Hilton has again updated its elite status match challenge: those who sign up for the challenge now and complete the requirements within 90 days can keep the status for just over two years.
In order to participate in the challenge, you will need to not currently have either Gold or Diamond status and you’ll also need elite status from another program, but if you do this could be a pretty good deal. It’s also even easier to maintain or upgrade to Diamond thanks to lower elite night requirements this year.
The Deal
- Hilton Honors is offering a status match to Gold or Diamond status if you have elite status in a competing program:
- Match to Gold, then stay 6 nights within 90 days to keep gold status through March 31, 2028
- Upgrade to Diamond if you stay 12 nights within 90 days (status will be valid through March 31, 2028)
- You must upload both proof of status AND of a recent stay with the program that you’re matching from
Terms and Conditions
- Acceptable forms of status validation include a screenshot of your current and active account status.
- Acceptable forms of stay validation include a screenshot of your recent reservations or hotel receipt, redacting any personal information other than your name and membership number.
- Only elite statuses from another hotel loyalty program that are listed in the status dropdown menu are eligible for status matching.
Quick Thoughts
Hilton Gold or Diamond status can be useful enough to have, and with this challenge, if you have status in a competing program, you’ll get matched for 90 days, so you’ll have access to Gold status benefits relatively quickly with the ability to upgrade to Diamond status (though note that it apparently does take 7-12 business days to initially update your status).
This latest edition of Hilton’s status has simpler requirements than in the past. Last year, you had to stay eight nights to maintain Gold status or 14 nights to upgrade to Diamond. This year those requirements have been reduced to six nights for gold and 12 nights for Diamond.
While status can be useful, it’s also very easy to get since you could simply get a credit card that costs $150 per year to get Gold status or one that costs $550 per year to get Diamond status. The challenge really only makes sense if you don’t want / can’t get a Hilton credit card and/or you have a bunch of upcoming Hilton stays and you want to parlay that into two years of status.
It wouldn’t be worth mattress running just for status rather than just getting one of the corresponding credit cards, but if you have elite status in another program, it could be worth a match if you have Hilton stays coming up anyway.
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6 or 12 stays during that 90 period and needed to be booked during that time frame too? If I already have them booked that is fine?
Do ‘friends and family’ rates still qualify? Friend who works for Hilton added me and I have a bunch of stays coming up but all under that special rate.
any Hilton NLL links to get Gold Status?
yes are the any NLL links to Hilton Surpass ect?
Heads up you still have last year’s terms (8 and 14 nights) listed under “The Deal”
How long is this offer going? Trying to time it right to register for my upcoming stays, TIA.
Specifically I have multiple stays in June, so i would need to wait until march at least before activating the offer. Hope it’s still around?
This is fine if you have one big trip coming up but otherwise, if you’d normally stay 8 to 14 days in 90 days you’d be on track for those statuses anyway.
Question for reader FNT Delta Diamond, if you’re reading: What would you say to other readers about how valuable your Lifetime Diamond status is?
Do mid-tier status (IHG Platinum, Hyatt Explorist) only match into Hilton Gold, or will they match into Diamond if you stay enough nights?
Everything matches to Gold and then gets upgraded to Diamond if you complete the required stays.
Thanks. A little disappointing. That said, I’m tempted to match for an upcoming 4 night Hilton stay and then let it lapse
“In order to participate in the challenge, you will need to not currently have either or Diamond status”
Does this mean that you must neither Gold, nor Diamond status?
I currently have Gold so I wanted to confirm.
Yes, Gold. Thanks, I fixed that.
And then my phone autocorrected in another typo. Go figure.
I am glad you knew what I meant though.
Thanks!
Which means that a person who has Gold via an Amex card does not qualify for the promotion.
Would points/award stays count towards the required # of nights or cash rates only?