fromYXU

That is the question that remains unanswered, until we know from HH I suggest that you do not assume status until 2007.

BigLar

Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but as I see it the only people who will get a boost are those who missed it by a bit last year. Remember, you still need your 28 stays/60 nights in a 12-month period. They've just changed it from a fixed starting point to a moving one. For the rest of us, there's no real change.

We'll just have to plan our stays a bit more carefully, and we have a little more flexibility, but I don't think there'll be a tremendous influx of new diamonds. Certainly not so many that Hilton will be forced to up the award levels again.

For myself (who made Diamond last year on a challenge), it's good to have some stays "in the bank". I had already resolved to go through the effort to re-qualify again this year (hey -- that's what loyalty programs are all about, right?), but now my task may be a bit easier.

Would still like to know how long the status period is, though. A year from re-qual? When will this be nailed down?

For the forseeable future -- about two stays a month and I get to be perpetual Diamond. They've bought me.

Award stays at The Cavalieri and the Hilton Paris Tower didn't hurt, either.

smooth

I agree with Jailer 100%. This new program will be of benefit to people who are aspiring to move to the next level in 2005: i.e. Silver to Gold; Gold to Diamond. The rolling program gives these folks a little extra time to obtain this higher level for the remainder of 2005. But for those who are already Diamonds in 2005, the program seems to be useless.
Eventually, Hilton will re-write the T & C of this new program to make it more clear that "there is no free ride" and no Pollyana (using Jailer's words). And yes, a lot of folks are going to be disappointed. So prepare yourself.

pdhenry

Heck, after last year I'm dropping to tinfoil level in a few short months...

ozstamps

I am curious that emails went out to ozzies 14 hours back, but not to all US members it seems?:


A New Way to Earn Hilton HHonors VIP Status

Great news! Now Hilton HHonors allows you to carry over stays from the prior calendar year to help you achieve HHonors VIP status. Starting now, you can earn or maintain your VIP status based on qualifying stays, nights or Base points earned in a rolling 12 month consecutive period. Other hotel reward programs only count earnings within a calendar year (January 1 through December 31). Only Hilton HHonors gives you the ability to reach the next VIP tier based on your own personal travel pattern. For details on HHonors membership levels, click here.

How Close Is Your Next HHonors VIP Tier?

If you’d like to see how close you are to reaching your next tier level, please sign in to your HHonors account online and check out the new
Rolling VIP Tier Upgrade chart.

Hilton HHonors Your Way

Remember, only Hilton HHonors lets you Double Dip® your way at any of
more than 2,700 Hilton®, Conrad®, Coral by Hilton, Doubletree®,
Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®,
Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations Club®, Homewood Suites
by Hilton® and Scandic hotels worldwide. Plus you can earn airline miles
with any of more than 55 airline partners. For reservations or to access
your HHonors account, visit Hiltonfamily.com.

We look forward to welcoming you to a Hilton Family hotel soon!

Sincerely,


Mary E. Parks
Vice President, Marketing
Hilton HHonors Worldwide

Kiwi Flyer

Not to this NZ member either. But then as others mention not much benefit if you are already diamond so maybe HH didnt bother sending. Anyway, the link to check how many to requalify certainly appears when logged in.

Westcoaster

I'm a Diamond and I got the e-mail today. So did a friend who is Silver. I'm not yet convinced that Diamonds aren't going to benefit from this. If one more stay gets my status extended to 12/31/06, that's a benefit. Have to wait and see.

kanerf

My rolling requalification says that I have to complete a single stay to maintain Diamond:

1 more qualifying nights before the end of April 2005, or
2 more qualifying nights before the end of May 2005, or
8 more qualifying nights before the end of June 2005, or
9 more qualifying nights before the end of July 2005, or
37 more qualifying nights before the end of August 2005, or
38 more qualifying nights before the end of September 2005, or
43 more qualifying nights before the end of October 2005, or
53 more qualifying nights before the end of November 2005, or
55 more qualifying nights before the end of December 2005, or
56 more qualifying nights before the end of January 2006, or
60 more qualifying nights before the end of February 2006

I have a two night stay booked in Kansas City during April, so we shall see. I might do a cheapie stay before that just to see what happens. It would be nice if Hilton posted Diamond Expiration Date for your account so that we would know for certain.

HappyTrekker

The e-mail notice of this new feature came in this evening. I guess they are starting to notify everyone in the US, if they haven't already?

MIKEM

There is a change in the Membership Levels section. No longer does it say anything about a calandar year.

Diamond VIP Membership

To Qualify: During any consecutive 12-month period you'll need to complete 28 qualifying* stays or 60 qualifying* nights at participating HHonors hotels. At Scandic hotels, only qualifying nights and HHonors Base point earnings count toward VIP status.
HHonors Base point you earn helps to qualify you for VIP status. You'll earn Diamond VIP status after earning 100,000 Base points in any consecutive 12-month period. Of course, you can still qualify based on your number of qualifying stays or nights.


The expiration of the status still remains a question.

pdhenry

The reference to "calendar year" appears at the beginning of the "Membership Tiers" section.

dmitzel

This is good information on how many nights/stays/credits you need to move up to the next tier, but what about how many to maintain my current status? I was comped HHonors Gold based upon my Amtrak Select Rewards status over a year ago, but now only have enough (2004) calendar year stays for Silver. Based upon my rolling calculations from May 2004 through April of this year, when my Gold status should expire, I should remain Silver as well. However, I can't find a link anywhere that tells me how many nights I need to maintain Gold status.

Anyone know where to find it (a link), or am I to expect that the absence of one indicates my comp to Gold will remain in effect through 2005? I'm still an Amtrak Rewards member, as well as a 2004 NWA Plat (dropping to NWA Gold March 1st).

Thanks!

arctictraveler

We've been on vacation for the last 9 days (at HHonors properties, of course ) and I just returned and read all the responses to this thread.

It seems to me there are still a lot of questions to be answered. For example I made Diamond in 2004, good through March or April of 2006 under the old system. Now my chart states I need 2 more stays before the end of March to "maintain" my status. "Maintain" it until when? Am i not good through 4/06 anyway? I will have plenty of stays the first part of this year to meet the goals through August or beyond, but for a diamond member who isn't going to stay as much this year, if they now expire 12/31/05 this is a negative change, not positive

MIKEM

You have caught up on this thread completely now. If you look more closely, you will see the word "or" next to most of the dates, except the last one. That means you have the status through March 2006. For us who made Diamond last year, do we get Diamond through 2007 if we meet these requirements? That is the question.

ermdjdsj

I stumbled across the new language about 12 consecutive months on the Hilton website today while booking a stay, then found my "requalification" chart, then without success tried to figure out exactly when my diamond status would expire if I requalified next month after 3 more stays(I have the white card that says my diamond status expires 4/06, so I assume it's good at least until then but who knows). Of course my next step was to check this forum and read everything -- looks like everyone else is equally confused. My bet looking at the language posted is that requalification early or anytime this year will lead to extension of the diamond expiration to 12/31/06, absent more stays. Am curious to see if this is the case or Hilton will post a "correction" to the site.