Hilton HHonors - 50K points

View Full Version : 50K points

BigLar

Dec 2, 03, 7:02 am

I guess everyone has seen the 50K thread, and we've all signed up for it.

Is it the case that the total percentage of people who benefit from this is actually miniscule, or will this handing out points willy-nilly result in further dilution of benefits?

I suspect that only junkies like us will get the deal, and the overall impact on the HHonors program will be minimal, but the only reference I know of is the 50K promo they ran in 2002(?), and they wound up "enhancing" the program in 2003.

Anybody have any opinions one way or the other?

Cygnus X-1

Dec 2, 03, 7:34 am

I didn't do it, yet. I'm unconfortable about "merging accounts". Anyone want to post a convincing argument that I should join ACAT with an Air Canada FF number, change back to AAdvantage and merge it with my HHonors GLD card that expires on 4/2005 (according to the card) through last years AA AAGU promo??

xyzzy

Dec 2, 03, 8:12 am

When I signed up it never asked for an AC number at all. HH merged my accounts with no problem whatsoever.

I don't see any reason why not to do ACAT -- other than that I'd use ACAQ which gives 50k points while ACAT gives 25k. It seems to me there is nothing to lose.

MIKESILV

Dec 2, 03, 8:21 am

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

Is it the case that the total percentage of people who benefit from this is actually miniscule, or will this handing out points willy-nilly result in further dilution of benefits?

I suspect that only junkies like us will get the deal, and the overall impact on the HHonors program will be minimal, but the only reference I know of is the 50K promo they ran in 2002(?), and they wound up "enhancing" the program in 2003.

Anybody have any opinions one way or the other?</font>

I cannot say that promos Hilton have run in the past have not caused dilution of the amount of points required for awards.
The increased point redemptions put in place have affected most severely the ALON/GLON etc type awards. Those awards which in my opinion were very generous in the first place. A GLONP at 175k for say the Conrad Mt Juliet is still a good deal and give a 28% discount off the amount points needed for 6 single night awards.

Note however that the "devaluation" occurred
after Hilton ran FIVE (count em) 50K promos in the previous 2 to 3 years, not one as you have mentioned here.
So I consider the current promo which certainly has not attacted (even with the hardecore on these boards) a fraction of the attention afforded previous ones and is just a marketing ploy.

Some members will get their the points from previous stays, some will go out and do four stays, they might not have previously comtemplated ( =more $ in the Hilton coffers) but in the final analysis this whole promo will be a blip on the radar screen.

Besides, what is 50k points gonna get you?
As far as I am concerned based on my staying habits, 1 night in a cat 6 or 1 1/2 in cat 5 or two nights in cat 4.
The above are the only hotels I redeem awards at, so if I extend that argument the promo becomes one or two free nights for 4 nights stay, plus remember also it is ( supposedly) restricted to only US Aeroplan members.
Is the above going to make much of a difference in cost or award availibility to the Hilton worldwide in terms of giving away what are essentailly free empty rooms? Hell no.
mike

[This message has been edited by MIKESILV (edited Dec 02, 2003).]

BigLar

Dec 2, 03, 9:26 am

OK Mike. First of all, if this is just a blip on the radar, good. I'll take my 50K and run.

With this promo, I'll have about 75K after my stays, a couple of months left as a Diamond to maybe bulk up on some points, and I'll be sitting pretty (personally).

I redeemed my entire account for 4 nights in Paris and it worked out very well. I expect to be halfway there, now, in a month or so.

I have (I'm hoping) an assignment coming up which will give me a chance to make Diamond again, and I could wind up with a nice pot of points.

All I was worried about was they would start moving the goal posts. The informed opinion seems to be that this promo won't do that.

BigLar

Dec 2, 03, 9:35 am

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Cygnus X-1:
I didn't do it, yet. I'm unconfortable about "merging accounts". Anyone want to post a convincing argument that I should join ACAT with an Air Canada FF number, change back to AAdvantage and merge it with my HHonors GLD card that expires on 4/2005 (according to the card) through last years AA AAGU promo??</font>

Me, too, but it turns out I didn't have to do any "merging".

My problem was, since I'm a Diamond, I didn't want to get my stays in as a Gold (It wouldn't matter at the Hamptons whe I'll be doing three of the stays) but at LGW I wanted to be sure I was checked in as a Diamond.

So, if you check out the thread, you'll find out I (and others) went directly to the Diamond desk. They didn't require any bogus accounts - just put the promo right into your account. One rep wanted me to get an AC number, which I did, but the one that did the actual work didn't want it. I dunno.

I'll book a revenue stay next week and see how it all turns out.

smilee

Dec 2, 03, 9:45 am

I think this promotion was pretty good marketing. It got me staying back at Hilton after last year they gave me AAGU in December, then turned me silver in the spring. 0 stays since, moved all stays to Hyatt this year and earned diamond.

Does this promo hurt the chain. I don't think so. This promo gets you 2 free nights after 4 paid. About as good as the regular Hyatt faster free nights promotion in my opinion.

I am sure this promo will bring in some new customers. Good for Hilton.

Gustaf

Dec 2, 03, 11:58 am