Hilton HHonors - HH Amex question...

The recent thread on the upgrade to the HH Amex has got me thinking, something I try not to do too frequently...

My question is in regard is this:
From the Hilton T&C it says, HHonors Base point you earn helps to qualify you for VIP status. You'll earn Diamond VIP status after earning 100,000 Base points in any consecutive 12-month period.

You all know that by using HH Amex, you earn HH Points.
Do those HH Amex points count as Base points?

If I earned 10k points a month by using HH Amex only (never staying at a Hilton property again) within the next 12 months would I than be Diamond?
(I don't know if the rolling VIP tier would affect this or not...)

Thanks in advance!

Sorry but the AMEX points will be counted as bonus points and not as base points. They will not help you towards earning status. I think base points only come from hotel stays.

Even the double or triple base points offers that some of the properties have been offering still count as bonus points, and not base points as the promo titles might suggest.

I just received a post card from Amex. They offered me gold if I spend $20k within a 12 month period.

I've got one that is sure to raise the roof for HHonors AMEX card holders. I was recently auditing Mrs. MileKing's HHonors point postings to our (mutual) HHonors account and noticed that she was shortchanged several hundred points based on the spending on her January AMEX statement. A bit of analysis indicated that she did not receive the extra 2 points per dollar for a stay at the Hampton Inn - Denver (Cherry Creek) in early January. What is interesting is that property appears as "Hampton Inn/Suites" on the credit card statement. Other Hampton properties usually appear as "Hampton Inn" or similar. I checked back a couple of months and sure enough a stay at the Hampton Inn Charlotte/Pineville also was not credited the extra 2 points per dollar. That property too is designated as "Hampton Inn/Suites". So, it appears that Hampton Inn/Suites properties are not getting the extra points. Anyone else seeing the same thing?

I am now going back and auditing the last several months of her HHonors postings to see if there are other problems and plan to contact AMEX when I am done.

All my Hampton Inn/Suites stays have posted with the extra points.

Sorry but the AMEX points will be counted as bonus points and not as base points. They will not help you towards earning status. I think base points only come from hotel stays.

That is what I thought as well.
My only reason to think otherwise is that there is only one column on your HH points website and that title of that column is "HHonors Points".

Base points and Bonus points are broken up, on hotel activity (in the details section) but in terms of HH Amex points they are just listed as "American Express Transfer".

I know, I am probably just wishing too hard for HH Amex points to count as base points, they probably are counted as Bonus Points.

Regarding the issue with HI/Suites, I have not had that problem. But a "problem" I do have is that each of my Amex statements say, "HHonors points @ 2 per dollar". It should say, "HHonors points @ 3 per dollar". Although when I calculate everything up it is always at 3 per dollar (or 5 per dollar when doing Hilton stays).

I just received a post card from Amex. They offered me gold if I spend $20k within a 12 month period.

I wonder if this is true for everyone w/a HH Amex. I once made Gold in a year when I had no HH stays (at least I don't think I had any). I had it for a year or so, and then I went back down to Silver. Never knew why I got the Gold status or lost it. Maybe this had something to do with it. tls

this goes in total effect 4-15. And is addition is too 5points for Hilton Purchases and 3points for all other purchase.......

You will receive an additional two HH points for everyday purchases at supermarkets, gas stations, and drug stores that are not departments of superstores or warehouse clubs, and the US Postal Service, dining establishments, and for wireless phone bill payments.
If in any calendar year of Cardmembership your Eligible Purchases total $20,000 or more, you will be upgraded to Hilton Gold VIP status for a one year period beginning no later than April of the following calendar year.
You will receive 500 Hilton HHonors bonus points for each Qualifying Stay at a participating Hilton Family hotel when the stay is booked online at any Hilton Family hotel website and paid for with the Card.

The postcard fine print for upgrade to Gold:

1. If during the 2005 calendar year your Eligible Purchases total $20,000 or more, you will be upgraded to Gold VIP status in the Hilton HHonors program for one-year period beginning no later than April 2006. Eligible purchases includes purchase transactions made using your Hilton HHonors Platinum Credit Card that are posted between January 1 and December 31, 2005. Ineligible transactions include cash advances, Express Cash transactions, balance transfers, and convinience checks.