Hilton further extends elite status, points expiration and sets new status requirements for 2022

Hilton on Wednesday, Sept. 15 announced further status and points extensions, and also set new status requirements for Hilton Honors members.

The brand pushed back points expiration dates and extended elite status in October of last year, and the new changes spell more good news for the brand's loyalty members.

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Extending elite status

All Hilton Honors elite members will automatically receive an extension of their status through March 31, 2023. This is valid at all status levels and even applies to members who were set to lose their status in 2020.

Hilton's previous status extension was set to expire on March 31, 2022, meaning some travelers will enjoy years of "free" Hilton status.

This extension reflects the reality of the ongoing pandemic. Many travelers still haven't begun traveling again, and business travel is still deeply depressed.

No changes have been announced to Hilton's flexible cancellation and rebooking policies.

Extending points expiration

Normally, Hilton Honors points expire after 12 months with no activity (either earning or redeeming points).

Hilton had already paused point expirations through the end of December 2021, but that date has now been pushed back an additional year to Dec. 31, 2022. That gives travelers plenty of time to use or earn points on a Hilton hotel stay.

There are, of course, other ways to keep your Hilton Honors account active, including signing up for or spending on a cobranded credit card; linking your Hilton and Lyft accounts so you earn Hilton points with the ride-hailing app; joining the Hilton Honors Dining program; donating your points and more.

Reducing elite status requirements

Hilton has also announced new status qualification requirements for members in 2022. While the nights, stays and base points requirements are lower than they were prior to the pandemic, they are higher than the current 2021 status requirements, which saw the standard requirements slashed in half.

In 2022, Hilton Honors members can earn:

• Silver status after seven nights, three stays or 17,500 base points
• Gold status after 28 nights, 14 stays or 52,500 base points
• Diamond status after 42 nights, 21 stays or 84,000 base points

All nights earned in 2021 will be automatically counted toward 2022 status qualifications.

Milestone bonus requirements remain the same with one exception: In 2022, you will earn 10,000 bonus Hilton points every 10 nights after 30 eligible nights. This is lower than the standard 40-night threshold but higher than the 20-night threshold established in October.

The elite status gifting benefit is also increasing in 2022, though still is easier to attain than it was before the pandemic. Hilton Diamond members can gift Gold status to a family member or friend after staying 40 nights in 2022. In 2021, the requirement was 30 nights but the threshold is typically 60.

If you want to give a friend or family member Diamond status, you'll have to stay 70 nights (previously 60 in 2021 and 100 before the pandemic).

And remember, you can automatically receive elite status with Hilton just by having the right credit card.

Weekend night certificates

Hilton weekend award night certificates that come with various Hilton cobranded credit cards, such as the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, including those earned in 2022, can continue to be used on any night of the week (as opposed to just on weekend nights).

Unfortunately, there has been no further extension to these certificate expiration dates at this time. According to the most recent free-night award extension:

Hilton Honors Bonus Points earned from purchases on Hilton Honors American Express Cards will continue to count as Base Points toward elite status qualification until the end of 2022.

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: How to get maximum value from Hilton free night certificates

Bottom line

A further 12-month extension to Hilton Honors elite status and points expiration dates will be welcomed by travelers who value their status and points but may have been traveling less this year due to the pandemic.

In March 2020, Hilton became the first major chain to extend elite status and points expiration and has continued to provide travelers with flexibility throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

The slight increase in requirements to earn elite status with Hilton in 2022 may be a disappointment for travelers who were hoping to see the requirements halved again. But the elite-tier qualifications are still significantly easier to reach than they were before the pandemic, and the changes reflect Hilton's optimism that loyalty members will be traveling more next year.

“As we get back to a new season of travel together," said Jenn Chick, vice president and global head of Hilton Honors & Customer Engagement, Hilton, in a statement, "we want our loyal guests to know that we made these program changes with them top-of-mind."