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Hilton HHonors Changes Elite Status Requirements for 2013

by on December 3, 2012

Starting in 2013, the Hilton Hotels will up their requirements for Gold and Diamond elite status in their HHonors rewards program. And it’s a not-insubstantial increase: stay requirements for Gold status will increase 25%. Thankfully, any elite status you earned in 2012 for the 2013 calendar year will still be valid. Here’s a breakdown of the new HHonors elite status program:

Elite Level Blue Silver Gold Diamond
Benefits
  • Quick reservation and check-in
  • Late check-out
  • Express check-out
  • Spouse stays free
 Blue-level benefits, plus:

  • 15% points bonus
  • Complimentary health and fitness center access
  • Two bottles of water per stay
 Silver-level benefits, plus:

  • 25% points bonus
  • eCheck-In
  • Depending on the hotel, get room upgrades, breakfast, free food/water or bonus points
 Gold-level benefits, plus:

  • 50% points bonus
  • 48-hour room guarantee
  • Depending on the hotel, get room upgrades, breakfast, free food/water or bonus points
2012 requirements Just enroll 4 stays or 10 nights 16 stays, 36 nights or 60,000 base points 28 stays, 60 nights or 100,000 base points
2013 requirements Just enroll 4 stays or 10 nights 20 stays, 40 nights or 75,000 base points 30 stays, 60 nights or 120,000 base points
Change None None +25% stays, + 11% nights, + 25% base points +7% stays, 0% nights, +20% base points

The benefits are pretty sweet, even at the Silver level, so it’s understandable that Hilton is raising the bar. Thankfully, there are a couple credit cards that’ll get you to Elite status:

Silver Gold Diamond
Citi HHonors Visa Signature Automatic First year, after 4 stays within 90 days of opening the account
Hilton HHonors Card from Amex Automatic When you spend $20,000 a year
Hilton HHonors Surpass from Amex Automatic First year, and any year that spending exceeds $20,000 a year
Citi HHonors Reserve Automatic When you spend $40,000+ a year

You can check out our in-depth review on the HHonors cards for more details, or, if you’re in a hurry to catch a plane for an award stay in the Bahamas, here’s the gist:

  • No-fee Hilton HHonors: Earns 3% at Hilton and at supermarkets, drugstores, cable/wireless/phone and gas, and 1.5% elsewhere. 40,000 Hilton HHonors Points signup bonus.
  • Hilton HHonors Surpass: Earns 6% at Hilton, 3% at supermarkets, drugstores, cable/wireless/phone and gas, and 1.5% elsewhere. 60,000 Hilton HHonors Points signup bonus. Comes with free Priority Pass airport lounge access, valued at $99. $75 annual fee is more than made up for by the Priority Pass membership.
  • Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature: Earns 3% rewards on Hilton, 1.5% on gas, supermarkets and drugstores and 1% elsewhere. 40,000 Hilton HHonors Points signup bonus with $1,000 in purchases in the first 4 months, no annual fee.
  • Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve: Earns 5% rewards on Hilton, 2.5% on airline and car rentals and 1.5% elsewhere. Signup bonus of 2 weekend night vouchers when you spend $2,500 in the first 4 months, plus 1 weekend night certificate every year that you spend $10k+. Also has an EMV chip and no foreign transaction fee. $95 annual fee.

Special thanks to one of our readers, Raj, who let us know about Hilton’s changed requirements!

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