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.
Hilton is the worst of the hotel chains when it comes to loyalty, member appreciation.
First they took away free breakfast, replacing with a ”credit“ that doesn’t cover the cost, and is more often not given unless you fight for it at checkout.
Then they screwed us all over by doubling points redemption costs.
Added a new tier above diamond, and are turning ask the “ benefits” of status into paid perks.
I have zero loyalty left for this chain. I’ll take my 280 nights a year to Hyatt and IHG.
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.
Interesting. I just book the room I want & move on. Upgrades? I could care less. I need a bed and a clean toilet. Not the ideal Diamond member they want I’m sure!
“Free Breakfast” is that really still around at premium hotels? I was reserving a room in Krakow and one of the choices for reservation preferences was “free breakfast”. When that box was checked the room price increased by about $20. I’m not sure how that equates to being free, reduced price perhaps but certainly not free. However the breakfast at the Puro Krakow is well worth the extra $20.
Why do we remain fixated on upgrades? That is a relic of the past. If you want it, pay for it. And forget about loyalty to anyone except yourself.
@ 1990 — Send me a check.
@One Trippe — For many hotel programs that offer ‘free breakfast’ as a benefit for elites, you need to select it at check-in (like Marriott, IHG, etc.), because there are usually multiple options (some prefer bonus points).
@Gene — “It’s in the mail!”
@John L – not sure if you meant me with final comment “Quit whinin’ about buying your own upgrades if you never earned them to begin with” but FYI I have around 8 million actual flying miles over 40+ years and am lifetime elite on AA, DL and UA. In addition, I’m lifetime Titanium Marriott, Hilton Diamond and Hyatt Globalist. Trust me my travel “earned” my status. However, you and many others seem to think you are living in the 1990s or early 2000s. You are not DUE an upgrade anymore (regardless of how many times Gary tries to quote the Marriott or Hyatt rules). There are many legitimate reasons you don’t get an upgrade (and quite a few illegitimate ones). For example, even if a hotel actually offered all upgraded rooms to elite members (not happening but dream on) what happens when 50 elites check in and you are number 45? Guess what you aren’t getting anything regardless of what you think you “earned”.
Get real and accept the way things are today. If you want an upgraded room or seat pay for it. Otherwise, you are welcome to roll the dice and see what happens. BTW, don’t tell me you are one of those “but I’m a Diamond” people who bring up the hotel booking screen and argue with some lowly paid front desk clerk that they HAVE to give you an upgrade because the room is for sale – really sad dude.
@Chris – don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed all the upgraded first class seats and suites I got on my travels since the mid 80s. However, I also recognize that the business model, competitive pressures and dynamics of award programs have changed. You act like me “accepting” the changes are why hotels/airlines do it. Let me educate you – regardless of whether you like it or not the programs are going to make the changes they want. There is no “accepting” it just moving on and adapting to reality. Too many of you act like things will go back to how they were – never going to happen. Frankly, I prefer the ability to pay and guarantee an upgrade in advance if I really want it. Usually I don’t care but there are some times it is really nice to have that locked in.
Chris, you are 100% correct in your statements and observations. Every onebifbthesenotherbsmug stupid Mf’wrsvarevtge reason hotels and airlines started and continue to openly gangster former loyal customers.
@Brent — What?? (“onebifbthesenotherbsmug stupid Mf’wrsvarevtge”)
I suppose if you want to get technical, Hilton really is redefining the room upgrade experience: They’re making it much much worse. Loyal to Hilton? Here’s a big middle finger for your loyalty because Hilton can sell a better room to some non-loyal schmuck who may never spend another dime with Hilton rather than you, the invested loyalty member.
As to the transparent part, that too is correct: Hilton is being more transparent that they couldn’t care less about your loyalty and the spending you do either.
I wish I could cancel my Lifetime Diamond. It provides zero benefits.
@Diamond to coal: Hilton Diamond Elite members get to use a reserved parking space that is almost always occupied by DoorDash drivers with their 4-way flashers on.
@Ken A — Bless you, sir! *chef’s kiss*
They say free upgrades are still available but in practice those will only go to the super-premium Honors tier they just created. It makes sense now why they made Diamond easier (too easy) to attain: those customers are the prime target for upselling.
I don’t think status is worth having anymore. Free agency is now the way to go for everyone except the busiest corporate travelers.
More enshitification of hotel programs. Soon it will be like casinos which charge you by the hour for early checkin/ late checkout, higher floors etc. oh that right Hilton is already doing this.
Airlines that used to give me quite a few long-haul complimentary upgrades out of the blue because of elite status pretty much stopped giving me them as they got efficient at selling them for cash rather than giving them for free to me and those like me because of loyalty program elite status.
The same dynamic has been happening with regard to hotel upgrades for me too, as some hotels have gotten efficient at selling them for cash instead of handing them out for free based on elite status.
At some point the hotels may just give some kind of marginal discount to elite status members who pay additional money for upgrading already booked rooms instead of continuing with complimentary upgrades of any worth.
As a general trend, loyalty program elite status is being devalued by the travel service providers.
I quit Hilton (was diamond for a decade +) post covid because their customer service and benefits for elite members went to sh*t. Having switched to Marriott, the experience is only slightly better. And across the board point redemption and benefits are not what they used to be.