Points Panda has partnered with a variety of financial companies including CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. Points Panda and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. For more information please read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
Hilton Hotels started offering its most loyal members a Hilton lifetime Diamond status back in 2015. It was one of the company’s best decisions to date since only a few hotel loyalty programs currently offer lifetime elite status.
Hilton Diamond status is the highest tier in the Hilton Honors program and typically, members need to reach a certain number of base points, elite stays, or elite nights every year to maintain their status. But with the lifetime Diamond status, you’ll keep your status forever even if you don’t have any spending or travel activity.
In this article, we’ll talk go into detail on what the basic requirements are to get Lifetime Diamond status and also some tips on how to get it.
Read More: The New 2022 IHG Rewards Program What We Know So Far
(Image courtesy of Envato Elements)
Hilton Lifetime Diamond Status Requirements
Hilton Honors has three status tiers, Silver, Gold, and Diamond, but the lifetime status is only offered for the Diamond tier. Interested applicants need to meet two requirements:
Maintain Diamond Status For Ten Years
The primary requirement to get lifetime Diamond status is to maintain a Diamond status for ten years. It doesn’t have to be consecutive so you’re still eligible if you’ve had your status from 2022-2025 and then from 2028-2033.
To get Diamond status, loyalty members typically need to earn any of the three options below:
- 30 stays
- 60 nights
- 120,000 base points
Once you’ve met any of these status requirements, you will be awarded Diamond status for the remainder of the year in which you got it and also the entire following year. For example, if you reached 30 stays in September 2022, you will be have Diamond status until December 2023 which is a total of 16 months.
However, Hilton Honors has slashed down the requirements for the 2022 calendar year. The current requirements are:
- 21 stays
- 42 nights
- 84 base points
The original requirements will apply after 2022 so if you’re aiming for Hilton Diamond status, better do it this 2022.
Accumulate 1000 Nights Or 2 Million Base Points
For the second requirement, you have two options to finally get your lifetime Diamond status:
- Stay at least 1,000 nights at eligible hotels. Both paid and award nights count towards this requirement.
- Or accumulate at least 2 million base points
If you break down the numbers, reaching lifetime status will actually take you more than 10 years to complete, and here’s why.
Typically, Hilton Diamond status requires at least 60 nights per year and if you strictly earn those exact numbers, it will take you a little over 16 years to accumulate 1,000 nights (1,000 / 60 = 16.6 years).
If you choose the second option which is to accumulate 2 million base points, it will also take you around 16 years since you need 120,000 base points per year to reach Diamond status (2,000,000 / 120,000 = 16.6).
In order for you to reach lifetime status faster, you need to spend more than 120,000 base points or stay more than 60 nights per year. Hilton Honors allows you to roll over excess elite nights and base points to the next calendar year.
Getting Hilton Lifetime Diamond Status With Credit Cards
Diamond status earned through Hilton credit cards is counted towards reaching lifetime status. Currently, there are three credit cards that offer this perk.
- Hilton Honors Aspire Credit Card – Comes with a complimentary Hilton Diamond status as long as your credit card is active. The card also has a welcome bonus of 150,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of card membership- terms apply.
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass – Complimentary Gold status with a chance to upgrade to Diamond status if you can spend $40,000 in a calendar year. The card also has a welcome bonus of 150,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months of card membership.
- Hilton Honors American Express Business Card – Comes with complimentary Gold status and a chance to earn 130,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Getting a Hilton Honors credit card is a more cost-effective way of reaching Hilton lifetime Diamond status. As you earn Diamond status every year with your card, you’ll also accumulate Hilton Honors points which you can use to book award nights that can help you reach the 1,000-night requirement faster.
Hilton Diamond Status Benefits
Hilton Diamond status holders will receive a combination of Silver and Gold status benefits which are:
- Guaranteed Hilton Honors discount rates
- Earn points toward free nights, travel partners, experiences, and more
- No resort fees on award stays that were paid 100% using points
- Ability to check-in and check-out digitally using the Hilton Honors app. You will also get a digital key to open and lock your room.
- Room selection in the same category up to 24 hours in advance
- Complimentary WIFI
- Exclusive access to Hilton Honors Experiences
- 2 free bottled waters (varies per hotel)
- Book five award nights and get your fifth night for free (must be paid 100% with points)
- Excess elite nights can be rolled over to the next calendar year
- Room upgrades
- Daily Food & Beverage Credit (U.S. hotels) or Continental Breakfast (non-U.S. hotels)
In addition to these benefits, Diamond status holders will get more exclusive benefits such as:
- 100% bonus points on stays
- Executive lounge access
- Room upgrades up to a 1-bedroom suite (depends on availability)
- Get a one-time Diamond status extension of one year when you meet these two requirements:
- Become a Diamond Member for 3 years (can be non-consecutive)
- Stay at least 250 lifetime nights or earne 500,000 base points
- Get premium WiFi
- 48-hour room guarantee
- Elite status gifting:
- Get 40 nights in the calendar year to gift Gold status to any member
- Get 70 nights in a calendar year to gift Diamonf status to any member
Read More: Wyndham Rewards Loyalty Program (Review)
Is The Hilton Lifetime Diamond Status Worth It?
It all depends on whether you want to be loyal to one hotel program for the rest of your life. Getting lifetime status would mean that you need to earn at least 1,000 nights or 2 million base points, which is equivalent to around 16 years of maintaining Diamond status.
It takes a really long time and even though you can reach it faster with rollover nights, then you’d also have to spend more money.
If you’re someone who loves to enjoy different perks from various hotel programs, it’s best if you just get the Hilton Aspire Credit Card instead which only costs $450. You can cancel it anytime and just re-apply for it when you need to. Just don’t do it too frequently as canceling your card may affect your credit score.
Advertiser Disclosure
PointsPanda Deal of the Week!
Looking for the best flight deals? Each week we'll send you updates with the best deals on flights and hotels both using points and cash.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.