Now it’s easy to earn and keep Hilton Honors Diamond top status because it’s a benefit of Hilton honors American Express Aspire card. You can also earn Hilton Diamond status through the end of next year in any calendar year you spend $40,000 on. Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® card or Business card of Hilton Honors American Express.
Information about the Hilton Aspire card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
However, if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to lock Hilton Elite Status lifetime and never have to worry about qualifying again, you’ve come to the right place.
Unlike some programs, Hilton offers only one lifetime status tier: Diamond. So let’s see how to qualify for Lifetime Diamond status with Hilton title.
Requirements for Hilton Lifetime Elite Status
Although it may not be as valuable as other things top hotel status, Hilton Diamond status offers a wide range of perks. Benefits vary depending on Hilton brand and region but may include 100% bonus points, seat upgrades, lounge access, and daily dining or continental breakfast credits.
You can lock Hilton Honors Top Elite Diamond status for life by earning Hilton Diamond Status for 10 years (non-consecutive) and complete one of the following:
- Stay with Hilton for 1,000 nights (including paid and bonus nights).
- Earn 2 million base points.
Related: Looking back at my first year as a member of Hilton Honors Diamond
Does Diamond Status from a credit card count?
The Hilton Diamond status that you earn as a credit card privilege counts towards the 10-year requirement for lifetime status. As mentioned, the Hilton honors American Express Aspire card offers Diamond status as a card benefit. As long as you keep the card open, the primary cardholder will enjoy Hilton Diamond status.
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Likewise, if you spend $40,000 on qualifying purchases on Hilton Honors American Express Surpass or Hilton’s Honorary American Express Business Card for one calendar year, primary cardholders will be upgraded to Hilton Honors Diamonds until the end of the following calendar year.
Card benefits and lifetime status policies are subject to change. However, because the loyalty program is currently rolling out, you’re working hard to meet the 10-year Diamond status requirement even if you hold Diamond status as a credit card perk.
Related: How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you
How to achieve the 2nd set of requirements
The second set of requirements — 1,000 nights with Hilton or 2 million basis points — can be more challenging for some travelers.
While paid stays and bonuses count, 1,000 nights of a lifetime with a Hilton is a lot. Let’s say you achieve Diamond status by staying at a Hilton 60 nights per year. In this case, it would take you almost 17 years to reach 1,000 lifetime nights with Hilton. Even if you’re a frequent traveler staying 100 nights with Hilton each year, it’ll still take you a decade to accumulate 1,000 nights for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, earning 2 million basis points isn’t easier for most travelers. You earn 10 basis points per dollar for staying at most Hilton brands. But you can’t earn base points through other means, such as point transfers, milestone bonuses, elite multipliers, and credit card spending. As such, earning 2 million basis points would require you to spend at least $200,000 on Hilton stays.
Related: 12 Ways to Earn More Hilton Honors
bottom line
Don’t expect to get Hilton’s lifetime status without spending a lot of time and money with Hilton Honors Program. With the 10-year Diamond membership requirement and 1,000 Hilton nights or 2 million basis points, most travelers won’t be able to achieve lifetime Hilton Diamond status.
If you’re fiercely loyal to Hilton and show it off with your wallet, you could eventually win Hilton Diamond lifetime elite status. Until then, you can enjoy all the same benefits of Hilton Diamond status for a fraction of the cost by simply opening Hilton Aspire Card. If you’re loyal enough to Hilton to think about lifetime status, this premium credit card deserves a place in your wallet.
Additional reporting by Chris Dong and Kyle Olsen.
