I never thought deleting a loyalty account could cause this much anxiety but here I am, finally crossing it off my to-do list.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably collected Hilton Honors points over the years, loving all those travel perks and hotel stays. But then, the points start gathering dust, and you realize your account is just another unused online presence, quietly holding your personal data. That’s when I got worried.
Why I Decided to Delete My Hilton Honors Account
At first, I wasn’t sure if deleting my Hilton Honors account was worth the hassle. After all, it felt like a small thing just a few points, right? But with all the headlines about data breaches impacting hundreds of millions of people, I couldn’t shake the feeling that leaving an unused account online was risky.
The idea that my personal information could be stolen or sold to the highest bidders made me regret not acting sooner.
The risk wasn’t just abstract. I’ve read about data harvesters constantly scanning for personal info to exploit, and the thought of my data quietly sitting there, vulnerable to breaches, was annoying. That’s when I knew I had to do something I needed to streamline my online presence and protect my data from potential exposure.
How I Actually Deleted My Hilton Honors Account Step by Step
Deleting a Hilton Honors account isn’t as straightforward as you might expect. There’s no simple “delete account” button hiding in your profile. Instead, you have to go through a few different methods, which honestly felt a bit confusing at first.
Here’s what worked for me:
Contacting Hilton Honors Customer Support
I started by calling their customer support line (1-800-4HONORS). The process was slow, and one annoying issue was waiting on hold longer than I liked. But when I finally got through, the representative was helpful and explained that while they don’t offer an immediate account deletion option, they could initiate the removal of my personal data. This was a relief.
Using Data Subject Access Request (Especially if You’re in the EU)
Since I’m not in Europe, this wasn’t an option for me but I looked into it because I know a lot of readers might be in GDPR regions. If you’re in the EU, you can file a Data Subject Access Request to have your data deleted under GDPR regulations. This was cool to learn about because it gives you more control over your personal info.
Checking Hilton Honors “Do Not Sell or Share My Information” Page
For those outside the EU, Hilton provides a “Do Not Sell or Share My Information” page where you can enter your region and follow instructions to delete or limit the sharing of your data. I followed their instructions carefully, and it felt empowering to take back control of my information.
What I Loved (And What I Didn’t) About Managing My Privacy
Once I started digging into how to protect my personal data, I found some tools that made a huge difference. One of my favorite discoveries was a privacy management tool that gives you a privacy score to assess your online security level, especially on social media accounts. It was surprising to see just how vulnerable my profiles were.
This tool helped me:
- Hide and limit private data from prying eyes and data harvesters
- Send recurring opt-out requests to block data trackers
- Automatically scan social media profiles to spot vulnerabilities
I loved how easy it was to blacklist online trackers and see how many trackers were silently following my data. Before, I had no idea how much my information was being sold to the highest bidders without my knowledge.
I Still Worry About My Data, But I Feel More In Control
Even after deleting my Hilton Honors account and using privacy tools, I still feel a bit worried. It’s impossible to be 100% safe online these days. But knowing I took steps to protect my data, control what I share, and limit exposure gives me peace of mind.
One thing I regret is not doing this sooner. If you’re holding onto an unused Hilton Honors account (or any loyalty program), my advice is don’t wait. The longer you leave it out there, the greater the risk.
What You Should Know Before Deleting Your Hilton Honors Account
If you’re considering deleting your Hilton Honors account, here are some important things I learned along the way:
- It might affect your existing reservations or points balance. Make sure to use or transfer points before deletion.
- Deletion time varies. Don’t expect instant removal; it can take days or weeks.
- You may need to request deletion through multiple channels, including the website, app, or customer support.
- Deleting your account doesn’t necessarily erase all data immediately. Stay persistent and follow up if necessary.
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