Get fast Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond status

Hilton Honors has three elite membership tiers, and its Gold is probably the mid-level tier that enjoys the best benefits amongst all hotel loyalty programmes. Free breakfast (for two) is guaranteed in all participating brands, and executive lounge access is also a 50/50 chance, although your mileage may vary.

Diamond status benefits from guaranteed executive lounge access and better room upgrade opportunities.

Usually it takes 30 nights to reach Gold, and 60 for Diamond. But we’ll see today if we can make it happen faster.

[Elite Status Gifting]

Hilton added this “elite status gifting” thing to Diamond members’ benefits list recently. A Diamond member can gift a Gold card when staying 60 nights in a year, and a Diamond card at 100 nights.

This is the fastest, and most pain-free way to get Hilton elite status, providing that you happen to know someone of course 🙂 Note that one must have stayed the required nights to be able to gift – for example fast-tracked Diamonds don’t qualify.

[Credit Cards]

Many countries issue Hilton co-branded credit cards that offer Silver, Gold or even Diamond status.

There is currently no Hilton co-branded credit card in the UK. However, the American Express Platinum card comes with Hilton Gold automatically, so is the case in many other countries.

[Status Challenge]

Hilton has been offering a status match programme for a few years. This is rather a status challenge, since you only get a trial first and are asked to fulfil some tasks.

To start with, you must hold elite status with a competitor programme, e.g. Accor, Marriott, Hyatt or Radisson. After your application is approved, you will be given a 90-day Gold status trial and depending your qualification, a Gold or Diamond challenge.

You need to stay 10 / 18 nights within the 90 days to maintain your Gold status, or be upgraded to Diamond. It used to be 4 / 8 stays instead, so it’s got harder to achieve now, unfortunately.

[Promotional Challenge]

In addition to the formal programme above, Hilton also sends out targeted promotional challenges frequently. Here are two examples:

Both offers are easier to complete than the formal track. The downside is you do not get a trial, so no Gold status until your mission is completed.

As mentioned earlier, these offers are usually targeted to certain group of people, however from my experience everyone can sign up with no issues.

[British Airways Gold Guest List]

This a niche one – British Airways has some sort partnership with Hilton, so top tier status Gold Guest List (GGL) is granted Diamond status unconditionally.

GGL has a very high bar, so I’d say Hilton Diamond is a deserved reward 🙂

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