Hilton to increase elite qualification requirements in 2013

For some of you this is old news as you may have caught it on other blogs or forum but I as I play catch up on items and clean out my email I was reminded of this change from the email I received from Hilton:

So as of January 1, 2013 most of the elite qualifying requirements to achieve Hilton status in 2014 are increasing.

Currently to achieve Gold Status the requirement is 16 stays, 36 nights or 60,000 points. Those are going up to 20 stays, 40 nights or 75,000 base points.

For Diamond Status the current requirement is 28 stays, 60 nights, or 100,000 points. In 2013 it will be 30 stays, 60 nights or 120,000 base points.

For those of us in Canada this definitely made it tougher to achieve status without finding a fast track option. I do list some of those options on RC's HHonors page. In the U.S. they have it easier as their HHonors credit cards typically come with elite status. Perhaps Hilton will follow suit and launch a credit card here in Canada like 5 of the other major hotel brands have.