Hilton has officially made its points expiration policy permanent, extending it to 24 months.

Hilton enthusiasts celebrate! As of now, Hilton Honors is permanently modifying its point expiration rules, giving members more time to use their points before they expire.

Hilton Honors points will now be valid for a minimum of 24 months following your last activity, extending the previous validity period by nine months from 15 months.

Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and a decline in travel, Hilton had previously announced a temporary suspension of point expirations until December 31, 2022. However, today's announcement marks a permanent policy change.

It's crucial to note that the 24-month expiration rule applies only to inactive accounts, meaning no points have been earned or redeemed during that time. To keep your Hilton Honors account active, you can engage in various activities such as using a cobranded Hilton credit card, linking your Hilton and Lyft accounts to earn points, participating in the Hilton Honors Dining program, donating points, and more.

When it comes to policies among major hotel programs, Hilton is catching up. Both Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt have already implemented 24-month expiration policies, while IHG Rewards still operates under a 12-month expiration policy, which doesn’t affect elite members.

This update is great news for Hilton Honors members, especially for those who don't frequently stay at Hilton properties or who hold cobranded credit cards. It follows other guest-friendly initiatives from Hilton, such as advance upgrades for elite members, digital key-sharing, and guaranteed connecting rooms. Additionally, Hilton has already announced an extension of elite status for all members through March 31, 2023.

While the extended expiration period for Hilton points is a positive change, it might be worth considering that Hilton and other major chains could adopt practices similar to airlines like Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United, which have eliminated expiration for their frequent-flyer miles. This would allow members to engage with these programs without the pressure of tracking expiration dates. Hopefully, this marks the beginning of such changes for Hilton.