What happens to Hilton Honors points when someone dies
Hilton Worldwide publishes its own process for a deceased person's account; a written request goes by email to priorityletter@hilton.com.
Hilton Worldwide's terms allow Hilton Honors points to transfer to a family member after the account holder dies.
Hilton Worldwide publishes its own process for a deceased person's account: Transferring Points from a deceased Member's Hilton Honors account; a written request goes by email to priorityletter@hilton.com. The request takes 4 documents.
How to request a transfer
- •A copy of the death certificate; a certified copy is not required.
- •An official document showing the executor's legal authority over the estate, such as the court order or appointment.
- •The deceased member's account number and date of death, and each receiving member's name and account number.
Required Documents
- Completed Declaration form: The Declaration in Support of Request for Transfer of Deceased Member's Hilton Honors Points, signed by the executor or administrator.
- Copy of the death certificate: A certified copy is not required.
- Official document establishing legal authority over the estate: Such as the court order or appointment referenced on the Declaration form.
- Hilton Honors account numbers: The deceased Member's account number and the account number of each receiving Member.
Timeline
The request and documents are due within one year from the date of death, and receiving Members get the points within five business days of Hilton's receipt and approval of complete documentation.
What Hilton Worldwide's terms say at death
- The terms
“Accrued Points, Reward certificates, and confirmations do not constitute property of the Members. Except as specifically provided herein, neither accrued Points nor Reward certificates/confirmations are transferable for any reason or by operation of law.”1
What Hilton Worldwide says happens4
- Transfer at death
Elite Tier Status, nights, stays and Eligible Spend cannot be transferred, and transferred points do not count toward the recipient's Elite Tier Status.1
Points in a legacy Hilton Honors Mutual Fund account go to the surviving spouse when a Member dies, and Hilton can require official documentation of the death.1
Points can be split among several Members with no minimum or maximum per transfer, but each transfer request is processed individually, so each recipient needs a separate submission.2
Each receiving Member must already have an existing Hilton Honors account, because a new account cannot be created just to receive these points.2
- Fees
No fee is charged for transferring a deceased Member's points.1
- How requests are reviewed
Deceased Member's points transfers are made within the sole discretion of the Hilton Honors team, and any decision on a request is final and not subject to further review or dispute.1
- Inactive accounts and expiry
A Member without eligible activity in any 24 consecutive month period is subject to forfeiture of all accumulated points and may be removed from the Program, and Hilton reserves the right to deactivate an account after five years of inactivity.1
Forms Hilton Honors uses1
- Declaration in Support of Request for Transfer of Deceased Member's Hilton Honors Points
Asks Hilton to transfer a deceased Member's points to one named Hilton Honors Member, with the signer affirming authority over the estate as stated on the attached court order or appointment.3
Completed by the executor or administrator. Available to download.
Not in Hilton Honors's published guidance2
- A mailing address for a written request
- An estates portal or fax for this process
A written request to Hilton Worldwide can ask it to transfer the points to a named family member and preserve the account while the estate is opened.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter for Hilton Honors drafts that request from the estate's details.
Sources
Data sourced from Hilton Worldwide primary sources (5 pages reviewed). How we research.
Hilton Honors estate claims
Hilton Honors deceased Member point transfers
Website
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