If you frequently stay at Hilton hotels and resorts, you may wonder what it takes to earn lifetime status.
Interestingly, Hilton Honors only offers lifetime status on the Diamond tier. And since Diamond is the top Hilton elite status level, earning lifetime Diamond status isn’t as easy as you might imagine. However, it is possible.
Here’s what you need to know about earning Hilton Lifetime Diamond status.
How to get Hilton Lifetime Diamond Status
To earn Hilton Lifetime Diamond status, you must earn it Hilton Diamond status for at least 10 years. Years do not have to be consecutive and Hilton earns status by credit card count.
In addition to accumulating at least 10 years as a Diamond Member, you must also meet one of the following milestones to earn Hilton Lifetime Diamond status:
- Complete a total of 1,000 nights (payment and rewards are eligible for investment)
- Earn 2 million base points
If you stay 60 nights a year with Hilton Honors, it will take you about 17 years to reach the 1,000-night milestone. However, qualifying for Hilton Lifetime Diamond through Base Points will not be easy for many members. Finally, when you book an eligible rate at most Hilton Honors properties you earn 10 base points per dollar spent on your room rate and eligible folio charges. Assuming you spend $10,000 at Hilton properties each year (earning 100,000 base points), it would take you 20 years to earn 2 million base points.
Once you’ve held Diamond status for at least 10 years and either stayed 1,000 nights or earned 2 million base points, you’ll receive an email from Hilton Honors notifying you of your milestone and asking you to validate your account information. Then, Hilton will send you a Lifetime Diamond Kit that includes a Lifetime Diamond Membership Card within eight to 12 weeks.
Related: Is It Worth Pursuing Lifetime Elite Status?
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Hilton Diamond Benefits
Hilton Diamond Status Offers a variety of benefits, including:
- 100% bonus when base points are earned
- Complimentary in-room and lobby premium internet access during stays at most Hilton brands
- Two complimentary bottles of water per stay on most Hilton brands
- Fifth Night Free on Standard Room Award Five or more nights (up to four free nights per stay)
- MyWay on-property benefit per investment
- Upgrades to select rooms, including junior, standard and one-bedroom suites, as identified by each property and subject to availability upon arrival when investing in select Hilton brands
Hilton Lifetime Diamond status does not offer benefits different from those offered to Hilton Diamond members. Members must generally meet one of three requirements – 30 stays, 60 nights or 120,000 base points – to earn Hilton Diamond status each calendar year. By holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, it’s also possible to earn Hilton Diamond benefits by spending $40,000 on yourself. Hilton honors the American Express Surpass® Card or The Hilton Owners American Express Business Card in the current or previous calendar year or with Hilton Lifetime Diamond status.
Information for the Hilton Aspire Card is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Reflections on my first year as a Hilton Honors Diamond member
Should You Get Hilton Lifetime Diamond Status?
Whether you should pursue becoming a Lifetime Diamond Member depends on your specific circumstances.
For example, suppose you stay 1,000 nights with Hilton during your lifetime and have earned Hilton Diamond status for eight years. In that case, it might be worth getting Hilton honors the American Express Aspire Card for at least two years to meet the requirement of having held Hilton Diamond status for at least 10 years.
Likewise, if you’ve met the 10-year Diamond requirement and just need a few more nights or base points, it’s worth the effort to earn these nights or base points to secure Hilton Lifetime Diamond status.
But if you’re not well on your way to meeting one or both of the requirements for Hilton Lifetime Diamond status, it’s probably not worth the extra effort. This is especially true if you qualify for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, which allows its cardmembers to enroll in complimentary Hilton Diamond status. Of course, American Express and Hilton may discontinue this card at any time, but for now, it’s the easiest and most cost-effective way to maintain Hilton Diamond status.
RELATED: Which Credit Card Should You Use for a Hilton Stay?
The bottom line
If you’ve traveled extensively and stayed primarily at Hilton Honors properties, you’ve probably earned or earned Hilton Lifetime Diamond status. This lifetime status is helpful because you’ll get higher-level elite benefits even as you travel less often and your annual hotel nights decrease.
However, you can’t rush to get Hilton Lifetime Diamond status because you’ll need at least 10 years as a Diamond member plus 1,000 night stays or 2 million base points. Fortunately for award travelers, both paid and award nights count toward the 1,000-night metric.