Why I’m Moving on From Hilton Diamond Status

Diamond is the highest status you can get with Hilton Honors, but after holding it for 2 years, I’ve come to realize it may not be worth pursuing anymore.

While Diamond status comes with solid perks, I’ve found that Hilton Honors Gold — which I get automatically with one of my credit cards — offers the benefits that matter most to me. Here’s why I made this decision and how I’ll still make the most of my Hilton stays.

How I Earned Hilton Honors Diamond Status

Typically, you’ll need to earn Diamond status with 60 nights, 30 stays, or 120,000 base points. I earned Hilton Honors Diamond status in 2022 with my Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card, which has a $150 annual fee (rates & fees).

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

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Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Welcome Offer

Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership

130,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $650

Annual Fee

$150

APR

19.99%-28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re someone who loves traveling and loves staying in Hilton hotels, adding a co-branded Hilton hotel card to your wallet is almost a no-brainer. From automatic Hilton elite status to up to $200 in Hilton credits every year, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card can be a great fit for Hilton loyalists looking to up their travel game.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 12x points per $1 at Hilton hotels
• 6x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
• 4x points per $1 at U.S. online retail purchases

Cons

• Annual fee of $150 (rates & fees)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card. That's up to $200 in statement credits annually.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
• Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
• As a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you're enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $150 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Hilton Honors

In 2022 and 2023, I earned 120,000 base points to earn Diamond status. Most of that was with spending on my Hilton Surpass card, which I used not just for Hilton stays but also for groceries and gas, as it earns bonus points on all of those purchases, which count as base points toward Hilton Honors. I even received bonus points by earning credit card referral bonuses.

At the end of 2023, I was about 10,000 points short of reaching Diamond status and decided to pay cash for a December booking to get the rest of the way to Diamond that year. I held Diamond status throughout 2024, but I only earned 32,000 base points — which was nowhere near the threshold needed to retain Diamond status for the following year.

How Diamond Status Became out of Reach

With major changes in my spending habits and travel patterns, I’ve been using my Hilton Surpass card less, earning far fewer base points with Hilton Honors.

I’ve applied for more credit cards recently and shifted much of my spending to new cards to earn welcome bonus offers. That took much of my everyday spending off the Hilton Surpass card, previously my go-to for gas and groceries. I still used my Hilton Surpass card to pay for Hilton stays and spent $15,000 on it to earn a Free Night Certificate, but the rest of my spending has shifted elsewhere.

I’ve also spent fewer nights at Hilton properties than in previous years. In 2024, I got The World of Hyatt Credit Card, so I’ve stayed at Hyatt properties instead of Hilton when it makes sense. I’ve also shifted some of my travel nights to Thousand Trails cabins instead of hotels.

Hilton Honors Gold vs. Diamond Benefits

I receive automatic Hilton Honors Gold status as a Hilton Surpass cardholder, and I’ll be comfortable there. The difference between Gold and Diamond perks doesn’t justify the effort needed to retain Diamond.

Gold status doesn’t have all of the benefits of Diamond, but it delivers great value for my travel style. The daily food and beverage credit often covers a breakfast or snack, and the 80% points earning bonus adds up quickly. Though not guaranteed, room upgrades are still a pleasant surprise, and getting the fifth night free on reward stays can help me stretch points further.

That said, Diamond offers a few perks that Gold doesn’t:

• 100% points earning bonus on stays (compared to Gold’s 80% bonus)
• Executive lounge access
• Diamond status extension
• Premium Wi-Fi
• 48-hour room guarantee
• Elite status gifting
• Diamond parking spaces

Why Hilton Diamond Status Isn’t Worth It

Although Gold and Diamond both offer space-available room upgrades, Diamond status should, in theory, offer greater upgrade opportunities. That hasn’t been the case in my 2 years as a Diamond member. The last time I was upgraded at a Hilton property was in 2022, when I stayed at the Casa Marina Key West — and I was a Gold member then.

I may have gotten upgrades to nicer views or higher floors without being told so at the front desk, and I could probably speak up and ask for upgrades, but the reality is I got upgraded more as a Gold member than Diamond.

Since reaching Diamond, I haven’t visited a Hilton with an executive lounge, as those are few and far between in the U.S. I don’t need premium Wi-Fi and can’t think of a time when I needed a 48-hour room guarantee. Diamond parking spaces are nice but not essential or at every property. Most of the Diamond benefits are wasted on me.

Many of the features I appreciate about Hilton Honors status are available with Gold:

• 80% points earning bonus on stays
• Space-available room upgrades
• Daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast
• Milestone bonuses
• Fifth night free on reward stays
• No resort fees on reward stays

The status benefit I use the most is the food and beverage credit, which usually gives me $30 per night to spend at the hotel for 2 guests — and I get that with Gold status just by keeping my Hilton Surpass card.

How To Get Free Hilton Diamond Status

If I end up missing Diamond status, it’s easy to get it back. All I have to do is apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Although the Hilton Aspire card has a much higher annual fee ($550, it has far more benefits.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

All information about Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership

150,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$750

Annual Fee

$550

APR

19.99% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.

The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.

So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 14x points per $1 on Hilton purchases
• 7x points per $1 on select travel and at U.S. restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Cons

• High annual fee of $550

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Card Highlights

• Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership
• Earn 14x Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you make eligible purchases on your card at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible travel purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com and on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
• Earn 3x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for other eligible purchases on your card
• Enjoy up to $400 in Hilton Resort Credits (up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually) on your card each anniversary year when you stay at participating resorts within the Hilton portfolio
• Enjoy complimentary Diamond status
• $550 annual fee

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Hilton Aspire cardholders get automatic Diamond status, which means I could easily get the status back if I decide it’s a mistake to settle on Gold. It also offers a Free Night Reward each year, up to $400 in annual Hilton resort credits, and numerous other benefits that could make getting the card worth it.

Final Thoughts

Sticking with Hilton Honors Gold seems like the right choice for my current travel habits and spending priorities. Gold status gives me the benefits I value the most without the extra effort required to maintain Diamond status. And if I decide I miss having Diamond status, the Hilton Aspire card offers an easy path to get it back.