Last-minute strategies for earning Hilton Honors elite status
With less than two months left in 2025, now is a good time for Hilton Honors members to determine what they need to do to qualify (or requalify) for elite status.
If you spend a considerable amount of time on the road, you may have seen how valuable hotel elite status can be. From premium early check-in and late checkout to room upgrades, there are benefits to having elite status with hotel chains. And as you'd expect, Hilton is no exception.
Fortunately, there are numerous ways to earn Hilton Honors status, including staying at hotels, using promotions and status matches, and holding certain credit cards. Here's what you can do before the end of the year to reach your Hilton status goals in 2026.
What is Hilton Honors status?
The Hilton Honors loyalty program has a base-level member tier when you join, but then you can earn Hilton elite status by reaching specific thresholds for nights, stays or base points each calendar year.
There are three tiers in the program: Silver, Gold and Diamond.
Here's a look at how many nights, stays or base points you typically need for each Hilton status tier:
- Silver: 10 nights, four stays or 25,000 base points
- Gold: 40 nights, 20 stays or 75,000 base points
- Diamond: 60 nights, 30 stays or 120,000 base points
Basic members earn Hilton base points at a rate of 10 points per dollar spent at most Hilton hotels, and you can earn base points on up to four rooms per stay. Stays booked with points or free night rewards also count toward elite qualification.
Hilton uses a calendar year as its qualification period, so you have from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 each year to qualify for your desired elite membership tier. Your status is then valid through the end of the following calendar year.
Earn status with Hilton promotions
Hilton frequently offers promotions that may help you earn or get closer to elite status.
In past years, Hilton has run a "Double Your Nights" promotion, allowing you to earn double elite qualifying nights when you stay in the last three months of the calendar year. Every night would count as two nights toward milestone bonuses and rollover nights as well, so these promotions would also help you qualify for Hilton status for the following year.
These offers served as a handy shortcut for members close to qualifying or requalifying for status.
Hilton has also been known to send out targeted status offers to some members. For instance, travel writer Rachel Craft received the following offer as a shortcut to Silver status.
If you're looking to earn last-minute Hilton Honors status this year, keep an eye out for useful Hilton promotions like these.
Related: Deal alert: The latest points and miles travel deals
Use a status match
You can also request a status match if you are currently an entry-level Hilton member or have Silver status.
All you need to do is submit proof of a recent stay and proof of elite status in a competitor's loyalty program through Hilton's status match page. If Hilton approves your status match, it will upgrade your status to Gold for 90 days.
You can keep Gold status through March 31, 2027, if you stay eight nights within your 90-day trial period — or you can snag top-tier Diamond status through March 31, 2027, if you stay 14 nights within your 90-day trial period.
This is a great way to quickly earn Gold or Diamond status with Hilton if you have planned upcoming travel and aren't already planning to sign up for a Hilton credit card that provides elite status as a perk.
However, reward stays do not count toward achieving the status match requirements. And you can only do a status match with Hilton once in a lifetime — so be sure to time your status match carefully.
Get elite status with credit cards
The right Hilton Honors credit card can make earning status a breeze. Here's a quick look at some of your options.
Diamond status
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is spectacular because you can snag top-tier Hilton Diamond status just by having the card.
Sure, you have to pay the $550 annual fee (see rates and fees), but that's significantly less than paying for 60 nights or 30 stays outright. It also comes with several other perks that can easily offset that out-of-pocket cost, including up to $400 per year in Hilton property credits (up to $200 in statement credits semiannually), up to $200 in credits for flight purchases (up to $50 in statement credits each quarter), car rental elite status and cellphone protection.*
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Hilton Diamond status offers valuable perks like suite upgrades, a daily food-and-beverage credit (or continental breakfast outside the U.S.) for you and a guest, and executive lounge access at eligible properties.
Related: How to get Hilton Honors lifetime Diamond status
Gold status
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card offer complimentary Gold status as a cardmember perk.
Both cards also let you spend your way to Diamond status with $40,000 in eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year. However, we recommend getting the Hilton Aspire Card instead if your goal is Diamond status.
It's also worth noting that cardholders of the American Express Platinum Card® and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express get complimentary Hilton Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status as cardmember perks (enrollment is required).
Related: 5 reasons to get the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass Card
Silver status
Lastly, you could apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Card if you want Hilton Silver status, though this does not come with nearly as many benefits as Hilton Diamond or Hilton Gold status. Still, Silver members are eligible for the fifth night free on award stays.
Related: The best Hilton hotels in the US, from luxury to budget stays
Bottom line
With the end of the year approaching, now is a good time to check your Hilton Honors account and finalize your elite status plans. After all, having elite status with Hilton is generally quite valuable, especially internationally.
Although you can stay your way to Hilton Honors status — and there's still time for a mattress run — opening a credit card that provides Hilton status is usually faster and easier. Best of all, you can maintain Hilton status as long as you hold the card without needing to requalify each year.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card, click here.
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