Hilton HHonors - Anyone spending down points as fast as possible, ahead of the devaluation?

We do have a warning, albeit short. I am. But it's difficult in the face of Hyatt's FFN.

In my view, ironically, there are no more assured across-the-board "discounts" than when there's going to be a devaluation. IMO, it's like when UA announced that international "C" was going up from 80K to 105K as of 1/1/09. I spent (most of) 12/31/08 booking "C" freebies. Then toasted my ironic good fortune. 'Course, we then had this whole year to use them...

You?

Nope. I don't sweat that stuff..it's worth what its worth. BFD.

I decided to use HH points for our Europe vacation next year over using SPG. I still have 400k HH points that I intend to burn as I will drop to Gold next year with 24 stays unless HH decides to give it to me.:rolleyes:

IMO, it's like when UA announced that international "C" was going up from 80K to 105K as of 1/1/09. I spent (most of) 12/31/08 booking "C" freebies.

I booked two NF tickets SFO-NRT that day, and conveniently burned most of my HHonors points on the Conrad Tokyo on that trip.

I'll make reservations for next summer, and will plan some type of "special" trip for next year also. Perhaps two back to back 6 night stays at Maldives or something like that. Aside from that no reason to spend points just to spend them, unless you have a trip your planning to take.

Just burned 305,000 for Cavalieri

Will use 175,000 for Waikoloa in Feb.

Looking for at least one other reward to burn at the old rates. Should have burned more points last year...oh well.

Sailanacra

We do have a warning, albeit short. I am. But it's difficult in the face of Hyatt's FFN.
FFN's (redeeming until 3/31/10) does not interfere with my spending behaviour of HH points. Please mind: We have time to reddem until 1/10/10 for future stays in 2010!

As I reported (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12706732-post93.html) in another thread, I prefer redeeming GLON2 award (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12706350-post90.html) (150K HH points in exchange for six nights at current Cat. 5 hotel). Instead of redeeming 90K PC points I will use 150HK HH points and upgrade my stay to a more fancy hotel.

What I have to do next year is to search for appealing PC redemptions!

Having been through a number of currency and miles / points devaluations in my lifetime*, I am not content to be herded into dumping my hard-won points or miles. I will plan with more advance since I can redeem at old levels if I book by January, what is it, 14th? for one year, but no, I am not planning to allow myself to be panicked into overspending or searching for completely unnecessary leisure travel.

*I remember spending the number of pesos for lunch it would have taken years prior to purchase a refrigerator. I've been in countries where the government's response to inflation was to lop off three to six zeroes from the currencies' denominations! That's inflation / devaluation.

Not a bad thought- we've got reservations to fly to Madrid in May and haven't planned an itinerary beyond that. Hmmm... Madrid airport, Valencia, Toledo, Barcelona, Vilamoura (Portugal)... yeah, we should be able to burn a few points on that trip, and I'll make sure we make reservations before the categories change.

I'm not going to act hastily. If I find an opportunity to use some of my points that fits into my vacation schedule, then I will pull the trigger. If not, no big deal.

JDiver, not taking on your main point, but to the analogy in your footnote, didn't your earning power to buy a refrigerator move up, too, albeit later and never completely? I don't see that on this horizon.

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To beat this horse: inflation means everything moves up, however tortuously. Not here. This is robbery. Though it will be pointed out that the fine print says we never owned the points ourselves, and the rules say...

But then there's the point about the program being baked into the price we paid.

...Please mind: We have time to reddem until 1/10/10 for future stays in 2010!

Right. And hence, not talking about a panic mode, here. Just a business decision. Sorry for not speaking to that impression in the OP.

Interesting that people will get all up in arms on the earning end about the lack of promos, and the lack of competence in recording earned points (I realize it's not the same people here) but people won't act in their own best interest when they lose many whole nights in the new HHonors. Or is it easier, like the frog in the hot water, not to think about it? I mean, the reaction to this question from the latter point of view will probably include the point that Hilton's not calling it "The New HHonors." Ribbit.

OK, this is pitiful. I can get the Hilton Madrid Airport for $150 a night all in through Orbitz during the week we'll be there. We're likely to need it for only one night, and that would be 30,000 points under the current structure. Ummm, let's do the math. 0.5 cents per point. Definitely a new low. And they plan to INCREASE the number of points required?

It occurred to me that this is a bad time to redeem points since hotels are cutting rates all over the place to get people into the rooms; even with the devaluation, it might make sense to wait till paying business picks up and rates increase. I'm going to do a cash vs. points comparison before booking any reward stays. If redeeming points is a bad deal, I'll likely book away from Hilton.

And the Hilton Surpass card will spend the rest of the year in the sock drawer.:D We've re-qualified for Gold and are nowhere near Diamond.

+1 Jdiver #8! Calmly & rationally grab while the grabbin' is good. I currently have 130K HH which I intend to boost to 175--205K for a GLONP2 for 6 or 7 nights in Barbados in Feb. OR Paris/ London in May--which may otherwise wait till 2011! After which HH will be my disfavorite hotel program.

Burning as usual, nothing special...

... Interesting that people will get all up in arms on the earning end about the lack of promos, and the lack of competence in recording earned points (I realize it's not the same people here) but people won't act in their own best interest when they lose many whole nights in the new HHonors.

As I wrote in another post (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12706580-post8.html), some (very vocal) members are victims of their FGP(s). Further more, they are addicted to be part of top tier status of several FGPs and have a desire to beat the system (= to get what you want by not following the usual rules). In short: They forget that loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts to encourage, buying behavior which is potentially of benefit to the program operator.

Don't get me wrong: There are a lot of opportunities to take advantages of price differentials. BUT to pay for a hotel room to earn/maintain Diamond VIP Status and/or hord HH points might not help if your goal is to spend less!

Loyalty Programs and their Impact on Repeat-Purchase Loyalty Patterns (http://members.byronsharp.com/6076.pdf)

... I'm going to do a cash vs. points comparison before booking any reward stays. If redeeming points is a bad deal, I'll likely book away from Hilton. ...
If you will do that consistently and and look at alternative lodings, you will be surprise how low the value of your HH points is!

Smart Shopper, if I get your main drift @16, and I'm not sure I do about this or your linked comment, I will stipulate to making myself a victim of HHonors by holding a lot of points. So I set myself up for this. Guilty. In this discussion, I do feel like Jimmy Buffett at the last verse of "Margaritaville". Should have been earning and spending (points) right along. While I am trying to add a little levity to what I think is about to happen to us (sorry, the victim thing) I'm not responding sarcastically to your comments, here or there. And again, I hope I am replying to your point.

IMO this is an important question: From where do you earn your HH points?

Some get their stay paid by Government/Corporations/Small Business Units and redeem their points for personal use, some earn most of their HH points via AmEx Hilton HHonors Surpass Card (http://www201.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/Hilton-HHonors-Surpass) (Annual Fee: $ 75; HHonors Gold/Diamond VIP status when your total eligible spend reaches $ 20K/$40K/year) or other co-branded CCs (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/partners/creditcardsterms.do).

If you pay by your own dime and are prepared to shell out a premium in exchange for some in-house benefits at your stays at Hilton brands and expect to redeem your earned points/miles at a consistent level ad infinitum, changes are very high that you get burned.

I am burning at a regular rate, nothing special. I think the key is to spend your points as you get them (within 12-18 months), I always try to have around 200K+ points for "just in case" GLON award, otherwise they are there to be spent, why would anyone ever hoard points? They always drop in value, that's a given. I will definately book 6 Night GLON award for January 2011, I know what my travel plan will be, and I know that I will need it January 2-9th, 2011 -- so that worked out alright with January 14th deadline.

I now find myself in the interesting position of trying to rack up another 20K points to get the 30K total I need for one night on an upcoming stay, before the categories change. So, the Amex came out of the the sock drawer.

Things may look good in my account till 1/10 as I spend on the card and maybe even book a couple of Hamptons, but 2010 is gonna be one slow year other than my planned redemptions.

Waiting for the World Cup draw to secure some accommodation in RSA...definitely at old redemption levels!!!!

We own several timeshares so I find I do not use my hotel points unless I can't get a timeshare where we want to go.

I have had good luck with finding TS so I was saving the points for a French Poly trip but not until sometime past 2011 or 2012. So I guess I will have to sit and live through the devaluation.

Last time they did the drop I did burn though the 100K Hawaii stay but I have not used any points since then.

I do not stay that often but am Gold for life as I own Hilton TSs.

I'm considering transferring my points to Mrs. Italy's account and moving over to Hyatt. Hilton has properties where she travels for work and I am not bound to any specific program since retiring.

Ummm, let's do the math. 0.5 cents per point. Definitely a new low.

isnt that about what a Hilton point is worth?

You get 3/$ on their AMEX card. Sometimes I can get 1 cent pp but .5-1 cent is about right, no?

OK, this is pitiful. I can get the Hilton Madrid Airport for $150 a night all in through Orbitz during the week we'll be there. We're likely to need it for only one night, and that would be 30,000 points under the current structure. Ummm, let's do the math. 0.5 cents per point. Definitely a new low. And they plan to INCREASE the number of points required?Finding a hotel that happens to be a bad value for some dates is not very difficult. That being said, comparing a $150 Orbitz rate (I'm going to assume you were not cheating and that includes taxes) to an award stay ignores the benefits you receive as an HH Gold member on an award stay compared to one booked at the Orbitz rate, specifcally free breakfast/potential Executive Floor upgrade and stay counts towards elite.

Just like it's not difficult finding a bad value for point redemption, it's also not very difficult finding a hotel that will be a good value for those points instead.

I currently have four award reservations at Hilton over the next seven months, three of which I've made since the announcement.

Hilton Garden Inn Times Square - 70,000 points for 2 nights during early December - this is about $.01 per point (hotel is now sold out for my dates so I can't get a price, but it was about $300 plus taxes when I was making the reservation)

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Omaha - 40,000 points for 2 nights during Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting - this is a Diamond Force award and is about $.01 per point

Hilton Dubrovnik - 125,000 points for 4 nights using AXON - Rate for same nights is $340.00 (non-refundable), over $.01 per point

My worst deal is the Hilton Frankfurt at 70,000 points for 2 nights - $205.00 per night (non-refundable), just $.006 per point, but if the rates stay the same I would probably go ahead and make a non-refundable reservation closer to the date of the stay, I'm just using the award to hold the hotel for a stay almost 7 months away.

Regardless, I'd really have to go out of my way to use my points at $.005 per point.

Do you know when the raised the stays from 26 to 28? Oh yeah plese don't hold your breath on Hilton giving ou anything. They have become bad.

Do you know when the raised the stays from 26 to 28? Oh yeah plese don't hold your breath on Hilton giving ou anything. They have become bad.

It's been 28 for a while. I'm on my 4th yr as Diamond. It has been 28 stays for at least that long.

I'm also of the school: spend it as I earn them. The points are not like money in the bank. They will devalue, no matter if they are hotel points or FF miles. The best way to hold value is to use them.

Burned 120k for a 3-night stay at the Conrad Tokyo next August.

At the current exchange rate (using cheapest rate, not adv. purchase) I'm yielding $0.01305 from the HH points.

isnt that (.5 cent) about what a Hilton point is worth?

You get 3/$ on their AMEX card. Sometimes I can get 1 cent pp but .5-1 cent is about right, no?

I guess I'm stuck in a time warp but I used to think 1-1.5 cents was about right. Of course, that was before they started handing out double and triple points for everything under the sun. Beckles, I'm envious of your upcoming Dubrovnik stay! That's a superb place to burn points. Just did that in September.

Burned 120k for a 3-night stay at the Conrad Tokyo next August.

At the current exchange rate (using cheapest rate, not adv. purchase) I'm yielding $0.01305 from the HH points.

Same here for 1st week of January, 2 rooms * 2 nights = 160.000 points gone

How about using a GLONP2 for 6 nights at Conrad Tokyo for 175K?! :) I plan to use one in Feb. at Hilton Barbados!

i peaked at about 180k HH points 2 years ago

mainly thru the walking fundraiser for cancer(?) where you got HH points for registration

i think i have spent 1 HH paid nite in a hilton hotel in the last 2 years
not counting a priceline stay in Chicago last year

i am down to my last approx 60k, as i have exclusively traded my hh points for PC bookings, mainly the 5k nite

when i burn thru those
i plan on burning my last 10k starwood points as i havent stayed in one of those since my previuos job, as that was the preferred hotel chain
but i have had lunch once a year in a starwood to preserve my points

I'm also of the school: spend it as I earn them. The points are not like money in the bank. They will devalue, no matter if they are hotel points or FF miles. The best way to hold value is to use them.
I agree with what you wrote but I have trouble putting it to practice. I need help...

I spend as I earn as well, however, I did not plan on using points until the spring and now I am using for a winter getaway. I just read some threads on the AXON6 and I want to try that.

I had just gotten an award for a 7-night at Conrad HK the day before the devaluation was announced (205k) so I'm not particularly worried. My next vacation in an expensive area is likely London in the fall, but there the problem is getting rooms with two double beds for the three of us.

I agree with what you wrote but I have trouble putting it to practice. I need help...
My approach is to assume that points that I have above the threshold of what I can spend in 18 monhts are worth only 2/3 of their normal worth, e.g. assuming that they'd devalue. So pre-devaluation, I would value the first 300k at $0.006 and the rest at $0.004. Post-devaluation, I'll value the first 200k at $0.005 and the rest at $0.0035. [My cutoff is now 200k instead of 300k because I'm realizing that I won't be Diamond in 2011 and thus I'll have more points in other programs (Starwood, IC) that I'll have to be using as well.]

What that means practically is that when I have an excess amount, I'll burn them on some 20k (old Cat 2, new Cat 3) stays. The rationale is that if I don't burn at the lower rate now, they are going to devalue anyway.... I still get a stay credit for status, albeit no points. A lot of times in smaller towns, the revenue rate is still over $100/night, and there is no good Priceline option because of the risk of getting a Days Inn type place.

I am booking 2 rooms at once for the first time, the kids are getting a bit too old to all bunk in one room and hope for a decent suite upgrade.

2 Suites at Honolulu Embassy Suites for 8 nights = 470,000 pts using GLON08 puts a good dent in my HH warchest, takes me well below 1/2 a million now.

The anticipated devaluation certainly played a factor. I was going to try for the W=A on Maui but couldn't work out the flights. They have a nice price on points until 12-31, 5 nights for 280k or something.

[QUOTE=Athena53;12773729]OK, this is pitiful. I can get the Hilton Madrid Airport for $150 a night all in through Orbitz during the week we'll be there. We're likely to need it for only one night, and that would be 30,000 points under the current structure. Ummm, let's do the math. 0.5 cents per point. Definitely a new low. And they plan to INCREASE the number of points required?

It occurred to me that this is a bad time to redeem points since hotels are cutting rates all over the place to get people into the rooms; even with the devaluation, it might make sense to wait till paying business picks up and rates increase. I'm going to do a cash vs. points comparison before booking any reward stays. If redeeming points is a bad deal, I'll likely book away from Hilton.

And the Hilton Surpass card will spend the rest of the year in the sock drawer.:D We've re-qualified for Gold and are nowhere near Diamond.

Interesting! We were at the Madrid Hilton a month ago and the posted rates in their lobby for a standard room was 450 euros per night! We were there on an award. It's a very nice hotel. Also spent 5 nights at the Barcelona Hilton on the same trip, and enjoyed it as well. Have a great trip!

[QUOTE=Athena53;12773729]OK, this is pitiful. I can get the Hilton Madrid Airport for $150 a night all in through Orbitz during the week we'll be there. We're likely to need it for only one night, and that would be 30,000 points under the current structure. Ummm, let's do the math. 0.5 cents per point. Definitely a new low. And they plan to INCREASE the number of points required?

It occurred to me that this is a bad time to redeem points since hotels are cutting rates all over the place to get people into the rooms; even with the devaluation, it might make sense to wait till paying business picks up and rates increase. I'm going to do a cash vs. points comparison before booking any reward stays. If redeeming points is a bad deal, I'll likely book away from Hilton.

And the Hilton Surpass card will spend the rest of the year in the sock drawer.:D We've re-qualified for Gold and are nowhere near Diamond.


You may want to rethink your strategy on your Surpass card. It is costing you $75/yr to get Gold status. For a card you will not be using. You may want to consider switching to the regular HHonors Amex. It is free and has the same spend threshold for Gold status. IMO, there is no real reason to get the Surpass if you aren't going to use it to get Diamond status. You do get extra points but this is meaningless if you don't use the card.