Hilton HHonors - AMEX travel - no points for Hilton

I thought that I was I savvy traveler, but I learned something the hard way today. I made the mistake of booking a 3 night stay at a Hilton in London via Amex travel. I just found out that I do not receive stay credit or Hilton points since I booked via Amex travel. It did not matter than I have already spent $50k on my Amex card this year - no help at all. Anyone else have this experience?

Welcome to Flyertalk. I have moved this thread from the general MilesBuzz! forum to the dedicated HHonors forum.

...t I do not receive stay credit or Hilton points since I booked via Amex travel. It did not matter than I have already spent $50k on my Amex card this year

This is Hilton's policy, not American Express':

A "stay" is defined as the total number of consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, whether or not a guest checks out and checks back in again. Specifically excluded from the definition of "stay" are the following types of ineligible stays: wholesale/tour operator packages; contracted crew rates; travel agency discount rates; Team Member Travel rates, Hilton Family Travel Rates; stays secured utilizing Hilton Grand Vacations Club and Hilton Club timeshare programs, Hilton Grand Vacations marketing packages with a sales presentation requirement; complimentary or barter rooms; Reward Stays (as defined herein); NET Group rates; Series Group or IT Group rates; contracted Entertainment or Encore rates; third party websites bookings (irrespective of rate paid); and "opaque" channel bookings where the brand may or may not be known at the time of purchase. HHonors points may not be earned (including as a My Way benefit) for or during ineligible stays, including without limitation, folio charges incurred during ineligible stays. If at least one night of the Member's stay is consumed with the use of HHonors Rewards points, the entire stay is considered a "Reward Stay" and no HHonors points may be earned, except that if Member is using Room Upgrade Rewards, any money spent on the original reservation will earn points and/or miles consistent with these Terms. Participating hotel will determine whether incidental charges incurred during either or those stays are eligible for points, except that Points will not be earned for incidental charges at Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, and Home2 Suites by Hilton®.


Note that high end Hilton properties which participate in the American Expresss Fine Hotels & Resorts program can be booked through Platinum Travel Service and still qualify for HHonors benefits and rewards, but bookings made through the general American Express Travel website (which is outsourced to Travelocity) do not qualify.

Seems like HHONORS is pretty strict in granting points for stays. I was wondering what my chances are in the following scenario. (and if there's something I would be able to do to improve my chances of getting points/benefits - I'm HH Gold)

Additional info: this is the first time I'm not doing the booking myself.

I have an upcoming reservation in Moscow through an MBA program. (study trip)
The school has negotiated a rate but we will be paying for the room ourselves.
I suppose they're using a travel agency but I don't know which one it is.

I suppose many of you here on this forum are business travellers as well and are not doing the bookings yourself. I suppose your company has negotiated rates as well and you're still earning points. So for me it's not clear at all when you get the points and when you don't.

Seems like HHONORS is pretty strict in granting points for stays. I was wondering what my chances are in the following scenario. (and if there's something I would be able to do to improve my chances of getting points/benefits - I'm HH Gold)

Additional info: this is the first time I'm not doing the booking myself.

I have an upcoming reservation in Moscow through an MBA program. (study trip)
The school has negotiated a rate but we will be paying for the room ourselves.
I suppose they're using a travel agency but I don't know which one it is.

I suppose many of you here on this forum are business travellers as well and are not doing the bookings yourself. I suppose your company has negotiated rates as well and you're still earning points. So for me it's not clear at all when you get the points and when you don't.

My suggestion would be the following;

Using the check reservation function on the HHonors website enter any confirmation number you have been given to see if you can view the reservation details, then try and get your HHonors number on that reservation.
I have sometimes contacted customer services saying that the room booker didn't have the details when they booked.
If you can get your HHonors details on the booking you stand a better chance of getting your HHonors benefits.

Check in at the desk and MAKE SURE that your HHonors account number is attached to the room and that your myway preferences (Airline miles / bonus points etc.) are correct.
Also ask whether they have been able to upgrade you as an HHonors Gold.

If there is any doubt about whether the rate will earn points I always charge something minimal to the room, peanuts from the minibar etc.

When you check out, make sure you get an itemised bill, two copies if you need to submit one for expense purposes.

After your stay, wait a couple of days to see what posts on HHonors. If the stay appears but with no points wait a day (sometimes stays initially post without any points).
If still no points, submit a points discrepancy claim either online or by calling customer services.

At worst you should at least get the points for the peanuts, at best you should get the points for the whole bill.

I do this even for reward stays and sometimes after submitting a claim for the “incidentals”, I have got points for rack rate + incidentals even though it was a reward stay.

Seems like HHONORS is pretty strict in granting points for stays. I was wondering what my chances are in the following scenario. (and if there's something I would be able to do to improve my chances of getting points/benefits - I'm HH Gold)

Additional info: this is the first time I'm not doing the booking myself.

I have an upcoming reservation in Moscow through an MBA program. (study trip)
The school has negotiated a rate but we will be paying for the room ourselves.
I suppose they're using a travel agency but I don't know which one it is.

I suppose many of you here on this forum are business travellers as well and are not doing the bookings yourself. I suppose your company has negotiated rates as well and you're still earning points. So for me it's not clear at all when you get the points and when you don't.

Be aware if you have a specially negotiated rate, you may NOT get any points or stay credit. It depends on the terms of the negotiated rate. Your program may have gotten a great deal but part of that deal was to not get any points for the rate.

Any booking made via a hilton portal is eligible for points and stay credit. Anything booked via a opaque site ( hotwire, priceline, etc) is NOT eligible for anything ( points/stays/VIP benefits). Third party sites are also NOT eligible for points/stay credit. The exception to this certain travel centers affiliated within businesses. But you won't know unless you ask (and test) your travel center. TA bookings may still be eligible because some of the them use a hilton booking portal but have a special TA code.

So general rule: If you or your agent uses a Hilton portal, you get points, etc. However, if you use any site other that a hilton site, you won't get points.