Hilton HHonors - Does HHonors benefit the US holders more?

Just asking, no prejudice meant. It's just that I look at all the promotions - mainly credit cards and related promotions it seems increasingly easy for US card holders to get Gold and Diamond status. Whereas this year, as a Brit, I have found it incredibly difficult - no promotions and a weak Pound. If this was a year ago I would have easily qualified as a Diamond already, yet this year I can barely reach Gold. Do we (Brits) count for less in the Hilton business plan? I'm considering whether I should look at other chains for next year (OK, pound won't change but maybe the promotions are better). Do other Europeans find the same? Discuss.

Don't know about the credit cards, but I think its easy to get status simply because there are Hamptons and HGI's all over the US - whereas in UK its just Hilton/Conrad......and some of the UK Hiltons aren't exactly shining examples of good customer service. Hilton also dumped several properties a few years ago in the UK making it even tougher - I know because that year I spent a lot of time in the UK.

In terms of promotions, you had the buy one/get one free night promotion this summer in Europe, ME, and Asia - that certainly wasn't in the US.

Tougher to hit diamond - yes. Promotions - think it just depends on the year/region.

Yes, I think the first bit is right on: if you live in a market without the HH Amex, you have a much harder road to Gold/Diamond than we do in the U.S.

As for how much you count in the business plan, I have no idea. I would think that Europe would be very important to all of the big global chains. The chains definitely want to market a strong presence of good properties there. Therefore, I would also suspect that they'd actively target offers to the people living in those markets as well.

I've always wondered whether the regional European traveler (based in Europe, doing business in Europe) cared as much about elite status or loyalty to one "business" hotel chain as Americans do. As an American, whenever I'm in Europe I try to find local boutique hotels...anything not "cookie cutter". Rare exception would be if I'm using an award (of course). Maybe Hilton and Marriott are more actively pursuing Americans doing business in Europe...I don't know...

In terms of promotions, you had the buy one/get one free night promotion this summer in Europe, ME, and Asia - that certainly wasn't in the US.
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That's a strange one because financially the BOGOF deal means I spend less, making it even harder still to get the base points to qualify! Great if you're on personal travel, bad if on business travel. I've had 12 nights recently under that promotion that were business travel - if they had not been 'get one free' I'd have renewed Gold again.


QUOTE "I've always wondered whether the regional European traveler (based in Europe, doing business in Europe) cared as much about elite status or loyalty to one "business" hotel chain as Americans do. As an American, whenever I'm in Europe I try to find local boutique hotels...anything not "cookie cutter". Rare exception would be if I'm using an award (of course). Maybe Hilton and Marriott are more actively pursuing Americans doing business in Europe...I don't know..."

- On a personal travel level the upgrades and breakfast have saved me the equivalent of several hundred dollars this year, whilst on business travel the lounge access and upgrades make the travel less of a chore. So status is worthwhile to me on that basis as a European. The problem is that Hiltons in Europe can be hit'n'miss - which is why I'm not looking at alternatives as it looks like the current exchange rates are here to stay for a while.

In my opinion is much easier for US residents to get HHonors Gold or Diamond status, not only for the high number of low fare properties (Hamptons or Hilton Garden Inns) but mainly for the HH Amex credit cards and its almost unlimited bonus. Living in Italy I only hold a standard Gold Amex and with the membership rewards program I can only obtain 1 HH point each euro spent: not such a big deal compared to US, UK, Germany or Japan Amex cards.
This year I obtained the HH Diamond status the hard way, notwithstanding these bad times, but I am looking around for a status match in order to find a program with better bonuses and offers (HHonors promotions are really poor!). Any suggestion?

US-based airline and hotel loyalty program providers generally have US customers as their primary focus so it is not a surprise if promotions and cost of status qualification/re-qualification seem to be often better in the US and/or for US customers than for many/most foreign customers. There are exceptions too within some programs and amongst the programs that can lead to foreign customers having better benefits and/or even sometimes cheaper status qualification/re-qualification.

It may be easier to qualify in the US because of the larger number of properties and various credit card offers but the benefits of being Gold or Diamond are very useful outside the US. I have found lounges at non US Hiltons ( and other chains) to be in general far superior to US lounges in food quality selection and complimentary adult beverages.

If you live and work in Europe there are far less chances to get Gold or more with Hilton, but it's only because of the credit cards... In Europe it's 10 times harder to have an European-wise HH AMEX card, so volumes might not make it worthwhile. We have to settle for point bonuses or 2-in-1 offers...