The Complete Guide to Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors is the loyalty program covering Hilton's portfolio of more than 9,000 properties across 141 countries. The Hilton Honors program is free to join, and you'll earn points that can be redeemed for hotel stays.

The program has real strengths: elite status is relatively easy to earn, Gold and Diamond perks are genuinely useful, and the hotel footprint is massive. The weakness is point value. At just 0.4 cent each by NerdWallet's analysis, Hilton points are the least valuable currency we track. Earn them, use them, but don't expect them to stretch far.

What are Hilton points worth?

NerdWallet values Hilton Honors points at 0.4 cent each, which is the lowest of any major hotel loyalty program we track. A 100,000-point sign-up bonus is worth roughly $400 in real-world value.

Points are easy to earn but increasingly expensive to spend. After multiple devaluations in 2024 and 2025, luxury properties that once cost 95,000 points per night now run 200,000–250,000. Mid-tier hotels have crept up 5,000–10,000 points per night. The program is still worth participating in, particularly for elite status perks — just don't build a redemption strategy around accumulating massive point balances.

Do Hilton points expire? Yes, Hilton points expire after 24 months of account inactivity. Any earning or redemption activity — including small purchases — resets the clock.

» Learn more: How to become a Hilton Honors member

What's new with Hilton in 2026?

Elite status overhaul

Hilton significantly restructured its elite program in 2026. Some changes are good, and some are not.

The good: Gold now requires 25 nights (down from 40) and Diamond requires 50 nights (down from 60), making mid-tier status meaningfully more accessible for frequent travelers.

The bad: Rollover nights have been eliminated, so excess nights no longer carry over to help qualify the following year. And more people hitting Gold and Diamond means increased competition for upgrades and lounge access.

The new top: Diamond Reserve, requiring 80 nights or 40 stays plus $18,000 in annual spend, creates a true ultra-premium tier above standard Diamond. Diamond Reserve benefits include confirmable upgrades, guaranteed late checkout and Premium Club lounge access at select properties.

Points devaluation at budget brands

As of January 2026, Homewood Suites and Spark by Hilton dropped from 10x to 5x base points per dollar, matching the rate at Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton. If you frequently stay at these brands, your earning rate just got cut in half.

Yotel joins Hilton's network

In March 2026, Hilton announced an exclusive agreement with Yotel, which is a compact, tech-forward hotel brand with about two dozen properties in cities including Boston, San Francisco, Tokyo, Singapore and Amsterdam. Yotel is the first brand in a new "Select by Hilton" program for independent hotels.

With this partnership, Hilton Honors members will be able to earn and redeem points at participating Yotel properties through Hilton's standard channels and app.

This is worth paying attention to if you're a budget-conscious urban traveler. Yotel properties are typically priced well below comparable city-center hotels, and being able to earn Hilton points on those stays (or redeem points for them) adds meaningful value. The integration won't be immediate across all properties, so check Hilton's booking channels to see which Yotel locations are live before planning around it.

Hilton Honors Adventures and Explora Journeys partnership

As of July 2026, Hilton Honors members can earn and redeem points on Explora Journeys cruises — the luxury ocean travel brand owned by MSC Group. It's currently operating three ships with expansion to six planned by 2028. Itineraries include the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean.

This partnership introduces "Hilton Honors Adventures," which Hilton is positioning as an expansion of its loyalty program into experiential travel beyond hotels. The program also includes Hilton's existing partnership with AutoCamp, an outdoor hospitality provider.

Earning at sea: Members who book Explora Journeys sailings through Hilton earn 10 base points for every U.S. dollar spent on cruise fares.

Elite onboard recognition: Hilton's elite status tiers unlock enhanced onboard perks:

• Gold: A complimentary welcome cocktail party hosted by ship leadership.

• Diamond: Onboard Journey Experience Credits (JEC) to spend on the ship's fine dining or spa treatments.

• Diamond Reserve: The ultimate red carpet treatment, featuring private port transfers and behind-the-scenes bridge tours with the ship's officers.

How to earn Hilton Honors points

You'll earn two types of points with Hilton: base points and bonus points. Generally, this is a distinction without a difference. Both types can be redeemed for hotel stays.

Base earning rates:

• 10 points per dollar at most Hilton properties.

• 5 points per dollar at Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites, Spark by Hilton and Tru by Hilton.

• 3 points per dollar at LivSmart Studios.

Elite status bonus rates (on top of base rates):

• Silver: 20% bonus.

• Gold: 80% bonus.

• Diamond: 100% bonus.

• Diamond Reserve: 120% bonus.

Even when you're not booking stays, there are many other ways to earn Hilton Honors points.

Hilton credit cards

The easiest way to earn Hilton points (and elite status) is through American Express co-branded cards. Here are a few of your options:

» Learn more: Hilton credit cards — which one should you get?

There's also the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

• Annual fee: $550 (see rates and fees).

• Welcome bonus: Earn 200,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 01/13/2027. Terms Apply.

• Earning rates: 14x points at Hilton properties, 7x on select travel, 7x at U.S. restaurants and 3x everywhere else.

• Status: Automatic Diamond status.

• Perks: $200 airline fee credit (doled out as $50 per quarter), $400 Hilton resort credit (doled out as $200 semi-annually) and a free night reward annually.

How to redeem Hilton points

Good Hilton points redemptions

• Hotel stays: This is the only redemption worth pursuing. Award prices fluctuate based on demand, season, and property, so comparison shopping is essential. Look for stays that deliver at least 0.4 cent per point in value — ideally more.

• Points & Money bookings: If you're short on points, Hilton lets you combine points and cash in flexible increments starting at 5,000 points. This can occasionally be more cost-effective than buying points outright, though you're still not getting great value.

• The Fifth Night Free perk: If you have any elite status (Silver or higher), every fifth night is free when booking a standard room entirely with points. This is one of the program's best features and can effectively boost your redemption value by 20% on longer stays.

» Learn more: Hilton Honors points — sweet spots for redemptions

Terrible Hilton points redemptions

• Amazon shopping: Points are worth just 0.14 cents each when used on Amazon — less than half their hotel redemption value. Unless you're sitting on a pile of points you'll never use, skip this option.

• Transfers to airline partners: Hilton transfers to airline partners at a dismal 10:1 ratio (10 Hilton points = 1 airline mile). Given that Hilton points are already worth just 0.4 cent each, this tanks their value even further. Only consider this if you're a few miles short of a valuable award flight and have no other way to top up your account.

Hilton elite status

Hilton Honors offers four elite status levels (plus a fifth lifetime tier). You qualify through nights stayed, number of stays, or dollars spent — whichever threshold you hit first. Diamond Reserve requires both a nights/stays threshold and a minimum spend.

2026 elite status requirements

Member (free): You get this just by signing up.

• No resort fees on reward stays.

• Late check-out when available.

Silver (10 nights, 4 stays, or $2,500 spend):

All of the above, plus:

• 20% points bonus.

• Free bottled water.

• Fifth night free on award stays.

Gold (25 nights, 15 stays, or $6,000 spend):

All of the above, plus:

• 80% points bonus.

• Space-available room upgrades, up to executive floor rooms.

• Daily food & beverage credit or continental breakfast (varies by brand and region).

Diamond (50 nights, 25 stays, or $11,500 spend):

All of the above, plus:

• 100% points bonus.

• Executive lounge access.

• Space-available room upgrades, up to one-bedroom suites.

• Guaranteed room when booked at least 48 hours in advance.

Diamond Reserve (80 nights or 40 stays AND $18,000 spend):

All of the above, plus:

• Lock in premium room upgrades (up to one-bedroom suites) with a Confirmable Upgrade Reward at the time of booking for stays up to 7 nights. You get one reward when achieving status, plus the option at 120 nights to choose between a second reward or 30,000 points.

• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout on every stay (no exceptions for resort properties).

• Premium Club access (exclusive lounges at select luxury properties, beyond standard executive lounges).

• Highest priority for space-available upgrades.

• 24/7 dedicated customer service line.

Lifetime Diamond: Requires 10 years of Diamond status plus either 1,000 nights or $200,000 in spending (changed from 2 million base points). This status is permanent and cannot be revoked.

The credit card shortcut

You can bypass nights-based qualification entirely with the right Hilton credit card:

• Silver status: Hilton Honors American Express Card, which has an annual fee of $0 (see rates and fees).

• Gold status: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ( $150 annual fee) The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($195 annual fee), or American Express Platinum Card® ($895 annual fee) (see rates and fees).

• Diamond status: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($550 annual fee) (see rates and fees).

For most travelers, the credit card route is cheaper and easier than earning status through hotel stays. Even with the 2026 changes making organic qualification easier, you'd need to spend at least 25 nights at Hilton properties to earn Gold — far more expensive than a $150 annual fee.

What makes Hilton Honors competitive (and what doesn't)

The good:

• No blackout dates for award stays.

• No resort fees when booking with all points.

• Fifth night free on point redemptions (with any elite status).

• Easy to earn elite status through credit cards.

• Genuine elite status value from Gold and Diamond status perks (free breakfast/credits, lounge access).

• Massive hotel footprint with 9,000+ properties.

• Growing network now includes Yotel and Explora Journeys.

The bad:

• Points are worth just 0.4 cent each — one of the weakest currencies in travel rewards.

• Award prices have increased significantly over the past two years.

• "Space-available" upgrades often don't materialize, especially at popular properties.

• Silver status benefits are nearly worthless.

• Rollover nights eliminated in 2026.

• Earning rates cut at budget brands (Homewood Suites, Spark).

The ugly:

• Luxury properties now running 200,000–250,000 points per night.

• More people qualifying for Gold and Diamond may dilute upgrade and lounge availability.

Is Hilton Honors worth it?

Hilton Honors is worth joining, particularly if you travel frequently and can leverage a co-branded credit card for automatic elite status. Gold status via the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card delivers real value, given it offers free breakfast or dining credits, room upgrades, and an 80% points bonus — all for a $150 annual fee.

If you're collecting points purely for redemptions, set realistic expectations. Hilton points are plentiful but weak, and you'll need a lot of them to book anything impressive.

The 2026 overhaul is a net mixed bag: easier qualification for Gold and Diamond is genuinely positive, while the elimination of rollover nights and budget brand devaluations take value away. The Yotel partnership and Explora Journeys cruise integration expand what "staying with Hilton" means.