Hilton will roll over all 2020 elite-qualifying nights to 2021
In response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Hilton announced that it will roll over all 2020 elite qualifying nights to the 2021 status year. This will help Hilton Honors elite members earn or upgrade their elite status level in the 2021 and 2022 status years.
For example, if you're a Hilton Honors Gold member and you complete five elite-qualifying nights this year, all of these will roll into 2021 — so you'd start 2021 with five nights. This applies to all nights you have already completed or will complete this calendar year. As a result, if you stayed in January or February (before the coronavirus pandemic really took off), those nights will help with your qualification prospects for next year.
This announcement comes after Hilton Honors extended 2019 and 2020 elite status through 2021 and 2022, respectively, for all elite members. These rollover nights will help these members upgrade their elite status, and those with elite status expiring next year can use this to more easily maintain status.
In addition, Hilton has put other coronavirus measures into place. It's paused points expiration through December 31, 2020, extended Weekend Night Rewards through next summer and added bonus points earning on groceries to its cobranded credit cards.
It's worth noting that this is the latest announcement from hotel loyalty programs. Last month, Marriott announced that existing elite members would enjoy a one-time deposit of elite night credits based on the tier they earned in 2019 (which started posting last week). Hyatt then announced new offers for rebates on award stays and expanded free parking for members. It'll be interesting to see what else will come through this year and into next year as major hotel chains continue to adapt to the pandemic.
Bottom line
It's great to see Hilton continue to add benefits for its members. We may not be traveling right now, but Hilton has continued to show that it cares about its elite members and their business. This small gesture can help travelers earn (or requalify for) Hilton Honors status next year, providing one additional incentive to select a Hilton-branded property for your future 2020 stays.
Feature photo courtesy of Hilton Honors
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.