Although Hilton elite status is easy to earn, Hilton Honors members often face paid upsell upgrades (as opposed to complimentary upgrades), insufficient food and beverage credits and high nightly award prices.
That said, there’s no question that Hilton Honors Diamond status can make your stay more comfortable. So, let’s explore how to qualify for Hilton Diamond status and seven of its top benefits.
Related: The 19 best Hilton hotels in the world
How to earn Hilton Diamond status
Hilton Diamond status is possibly the easiest top-tier hotel elite status to earn.
To qualify, you must complete 30 stays, stay 60 nights or earn 120,000 base points in a calendar year. However, primary cardholders of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (see rates and fees) enjoy complimentary Diamond status as a perk of their card. The Hilton Aspire Card offers several other great perks to offset its $450 annual fee, including an annual free night award, up to $250 in Hilton resort statement credits, up to $250 in annual airline fee credits and a Priority Pass Select membership.
The information for the Hilton Aspire 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.
If you’re looking for a card with a lower annual fee, you can also earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 in a calendar year on qualifying purchases using the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (see rates and fees). Once you reach the spending requirement, your Hilton Diamond status may take 10 to 12 weeks to become effective. But you’ll enjoy Hilton Diamond status for the remainder of the calendar year in which you reached the spending requirements and the subsequent calendar year.
Related: The best Hilton credit cards
Room upgrades
Elite status and upgrades often go hand in hand. And as a Hilton Diamond member, you’re eligible for space-available upgrades up to a junior, standard or one-bedroom suite at most brands.
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In fairness, with the surplus of Diamond members, suite upgrades tend to be limited. In my experience, Hilton Diamond suite upgrades are far less common than in the case of top-tier Marriott and Hyatt status. Hilton also sells paid upgrades to Diamond members even when your status should entitle you to an upgrade.
That said, Hilton Honors Diamond status can feel extremely valuable overseas. With Diamond status, I’ve enjoyed generous suite upgrades at Hilton-branded hotels in Indonesia, Morocco and French Polynesia.
Just be aware that upgrades are up to the hotel’s discretion and aren’t eligible at the Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru, Homewood Suites, Home2 Suites, Hilton Grand Vacations and Motto brands.
Related: How to redeem Hilton points for upgraded rooms
Mealtime benefits
You and up to one additional registered guest enjoy a complimentary $10 to $25 food and beverage credit per night at most brands in the United States. This often isn’t enough for an entire meal, but it can help offset the price of breakfast, drinks or dinner. Unfortunately, most Hilton properties do not allow you to use the food and beverage credit cumulatively. So, for a four-night stay, you must use the credit daily rather than redeeming four nights’ worth of food and beverage credits on one charge.
Outside the United States, Diamond members and up to one additional registered guest enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast at most brands.
Related: 12 ways to earn more Hilton Honors points
Executive lounge access
In addition to the previously discussed food and beverage or continental breakfast perk, Diamond members receive access to the executive lounge at some brands. Within the U.S., executive lounges are notoriously rare at Hilton properties (and Hilton Diamond members can’t access lounges like the Sakura Club at the Conrad Washington, D.C.). Still, this benefit can be nice to have.
For instance, at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik, guests with Diamond status enjoy access to a handsomely decorated club lounge with complimentary afternoon snacks, evening hors d’oeuvres and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Related: Best Hilton hotels and resorts on the beach, from the U.S. to the Maldives
Bonus points
Hilton Diamond members enjoy a 100% bonus on the base points they earn from stays. This bonus means Hilton Diamond members get 10 extra points per dollar spent at most Hilton brands. But, Hilton Diamond members only get 5 additional points at Home2 Suites and Tru, as these brands earn at a lower rate.
If you stay at an Embassy Suites for $200 per night, you will earn an extra 2,000 Hilton points per night as a Diamond member. Based on TPG’s valuations, these extra points are worth about $12 per night.
Related: Small in size, big on style: A review of the Motto by Hilton Washington, D.C.
Welcome amenity
While not a published benefit, Hilton Diamond members may receive extra amenities during their stay. For example, here’s what TPG director of content Eric Rosen received as a Diamond welcome amenity at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
And during a recent stay at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington, D.C. Georgetown, the hotel gave me a goodie bag to recognize my Diamond status.
Hilton Honors Diamond members shouldn’t expect welcome amenities; however, they can be a pleasant surprise.
Related: The best Hilton hotels in the U.S., from luxury to budget stays
5th night free on award stays
All members with Hilton Honors elite status receive every fifth night free on stays up to 20 nights when they book a standard room award entirely on points.
Whether traveling to an expensive resort like the Conrad Bora Bora Nui in French Polynesia or a more modestly priced property, the fifth-night free benefit can help you get more value from your Hilton points.
Related: 8 ways to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions
Diamond status extension
Select Hilton Honors Diamond members who won’t meet the standard requirements to requalify for Diamond status can request to extend their status for one year with Diamond Status Extension. Here’s a look at the requirements for the Diamond Status Extension:
- A current Hilton Diamond member with status that will expire on March 31 of the following year.
- Held Diamond status for at least three years (years do not have to be consecutive, but years in which you used a status match to achieve Diamond Status don’t count).
- Stayed at least 250 nights with Hilton (paid and reward nights are both eligible) or earned at least 500,000 base points since joining Hilton Honors (points earned via bonuses, promotions and cobranded credit cards don’t count).
You can request a Diamond Status Extension reminder here.
Related: Everything you need to know about Hilton Honors lifetime elite status
Bottom line
Hilton Honors Diamond status can save you money and make your travels more enjoyable.
Some properties in Hilton’s portfolio recognize members with Diamond elite status far more than others. Nonetheless, when you consider that Diamond status can instantly be yours as a primary cardholder of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (or after spending $40,000 in a calendar year on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card), there’s no wonder so many travelers have and enjoy Hilton Diamond status.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Surpass Card, click here.
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.
