Optimum month time to active Hilton Elite benefit

[ozstamps]

Partner just ticked over to Plat and has never used the Hilton status benefit before.

As I recall applying April 1 USA is the optimum time? As that if I recall, then runs to early 2021 if done now?

Seems the Hilton - Virgin communications lines are a bit rubbery to put it mildly - do others recall how long it takes in general for Hilton to get it, and act on it?

Thanks.

 

[hydrabyss]

Earlier in the year the better, you always get one full 12 month period to earn it for the following year. So join January get 11 months plus the following year 12 months plus 3 months the next year before you drop if you don not requalify.

April 1st refers to when status will drop to whatever you earnt the year before.

 

[ozstamps]

She will not be making a lot of stays so requal is not the issue.

I recalled reading that asking for it before April, gave the member one less year of bennies or something?

 

[hydrabyss]

N

She will not be making a lot of stays so requal is not the issue.

I recalled reading that asking for it before April, gave the member one less year of bennies or something?

Unlike airlines they use calendar year and they give you 12 months so that is why joining anytime after 1st January gets you almost one free year as you wont start your 12 month membership till the following year. April 1st is when status changes for current members.
One thing to keep would be your confirmation email with the date it ends as some have experienced a few issues and one is it does not tell you when it expires on you Hilton account page.

 

[Ross B]

I applied in February this year for Diamond and got the confirmation email start of March stating I will be diamond through till Mar 31 2020. So it seems you don’t get the extra months.

 

[serfty]

I recalled reading that asking for it before April, gave the member one less year of bennies or something?

That was only relevant if you already held that status.

So if Diamond, wait until April when you drop to a lower level and only then invoke the Velocity benefit.

If not already Diamond, then invoke from First January to have it for up to 27 months until end of March 2 years later.

 

[Ross B]

So does that mean I need to talk to someone as they’ve only given me diamond till March 2020 and it was my first time activating diamond and only just did it

 

[serfty]

So does that mean I need to talk to someone as they’ve only given me diamond till March 2020 and it was my first time activating diamond and only just did it

How do you know you only have Diamond until March 2020?

If it says so online when you log in it is almost certainly incorrect (this presumes you activated the benefit this calendar year).

FWIW this is a known issue. I activated a Gold benefit in January last year. All 2018 my log in indicated it would be until March 2019. Now it says March 2020 and I only had three Hilton stays last year.

 

[straitman]

She will not be making a lot of stays so requal is not the issue.

I recalled reading that asking for it before April, gave the member one less year of bennies or something?

Hi ozstamps,

Long time no talk.

As serfty says wait until sometime (maybe late) April and history says it will be until 31st March 2021. Doing it before the end of march will probably give an expiry of March 2020 though you never really seem to know with HH.

How do you know you only have Diamond until March 2020?

If it says so online when you log in it is almost certainly incorrect (this presumes you activated the benefit this calendar year).

FWIW this is a known issue. I activated a Gold benefit in January last year. All 2018 my log in indicated it would be until March 2019. Now it says March 2020 and I only had three Hilton stays last year.

Agree that it's a known issue. I renewed Diamond this year with only about 4 stays and 10 nights last year. My Macquarie spend was well under the $40,000 required for Diamond.

 

[serfty]

Doing it before the end of march will probably give an expiry of March 2020 though you never really seem to know with HH.

That is not what I indicated.

There are two options:

1. If you don't have the status already, invoke the benefit from January on - status should be for up to 27 months.

2. If you have the status already but are going to drop down to a lower level after March 31st, wait until you actually drop before invoking the benefit, you should then have the status for up to 24 months.

With 1, don't invoke late in the year; wait until the next year. With 2, invoking while already having the status will only extend expiration for 12 months .

 

[straitman]

That is not what I indicated.

There are two options:

1. If you don't have the status already, invoke the benefit from January on - status should be for up to 27 months.

2. If you have the status already but are going to drop down to a lower level after March 31st, wait until you actually drop before invoking the benefit, you should then have the status for up to 24 months.

With 1, don't invoke late in the year; wait until the next year. With 2, invoking while already having the status will only extend expiration for 12 months .

... and that most certainly isn't what I said or from my experience.

Seems our experiences confirm how erratic HH can be.

 

[Ross B]

In my diamond welcome email from Hilton it says through until March 31 2020

 

[ozstamps]

In my diamond welcome email from Hilton it says through until March 31 2020
View attachment 158035

Depends when you applied.

I think straitman's point is, if you activated it late April it might well say March 2021. And if not be valid until then anyway.

Virgin/Hilton is all very inconsistent on this as has been pointed out.

 

[serfty]

Virgin/Hilton is all very inconsistent on this as has been pointed out.

Aside from delays in it being applied, my experiences have been quite consistent.

I used it once in early April after dropping from Diamond, I then had Diamond for another 23 months.

I used it once in January while Silver - I then had Diamond for over 26 months.

Note, in both cases online it only showed until the next year. My cards showed the correct period.

 

[JohnK]

She will not be making a lot of stays so requal is not the issue.

I recalled reading that asking for it before April, gave the member one less year of bennies or something?

I've now applied for the status benefit 3 times and the past 2 times I've applied in early January and each time I have had that status for 2 years and 3 months.

When I applied for Gold in January 2018 the expiry date mentioned was March 2019. I've now received an email with expiry date extended another year to March 2020. I've not had any stays in quite a few years.

 

[ozstamps]

I've now applied for the status benefit 3 times and the past 2 times I've applied in early January and each time I have had that status for 2 years and 3 months.

When I applied for Gold in January 2018 the expiry date mentioned was March 2019. I've now received an email with expiry date extended another year to March 2020. I've not had any stays in quite a few years.

John yes as I posted it is, and have been for many years, wildly inconsistent from many I have spoken to. Good luck has just as much to play as good policy.

 

[serfty]

John yes as I posted it is, and have been for many years, wildly inconsistent from many I have spoken to. Good luck has just as much to play as good policy.

You have been provided with consistent anecdotal experience. Why did you ask the question if you were going to discount replies that seemingly did coincide with your views?

Yes Hilton is different but the "differentness" is consistent in my experience.

I have been able to leverage that "differentness" very well.

Partner just ticked over to Plat and has never used the Hilton status benefit before.

As I recall applying April 1 USA is the optimum time? As that if I recall, then runs to early 2021 if done now?

Seems the Hilton - Virgin communications lines are a bit rubbery to put it mildly - do others recall how long it takes in general for Hilton to get it, and act on it?

Thanks.

 

[straitman]

Yes Hilton is different but the "differentness" is consistent in my experience.

I have been able to leverage that "differentness" very well.

...and there we disagree. I believe them to be consistently inconsistent.

I do agree though that this means they are open to being leveraged.

 

[oz_mark]

My cards showed the correct period.

Did you actually get a physical card out of them?

 

[straitman]

Did you actually get a physical card out of them?

I cannot recall the last time I had a physical card but last time I looked they were available on request.

This is available online and has name and membership number on it but no expiry date.