How to Become a Hilton Honors Member

Hilton’s loyalty program, Hilton Honors, boasts an impressive 118 million members worldwide — and for good reason. The program allows members to redeem points for award stays at over 5,900 properties across 119 countries in the greater portfolio of more than a dozen brands, from Waldorf Astoria to Hampton by Hilton. With so many options, it’s understandable that you’d want to know how to become a Hilton Honors member.

There are many guides on how to make the most of Hilton Honors points, but this article rewinds to the basics to help new members get started. If you’ve asked questions like "How do I become a Hilton Honors member?" or "How much does it cost to join Hilton Honors?," read on for a quick, step-by-step guide to joining — at no cost.

If you’re already a member, fast-forward to our complete guide to Hilton Honors and more advanced methods on maximizing membership.

4 steps to become a Hilton Honors member

It should take you less than five minutes to join the hotel loyalty program — and you'll be able to start enjoying benefits, like guaranteed discounted rates, immediately.

1. Join Hilton Honors

Signing up for a Hilton Honors account is a straightforward process with no cost involved.

Begin by going to Hilton’s homepage. In the top right corner, look for the option called Join.

Clicking on that link opens a new page, Join Hilton Honors. Here, a total of nine mandatory fields must be completed to make membership official: your first name, last name, phone number, email, country, address, ZIP code, password and confirm password.

Once these fields are complete, click the blue Join for Free button at the bottom of the page.

The page will then refresh with a personalized welcome that includes your name and your Hilton Honors membership number. You will also receive an email to the address you provided that confirms membership.

2. Log in

Your Hilton Honors membership number serves as your username by default. You will need this number, plus the password you created, to log in to your account.

With your Hilton Honors number handy, go up to the person icon in the top right corner of the screen, and click Sign In.

3. Complete your profile

Once you sign in, we recommend clicking on the link that reads View and Edit Your Profile, across from your personalized welcome. Here, you can change your username, add a payment method (optional), change your security settings and adjust your personal information as needed.

» Learn more: Questions to ask before joining a hotel loyalty program

4. Start booking hotel stays and enjoy membership perks

Now that you have your account number, password and profile all squared away, you can start booking future Hilton stays through the website. Your membership number will be automatically attached to future reservations if you book while you’re logged in.

Now that you're a member, you can learn more about other ways to earn Hilton points, start working toward elite status to access even more perks and maybe even consider applying for a co-branded Hilton credit card.

» Learn more: Which is better, Hyatt or Hilton?

Another way to join Hilton Honors: through a credit card

It’s also possible to acquire Hilton Honors membership through American Express when applying for one of its three Hilton-branded personal credit cards:

Terms apply.

If you do not provide a Hilton Honors number on your credit card application, you will be automatically enrolled in the program, and a number will be assigned to you. However, you won’t know that membership number until your credit card arrives with the information printed on the card.

Immediate benefits of joining Hilton Honors

Even with zero nights as a Hilton member, you’ll have immediate access to several benefits for future hotel stays, like:

• Guaranteed Hilton Honors Discount rate.

• Points earning.

• No resort fees on rewards stays.

• Digital check-in.

• Room selection.

• Digital key.

• Free Wi-Fi.

• Access to exclusive Hilton Honors experiences.

The guaranteed Hilton Honors Discount rate can be found when you're logged in to your account and booking stays directly on hilton.com. You also won’t have to pay resort fees on award stays.

» Learn more: Which hotel brands have the best and worst fees

When it comes time for your stay, as a Hilton Honors member you can utilize contactless check-in. You can choose your room online, check in digitally and then use a digital key through your phone.

Every stay also includes free standard Wi-Fi at any property in Hilton’s portfolio, plus the ability to earn points toward free nights. You’ll earn 10 points per dollar spent at all brands in the portfolio except Tru and Home2, where you’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent.

After five nights, you’ll reach elite status, which grants even more perks. Or you can fast-track to Silver, Gold or Diamond status — and rack up points quickly — by applying for a Hilton-branded credit card.

» Learn more: Which Hilton credit card is right for me?

Final thoughts on joining Hilton Honors

Sign up for Hilton’s loyalty program, Hilton Honors, to gain immediate benefits on future hotel stays. The process of joining is quick and straightforward with only four simple steps, and membership comes at no cost. You may register online or automatically enroll when you apply for a Hilton-branded credit card.