Hilton HHonors - Latest Email: Double Dip(R) Your Way With The New Hilton HHonors!

See below for SNIP of email received 6/17:


Beginning July 1, 2004, you can continue to earn Points and Points (10 HHonors Base points + 5 bonus points per eligible U.S. dollar spent). This is the Earnings Style you'll receive unless you select one of these options*:

• Points and Variable Miles
Earn 10 HHonors Base points + 1 airline mile per eligible U.S. dollar spent

• Points and Fixed Miles
Earn 10 HHonors Base points per eligible U.S. dollar spent
+ 500 miles per stay (100 miles per stay at Hampton/Scandic hotels)

From my viewpoint, if you are interested in both points and miles, the "Points and Fixed Miles" is the way to go if you are staying only for a night or two (or three). The only reason you'd want "Points and Variable Miles" is if you have a permanent stay (or booked a really expensive room).

The email also states you can change your preference as often as you'd like.

Personally, my choice is the "Points and Points" only because I'm satisfied with the number of miles I've been getting from flying.

What is everyone else's choice of preference ?

I agree

then again you could make out if you charged a banquet or conference t your room with the variable

I have been doing points and points too so I can get back to 175,000 for that next GLON?ALON award.

I do points and the 500 miles because NW has their 10K bonus mile promo going on using 5 partners and one flight. Therefore, I have to have activity in the Worldperks program. Since I hotel hop, I like pumping the miles over to an account in which I can get a free partner flight without ever having to fly the actual airline itself. 10K + 2500 (5 stays at 5 different hotels) + 7500 flying w/ bonuses gets me a free inter-Asia partner flight with a meal, ice-cream, free booze, movie. Good deal.

Hilton obviously just doesn't like paying for the FF Miles in their auto "double dip" program, so they'll push to use their own hotel points which they don't pay for. Frankly, I think Hilton is being real cheap with their promos.

I want promos like 4 stays for 15K HHonors points, which everyone else is doing currently their hotel chains (3K for 3 stays with Starwoods, 10K for 5 nights with PC).

And Hilton would wonder why I cancel, when I could easily be a Diamond with their program. Currently HH GLD.

I assume you'd still get 1/2 WN credit if you're doing a "fixed" miles version...what would you get from WN under variable miles?

Is everyone's email saying that the default is 100% plus 50% bonus? I wondered whether mine was that way because that's what I now have set as my option.

I wonder if that's a sign that Points & Miles will begin to fade away.

OTOH with last year's reward inflation 150 points today is very roughly worth 100 points two years ago so in the long run what they've done is eliminate the Double Dip. :(

Choice = good!

I also am choosing points + points this year. 20 points per dollar spent adds them to the HHonors account quite HHandily. And, there are special offers like the AMEX one as well: my next stay is in a couple of days at the Tokyo Narita Airport Hilton on the 1000 PTS UPGRADE BB rate, booked and paid for with AMEX.

Thanks for posting this, psubrian! :-:

Since the points and variable miles option is set to one mile per eligible dollar - if you expect your hotel bill (before taxes et al) to be over $500, then you need to go into the website to change your preference to variable. If you're in a regular Hilton, ES, etc and your rate/total bill is going to be less than $500, you leave it at points and fixed miles? Particularly helpful if staying at one of the less expensive options (Hampton) as that is resticted to 100 miles under the fixed mile option - if you stay two+ nights, the variable miles is obviously the way to go.

Hadn't realized you could change it before each visit - thanks for the heads-up.

I assume you'd still get 1/2 WN credit if you're doing a "fixed" miles version...what would you get from WN under variable miles?

WN only available for fixed: here's the list of partners you can get the variable with (per Hilton website)

Points and Variable Miles Participating Airline Partners
Aerolines Argentinas
AeroMexico
Air Canada
Air Miles
Air New Zealand
Alaska Airlines
America West Airlines®
American Airlines®
Amtrak Railways
ANA
British Airways
Continental Airlines®
CSA Czech Airlines
Delta Air Lines
GlobalPass® (includes Aces, Aeropostal, Avianca, Aviateca, Nica, Sam, Taca, and Taca Peru)
Gulf Air
Hawaiian Airlines®
LanChile
Malaysia Airlines®
Midwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines®
Qantas Airways
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
United®
US Airways®
VARIG

Is the new fixed mile option 500 miles for all airline partners? If so, they've just cut the value of the double-dip in half for those of us who credit points to QF. Aren't there other airlines too (VS perhaps?) that awarded more than 500 pts per stay?

I could have sworn that when I signed up for the double points promotion at the beginning of the year it was supposed to run through December. Sounds like that will change in July when the new program goes into effect, which is unfortunate as I thought they were definately moving in the direction of getting rid of miles and going to additional points (which I like).

Can anyone remember if my recollection is correct in regards to the double points promotion through the end of the year?

Thanks

The old website http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus/ now connects you to http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/MyWay (http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/MyWay/Index.aspx). You are now given three choices:Points and Variable Miles: 10 HHonors Base points + 1 airline mile per eligible U.S. dollar spent
Points and Fixed Miles: 10 HHonors Base points per eligible U.S. dollar spent + 500 miles per stay (100 miles per stay at Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites® and Scandic hotels)
Points and Points: 10 HHonors Base points + 5 bonus points per eligible U.S. dollar spent

So nothing has been lost, just a new option given. Great. ^

Since the points and variable miles option is set to one mile per eligible dollar - if you expect your hotel bill (before taxes et al) to be over $500, then you need to go into the website to change your preference to variable...

Your math is correct. However, my email is very clear that unless you make a change you will get the points plus variable miles option:

"Beginning July 1, 2004, you'll earn Points and Variable Miles (10 HHonors Base points + 1 airline mile per eligible U.S. dollar spent). This is the Earnings Style you'll receive unless you select one of these options*: "

So, make sure you go to the site and select the option you want. Do not assume "Points plus fixed" or whatever your previous selection was will continue.

ADDITION: And yet, when I go to site, Points and Fixed Miles is pre-selected.

So, make sure you go to the site and select the option you want. Do not assume "Points plus fixed" or whatever your previous selection was will continue.
My selection "Points and Fixed Miles" has not changed with this new promotion. I did change it a while back from "Points and Points" so you can indeed change throughout the year as your stays change.

The old website http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/50percentbonus/ now connects you to http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/MyWay (http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/MyWay/Index.aspx). You are now given three choices:

So nothing has been lost, just a new option given. Great. ^
------------

Actually though I think I'm currently receiving 10+10....

bmi's website still offers 1,000 miles PER NIGHT at all Hilton Group hotels including Hampton Inn and presumably Scandic, capped at 3,000 miles per stay.

Virgin Atlantic's website still offers:
Doubletree®, Embassy Suites®, Homewood Suites by Hilton Hotels and Hilton Garden Inn: 1000 miles
Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Scandic Hotels: 200 miles
(miles per stay)

As both bmi and Virgin Atlantic did not fit into the typical US pattern of 500/100 miles per stay, it would be perfectly acceptable if they continued to offer miles at existing rates :) .

I could have sworn that when I signed up for the double points promotion at the beginning of the year it was supposed to run through December. Sounds like that will change in July when the new program goes into effect Don't forget to add in elite bonus (which isn't included in the email from HHonors). For Diamonds this is 50% which brings one to 20 points per dollar. Silvers and Golds earn 15 and 25% elite bonus.

Your math is correct. However, my email is very clear that unless you make a change you will get the points plus variable miles option.Most interesting; my email is equally specific that I'll earn 50% bonus points.

I was wondering whether they were (a) defaulting everyone to 50% bonus (which would imply that Points Plus Miles is falling out of favor in their eyes) or (b) keeping people signed up to whichever of the two options they had previously selected under the old options plan. But your experience seems to suggest that we're the victims of some marketing experiment.

Had you ever specified one or the other under the old option plan?

So nothing has been lost, just a new option given. Great.

Not great. If all airlines now earn at the fixed rate of 500 miles/stay then this is a big loss for those of us who credit our HH double-dips to Qantas (formerly 1000 mi/stay).

Further down in the thread someone cites the former mileage earning rate for BD and it looked to be even richer than the QF scheme. This change will be a huge negative for the BD flyers if they will only receive 500 miles/stay going forward.

I hope it isnt 500miles for all airlines. This is also a devaluation for NZ.

However, my email is very clear that unless you make a change you will get the points plus variable miles option:

"Beginning July 1, 2004, you'll earn Points and Variable Miles (10 HHonors Base points + 1 airline mile per eligible U.S. dollar spent). This is the Earnings Style you'll receive unless you select one of these options*: "

So, make sure you go to the site and select the option you want. Do not assume "Points plus fixed" or whatever your previous selection was will continue.



I'm with you on this one... have been Points + 500 forever and now have been switched to Points and Variable. With a number of low-end Hilton stays coming up in the next month, this would have really hurt. It looks like they may have done some cost-benefit analysis to see which option would save them the most on a member-by-member basis.

Edited to add:

From the fine print: Please note if you have currently selected Points and Fixed Miles inside your HHonors Account Profile as your Earning Style and your current Preferred Airline Partner participates in the Points and Variable Miles option, your Earning Style will be defaulted to Points and Variable Miles beginning July 1, 2004

In some jurisdictions this is similar to "Negative Billing" where action is required by the customer/subscriber to prevent an undesired option from executing.

From the fine print: Please note if you have currently selected Points and Fixed Miles inside your HHonors Account Profile as your Earning Style and your current Preferred Airline Partner participates in the Points and Variable Miles option, your Earning Style will be defaulted to Points and Variable Miles beginning July 1, 2004

I read this to mean that if you want Points & Points or Points + Fixed Miles, you will have to go in on July 1 and change your preference back, even if that is what you have now :( . So be sure to mark your calendars.

I read this to mean that if you want Points & Points or Points + Fixed Miles, you will have to go in on July 1 and change your preference back, even if that is what you have now :( . So be sure to mark your calendars.

If so, this couldn't be worse timing for me. :(

My guess is that by January 1st, we will be told that points and fixed miles will no longer be an option.

My guess is that by January 1st, we will be told that points and fixed miles will no longer be an option.If that happens I doubt HH will stop touting the "double dip" even though the number of miles awarded will be miniscule by comparison with today's rules.

I hope I am not being unduly negative, but is it possible Points and Fixed Miles will no longer be an option from 1 July? I hope not :(


If you have currently selected Points and Fixed Miles inside your HHonors Account Profile as your Earning Style and your current Preferred Airline Partner participates in the Points and Variable Miles option, your Earning Style will be defaulted to Points and Variable Miles beginning July 1, 2004 unless you select a different option.

(emphasis mine).

It doesnt say you can select Points and Fixed Miles. From the Points and Variable Miles link ...


If you prefer to keep your current Preferred Airline Partner and that partner does not participate in the Points and Variable Miles Earning Style, your may continue by choosing either Point and Points or Points and Fixed Miles as your Double Dip® Earning Style.

(emphasis mine)

My take is maybe can only have Points and Fixed Miles if the airline does not allow Points and Variable Miles. :confused:

But by inspection it seems most airlines that allowed double dip are on the list for Points and Variable Miles - although looks like at least some aren't eg Lufthansa.

Again I hope I'm not being negative - hope someone can clear it up for me.

BTW I havent received any email from HH. Thanks to FTers for alerting me. ^

I received it, but a good friend didn't. Neither one of us is very active in Hilton these days (both blue.) Did people get it who earn points and points? Did different elite members get it?

I received it, but a good friend didn't. Neither one of us is very active in Hilton these days (both blue.) Did people get it who earn points and points? Did different elite members get it?

I earn points and points and got the email saying it would stay my default unless I changed it.

My average /stay last year would have given me less than 300 miles /stay double-dipping with aeroplan.
I like to use my Hilton points for non-business hotel stays, so I'm going with points+points.
I hope.
So far no confirming e-mail from Hilton.

I currently opt for miles and my e-mail said that the variable miles would be my default. I called the Diamond Line to make sure that I wasn't going to lose the option of fixed miles and was assured that I would still have that option. Hopefully the fellow was right.

He also said that you can change your option the day you check into a hotel and the new option would be in effect for that stay (assuming, of course, that you don't change it before you check out.) The chosen option takes effect at midnight that night, and the option that is in place when you check out is what prevails. This is what the guy said, anyway.

Is this "enhanced" version of HHonors on top of my existing 50% bonus as Diamond? I really loved the 50% + 50% for long stays, as the miles are adding up very quickly. I just hope I can still enjoy it! Found the answer!! Sorry folks!

Well, I got this email yesterday too in Australia (the only Australian I have seen thus far to post), but there are many I see that use QF as our designated Airline for the Double Dip (because of the 1K points per stay).

I was amazed that they could, without my express permission (must be somewhere deep in the T&C's), change me to another option on 1 July.

Like others, I'm going to look closely at me average spend to see what option I can use to earn the most each time - Looks like I'll have to print out the options and choose before I check-in, which one will suit. However it would be rare that I would get over USD$500 per stay (when you're spending with $AUD, it takes much longer ;) ) - the most I've ever stayed in the one property was 6 nights, I average 1 or 2 nights/stay.

I'm about to spend 2 nights in Hilton Prague, 3 night in Croydon (London) Hilton and 1 or 2 nights in probably Metropole (London) Hilton, so they latter two will probably be close or over the $USD500 limit.

From my reading of the email, it looks like Double Dipping might be closed as an option after 31 December, perhaps Hilton have decided they are simply paying too much to airline schemes for questionable benefits received in return....

i just got my new diamond card :) and i found awards in the booklet for a free air tickets on AA. perhaps i'm not the first to do this, but i did some calculations anyway (feel free to chk my math):

1. FF2NAA: free coach within 48 contiguous us/canada is 100k HH points. 25k or 50k AA miles.

2. AP5AAH: free coach between CA/NV and HI is 175k HH points. 35k or 70k AA miles (this is betw continental USA/canada and HI -- much better).

3. AP3NAA: free coach between 48US/CAN and mexico is 150k HH points. 25k, 30k or 60k AA miles.

4. FF6NAA: free coach betw USA/CAN and europe is 200k HH points. 40k, 60k or 100k AA miles.

although a lot of people will actually not redeem coach tickets with miles (on AA, its more worth it to get biz or use miles to upg), it does provide a useful comparison: 1 AA mile is worth between 2-5 HH points.

i used to prefer 50% bonus to 500miles per stay, but this is making me think twice. argh, and it looks like the 500miles per stay option is going away, according to the T&C on the "my profile" tab.

question: can we change our preference as often as we want? anyone?

Hilton is going to default to the points and variable miles option effective July 1, 2004. Talk about negatively surprising the customer (after the fact) if they don't look very carefully up-front.

The default should be points and fixed miles like it is right now. Is this a sleight of hand by HHonors?

From my reading of the email, it looks like Double Dipping might be closed as an option after 31 December, perhaps Hilton have decided they are simply paying too much to airline schemes for questionable benefits received in return....If you take the T&Cs of the new offer at face value, the Point Plus Variable Miles option is set to expire on Dec 31, 2004. But HH switching all of the current Airline double-dippers to variable miles certainly doesn't bode well for the future of the fixed miles option.

I wonder what percentage of members does not actively manage their membership - these passive members will be switched to variable miles and never be the wiser...

In fact, the fact that they have imposed a change (and appear to be getting rid of Double Dipping @ 31/12/04) has negatively impacted on my decision to stay at Hiltons in my upcoming trip to UK/Europe.

I had planned on 6 nights (5 paid, 1 award) at Hilton's - now it will only be 2 paid and 1 award, so they have missed out moreso (3 nights revenue @ GBP 100+/night) than I have in lost FF and HH points (1,000 + ??). Travel Inns have given us much better deals (albeit not as nice as Hiltons).

Hiltons were always touting how they were the only hotel chain that had double dipping...but for mine, looks like SPG will be the net program winner as they will get the flow-on.

Ok...I'm confused as heck.

I got the e-mail and of course figured it was bad news due to how complex it is. And with this thread on it's 3rd page I'm even more confused.

I thought I used to get double Hilton points - which somehow basically worked out to roughly 20 points per dollar stays with my Hilton Amex card. Do I have to do anything if I want to continue to get double points (it's entirely possible double points aren't even an option anymore, I don't honestly pay much attention, the points simply pile up).

Someone dumbify this down for me. Thanks!

If you have chosen not to get airline miles then I dont think anything changes for you.

Ie still get 10 base points + 5 bonus points (from points + points) + 2.5/5 bonus points (for being gold/diamond) - all for every US$1.

Hope this helps.

If you have chosen not to get airline miles then I dont think anything changes for you.

Ie still get 10 base points + 5 bonus points (from points + points) + 2.5/5 bonus points (for being gold/diamond) - all for every US$10.

Hope this helps.

Good deal. Thanks!

Ie still get 10 base points + 5 bonus points (from points + points) + 2.5/5 bonus points (for being gold/diamond) - all for every US$10....for every US$1. But I think you knew that. :)

I think mm2g was getting some points due to using the HHonors Amex as well - probably instead of some of the elite points.

Oops :o

Well, I haven't had the e-mail.

Is it because my default is points + 1,000 BD miles per night (up to 3,000 per stay)?

I do hope so!

Dont think so Roger. My default is fixed 1500 per stay but I finally got the email yesterday.

Hi, Kiwi Flyer - yup, mine arrived today.

I see from the T+C's:

If your Preferred Airline Partner does not participate in the Points and Variable Miles Earning Style, your Earning Style will remain as Points and Fixed Miles.

I checked and my default is Points and Fixed Miles. I take this to mean that I will continue to get 1,000 BD miles per night (up to 3 nights) :) .

I have had just 10 days' notice of this change - unsatisfactory practice and appalling customer relations :( - so will see what happens on my next HH stay.

I take this to mean that I will continue to get 1,000 BD miles per night (up to 3 nights) :) .OK, what's the catch? Free flights starting at 100,000 miles? You can go anywhere you want as long as it's Birmingham? ;)

Seriously, why is it that british midland earns you that many miles per night?

Seriously, why is it that british midland earns you that many miles per night?I don't know about British Midland but Virgin gives 1000 miles. Those translate 1:1 to HH points, unlike other air miles (when you could change them) that were 1:2. So, they net the same compared with HH points as 500 other (US airline) miles. I've been collecting VS miles for car and hotel stays because I have plenty of CO and HH points and I don't want to pay tax on car rental FF miles.

I have VS (1000 miles) as my default airline and I *JUST* received the 3-choices email referred to at the start of this thread so it looks like they're still sending them out. Family members received the same message a few days ago.

I currently opt for miles and my e-mail said that the variable miles would be my default. I called the Diamond Line to make sure that I wasn't going to lose the option of fixed miles and was assured that I would still have that option. Hopefully the fellow was right.

He also said that you can change your option the day you check into a hotel and the new option would be in effect for that stay (assuming, of course, that you don't change it before you check out.) The chosen option takes effect at midnight that night, and the option that is in place when you check out is what prevails. This is what the guy said, anyway.

I thought I changed our earning option before checking out of a Hampton Inn last week to 50% bonus points. Yesterday I saw that the miles were posted instead. I remember seeing the screen thanking me for changing the earning option to all points just last week. A call to HHonors wasn't helpful at all. The rep basically said that I must have dreamed the change. I wonder if things didn't go through because of these new options. I'd like to send an email to flyertalk@hhonors.com regarding the whole problem.
How long do they normally take to reply?

If your Preferred Airline Partner does not participate in the Points and Variable Miles Earning Style, your Earning Style will remain as Points and Fixed Miles.

I checked and my default is Points and Fixed Miles. I take this to mean that I will continue to get 1,000 BD miles per night (up to 3 nights) :) .

I have had just 10 days' notice of this change - unsatisfactory practice and appalling customer relations :( - so will see what happens on my next HH stay.

I got the dreadded 3 choices by mail this morning, so I rang Hhonors in Glasgow to see what the story is. They confirmed to me that as a bmi member, I'd be getting 500 miles after July 1st.

I was also told that I was one of the lucky ones, as I had advanced warning. The majority of Hhonors members won't be getting warned about this change (a morally bankrupt approach, IMHO) and the agent I spoke to said she thought it was a poor step for HH. Further, the staff were updet by it, as they were the ones who would be taking it in the neck from us; in particular, she said that October was when they were expecting the backlash. I suppose that's when the next physical mailing will go out.

This is a really shabby situation. I have no particular love of Hilton hotels in the UK or Europe - mediocre at best. In the US they are better; needless to say, Conrads are pretty good. Given most of my HH stay fall in to the UK/Europe category, the 1000 bmi miles are the deciding factor for me. If it becomes 500 miles, then HH's advantage is gone and I will chose my hotels according to convenience/price/location/decor/whim.

Now I have to go away and research the other hotel programmes to see what I'll get from them.

OK, what's the catch? Free flights starting at 100,000 miles? You can go anywhere you want as long as it's Birmingham? ;)

Seriously, why is it that british midland earns you that many miles per night?

I was about to mention that BD's transatlantic awards are based on 50,000 miles (and VS's 40,000) when I saw GoldCircle's post.

So a 3-night stay will earn 500 miles instead of 3,000 as from next week? I think 'shabby' is an extremely polite way of describing this outrageous change :mad: .

I agree exactly with GoldCircle's point of view. It's back to the drawing board, and HH will no longer be my starting point when booking.

Cool! This thread made it onto Flyertalk mail :D Kinda a good feeling since I started the thread.

Sorry, back to the topic at hand ...

Hello all. Unfortunately, it seems that there may be some confusion regarding the recent introduction of additional earnings options for HHonors members. I just wanted to take a moment to clarify:

Please note that miles earnings with the Points and Fixed Miles Option REMAIN UNCHANGED. If you select that option, you'll continue to earn 500 miles (or equivalent) per stay (or 100 miles or equivalent for stays at Hampton and Scandic). Please see the "Earning Miles" section of our website for complete details at http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/points/miles.jhtml.

The intent of these additional earnings options is to give you greater flexibility in how you want to earn Points & Miles. You have the ability to change your profile whenever you wish, so you can choose the option that is most applicable to your needs over time.

I hope that helps, and I apologize for any confusion.

Best regards,

Adam

Adam Burke
Vice President, Marketing
Hilton HHonors Worldwide

To echo Adam Burke's statement (and in a spirit of optimism ;) ) note that at the end of the year it's the variable miles option that's scheduled to expire. This appears in the fine print on the Earning Style Selection page on HHonors.

Here's to hoping that Points plus Fixed miles remains a viable earning option into the future... :)

I've been away for a week on vacation :cool: without access to FlyerTalk :( and I have only just seen Adam Burke's message. I must say I'm highly relieved to see that my BD/VS mileage earning rates will remain at previous levels.

I just checked the link in Mr Burke's message and note that at July 1, BD and VS levels are the same as they were last week :) .

Just a friendly reminder that its now July 1. Be sure to log into your HHonors account and verify what your rewards choice preference is. :)