up in AF to say $900+ and come up automatic Diamond Reserve? Still a lot of unanswered questions…
So the reserve diamond is exactly what diamond was/is? What about 48 hour guarantee, premium wifi, executive lounge?
@DWT — $15 is incredibly weak. Even United gives its stranded passengers those $20 digital vouchers… (if only we had an EU261 equivalent that ensured real compensation, not these ‘jokes’.)
The internet is replete with tales of mistreatment of Marriott Platinums so I really don’t see anything special to Hilton’s news. These large footprint hospitality brands really miss the mark on loyalty. Hyatt on the other hand has much more consistent benefits and standards and punches above it’s weight than the much bigger Marriott and Hilton’s of the world. They’re also the hardest to obtain points. My go to is Hyatt (globalist the hard way) and then Marriott and Hilton only when they’re the only options.
@frank, really, when was the last time you saw an executive lounge that was open? I’m generally 130+ nights a year in Hiltons and have not seen an executive lounge still opened in two years and I try to stay at the Hilton branded properties first.
My question is how will this affect lifetime diamond status? I have the nights AND the points. Still need about 2 more years of Diamond.
I really would like to know more. So far, it doesn’t seem like much of an offering since it now takes an ungodly amount of points to redeem a night even at a HGI or HI. I have received a number of complementary “upgrades” but only two to suits this year.
I guess I’ll have no issue with making the 18K spend along with the nights but I don’t really see the benefit. Once I make Lifetime Diamond (for retirement travel) I’ll jump over to Marriott for the remainder of my work travel unless this Diamond Reserve blows me out of the water.
And meanwhile how is this affecting lifetime diamonds who were loyal to Hilton and stayed at least 1000 nights? On the surface it appears they are now thanking us by no longer having us as the marginally highest tier
Ahhh the Executive Lounge…I’ve heard of these mythical creatures that once roamed the Hilton earth. Sadly, they went extinct.
There are plenty of Executive Lounges … in Europe, where not only does your status get you incredible full breakfasts but actual upgrades.
How do you spell great big YAWN?
Where is the 4 PM check out like Intercon, Hyatt and Marriott?
Where is the full impressive breakfast for 2 let alone 1
Where is the great recognition amenities with an impressive upgrade to a premium suite
Where is the premium lounge access ?If a lounge still exists somewhere and if so likey with crappy offerings
Where is the quality customer service Oh thats right El Salvador (roll eyes)
HARD PASS!
There is always the Waldorf Astoria in NYC for only 800k in points a night lol
Hilton has become expert at disincentivising loyalty. My formerly included Diamond breakfast is now $18 credit where nothing on the menu is less than $18 other than coffee. Rewards for Diamond are really about the same as Gold. At Embassy Suites I warrant two included drinks despite 60-75 stays a year similar to Billy Bob who stays once a year.
Very curious, for better or for worse – hope they officially announce soon.
Would be interesting if they kept Gold the same and added $5/$10 to the F&B credit for Diamond/Diamond Reserves respectively. Also wonder if they would let you obtain DR status with a low threshold of stays but large Aspire spend, or if they create a entirely new card.
Garbage. Spent years maintaining diamond, spending well over $400k lifetime staying every business trip worldwide in a Hilton and earning diamond for life. Was great for 2 years after earning it, when it meant something, with guaranteed exec lounge access, multiple level upgrades, etc. Pandemic hit and every hotel chain cut all their benefits, including removing almost every executive lounge, and giving diamond members a paltry $15 daily credit instead of lounge access which was worth FAR more but probably cost them less per person, who knows. Now they add a new level instead of fixing the garbage they turned diamond into. The points are crap too now. 200k points a night now for some places, when you used to be able to use the super savers booking 3+ nights in places like Hawaii Waikiki for 250k points.
Yeah this is a joke on hiltons part. I have been a diamond member for many years now, averaging well over $20,000 a year for work travel. I have only seen 1 executive lounge in all my travels and lol it was closed. When I asked the hotel I was informed that the executive longue was closed on the weekends so have yet to get to enjoy one. Then the amount of points verses the amount I spend is no crazy comparison. I have to stay so many crazy amount of nights just to be able to get 1 free night. The next big joke is room upgrades and late check out. I have only 1 time got a room upgrade and only cause I asked. Any other time I have asked, i have been told there is no upgrades available, but yet go to digitally book room and app says for an extra $20 i can upgrade. All this diamond hype but no benefits. Overpriced rooms when in major cities. Late check out again is not guaranteed and at hotel discretion and when you call diamond desk to complain about an issue they say oh we will make a ticket and respond in 3 days, but nothing, no response, no courtesy points for hassle and just the complete run around between hotel not addressing the issie and diamond desk not addressing it either. Like I said ive been diamond for 5 plus years now, but definitely thinking about changing hotel brands