While the benefits of collecting airline and hotel points still have a modern feel, the first hotel loyalty program actually launched in 1983, when Holiday Inn and Marriott both tested promotions allowing regular guests to log stays and receive discounts once they hit a certain threshold.
As Holiday Inn eventually pulled a program, only to revive it more than a decade later, Marriott currently holds the title of the longest-operating hotel loyalty program in the U.S.
Last October, rival Wyndham launched a paid version in which those who shell out $95 a year get an automatic list of benefits, such as 10% off standard room rates and automatic Gold status.
New Diamond Reserve loyalty tier to launch soon, Hilton confirms
Around such moves by rival Wyndham, there has also been much speculation that Hilton also planned to make changes to its Hilton Honors membership. While offering faster points collection and the ability to gift status to a friend, the Hilton Honors Diamond membership tier does not guarantee room upgrades or late checkout.
With Diamond Status also awarded to anyone who maintains the signature American Express Aspire Card even without hitting 60 stays a year, the hotel giant’s benefits have long lagged behind other competitors like Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG.
Now, after months of speculation that the chain is preparing to launch a new tier offering these perks, Hilton confirmed that Diamond Reserve will become available in the near future.
At the moment, its loyalty program makes anyone who creates an account a member, while status starts at Silver and goes to Diamond. The top Reserve benefits include 22 points for every dollar spent (regular members have only one-to-one), executive lounge access, extended checkout, and room upgrades upon availability.
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In an Instagram post, Hilton simply told followers that they “might want to stay tuned.” But leaked info pages show that this elite tier requires spending 80 nights, 40 stays (as long as they are longer than one night, this can be a quicker way for some with different travel trends to earn status), or the equivalent of $18,000 in points at Hilton properties per year.
The new status will divide the highest spenders from those currently eligible for Diamond status by staying at properties for 40 nights per year.
Hilton Hotels
Earning status with Hilton Honors will also get slightly easier
No details have been released about when Hilton Honors adjustments go into effect, but the changes have been a long time coming, as Hilton’s main competitors continued to offer a greater breadth of rewards for those spending an equivalent amount at their hotels.
The other tiers on the Hilton Honors program will also be revamped and — in a bit of good news — lowered. This is in contrast to the increased spending requirements often sneaked into updated loyalty programs.
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While Silver status is currently unlocked at 10 nights or 25,000 points, the new chart has it at seven nights and 17,500 base points.
The drop from 40 to 28 nights and 60 to 42 nights for non-Reserve Diamond is also significant for anyone who is currently not staying at Hilton properties enough to unlock higher-status tiers.
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