E ffective as of today, Monday, March 6, 2017, eligible Hilton Honors members who currently have Diamond VIP elite level status can choose to extend their status for a year — one-time — for any reason when a light travel period does not allow them to qualify again for the next year. Examples include a new job, a new addition to the family, or for any other situation.
Update: Hilton Honors Extension of Diamond VIP Elite Level Status is Now Live
“Eligible” means that a year in which you had your elite status matched from another frequent guest loyalty program will not count as a year of eligibility for this benefit — nor will bonus Hilton Honors points count towards achieving the criteria for this feature.
The extension of Diamond VIP elite level status for a year which was granted by enacting this benefit does not count towards fulfilling the requirement for a year towards earning Lifetime Diamond status.
Aaron would not definitively answer whether this Diamond VIP benefit extension might be granted more than once; but he did call the Hilton Honors program the “most member-centric” and that Hilton “wants to be loyal back to Diamonds who have been loyal” to Hilton.
If you are a member of Hilton Honors who has earned Diamond VIP elite level status, you are eligible for this one-time extension if you have earned Diamond VIP elite level status for a minimum of three years since joining the Hilton Honors frequent guest loyalty program — the years do not need to be consecutive — and you have also earned either at least:
- 250 nights — paid or reward; or
- 500,000 base Hilton Honors points
Summary
For additional and comprehensive information pertaining to the changes to the Hilton Honors frequent guest loyalty program, please refer to this article.
Everyone goes through a rough time in his or her life when something happens where miles, points and elite level status is shockingly not the highest priority. That more frequent travel loyalty programs do not offer a similar extension of elite level status for their members is too bad.
Even though I consider this a positive feature for the Hilton Honors frequent guest loyalty program, there are a few advantages and disadvantages to the one-time extension of Diamond VIP elite level status…
ADVANTAGES OF ONE-TIME EXTENSION OF DIAMOND VIP ELITE LEVEL STATUS FOR ONE YEAR
- With little or even no activity, you can request to extend your Diamond VIP elite level status for another year
- This option can be exercised at your discretion
- No fee is needed to activate this option
DISADVANTAGES OF ONE-TIME EXTENSION OF DIAMOND VIP ELITE LEVEL STATUS FOR ONE YEAR
- This option is only available one time
- You must have earned Diamond VIP elite level status for a minimum of three years since joining the Hilton Honors frequent guest loyalty program to be eligible for this option
Source: Hilton Honors.
