Uh Oh: Hilton Selling Upgrades To Elite Members At Check-In

Even elite members who should be eligible for complimentary upgrades are being monetized by the hotel. I have concerns but this isn't all bad news.

Hilton’s new online check-in upsell feature

The concept of online check-in hasn't caught on as much with hotels as it has with airlines. The check-in experience at a hotel is usually more personalized than with an airline.

The most robust online check-in feature is offered by Hilton, as you can choose your room from within your assigned category. According to View from the Wing, there is a change to online check-in for elite members.

• Hilton Honors Gold and Hilton Honors Diamond members will now be offered paid room upgrades during the online check-in process
• Previously paid upgrades during online check-in were only offered to Hilton Honors Silver and non-elite Hilton Honors members, given that higher tier elite members are supposed to receive complimentary upgrades
• Hilton is telling hotel owners that this change is intended to drive incremental revenue among elite members

This creates a conflict of interest for hotels

There are different policies for hotel loyalty programs. Unlike Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt, there is no specific type of room upgrade for elite members.

Even if it is available, a hotel doesn't have to upgrade a Diamond member to a suite.

Hotels are encouraged to confirm elite member upgrades 72 hours in advance of time.

There is a conflict of interests here. Hotels are being encouraged to give complimentary upgrades to guests in advance, but they are also being told that they can greatly increase ancillary revenue by selling upgrade to elite members. Most upgrade options that hotels will try to sell to Diamond members will be to rooms that they may be able to upgrade to.

What property wouldn't say "well maybe we shouldn't upgrade elite members in advance and instead should try to sell them an upgrade?"

This change may not be bad for consumers. A lot of hotels don't want to upgrade elite guests much, and paid upgrades at check-in can often represent savings over the standard cost of a premium room. If you know that a hotel won't upgrade you further, you may want to pay for that upgrade. Ideally it wouldn't be that way.

Bottom line

Gold and Diamond members will be eligible for the paid upgrade program. Hotels are being told that this is a great way to increase ancillary revenue and that hotels should upgrade elite members in advance.

It seems like a slap in the face to sell an elite member an upgrade they should be eligible for on a complimentary basis.

What do you think about this change?