Major Hilton tier changes coming - new Diamond Reserve tier, others downgraded

[justinbrett]

From FT:
Two new tiers: Diamond Reserve and The Honors Society (invite-only)
New benefit: confirmable upgrade reward
Diamond Reserve requires 80 nights and $18,000 spend
All existing tiers' requirements to drop by 30%, e.g. Diamond will only require 42 nights or 21 stays

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hilton-honors/2206774-incoming-changes-new-tiers-lower-qualification-criteria.html

Loyalty Lobby:

https://loyaltylobby.com/2025/11/07/hilton-program-refresh-coming-new-diamond-reserve-tier-additional-milestone-rewards/

Most expect benefits to drop along with the requirements - so effectively Diamond is the new Gold. If Diamond lose lounges access, I think I’m done with this chain.

 

[oz_mark]

Diamond Reserve requires 80 nights and $18,000 spend

I wouldn't be so negative:

If that 'and' is correct, I would expect the numbers at this level to be relatively low
I'll take a stab and suggest the lower requirements may just be for one year (42 and 21 are strange numbers to go forward with, but a promotional 30% drop, well, maybe)
'Diamond Reserve' is a name that probably only offer small benefits over and above 'Diamond'.

Anyhoo, nothing confirmed, so we wait an see

 

[justinbrett]

I wouldn't be so negative:

If that 'and' is correct, I would expect the numbers at this level to be relatively low
I'll take a stab and suggest the lower requirements may just be for one year (42 and 21 are strange numbers to go forward with, but a promotional 30% drop, well, maybe)
'Diamond Reserve' is a name that probably only offer small benefits over and above 'Diamond'.

Anyhoo, nothing confirmed, so we wait an see

Just as good as confirmed - if you follow the links above it's already coded in their website

Yes the numbers of Diamond Reserve will be low, but the numbers of Gold and Diamonds will increase - and you can see in the US Diamond is already devalued from the numbers of people there via credit cards. Some are tipping the breakfast will start at Diamond but will go back to being a full breakfast rather than a F&B credit. Either way, I can't see Hilton maintaining benefits for a 30% discount, and even if they do, it's already at breaking point. If everybody is special, nobody is special.

 

[oz_mark]

Hilton playing along

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[ozstamps]

Bummer. A year of Diamond ahead that doe not look as great.

 

[justinbrett]

Bummer. A year of Diamond ahead that doe not look as great.

I think next year will be OK - I don't think there will be any changes for tiers this year, reflecting next year's status; rather I'd expect 2026 to be the year with the new thresholds, earning status for 2027.

For any negative changes, I think they won't start until 2027, but any positive ones will probably start next year. There would be a lot of negative PR if they downgraded benefits for 2026 after everyone requalified the old (harder) way. They're going to sell this as a positive change for sure.

At the end of the day, currently you need 40 nights for Gold, next year it will be 42 nights for Diamond. Won't change much in the US as status is pretty much useless there, but I think that will just spread to the rest of the world.

 

[justinbrett]

Details are out. Some of the leaked details were not entirely correct but pretty close.

Gold 25 nights or 15 stays, Diamond 50 nights or 25 stays, Diamond Reserve 80 nights or 40 stays AND US$18K spend

No more rollover nights after this year.

Homewood Suites and Spark will now only earn 5 points per USD.

Doesn’t seem to be any significant changes to Gold and Diamond (still free breakfast and lounge access respectively). Main benefits of Diamond Reserve are guaranteed 4pm late checkout (seemingly not subject to availability) and confirmable upgrade awards. Also access to Premium Clubs. Seems some suggestion some Exec Lounges could transition to Premium Clubs to keep out the riff raff.

https://www.hilton.com/en/p/hilton-honors/tier-updates/#diamond-reserve

 

[Sabot]

This is hilarious, can you imagine how bad the lounges are going to be now?

 

[I love to travel]

This is hilarious, can you imagine how bad the lounges are going to be now?

I think the lounge kicker is coming in 2027 - no more standard access for Diamonds will be the end goal. The concept of what is a premium lounge will become larger. ATM things like Conrad Washiington DC should be included, then it will expand to all Conrads, all Hiltons etc,,,,

 

[justinbrett]

I think the lounge kicker is coming in 2027 - no more standard access for Diamonds will be the end goal. The concept of what is a premium lounge will become larger. ATM things like Conrad Washiington DC should be included, then it will expand to all Conrads, all Hiltons etc,,,,

Yep. Expect a “we’ve listened to your feedback” email, with benefits restricted.

 

[moa999]

Interesting.
Presumably no CCs will provide Diamond Reserve, and the spend requirement will rule out many mattress runners.

I'm somewhat surprised that they didn't follow IHG and split off lounge access to a separate requirement.

 

[justinbrett]

I'm somewhat surprised that they didn't follow IHG and split off lounge access to a separate requirement.

More changes will come. They have to.

You can’t just give lounge access to even more people and expect hotel owners to suck it up.

IMO there will either be further restrictions to lounge access, or there will be even more ELs closing, being downsized or converted to cash bars.

The same goes for breakfasts - the ones currently giving out hot breakfasts might now start enforcing continental only.