Check your Visa card, you might have free access to Hilton's Gold status sitting dormant in your wallet. The credit card company and massive hotel chain just hooked up to offer a promotion for all Visa Signature card holders: fill in the form at the promotion link and you'll get free Gold status through the end of the summer (8/31), and if you stay for three nights between now and then the status stays active for the next year.

What does gold status get you? A whole host of perks, from room upgrades to free internet to stays on the executive level (read: free snacks and drinks!). You can read the full benefits over at hhonors.

Great, but what's the catch? There isn't one technically, you just get exposed to the portfolio of Hilton properties on a limited, intensive basis for the next few months, and the chance that you stick around and keep giving them your business is an investment risk that they're willing to make. Demographically, we wouldn't be surprised if the Signature brand happened to contain a higher percentage of "upper middle class business travelers."

Hey, a freebie is a freebie. Drop on by the Hilton page to sign up for the promotion.

Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, Travel Deals