For more than two years now, Hilton has been offering holders of Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards a fast track to Gold status with 2 stays or 4 nights.
Given that Hilton Gold normally requires 20 stays/40 nights/US$7,500 in annual spending, this represents a great shortcut to elite benefits including room upgrades and free breakfast.
The latest iteration of this offer expired on 31 July 2019, and August went by with no updates. For a while it seemed like the plug had been well and truly pulled on this.
But here’s some good news: from 1 Sept 2019 to 31 Dec 2019, the Hilton Gold fast track promotion is back.
The SOP is the same as before. Navigate to the promotion landing page, agree to the T&C, register your eligible Visa Signature or Visa Infinite card, and provide your Hilton account details.
Once you register, you have 90 days to complete your 2 stays or 4 nights. If you’re successful, you’ll get Hilton Gold status for the rest of 2019 and 2020.
To re-qualify for Hilton Gold in 2021, you’ll need to make the usual 20 stays/40 nights/US$7,500 of spend from 1 Jan-31 Dec 2020. All stays must be booked directly with Hilton to qualify (i.e no OTA bookings).
Which cards are eligible for registration?
Any Singapore-issued Visa Signature or Infinite card will be eligible to register for this offer. Here are some entry-level ($30K income requirement) Visa Signature cards you can get:
- Citibank Rewards Visa Signature
- Maybank Horizon Visa Signature
- DBS Altitude Visa Signature
- UOB PRVI Miles Visa Signature
- Citibank PremierMiles Visa Signature
If you open your wallet, you’re bound to find at least one, probably two Visa Signature cards. That’s good, because should you register and fail to meet the fast track requirements, you will not be able to register again with the same card. You can, however, create a new Hilton account and use a different Visa Signature card to register.
Other points to note
Based on past experience, award stays have counted towards the 2 stay/4 night criteria. However, given that Hilton no longer counts award stays under its main status challenge program, I wouldn’t be so confident the same still applies.
If you’re booking a revenue rate, do note that there’s no need to actually use the registered Visa card to book or pay. You can if you want to, but the purpose of the Visa Signature/Infinite card is simply to get your foot in the door for the challenge.
Remember that consecutive nights at the same property booked separately will still be counted as a single stay, so the easiest path towards qualifying would involve either doing a single 4-night stay, or doing two 1-night stays.
Conclusion
Hilton Gold may not be the highest tier in the program, but it is arguably the most useful mid-tier hotel status out there because of the free breakfast and upgrade perks.
If you’re thinking about taking up this status challenge, you should also consider first getting instant Hilton Silver via the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend so that you can earn a bonus 15% points when making your qualifying stays.
You could also consider booking your four night stay through the Citi Prestige, in order to get the fourth night free. Rates booked by the Citi Prestige concierge will qualify for Hilton status credit.
(HT: Georgina)
when does the cycle reset itself? i.e. if I wanted gold for the whole of 2020 and 2021, can I register on 30th Dec and complete the challenge by March 2020? Will that give me the longest time for gold?
just do it and don’t worry. I’ve been a hilton gold member for 2 years now, despite only staying there once this whole year and i’ still have a valid gold member status.
Done and shared with all my FB circle, kam sia for the HT note below! 🙂
I registered before 31/12/18 and completed the challenge in Jan 2019.According to Hilton Honors twitter I am a Gold member until 31/3/2021 and the cycle ends on 31/12/2020
thanks
I just tried using a different Visa Signature card but same Hilton account, and the registration was successful. Does this mean if I meet the 90 days challenge, my Gold status will continue on till March 2021?
Hi,
If i used AMEX Ascend CC Hilton Complimentary one night stay, will it clock as one night stay?
Nope, I tried that and it didn’t work. Customer service said only paid stays
Also take note that this fast track offer does NOT give you Gold during the qualification period. To enjoy Gold, you may want to use a status match offer instead.
if you have done the challenge before, can you do it again?
Dear Aaron
Correct me if I am wrong, the citi prestige is a mastercard elite card not a visa. Does it qualify for this promotion as well?
Thanks!
The card you pay with doesn’t matter. You only need it to registe
Thanks! That’s a very useful hack!
Does the stay at Hilton Garden Inn KL North and Hilton Garden Inn KL South per night still counted as 2 stay to qualify for Gold status?
Can one book Hilton stay on 3rd party website and still enjoy recognition of status?
nope
Thanks Aaron for the quick reply. Previously Gold Circle under Shangri-la do recognize member status even though one book thru’ 3rd website. Now ( I think it was this year onwards), they don’t .
Hi, I have signed up on the 26th July, recently stayed one night. But in the account overview, it still showing 39 nights to retain Gold in 2020. But not 1 stay to retain Gold, any idea?
Will there be a similar promo next year
When does the Hilton Gold entitlement start? After I complete the 4 nights stay? What I am really asking is should I go in and apply for it now or just before I start my hotel stay? The objective is to keep Hilton Gold as long as possible. Thanks.
are you able to track the status of this? i did not receive any confirmation email or update in my account page.
Just completed my 2 stays under this promo during my recent trip to KL. One night in Hilton Garden Inn South and one night at Hilton KL Sentral. The former was….ermm, let’s just say thankfully only needed a 1 night stay there. And if ever I needed to chalk up a 1 night stay again, it wouldn’t be around that location. HH Gold status was updated within a day. Registered for the 2000 bonus points per stay too and that was also reflected within a day.