Earning Hilton Honors Gold status is a solid achievement, as it can bring extra benefits on a future stay. Elite status can include such perks as bonus points, room upgrades, food and beverage credits, breakfast and lounge access. Hilton Honors Gold is the second highest tier in the program, and it can be worth achieving.
Here’s what you need to know about Hilton’s midtier elite status, Gold.
When you stay at a Hilton family hotel with Gold status, there are several benefits in store. These perks include:
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80% bonus points: 10 base points on most Hilton purchases plus an 80% bonus, which equates to 18 points per dollar spent.
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Complimentary upgrades at check-in: Upgrade eligibility on all room types, even up to the executive floor.
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Elite rollover nights: Extra nights earned above a particular status roll over to the next year for a head start on status renewal.
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Fifth night free: When redeeming five nights using Hilton Honors points, you only pay the point equivalent of four nights.
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Food and beverage credits, club lounge access or complimentary breakfast: Daily food and beverage credits (varies based on brand) within the U.S. or complimentary continental breakfast in non-U.S. hotels.
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Waived resort fees: Resort fees are waived on free night awards for all Hilton Honors members.
How to earn Hilton Honors Gold
There are three primary ways to earn Hilton Honors Gold elite status.
1. Earning base points
Hilton Honors members earn 10 base points per dollar spent on up to four rooms per stay if paying eligible rates. Some rates are not eligible for points earning, including wholesale/contracted rates, travel agency discounts, timeshare rates or those booked through a third-party website like Orbitz. Once you achieve 52,500 base points in the 2022 calendar year, you will earn Hilton Honors Gold status. Starting in 2023, the requirement becomes 75,000 base points within the calendar year.
2. Staying at Hilton properties
Make at least 14 stays or stay 28 nights within the 2022 calendar year at Hilton Honors-participating hotels to achieve Hilton Honors Gold status. This can include rollover nights from the year before. Starting in 2023, the requirements change to 20 stays or 40 nights.
3. Getting the right credit card
These are rapid ways to achieve Hilton Honors Gold status without making any hotel stays. Terms apply.
How much is Hilton Honors status worth?
In our most recent analysis, NerdWallet determined Hilton Honors Gold to be the most rewarding and valuable of midtier status levels. We determined this through a comprehensive analysis of quantifiable elite status benefits like bonus points and free breakfast.
It earned such high marks based on the 80% points bonus on eligible stays, food and beverage credit (or free breakfast at many hotels), and the ability to earn status instantly with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Terms apply.
What else you need to know
You can benefit from Hilton Honors promotions
Hilton Honors offers promotions throughout the year with bonus points that can edge you closer to a redemption night. Be sure to register for these promotions, even if you do not have stays planned. You never know when a last-minute trip might pop up, and if you are already registered, you can take advantage of it.
Status matches are available
If you hold midtier status with another loyalty program, Hilton Honors may offer a status match to its Hilton Honors Gold tier. This can be a good idea if you have an important stay coming up and want to take advantage of the potential room upgrade or food and beverage amenities that come with Gold status at eligible properties.
To qualify, you’ll have to stay at least seven nights within a 90-day window to keep Gold status. If you stay at least 12 nights, you’ll climb all the way up to Diamond status. Note that this offer is only available once per member, so use it wisely.
How long does Hilton Honors status last?
Gold status will remain in effect until December 31 of the subsequent year in which you earned it. So if you achieve Hilton Honors status in the summer of 2022, it would be good through December 31, 2023.
Milestone bonuses
If you stay with Hilton frequently, you can keep earning through its milestone bonuses offering. For every 10 nights you stay after achieving 30 nights in a calendar year, you will earn 10,000 points. Once you reach 60 nights in a calendar year, you’ll earn 30,000 more points.
Lifetime status
Hilton Honors does not offer lifetime status for Silver or Gold tiers, but it does for Diamond status. If you enjoy Gold status enough to keep earning toward the Diamond tier, you could be well on your way.
If you keep Diamond status for 10 years (they don’t have to be consecutive) and complete an additional milestone (like staying over 1,000 nights or earning 2 million base points), you can earn Diamond status for life.
Hilton Honors Gold status, recapped
While not top-tier Diamond status, Hilton Honors Gold offers plentiful perks and is worth achieving if you stay at Hilton family hotels often.
Hotel elite status can make any trip more enjoyable, and if you follow the proper steps to earn it (either through hotel stays or thanks to a credit card or airline elite status), you can enjoy the good life with Hilton.
How to maximize your rewards
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