Free instant Hilton HHonors Silver status with fast track to Gold

In the world of frequent guest programs, the Hilton HHonors gold and silver cards are probably the most common – but if you’ve been feeling left out, or just want a quick way to get your own shiny plastic card, check out this promotion from the hotel chain.

On the promo page, enter your existing HHonors account number (or create a new one) and you’ll be granted instant silver status and a 2000 point bonus. Then, complete four stays within 90 days, and you’ll get a gold card in the mail.

The only fine print is that you need to set your account to “double dip” with United Airlines as your partner – which means you’ll also need a United Airlines Mileage Plus account.

Silver status won’t get you any real benefits other than a 15% point bonus and free access to the hotel health club. Gold gets a bit more generous, with free Wi-Fi access, 1000 bonus points per stay and room upgrades. Just keep in mind that these “upgrades” usually mean the same room on a better floor – not necessarily access to the presidential suite on each visit.