How to get a Hilton Honors Diamond, Gold status match

If you already hold some shiny status with one of the world's leading hotel groups, now there's a way to double-down on your perks courtesy of a generous Hilton Honors status match promotion.

You'll enjoy Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond status for anywhere from 90 days through to 31 March 2021. That's a lot of free breakfasts, room upgrades, club lounge access and late checkouts.

Hilton Honors status match: here's what you need

Of course, Hilton isn't handing out status to anyone and everyone. It's interested in winning the business of people who already spend a lot of time on the road, but do so at properties belonging to Hilton's competitors.

In order to qualify for the Hilton Honors status match you'll need to already hold high-level membership in the loyalty programs of hotel groups such as

• Marriott Bonvoy (either Gold Elite or Platinum Elite)
• World of Hyatt (Explorist or Globalist)
• IHG Rewards (Gold Elite, Platinum Elite or Spire Elite)
• Le Club Accor (Gold or Platinum)

Those are the four leading competitors which Hilton has deliberately identified for this status match, but it doesn't preclude others such as Shangri-La Golden Circle.

Hilton Honors status match: here's what you get

If your status with a competing hotel is considered equivalent to Hilton Honors Gold you'll be in line for some great benefits such as a complimentary continental breakfast at all properties, which can sometimes be upgraded to the full hot breakfast at the discretion of each property.

Hilton Honors status can let you enjoy free use of the hotel's executive lounge

There's also a space-available upgrade up rooms on a hotel's Executive Floor level, which in turn grants you access to that hotel's Executive Lounge – a place to get some work done during the day before unwinding with evening drinks and canapés.

If your status with a competing hotel is considered equivalent to Hilton Honors Diamond you can also look forward to Executive Lounge access by default, regardless of which room type you are booked into, while the space-available upgrade options include one-bedroom suites where you'll have a lot more room to stretch out.

How to get a Hilton Honors Gold, Diamond status match

Head to this page on the Hilton Honors website and fill out your name, email address and Hilton Honors account number.

(If you’re not already a Hilton Honors member, join for free here to get your Hilton Honors number, before entering it on the page linked above.)

Next up, you’ll be asked to nominate which existing hotel status you’d like to have matched – this is where you key in the details of the elite membership you already have, such as Marriott Gold Elite or IHG Spire Elite:

There’s an option here to select ‘other’, as well, so if you have status with a hotel chain not listed on the drop-down menu, you can still submit your case for consideration.

Further down on the same page, there’s an section marked “upload proof of status”.

Hilton says this can be a photograph or screenshot of your current membership card, or a screenshot of that hotel chain’s website where your status is also visible, typically of the ‘my account’ area when logged in, which must be in JPG image format.

Finally, to prevent serial status matchers from jumping on this offer, you’re also asked to upload proof of at least one hotel stay made under the same hotel loyalty program within the last 12 months, which can again be a screenshot of that previous reservation or a hotel receipt.

For privacy protection, you can black out all personal information in that screenshot – such as your phone number, address, date of birth, hotel username or credit card information – except for your name and account number which must remain visible, and match what you entered earlier.

If successful, you'll receive a confirmation within a few business days.

How to keep your Hilton Honors Gold, Diamond status to March 2021t

If your request is successful, you’ll start with a full 90 days of either Hilton Honors Gold status Hilton Honors Diamond status (at Hilton’s discretion).

However, you can extend those privileges through to 31 March 2021 via a further shortcut.

You can keep your Hilton Honors Gold card until 2021 by making just four stays during that 90-day window: a very generous offer, considering that the usual requirement for Hilton Honors Gold is 20 stays, 40 nights or earning 75,000 Hilton Honors ‘base points’.

If you’ve been issued with a Hilton Honors Diamond card under this status match, only eight stays are needed to lock that in to March 2021 (compared to the normal requirement of 30 stays, 60 nights or earning 120,000 Hilton Honors base points).

In future years, however, you’ll need to retain your Gold or Diamond status the ‘normal’ way, otherwise, you’ll lose your shiny card: ditto if you fail to complete the required four or eight stays during the first 90 days.

To request your status match today, head to the Hilton website.

Additional reporting by David Flynn and Brandon Loo

Chris C.

A Brisbane-based contributor to Executive Traveller, Chris Chamberlin lives by the motto that a journey of a thousand miles begins not just with a single step, but also a strong latte, a theatre ticket, and later in the day, a good gin and tonic.