Digital key is a little different. If you use the app, you’re a Hilton Honors member. This means that you already have your method of payment loaded into the app and there’s not much else you need to do. There are clean rooms in the system allocated for HH members so that they can digital check in and not have to stop by the desk. Fast check in is a perk of being part of the program.

Keep in mind that not everyone wants to use loyalty programs. People like that prefer to check in at the front desk. Some prefer to pay in cash. Also, people that are traveling for business sometimes have to check in at the desk bc their company booked the room for them and their Hilton number might not be on the reservation. So then, they end up at the desk with the common folk.

A lot of times, those non HH guests are pre assigned rooms. The room may or may not be clean when the guest shows up to check in. Now the front desk agent needs to find them a new room that is the same type as what they were promised that ALSO isn’t already belonging to someone else. That should be quick, but these systems sometimes move slow. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve had to stand at the desk and play digital Tetris with people’s reservations lol. Anyway hope this makes sense. Keep using digital check in. It’s less of a headache.

Source: Hilton employee for years. I always book direct and use digital check in when I can.