One of the promised benefits of elite status is room upgrades. Hilton Honors is one of the stingiest hotel chains for room upgrades – understandable since anybody can become a top tier Diamond member by signing up for a credit card. But the promise still remains… and in much of the world, elite status with Hilton Honors can still result in a decent room upgrade.

But Hilton Honors has decided to trash that “promise” with its latest changes. Gold and Diamond members who check in online will be offered paid room upgrades. This extends a strategy that is already in place for Silver and non-elite members.

The problem? Those room upgrades are really supposed to be complimentary. But hotels are now being told that they can (and should) attempt to increase their revenue by tempting elite members into paying for their upgrades.

If this involves upselling to a suite for a modest fee – a suite that was probably never going to be given as a complimentary upgrade – then this change might be positive for elite members. But a more likely result is an attempted ~$20 upcharge for a “premium” room that should have already been pre-allocated to the elite member.

Bottom Line

There are few things that bother me more than a front desk clerk attempting to upsell me (as a top tier elite member) a room that I should be receiving as a complimentary upgrade.

But rather than a few rogue agents who care more for their commissions than the elite treatment handbook, this policy is now being formalized by Hilton Honors.

Combined with the gutting of elite breakfast, is there any reason left to be loyal to Hilton Honors? Let us know in the comments section…