The Guide to Hilton Diamond Status Benefits

Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status status is top-tier status in its loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Not only is it the most valuable of Hilton elite status tiers, but it's also among the most valuable elite status levels you could earn across any major hotel loyalty program, period.

In NerdWallet's annual rankings of hotel elite status programs, Hilton Diamond status is considered the second-most valuable behind Hyatt's Globalist status. But unlike Hyatt Globalist status, which is pretty tough to earn, earning Hilton Honors Diamond status won't necessarily require you to spend a big chunk of your year staying in a hotel. You can automatically reach Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status status simply by holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Here's a breakdown of all the top Hilton Diamond status benefits, an analysis of what it's actually worth and a guide to the best way to earn this premium elite status tier:

Top Hilton Diamond status benefits

Whether you get Hilton Diamond status through your credit card or stay enough nights, the perks are significant. Here are our favorite Hilton Diamond status benefits:

1. Space-available room upgrades

Perhaps the best benefit of Hilton Diamond status is that, depending on availability, you're eligible for a free room upgrade. Although you also qualify for space-available room upgrades with Hilton Honors™ Gold Status, the upgrade for Gold members is only up to an Executive Floor room — but with Hilton Diamond status, you can be upgraded to a one-bedroom suite.

With some luck, you can leverage your Hilton Diamond status to stay in rooms and suites that you might not otherwise be able to afford. For instance, I booked a King Bed Partial Ocean View room at the Conrad Punta de Mita in Mexico for around $185 per night but was upgraded to the Ocean Front Suite with a private plunge pool at check-in. That room can cost more than $1,000 per night, but I was upgraded for free as a Diamond member.

» Learn more: How to navigate Hilton award levels

2. Access to Hilton Executive Lounges

Another sweet perk of Hilton Diamond status is that you can access Executive Lounges at participating properties. Hilton hotels with Executive Lounges include properties such as:

• Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.

• Conrad London St. James.

• Hilton Budapest.

• New York Hilton Midtown.

Most lounges offer a quiet space for you to relax or work with free food and drinks. The Executive Lounge at the Hilton Budapest, for example, features a picturesque view of the Budapest Parliament and provides guests with both breakfast and dinner, along with snacks and drinks throughout the day.

Typically the higher-end hotels are more likely to have a lounge, but don't bank on it. Even if your hotel has a Hilton Executive Lounge, realize the features vary by hotel. Before booking, check to ensure they have an Executive Lounge and ask about the benefits.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

3. 100% earning bonus on all stays

Another great benefit of Hilton Diamond status is that you'll get a 100% points bonus on all of your Hilton stays – meaning for every $1 you spend at a Hilton property, you'll get 20 points.

NerdWallet values Hilton Honors points at 0.5 cent per point, which means you’ll earn roughly 12 cents worth of Hilton Honors points for every $1 that you spend.

By earning a 100% bonus for your spend on all of your Hilton stays, Diamond members can earn award travel quicker.

» Learn more: Best uses of Hilton points

4. Elite status gifting

Then there's the fact that Diamond members can gift elite status to any Hilton Honors member. Elite status gifting isn't available to all Diamond members – to qualify to gift Gold status to a Hilton Honors member, Diamond members need to spend at least 40 nights in a Hilton property in a calendar year. It doesn't stop there. Members can gift Diamond status after spending 70 nights in a calendar year.

Even if you haven't reached 40 nights in a year, you should check with Hilton at the beginning of the calendar to see if there's a promotion that will let you gift Hilton elite status.

» Learn more: How to make the most of Hilton Diamond status

5. A daily food and beverage credit

Diamond members receive a daily food and beverage credit, which replaced the former complimentary continental breakfast. All Hilton Honors members with Hilton Gold or Diamond status automatically receive a credit for each night stayed at U.S. hotel brands where you previously would have received complimentary continental breakfast. Credits vary by hotel but tend to run between $15 and $25 per night (and you can get twice the credit if there are two people in a room).

The credit can be used toward eligible food and beverage purchases charged to your room — at any time of day. You could use it toward the hotel breakfast buffet, or you might opt to put it toward dinner, a fancy coffee from the lobby cafe or snacks at the grab-and-go market.

How to get Hilton Diamond status

Some will obtain Hilton's top-tier status through extreme Hilton loyalty. You can earn Diamond status by staying at a Hilton property for either a total of 60 nights in a calendar year or 30 stays. Or, you could reach status by earning 120,000 Base Points, which might be the case if you stay fewer nights but at pricier hotels.

That said, another way to earn Hilton Diamond status might be far easier: simply holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Automatic Diamond status is one of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card's best benefits, and that single perk alone can easily make it worth the $550 annual fee. Terms apply.

» Learn more: Benefits of the Hilton Honors loyalty program

What is Hilton Diamond status worth?

And these are just estimations. Status could be worth more or less depending on where and how often you stay at Hilton hotels.

For instance, if you have Diamond status but don't stay at properties with Executive Lounges, you may not see the full value of your Diamond status.

Is Hilton Diamond status worth it?

Hilton Diamond status comes with a host of benefits including space-available room upgrades (up to a one-bedroom suite), access to Executive Lounges at participating hotels, 100% bonus points on all stays and elite gifting status.

There's more than enough value to be found for any Hilton regular.