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Consolidated "Lifetime Diamond - Experiences, Questions, Is It Worth It?" thread

Old Dec 16, 2014, 2:26 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
Lifetime Diamond Status with HHonors is now reality. ^

More recent information posted by Lauren (Hilton Honors Representative) reflects changes in the Honors Lifetime Diamond qualifying criteria:

Originally Posted by HonorsRepresentative
Hi all,

A few months ago, we received some great feedback in the Q&A thread with our VP of Hilton HHonors, Aaron Glick. While the team explores a number of initiatives, one area that we could change quickly was our Lifetime Diamond qualifications. As of January 2017, we will grant Lifetime Diamond to all members who have met the following criteria:

Members who have maintained Diamond status for at least 10 years (years do not need to be consecutive)

AND

Have stayed at least 1,000 nights - either paid or reward (as you may know, only paid nights were eligible before)

OR

Have accumulated 2 million Base Points since joining the Hilton HHonors program (this is a new feature to enable more members to enjoy Lifetime Diamond status; also as a reminder, only Base Points are eligible...Bonus Points earned via promotions, co-brand credit cards, or other means do not count towards status)


So now, there will be essentially two ways you can qualify for Lifetime Diamond:
1. 10 years at Diamond with Hilton HHonors + 1,000 nights (including paid and reward)
2. 10 years at Diamond + 2 million cumulative Base Points

An email notification will go out in February to members who have qualified for Lifetime Diamond as of December 31, 2016. If you want a sneak peek to find out if you will qualify, you can contact the Diamond Desk and the team will be happy to help.

Please reach out with any questions or comments, and Ill be sure to share them directly with Aaron and team.

Thank you!
Lauren
Previous:

Details for the first inductees were announced on the 11th Feb. 2015. Erin (HHonors Rep here on FT) posted the announcement shortly before the emails were sent out to members on the same day.

Originally Posted by HHonorsRepresentative
Hi all,

Thanks for your patience as I gathered more details on our Lifetime Diamond rollout. As were in the New Year, I have some additional details to share with you.

Initially, Lifetime Diamond Status will go to a select group of members who met all of the following criteria as of December 31, 2014:
  • Have maintained Diamond Status for at least 10 years (consecutive or concurrent) and
  • Completed paid stays totaling at least 1,000 nights
Members that met this criteria as of December 31, 2014 will be notified via email and receive their Lifetime Diamond Status in the mail at the physical address on their account at the end of February. Members that meet Lifetime Diamond Status criteria in the middle of the year will receive Lifetime Diamond Status at the beginning of the following year.

Please note that we are in early stages of this benefit, which means that elements of this offering may evolve and may change over time. As I hear of any updates, I will be sure to share those here.

As always, your input is truly valued and we welcome your thoughts and feedback during this launch period. Were here and listening!

Thanks,
Erin
[B]Initially, Lifetime Diamond Status will go to a select group of members who met all of the following criteria as of December 31, 2014:

All paid stays count not just the paid stays during the years a member is a Hilton HHonors diamond.

As more information becomes available it will be added here. Should you have any updates please post them in the thread or in this wiki to keep the most pertinent info quickly available to those interested.



For those interested, the development unfolded as follows:

Erin, the HHonors rep on FT posted the following on 16/12/2014: (after some eagle eyed attention by adambrock from an email sent out by Hilton and which he thankfully posted here on FT: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...tus-email.html Kudos to adambrock for noticing and sharing it with the community. ^)

HHonorsRepresentative (Erin) wrote in that thread:

In 2015, HHonors will begin introducing Lifetime Diamond Status! As you may know, were always looking for new ways to reward you and we take into consideration your feedback on ways to recognize our most loyal members. Over the past several years, weve heard from you that Lifetime Diamond Status is important to you and Im thrilled to announce that we will be inviting some of our most tenured Diamond members into this status.

Ill have more details for you in early 2015 and I understand our first Lifetime Diamond members will receive their invitations in the early part of 2015. At this time, this is all the information I have on Lifetime Diamond Status, but I will do my best to keep you all updated as I hear more!




levman wrote in a post on Jan 24:

The best source of info I've found is the email address [email protected]. It seems to be staffed with people dedicated to the Lifetime Diamond program.
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Consolidated "Lifetime Diamond - Experiences, Questions, Is It Worth It?" thread

Old Oct 27, 2016, 12:08 pm
  #796  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: HH D
Posts: 1,628
Originally Posted by sdsearch
Lifetime status (at other programs) does not give you a "leg up" towards higher annual status.

Ie, if LIfetime status is mid-tier, to get annual top-tier status you have to start from 0 then do the number of night or stays or points annually that everyone else (without any Lifetime status) would. You don't start with however nights it takes to get to mid-tier and add the difference in nights.
Did not mean it that way. My suggestion was: allow people to become lifetime gold after a certain amount (500) of nights and years (10). If they would want to become Diamond, they would still have to pass the 30 stays / 60 nights / 120k points hurdle.

I don't see what bad this could do to Hilton revenue. Using a 48 euro / $52 usd German credit card, I'm lifetime Gold too, for the life of my credit card, without having to spend a single night. But I'm nights in bed Diamond for 7 years in a row now.
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Old Oct 27, 2016, 1:57 pm
  #797  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,816
1,000 paid nights is too high (almost 3 years!) With few exceptions (hello PtF) the only ones qualifying will be Mon- Fri US domestic road warriors, who are probably not staying at the most expensive HH properties all the time. Brand loyalists who travel internationally are disadvantaged considerably.

Last edited by pauleeepaul; Oct 27, 2016 at 2:03 pm
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Old Oct 28, 2016, 12:06 am
  #798  
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: CONUS
Programs: HHonors, United, Delta
Posts: 827
I rarely would "complain" about what a company chooses to set their bar at. But from a practical standpoint, if Lifetime Diamond is an INCENTIVE to make me spend more money with the chain, then setting the bar too high or too high in relation to competitors means their program isn't optimized to incentivize me.

I have 10 years of Diamond (stays, not any CC spend). I have a million or so points in my account. I have maybe 600 nights. I'd like to keep my business loyal to Hilton for the rest of my career, as well as the fun travel I plan on when I retire.

BUT, if I see that it'll take another decade to get there, vs. jump ship (even after all I've invested) with a status match to some competitor brand with a lower Lifetime reward... then the incentive isn't gated correctly for Hilton to retain me and people in my position.

So, I understand and will accept that the bar is too high for me - and potentially may go elsewhere. Which is the end result anyway: if I DON'T make LD by the time I retire, there is zero reason to have brand loyalty - for my active retiree spend on world travel, I'll go with whatever brand gives best experience and value at that time.

So, uh, Hilton - give me a reason to stick around.

Even offering Lifetime Gold for someone that's been D for a decade (and perhaps some other qualifications sprinkled in) seems a reasonable scheme to retain customers in my strata's business.

TDM (who wants LD, wants to spend money at Hiltons in retirement, but can't see another decade at this travel pace to achieve another 400 nights.)
Friendly Traveling Deathmerchant is offline  
Old Oct 28, 2016, 2:47 am
  #799  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Programs: BAEC Gold [>20k Lifetime TPs] | Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond [as is Mrs PtF] | Various Others
Posts: 6,156
Originally Posted by pauleeepaul

1,000 paid nights is too high (almost 3 years!) With few exceptions (hello PtF)
At the risk of rubbing salt into the wounds - as of January 2017, also Mrs PtF.

The world's first husband and wife HHonors Lifetime Diamond members?
Phil the Flyer is offline  
Old Oct 28, 2016, 8:59 am
  #800  
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,452
Originally Posted by Phil the Flyer
At the risk of rubbing salt into the wounds - as of January 2017, also Mrs PtF.

The world's first husband and wife HHonors Lifetime Diamond members?
I don't think so. I met a US couple recently who proclaimed such a privilege. Impossible to verify however.

Awful lot of people over there who seem to live in one of the long-stay brands.
hugolover is offline  
Old Oct 28, 2016, 9:58 am
  #801  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,845
Originally Posted by Phil the Flyer
At the risk of rubbing salt into the wounds - as of January 2017, also Mrs PtF.

The world's first husband and wife HHonors Lifetime Diamond members?
Nope. Some of us have achieved that already via Mutual Fund.
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Old Oct 28, 2016, 11:58 am
  #802  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: HH Lifetime Diamond, 20 years
Posts: 463
Yes, years ago shared accounts were allowed with shared status. The ability to have shared accounts was canceled. Existing shared accounts are grandfathered in the program. So could be many husband/wife LTD's because shared accounts have the ability to earn stays at twice the rate of individual accounts.
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 6:04 pm
  #803  
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Vancouver
Programs: CX DM, SQ TPP, QF GO LIFE, OZ*G LIFE, Marriott TIT LIFE, WOH GLOBALIST LIFE, HH DM, BA GO LIFE
Posts: 598
HHonors Lifetime Diamond

When Hilton HHonors introduced its Lifetime Diamond level, I was expecting the smart guys are Hilton to reward members who have a high base points earnings given other Programmes out there are moving to revenue based model.

Instead, the not so smart Hilton folks came up with something ridiculous: 1,000 nights over 10 years for which I could occupy the cheapest Hampton Inn stay and get rewarded with the Lifetime Diamond status.

This has inturn pissed off members that have spent big on base points at higher end chains like Conrad and Waldorf-Astoria.

Folks at Hilton's HHonors, time to relook your Lifetime Diamond criteria and start thinking about the revenue model for rewarding your high loyal spenders.
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 6:16 pm
  #804  
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,749
See similar complaints in a thread started last week here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...-changing.html

See also:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...fications.html
jerry a. laska is offline  
Old Oct 30, 2016, 6:16 pm
  #805  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Cle
Posts: 572
Nonsense

The revenue model does not make sense. The benefits vary by chain and location. If status is earned at one brand, chances are that is where the
client will stay in the future. If you travel to Moline--no Conrad s0 should you be punished???

Expense accounts and their users may be out of touch with the real world.
Diamond has limited use at most brands.

Last edited by trk1; Oct 30, 2016 at 6:17 pm Reason: spell check changed intended words
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 6:53 pm
  #806  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
I think the requirement is just fine.
I've been a HHonors member since 1987 - I've been a diamond for 18 years.
As lifetime hotel status was never in play, I had always stayed at Hilton's and Marriott's to keep status in both and to take advantage of special offers.
I am told (Why in the world do we have to ask via email??) I have 950 Paid nights with HHonors. I've also been told I had been given "legacy" status some time ago which meant I had been 4 year extensions on my Diamond status - no big deal as I always made it anyway.
When they first announced Lifetime Diamond and I was not included, I was initially put off. I quickly got over it as I'm going to make it before I retire which is all that really matters.
The Only thing that would really matter is making Diamond something special, just not a level marginally higher than Gold and a bottle of water.
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 7:27 pm
  #807  
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I'll have my 1000 paid nights by the end of next year. I will have the 10 years of Diamond sometime next year too. March 2015 I was at 7.9 years of Diamond.
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 7:35 pm
  #808  
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Vancouver
Programs: CX DM, SQ TPP, QF GO LIFE, OZ*G LIFE, Marriott TIT LIFE, WOH GLOBALIST LIFE, HH DM, BA GO LIFE
Posts: 598
The not so smart HHonors team has missed the mark with their lifetime Diamond qualification criteria.

Talk about opening the door to obtaining this tier by booking stays at the lowest priced hotels within the group to obtain the nights rather than revenue (which is what they should be focusing on).

They just need to see what the smart guys at Hyatt are doing to increase their revenue from the HHonors members and rewarding them for their loyalty.

For example, Hyatt allows you to earn points by dining and taking spa treatments even without staying at the property. All these spend allows for base points accrual and counts towards their Lifetime Diamond (soon to be Globalist).

I for one patronise Hyatt for dining and spa in the city that I live without having to stay. Here, I am giving Hyatt a good portion of revenue that would otherwise not be spent by their loyal member.

HHonors, you have the base points mechanism in place so what you need is some smart thinking and reward your high spenders especially in times when revenue is important.

Let's discuss this further!
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 8:00 pm
  #809  
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Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,898
Originally Posted by 380Flyer
The not so smart HHonors team has missed the mark with their lifetime Diamond qualification criteria.

Talk about opening the door to obtaining this tier by booking stays at the lowest priced hotels within the group to obtain the nights rather than revenue (which is what they should be focusing on).

They just need to see what the smart guys at Hyatt are doing to increase their revenue from the HHonors members and rewarding them for their loyalty.

For example, Hyatt allows you to earn points by dining and taking spa treatments even without staying at the property. All these spend allows for base points accrual and counts towards their Lifetime Diamond (soon to be Globalist).

I for one patronise Hyatt for dining and spa in the city that I live without having to stay. Here, I am giving Hyatt a good portion of revenue that would otherwise not be spent by their loyal member.

HHonors, you have the base points mechanism in place so what you need is some smart thinking and reward your high spenders especially in times when revenue is important.

Let's discuss this further!
What's wrong with staying at the lower end brands and getting recognition for loyalty. Lots of companies won't pay for the high end brands. And a lot of places we go there are no high end brands. We should be punished and shut out of lifetime because of where we go and company policies? So, would you be ok with an either 1000 nights or some amount of spend plus the 10 years as Diamond? Let's see, 10 x 120,000= 1.2 Million base points. Which would be 10 years of Diamond level base points if you qualify that way. Kind of low compared to the Marriott 2M points. (disclaimer, don't know what Marriott counts as points). So maybe 1000 paid nights or 1.2M base points and 10 years of Diamond. Us 1000 paid night people are no less loyal, and maybe more loyal that big spenders. I think my 130-160 nights in Hampton Inns and Hilton Garden Inns is pretty darn loyal and I should be rewarded when I hit 1000 paid nights and 10 years. Big spenders could hit that 1.2M base points in a MUCH shorter amount of time. All that tells me is you spend a lot of money and does not prove loyalty to a brand for a lifetime status. More and more airlines reward spend for annual benefits but lifetime is still based on putting your butt in a seat for so many miles on their metal. And I easily qualify on both nights and base points staying at those lower end brands for my Diamond status. Am I not loyal?
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Old Oct 30, 2016, 8:10 pm
  #810  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BNA/SAN
Programs: DL PM 1.5 MM , Hilton Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 754
Originally Posted by Friendly Traveling Deathmerchant
But from a practical standpoint, if Lifetime Diamond is an INCENTIVE to make me spend more money with the chain, then setting the bar too high or too high in relation to competitors means their program isn't optimized to incentivize me.
Agree. I know this current program works for some but it does come down to an individual decision on what is best for each individual.

Starting on my second career too late in life I have already accepted that I'll never make LF Diamond with Hilton. If they opened up other tiers like Marriott does with the LF Silver, Gold, and Plat I would probably stay exclusive with them. As it is now, I split between going for Hilton Diamond and Marriott Gold. Starting next year I'll probably go for Marriott Plat and Hilton Gold.
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