Hilton rolling tier qualifications on the way out

[oz_mark]

Hilton HHonors® - HHonors® Terms & Conditions

Effective January 1, 2009, members may earn a higher VIP status when their stays, nights or Base points within a calendar year qualify the member for the next tier. Prior to January 1, 2009, members can earn and maintain VIP tier status based on stays, nights, or Base points in any rolling 12-month consecutive period. Members must re-qualify for VIP status each year.

 

[Mal]

Someone hinted about this at Flyertalk about a month ago.

Basically the rolling tier is too confusing for everyone (including the CSR's), so it's going.

I didn't mind it, and could kinda work out where I should have been status wise!

 

[drron]

I will miss it.Trying to juggle HH and SPG meant it was good to have a variable target with one of them.Back to the drawing board.

 

[simongr]

Strangely my status has been extended to March 2010. I have 300K+ base points in the past 12 months and just had a couple of paid and award stays - but I thought it should only have been extended by 14 months.

I am fairly happy with that and subject to what other changes I have this year might need to get a status match...

 

[JohnK]

I am going to miss my HH Gold status. I hope they have more promotions like Hilton racing to assist in getting HH Gold status....

 

[oz_mark]

Strangely my status has been extended to March 2010. I have 300K+ base points in the past 12 months and just had a couple of paid and award stays - but I thought it should only have been extended by 14 months.

I'd say a transitional thing as they move back to the old system. Also imagine that any further stays this year won't be of much benefit in extending it any further.

 

[serfty]

I am going to miss my HH Gold status. I hope they have more promotions like Hilton racing to assist in getting HH Gold status....

Yes, it's hard to maintain HH status in Oz/NZ without spending KiloBucks ..

... gaining/maintain status becomes a lot easier in the US with Hampton Inns et al being much less expensive for stays ...

 

[oz_mark]

Yes, it's hard to maintain HH status in Oz/NZ with spending KiloBucks ..

Hence I don't really ever expect to get off Silver. (unless something happens like I gain employment driven by staying in Hilton's)

 

[simongr]

Iguess spending the odd week here and there in NY Hiltons and the Conrad in HKG makes qualification a little easier.

I have really enjoyed the Diamond status benefits - late notice bookings and the fairly cheap awards and great earn rates (double dipping and being diamond I get 20 points per US$ spent - which is pretty hefty).

I would like to switch to Starwood as the status benefits seem much better and I don't forsee the need for many more free stays in Hiltons for a little while.

S

 

[straitman]

Iguess spending the odd week here and there in NY Hiltons and the Conrad in HKG makes qualification a little easier.

I have really enjoyed the Diamond status benefits - late notice bookings and the fairly cheap awards and great earn rates (double dipping and being diamond I get 20 points per US$ spent - which is pretty hefty).

I would like to switch to Starwood as the status benefits seem much better and I don't forsee the need for many more free stays in Hiltons for a little while.

S

A lot of folk are now with Hilton as the availability of Starwood in Oz/NZ effectively dried up a few years ago when they sold most of their properties.

 

[drron]

Iguess spending the odd week here and there in NY Hiltons and the Conrad in HKG makes qualification a little easier.

I have really enjoyed the Diamond status benefits - late notice bookings and the fairly cheap awards and great earn rates (double dipping and being diamond I get 20 points per US$ spent - which is pretty hefty).

I would like to switch to Starwood as the status benefits seem much better and I don't forsee the need for many more free stays in Hiltons for a little while.

S

I made the status match earlier this year.No problems doing it,I did wait about 10 days with on reply and pmed Lurker2 on the FT site and got my confirmation the next day.I must say I am enjoying the recognition at SPG.If I cant keep top tier in both programs I will probably go with SPG-then again I am guaranteed gold with hhonors for the next 20 years.

 

[straitman]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

Only have Hilton Gold status until March 2009 and I cannot see how I can extend this any further even with another Hilton Racing promotion....

I believe that my Gold runs out Apr 2009 but I can't get an answer from HHonors about how they are working forward to the fixed year system. I may only need 2 more stays or I may need 6 more stays. They simply don't answer that question.

 

[simongr]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

I am still peeved that I have something like 170K base points for the past twelve months - and that will all evaporate soon.

I assume I am Diamond until March 2010 but really have no idea...

Mind you looking at my base points for the calendar year:

Description                Amount    Date
Base Points - Hilton London Heathrow   3,269     01-Aug-2008
Base Points - The Waldorf Hilton       4,038     23-Jul-08
Base Points - The Waldorf=Astoria      5,482     16-Jul-08
Base Points - Conrad Hong Kong         7,042     11-Jul-08
Base Points - Conrad Hong Kong        33,853     15-Mar-08
Base Points - Doubletree Metroplitan   6,115     13-Mar-08
Base Points - Conrad Hong Kong        13,848     26-Feb-08
Base Points - Hilton Shanghai         13,212     19-Feb-2008

I am at only 87K base points - but probably another 18K to post for the year - who knows what this will get me...

 

[Keith009]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

WIll most likely lose Gold in April 2009 so would be looking out here for tips to keep it. Don't stay at HH hotels much but the Hilton Shinjuku is a regular haunt when I visit the Tokyo and I have found the Executive club benes for Golds there v handy.

 

[QF WP]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

I am still peeved that I have something like 170K base points for the past twelve months - and that will all evaporate soon.

Like most others, I am unsure how they are going to easily extract themselves from the rolling 12 month option - have they actually advised us - other than on the web site??

I assume I am Diamond until March 2010 but really have no idea...

Doesn't your Diamond card tell you? Alternatively, this HHonors page seems to advise:

Earning Tier Status
Effective January 1, 2009, members can earn and maintain VIP tier status based on stays, nights, or Base points earned in any calendar year. A "calendar year" is understood to mean January 1st through - December 31st of each year. Members must re-qualify for VIP status each calendar year.

Moving to a Higher VIP Tier
Effective January 1, 2009, members may earn a higher VIP status when their stays, nights or Base points within a calendar year qualify the member for the next tier. Prior to January 1, 2009, members can earn and maintain VIP tier status based on stays, nights, or Base points in any rolling 12-month consecutive period. Members must re-qualify for VIP status each year.

Maintaining Your VIP Tier
Once the Member has reached a certain VIP tier, the Member may keep such status for the calendar year in which the VIP tier was earned and the subsequent calendar year. Documentation (as defined in item #17 of Accrual of Points) must be furnished within 90 days of stay in order to count toward tier-level qualification.

Your reward stays count toward VIP tier qualification. And HHonors VIP members will receive the VIP point bonus on Base points earned for incidental spending during HHonors hotel reward stays. It all adds up to putting you on a faster track to enjoying exclusive VIP privileges!

So doesn't that mean 31 December 2009 for you, or later if they are going to honour any (later) date on your card.

Mind you looking at my base points for the calendar year...I am at only 87K base points - but probably another 18K to post for the year - who knows what this will get me...

I'd love to have your problem, simongr . Care to swap with me?

 

[Mal]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

Like most others, I am unsure how they are going to easily extract themselves from the rolling 12 month option - have they actually advised us - other than on the web site??

I received an email a few days ago:

We’ve simplified how to upgrade your VIP status.

Dear X XX,
Hilton HHonors® Account: X

We’re continually improving the only guest loyalty programme to offer Points & Miles® for the same stay and No Blackout Dates, and want to let you know that, in response to member feedback, future tier upgrades will be based on activity during a calendar year.

Beginning 1 January 2009, stays will no longer be tallied during a rolling 12-month period. Instead, each calendar year, your nights, stays or points will begin anew to count towards a status upgrade.

Please note that the requirements for reaching VIP tiers aren’t changing, simply the period of time when we evaluate your activity. Just like before, you can earn a higher VIP tier by meeting these requirements:

Silver VIP. 4 qualifying stays or 10 qualifying nights.
Gold VIP. 16 qualifying stays, 36 qualifying nights or 60,000 Base points.
Diamond VIP. 28 qualifying stays, 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 Base points.

Any time you merit a higher VIP status before the end of the calendar year, you’ll receive a new membership card reflecting your new VIP tier in the mail within a few weeks.

We enjoy hosting you, and hope you’ll choose to stay at a Hilton Family hotel again soon.

Best regards,


Adam Burke
Senior Vice President, Customer Loyalty
Hilton Hotels Corporation
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[oz_mark]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

I am still peeved that I have something like 170K base points for the past twelve months - and that will all evaporate soon.

I assume I am Diamond until March 2010 but really have no idea...

Mind you looking at my base points for the calendar year:
I am at only 87K base points - but probably another 18K to post for the year - who knows what this will get me...

You could order a new card and see what it says about your expiry

 

[straitman]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

You could order a new card and see what it says about your expiry

Excellent idea.

For some reason I had not thought to do that.

 

[simongr]

Re: Ways to Fast Track to Hhonors Gold?

Doesn't your Diamond card tell you? Alternatively, this HHonors page seems to advise:


So doesn't that mean 31 December 2009 for you, or later if they are going to honour any (later) date on your card.

My card says March 2009. A new one has not been issued since I made Diamond.

The problem I have is that if I don't hit 100K base points by the end of this year I think I will drop to Gold from 1 Jan 09.

If the program had not changed then I think based on the March after the year in which you qualify rule that they used to have I would be Diamond until 2010.

You could order a new card and see what it says about your expiry

Good idea - done and done

One of the best benefits about being Diamond is being able to call on a Monday and pretty much guarantee a room on Saturday - using points

 

[serfty]

My card says August 2009.

Before they blocked the VIP tier wizard it was apparent that a stay would trigger an analysis of your tier.

It seemed to me that ANY stay posting on/after August this that put or kept one at a certain level (stay/night/points) would extend that status until March 31st 2010.

I saw this for my account after a stay posted around that time.

• End of Rolling VIP Tier Qualification

Mine was end of August 2009 until I had a stay on 2nd August post.

After that stay posted it changed to Mar 31 2010.

It was actually my "19th" stay since August '07 (18th since October '07), so no tier tickover there.

Read a bit further down from that part of the FT thread.