Hilton HHonors - NEW 50% bonus

===============================
Dear Mr pitsheel,

Good news! Because you are a valued Hilton HHonors® Diamond
VIP member, we would like to offer you the opportunity to extend
your choice of a 50% bonus on your Base points instead of Points
& Miles® for your HHonors stays, between now and August 31, 2003.

This means you'll continue to earn your regular HHonors Base
points for your stays, plus a 50% bonus on all of those Base
points, instead of earning airline miles.

To continue to take advantage of this offer, you'll need to let
us know that you’d like to - so please visit
http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus, enter your HHonors
account number and PIN or your username and password, and select
"earn 50% bonus on Base points"!

It's your choice - at more than 2,400 Hilton HHonors hotels
worldwide.

Remember, Hilton HHonors is the only hotel reward program to let
you Double Dip® to earn both Points & Miles at more than 2,400
hotels worldwide including Hilton®, Conrad®, Doubletree®,
Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®,
Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations Club®, Homewood
Suites by Hilton® and Scandic hotels. And now, you can continue
to choose to earn a 50% bonus on your HHonors Base points for
each stay, instead of earning airline miles.

Visit http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus now to continue
earning a 50% bonus on your HHonors Base points! If you do not
go online and select "earn 50% bonus on Base points", your
account will automatically revert back to earning Points & Miles®
for your HHonors stays as of June 1, 2003.

***********************************************
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
***********************************************
Offer is valid for Diamond VIP members only for stays between
June 3 and August 31, 2003. Members can change their earning
style preference during the offer period, however, once a change
has been made, the new earning style will be applied to future
stays during the offer period only. No changes can be made for
past stays. Hilton HHonors membership, earning of Points &
Miles®, and redemption of points are subject to HHonors Terms
and Conditions. &copy2003 Hilton HHonors Worldwide.
=========================

so if I understand this correctly, for a while I'll get the visa double points bonus as well as a 50% bonus as well as my diamond bonus. SWEET. I guess its all the same now that the VIP levels have gone up.
I'm even using a debit card because thats the only visa I have, but I guess its worth it for double points vs. just using my diners.

Thanks. I've got 3 nights at a Hampton, one at a Doubletree and 4 at an Embassy in the next week and a half, so this is timely...

Now I just need to be more agressive about booking my own hotels online instead of letting the travel dept do it for me (nominally a no-no but there seems to be allowance for it...).

Cool -- I was looking for this last night and couldn't find it.

10 points/dollar base
10 points/dollar book online w/visa
5 points/dollar Diamond bonus
5 points/dollar 50% bonus instead of air miles
3 points/dollar w/HH visa
----------------
33 points/dollar!

We recieved this offer also, but it did not talk about the 50% diamond bonus we already get! It listed the 10 points per dollar base, than 5 points per dollar bonus instead of airline points, = 15 points per dollar spent! I wondered if we would still get our diamond 50% bonus on top of this! Any body know for sure? Thanks

If you are only staying one night in a property most of the time this bonus would not be worth it with the exception of Hampton Inns of course.

You get 500 airmiles per stay and it is generally accepted that 1 mile = 2 Hilton points so the would be 1,000 Hilton points. So for this to be worthwhile your folio would have to be $200 before taxes to break even (5 points X $200 = 1,000 points). I know that sometimes you get points for the taxes too but just as often you don't so for calculation purposes I assume I won't and it's a bonus if I do.

If you change hotels nightly to build up your stays for status most of the time this isn't going to be worth it.


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"A day without Points/Miles is like a day without SUNSHINE"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by adgtravel:
We recieved this offer also, but it did not talk about the 50% diamond bonus we already get! It listed the 10 points per dollar base, than 5 points per dollar bonus instead of airline points, = 15 points per dollar spent! I wondered if we would still get our diamond 50% bonus on top of this! Any body know for sure? Thanks</font>

I got the offer last night and confirmed with the Diamond Desk that we still get the 50% Diamond bonus - so total points per dollar will be 20, without the VISA online booking bonus, or 30 points per dollar with the VISA bonus.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Superd1:
If you are only staying one night in a property most of the time this bonus would not be worth it with the exception of Hampton Inns of course.</font>I agree - I was thinking about it - the 5 night ES stay and the 3 night Hampton stay will definitely be worth the extra points, but on the 1 night DT stay I would probably be better off getting miles.

That brings up the whole issue of the timing of the selection vs. when the points are credited - I read around here that it's a function of when the points post as opposed to when you stay - so if you try switching options (points/miles) in the middle of a road trip some stays from before the switch may post after the switch, and the choice in effect when they post will be used.




[This message has been edited by pdhenry (edited 06-05-2003).]

Golds & Silvers need not apply:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">You must be a qualified Diamond VIP member by May 15, 2003 to be eligible for this extension.

We're sorry. This special promotion is available for Diamond VIP Members only.
</font>

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On the road, In the air,
I enjoy travel, From here to there.

i have 2 stays each for 500 miles next week..at the end of june, i have 4 nights in a hampton, which would only be 100 miles total...does anyone know of any reason i cannot sign up in time for my hampton stay??and after i get my 2 500 mile stays next week?

I'm staying at a Hampton Inn five nights in a row, week after week, so I'm getting the 20 pts per dollar, not bad. Can't use my Visa so there goes that 10 pts unfortunately.

Isn't this just an extension of the promo that just ended (choose airline double dip or get 50% bonus)?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by teacher5:
does anyone know of any reason i cannot sign up in time for my hampton stay??and after i get my 2 500 mile stays next week?</font>Sure - wait till next week's stays have posted. According to the rules you can change during the promotion but not retroactively.

(They really ought not to have the default focus on "submit now"...


[This message has been edited by pdhenry (edited 06-05-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Superd1:
If you are only staying one night in a property most of the time this bonus would not be worth it with the exception of Hampton Inns of course.</font>

Unless, of course, the last thing a person needs is more FF miles in their account. At close to 150K miles flown each year, I'll gladly grow the HH account instead - even on an el-cheapo stay some place.

GMF

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by goldmedallionflyer:
Unless, of course, the last thing a person needs is more FF miles in their account. At close to 150K miles flown each year, I'll gladly grow the HH account instead - even on an el-cheapo stay some place. GMF </font>

Unless you have them go to an AA airmiles account where you can trade those airmiles in at 5,000 for 10,000 Hilton points. So that el-cheapo stay could end up being an extra 1,000 hilton points (500 airmiles = 1,000 Hilton Points)

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"A day without Points/Miles is like a day without SUNSHINE"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Superd1:


If you change hotels nightly to build up your stays for status most of the time this isn't going to be worth it.
</font>

If you stay in one place to maintain your sanity it is worth it

Thanks for this one. Assuming the Visa points are base points towards requalification then I'll have 2004 Diamond by the end of August on points alone

Visa points are NOT base points for requalification.
marc

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Marq:
Visa points are NOT base points for requalification.
marc</font>

;-(

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by FC_Dave:
If you stay in one place to maintain your sanity it is worth it
</font>

That depends on your mind set. It's a game like a hobby to me. I wouldn't change to pick up the extra 500 airmiles but would change every night to gain the required number of stays to be Diamond. I start a 7 day trip today that has me staying in 7 different hotels. 3 of the changes are not necessary but will help qualify me for Diamond next year. The upgraded rooms and lounge access are worth it to me. So the rooms average $100 per night so this will be my total points accumulationby the end of my trip. $700 = 7,000 Hilton points plus the Visa Double bonus for another 7,000 plus 50% Diamond bonus of 3,500 for a toatl of 17,500 Hilton points. Then I will get 7 X 500 AS airmiles plus 700 AS airmiles for using my AS Visa for a total of 4,200 airmiles. Did I mention that someone else will be paying for 5 of those nights? Just a big game that is kind of fun when you reap the reward. Earlier this year we went to Australia and stayed 6 nights for FREE. Only had to pay for food and some taxes on the airline tickets. All on Hilton Points.
Yes I think a little insanity is a good trade. But, of course you might not.



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"A day without Points/Miles is like a day without SUNSHINE"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Marq:
Visa points are NOT base points for requalification.
marc</font>

Marc, so is the previous posting

"You can earn double Hilton HHonors Base points for every stay
booked at hiltonhhonors.com and paid for with your Visa card
between June 1 and August 31, 2003. "

wrong. I cannot find the promo conditions on the Hilton site but the above indicates HiltonH will be giving a 150% bonus on base points for this period. Certainly the 50% base bonus I've earnt to date has counted towards the requalification balance.

I recall reading in the fine print that the additional base points earned in the promotion do not count towards status.

I agree with Marq

Thanks xyzzy for finding the link - it would have taken me an hour to go back through Hilton's site to find that. Then, I don't know how to hide the address in a highlighted word. Good Job!

Edited to add my thanks.

[This message has been edited by GDIW (edited 06-09-2003).]

Visa bonus points do NOT count toward tier status. Look here (http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/terms.jhtml#hilton_hhonors_membership_tiers) for the detailed info:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In the event of Double or Triple Base point bonus offers, only the first set of Base points earned will be counted toward VIP criteria. The second set or "double" Base points or third set or "triple" Base points earned are a bonus only and will not count toward VIP criteria.</font>

[This message has been edited by xyzzy (edited 06-08-2003).]

I just completed a three-night Hilton stay in San Diego. I received 6,000+ base points, 3,000+ 50% bonus on base points (in lieu of the double dip airline miles), 3,000+ Diamond VIP 2003 bonus and 6,000+ VISA mid-year 2003 points. Total HHonors points balance increased by 18,000+. Current year base points increased by 6,000+. Everything except the 10 points per dollar paid went only to the bonus line, not the status line.

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Biggest Little 1K (in The Biggest Little City) In The World

Well, for those of you new diamonds who are thinking of asking to be registered (because the system won't allow you), don't bother:

"The reason the system generates the error message that you see when trying to enroll for the 50% extra bonus points instead of miles is due to the date at which you became a Diamond VIP Member. I see on your account that you became a Diamond VIP Member on June 1, 2003. This current promotion has a prerequisite of having attained Diamond VIP on or before May 15, 2003. If you have any further question, please do not hesitate to contact the Diamond Desk in the HHonors Customer Service Center at 1-800-555-1212. Thank you for choosing Hilton Hotels!"

So much for Diamond carrying a lot of weight around here......


[This message has been edited by jkzahn (edited 06-10-2003).]

Wow, I just completed my Fast Track the first week of May. I guess timing IS everything.

------------------
Sheldon

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jkzahn:
...contact the Diamond Desk in the HHonors Customer Service Center at 1-800-555-1212."
</font>

Awesome...so the Diamond Desk can even look up phone numbers for me--just one more reason to go up a notch! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

--Grog--

I had two one night stays last week and wanted the 50% bonus for the second (a one night Hampton stay) but not the first so I switched my selection from airline miles to 50% bonus between the time the two posted. I did NOT receive a 50% bonus for the second stay. I did receive air miles. When I called to inquire about this I was told that the bonus is determined by your selection status on the date of the stay, not when it posts. Has anyone else heard this?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by xyzzy:
I had two one night stays last week and wanted the 50% bonus for the second (a one night Hampton stay) but not the first so I switched my selection from airline miles to 50% bonus between the time the two posted. I did NOT receive a 50% bonus for the second stay. I did receive air miles. When I called to inquire about this I was told that the bonus is determined by your selection status on the date of the stay, not when it posts. Has anyone else heard this? </font>


Makes sense to me. The hotel has the preferences in it's computer for the stay. It's like trying to change who you want your airmiles with after you've given a number and taken the flight. It will only give you what you asked for to begin with. If nothing had posted then you could have changed it when you requested retroactive credit.

You can't double dip on an award stay, so it definitely makes sense to get the 50% bonus points on an award stay and forego the air miles that you couldn't get anyway.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bamboola:
You can't double dip on an award stay, so it definitely makes sense to get the 50% bonus points on an award stay and forego the air miles that you couldn't get anyway.</font>

Are you sure ??

I've got both points and miles on my award stay last year.

Absik001

On award stays you are supposed to get points for incidentals. At Scandic hotels I even got the standard 1000 points/night. You are not supposed to get airline miles. Sometimes they make a mistake with the airline miles and give you those, too. I have had that happen on occasion.

It looks like Hilton extending this offer for stays between September 3 and December 31

http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus/

I get an error when I try to sign up. I'll try again tomorrow.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">We're sorry. This special promotion is available for Diamond VIP Members only.</font>Hmmm... Must be some kinda mistake somewhere. Is it targetted in addition to Diamond-only?

Edited to add: I went back and was able to get to the sign-up page for Sep 3 - Dec 31 from within my account (click on the vertical scrolling banner announcing the June 1 - Aug 31 bonus and you get the signup screen for the Sept 3 - Dec 31 bonus), so it looks like there's something disconnected over at HHonors.

This is just in time for my upcoming long weekend at Hilton Caribe.

[This message has been edited by pdhenry (edited 08-26-2003).]

I'm not Diamond, just Gold and yet I was able to sign up.

Also on a second page there a message, saying:
I'd like to earn a 50% bonus on HHonors Base points instead of Points & Miles® for my eligible HHonors stays between June 1, 2003 and August 31, 2003.

So, either they never change the second page or there is an error on a first page

I had a recent stay at a Hampton Inn where I did not receive any FF points, and received a 50% bonus, but how can I tell if this bonus was for using Visa, or the 50% bonus instead FF points?

The exact wording on my account activity is "50% BONUS ON BASE PT".

Does the Visa 50% bonus post after the stay is posted or should it all have been posted together?

That's the 50% bonus instead of the double dip. Stays with that bonus, the Visa double points post like this:Base Points 3,500 0
50% BONUS ON BASE PT 1,750 0
DIAMOND VIP - 2003 1,750 0
VISA MID-YEAR 2003 3,500 0
National Car Rental 250 0

[This message has been edited by xyzzy (edited 08-26-2003).]

I had to submit my account number twice because there was an error message once I got to the third page. The second time worked fine and I'm just a Silver member.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by xyzzy:
That's the 50% bonus instead of the double dip. Stays with that bonus, the Visa double points post like this:Base Points 3,500 0
50% BONUS ON BASE PT 1,750 0
DIAMOND VIP - 2003 1,750 0
VISA MID-YEAR 2003 3,500 0
National Car Rental 250 0

[This message has been edited by xyzzy (edited 08-26-2003).]</font>

Forgive the ignorance, but what's the National Car Rental thing?

...If I've been missing that all this time, there's a brick wall I need to hit with my head!

BumpMe ~
It appears that xyzzy simply copied and pasted from his statement! He probably had rented a car from National and got his HH points from that particular car rental company. Like getting a bonus from an airline, HH also gives HH points from different car rental companies!

I am not having much luck trying to sign up for the Sept.3 - Dec.31 promotion.
After entering password, the next page tells me : Sorry, this special promotion is available for Diamond VIP members only.
But I am a Diamond ! What gives? Could it be targeted?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by smooth:
I am not having much luck trying to sign up for the Sept.3 - Dec.31 promotion.
After entering password, the next page tells me : Sorry, this special promotion is available for Diamond VIP members only.
But I am a Diamond ! What gives? Could it be targeted?</font>
Which promo is this, then? The 50% bonus instead of air miles promo stated this: <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Offer is valid for Diamond VIP members only for stays between
June 3 and August 31, 2003.</font>Also, you had to have been a Diamond by May 15 in order to qualify.

I've not seen a Sept.3-&gt;Dec 31 promo. Please enlighten me!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by xyzzy:
I've not seen a Sept.3-&gt;Dec 31 promo. Please enlighten me!</font>On your HHonors activity screen, next to your name and status there is a vertical scrolling pane of "Did you know..." announcements. one of them announces the familiar Diamond 50% points in lieu of miles for the period between June 1 and August 31. But if you click on this announcement, you now get taken to a page to sign up for the period of Sept 3-Dec 31.

It's when you try to sign up at this page you get the message "We're sorry. This special promotion is available for Diamond VIP Members only."

I've been a Diamond all year and well on my way for requal, so the date of attainment isn't the issue...

Just go off the phone with the Diamond Desk. The offer goes live on Sept 2, and you'll be able to sign up at that time.

No explanation as to why we're being taken to the link already if it doesn't work.

The only downside I see is that currently there's no way to turn "off" the bonus for the remaining August days, short of calling HHonors and asking them to do it.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BumpMe!:
Base Points 3,500 0
50% BONUS ON BASE PT 1,750 0
DIAMOND VIP - 2003 1,750 0
VISA MID-YEAR 2003 3,500 0
National Car Rental 250 0

[This message has been edited by xyzzy (edited 08-26-2003).]&lt;/font&gt;&lt;HR&gt;&lt;/BLOCKQUOTE&gt;

Forgive the ignorance, but what's the National Car Rental thing?

...If I've been missing that all this time, there's a brick wall I need to hit with my head![/B]</font>

If you show your National Car keys upon checking in, they will give you this bonus also. This is in addition to the points you get from National. Good way to get more points.

Well, crap.

Went back to the 50% bonus page (today is Sept. 2, the promised date of activation of the 50% Diamond bonus for Sept 3 - Dec 31), and it's back to promting the June-August period, along with a note that "This promotion has ended." Just last week we were being shown a page for this fall, but no one was able to make it work.

In addition, the vertical scroller on the Activity page of my HHonors account no longer includes a link to the 50% bonus page.

I am Gold and I was able to sign up on the website. I will see if my next stay gets the bonus.

UPDATE:

The 50% bonus link at http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus/ is now operative for the period from September 3 though December 31. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif This time I was able to get signed up. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif

airbus320, I think this time the bonus is available to everyone. The one over the summer had specific language restricting it to Diamonds. I didn't see any restrictive language this time.

(Edited because I didn't notice the first time that the bonus is not Diamond-only.)

[This message has been edited by pdhenry (edited 09-02-2003).]

From http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum57/HTML/008665.html

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Author Topic: Hilton target? 50% more points versus airline miles.
RTWSTARALLIANCE

Posts: 2380
From: California AA EXP/2MM and UA 1K/MM
Registered: Apr 2001
posted 09-05-2003 07:09 AM
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Does Hilton target promotions? This morning my wife got a e-mail from Hilton offering 50% more points versus airline miles. The promotion that has been around from time to time. I did not receive the promotional e-mail. BTW. On the double dip how many airline points would I earn at a Hampton Inn? Thanks and have a good weekend. Regards
IP: Logged

Bkniaz

Posts: 78
From: Lancaster, PA, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
posted 09-05-2003 07:17 AM
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100 miles from Hampton inn stays.
IP: Logged

gutt22

Posts: 105
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Feb 2003
posted 09-05-2003 07:49 AM
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I got the same e-mail this morning, too. While I don't mind the 50% bonus points -- I'll take em -- this promotion just doesn't excite me very much. Is this going to be the big one for the rest of the year? I hope not.
IP: Logged

jspatchwork

Posts: 115
From: Flanders, NJ
Registered: Nov 2002
posted 09-05-2003 08:28 AM
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The email may have been targeted - I didn't get it, but I went back to the old 50% bonus website and its been updated.
"50% bonus on your Base points for your HHonors stays between September 3 and December 31, 2003."

http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus/


IP: Logged

Sky 1

Posts: 33
From: AA EXP; BA EX CLB
Registered: Aug 2003
posted 09-05-2003 08:52 AM
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Not targetted. It's also on the website. Worth it for some members, not for others.
IP: Logged

PRS

Posts: 8
From: Toronto, ON, Canada;Hertz 5-Star; Starwood Platinum; Delta Platinum; Marriott Silver; HHonors Gold
Registered: Nov 2000
posted 09-05-2003 09:11 AM
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All my stays in the next two months will be at Hampton Inns. Since Hampton only gives 100 airline miles it definitely makes sense to take the 50% bonus right?
IP: Logged

airbus320

Posts: 5194
From: Winnipeg, Canada
Registered: Mar 2000
posted 09-05-2003 04:19 PM
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I got this e-mail last night.
IP: Logged

Rut Dog

Posts: 1248
From: An HHonors Property Near You
Registered: Aug 2002
posted 09-05-2003 05:17 PM
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This bonus is covered in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum57/HTML/007927.html

Renewal of the bonus Sept 2, including the link above, is covered on page two.

</font>