One of the biggest perks enjoyed by high-tier Hilton Honors members could be under threat, after guests have reported being upsold by the globally recognized hotel chain.
Gold and Diamond Hilton Honors members are traditionally promised a complimentary upgrade if available at check in. But in recent weeks, Hilton has been offering paid room upgrades when checking in on the Hilton App. This feature was generally only used on Silver or non-elite members in the past, but now appears to be rolled out to everyone.
Although the “space-available complimentary upgrade” system is still in place, hotels are not required to offer the benefit to Diamond or Gold members. While there are many factors in place that could impact a hotel’s decision to offer the upgrades for free, the potential profit has led many industry experts to speculate the benefit might disappear for many members.
On a personal level, I’ve been upgraded in every one of my fifteen Hilton stays in the last year, and it’s always been a massively valuable benefit for me. It does devalue the status, but it doesn’t prevent me saving money on my stays, which is the main thing.
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