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Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card [Ends Dec 2017]

Old Oct 6, 2013, 12:04 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: mia
Citi's contract to issue Hilton co-branded cards ends in December 2017. Citi will sell most accounts to American Express. The criteria for determining which accounts are eligible to be sold are unpublished. Read Hilton FAQ: http://hiltonhonors3.hilton.com/en/e...-card-faq.html


ALL known links for ALL Citi Hilton Honors cards appear to be dead now.
-----------------------------

This thread is a continuation of: Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card (2012 - 2015)


Link no longer working: https://www.citicards.com/cards/cred...7A711D5L00101W

Link no longer working: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/cr...s-reserve-card

- Earn two weekend night certificates - at select hotels and resorts - after making $2,500 in purchases.

- Enjoy Hilton HHonors Gold Status as long as you are a Citi Hilton Reserve cardmember

- Annual Fee: $95,
not waived


From the app page:
"Weekend Night Certificates offer is not available if you have had any Citi®Hilton HHonorsTM card opened or closed in the past 24 months"."Weekend Night Certificates offer is not available if you have had a Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card account that was opened or closed in the past 24 months." (Language change to "any" dates back to August 2016.)


When will I receive my free nights?
Some datapoints indicate that the certificates are emailed ~7 days after the statement in which the spend is met, but others datapoints indicate that it may take 1-2 additional statement cycles before they're actually sent.

How long do I have to use the free nights?
The certificates expire 12 months from the date that they're emailed to you. Your stay must be completed on or before this expiration date.

Do I need to print the certificates and take them with me?
Yes. Some people say they haven't been asked for them, but it's much better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

Can the free weekend certs be redeemed online?
No, you have to call the HHonors department to book them. Even regular Hilton reservations cannot book them, although they can transfer you to the right department.


so the 2-browser trick is dead. can we still apply two HH Reserve card every 65 days, with same HH #, and get four certificates?
Several people have reported successfully churning this card, and receiving the certificates for both cards. Closing one card before applying for another doesn't appear to be required.

You can still get as many as you want of the Citi Hilton 50k cards (except that CITI only allows two cards of any type every 60-65 days).all 50k card offers without 18 month language dead as of 7/5/15

Can you get the anniversary free night bonus without paying the annual fee, or do you get the free night bonus only if you hit $10,000 in charges AND renew?
This seems to be YMMV. Some people have reported not getting it until well after their AF payment is due, while others have reported getting it in time to cancel and have their AF refunded. More data points on this are needed.

Terms and conditions for the free nights
Friday, Saturday & Sunday night, and I don't think there are any blackout nights (beyond the normal HHonors program rules). Here is the description from the Cert as well as the T&C's:

Description: You've received this reward certificate because you've met the purchase requirements with your Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve card. This reward is valid for one complimentary weekend night for a standard room at participating hotels worldwide, subject to availability. This reward is not valid at All-Inclusive or Distinctive properties and cannot be combined with the 5th Night Free benefit or other promotions. Please visit HHonors.com/weekendcertificate to see a list of excluded properties.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
As with any HHonors Reward, this Reward Certificate is subject to all HHonors Terms & Conditions on participation, use, and redemption, posted at http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/terms.do. The hotel stay received with this Hotel Reward Certificate shall be treated as a Hotel Reward Stay, as defined in the Terms & Conditions, except Points & Money, Premium Room and Room Upgrade Rewards cannot be used with this Certificate.

HOTEL REWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Reward Certificate is not transferable after issued and may be redeemed only by the individual named thereon, consistent with HHonors Terms & Conditions. If a person other than the individual named on the Reward Certificate attempts to redeem it, the Certificate will be deemed void and accommodations will be denied.
2. Reward Certificate may not be sold, auctioned, bartered, brokered or purchased except with the express written consent of Hilton HHonors. Any Reward Certificate obtained in this manner by any person or entity will be considered to be fraudulently obtained and will be deemed void if transferred for cash or other consideration. Altered Reward Certificates are void and will not be honored.
3. Reward Certificate may not be combined with other certificates, discounts, packages or promotional offers, or Hotel Reward stays beyond Standard Room Rewards, unless otherwise specified in writing by Hilton HHonors.
4. Reward Certificate cannot be redeemed for cash, prizes or credit. Reward Certificate is not exchangeable.
5. Reward Certificate will not be replaced, reissued or credited if lost, stolen or otherwise destroyed.
6. Reward Certificate is void if copied, prohibited or restricted by law.
7. HHonors members will not earn points or miles for Hotel Reward stays, unless otherwise stated on the Reward Certificate.
8. Reward Certificate expires on the date noted on the face of the Reward Certificate.
9. Reward Certificate must be redeemed in strict accordance with the procedures specified on the certificate.
10. For the purpose of Certificate redemption, a weekend night is defined as a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, unless specified otherwise on the Reward Certificate.
11. Reward Certificate applies to the room rate and tax of one standard room at a participating hotel and as further provided on the Certificate. A "Standard room" is as defined by the hotel. Any tax liability incurred in connection with the receipt and/or use of this Certificate, including, but not limited to, local or city occupancy taxes, or individual income tax is the sole responsibility of the user. Incidental charges are the responsibility of the user.
12. Reward Certificate usage is limited to Double Occupancy. Additional occupants, age 19 and above, are subject to the standard extra person charges.
13. Reward Certificate reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card. Some hotels may require a deposit in lieu of a credit card guarantee. Deposits cannot be waived for Reward Certificate reservations. Reward Certificate reservations that are cancelled outside of the time frame set by the hotel's individual cancellation policy will be charged one night's room and tax at the hotel's minimum rate for that date.
14. Reward Certificate is valid for the number of nights noted under the description on the face of the Certificate. If the Certificate is valid for more than one night, all nights must be used and the Certificate redeemed for a single stay that includes up to all Certificate nights. The Certificate cannot be broken down and/or redeemed for more than one stay. Any unused nights will be forfeited and will not be replaced or credited.
15. No credit or substitutions will be given for any Reward Certificate including those that are only partially used.
16. Promotional Rewards are for Standard Rooms only.
17. Hotel stays resulting from Reward Certificate are non-commissionable to travel agents.
18. Recipients of Reward Certificate may be required to sign a release of liability and a statement permitting the use of their name and/or photo for promotional purposes without additional compensation.
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Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card [Ends Dec 2017]

Old Jan 18, 2016, 5:45 pm
  #46  
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Originally Posted by RobertHanson
I've heard very few reports of being totally unable to buy MOs with GCs at WM. It's true that you can't use Vanilla cards for more than $49.99 at WM. That's why I said MetaBank Visa GCs. US bank GCs work too, but you have to go thru the "change payment" process first, which can be a hassle until you figure out how to do it.

Certainly there are numerous reports of individual employees who decide on their own that only bank issued debit cards can be used. But usually that just means to come back when someone else is working. In any case, it only costs $6.95 to find out. Buy a $500 MetaBank Visa GC, and see if your WM will let you buy a MO with it. If they won't, and you can't find a grocery store that will let you do that either, the worst case scenario is that you just use the GC for retail purchases instead of using the cc.
Let me tell you, out of 4 superstores, 4 neighborhood stores that within 15 miles radius near my home, only ONE superstore and ONE neighborhood store still allow No-Named debit card to buy MOs. And probably ONLY because the customer service managers in both locations know me for several years, LONG BEFORE Visa / Mastercard GCs became PIN enable. And I dont count on the exception would last much longer. All other stores required real bank debit cards. And no, it is not individual employees asking that, it is the management requires the employees to make sure that - in fact, the only neighborhood store where I can still buy, the employees there just went thru the AML training, a guy used to handle my transactions was a bit hesitant due to the training they hd just went thru. He went to ask the management before he proceeded as usual. Luckily I was given the "green light", as he came back and said to his co-worker "just do it." Mind you, those cashiers' jobs are on the line and they dont have the luxury like you and many folks here to MS. They rely on their WMT paychecks. i see these same cashiers at either the MC or the CS desks for YEARS there is hardly any turnover.

If you can freely buy MOs, great. However your generation is rather far from what the reality is out there.

Last edited by Happy; Jan 18, 2016 at 5:53 pm
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 7:01 pm
  #47  
 
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Originally Posted by MVF Trekker
Yes, Hilton and Citi confirmed they were supposed to be 2. I called Hilton and they told me they emailed both of them but somehow, I only received one so they just gave me the certificate number so I can use it in the future.
Same thing happened to me last week. Only one cert # in one email. I called in and they were able to see two. I had them applied to a king superior I had "on hold" at the WA Amsterdam for next NYE :-)
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Old Jan 19, 2016, 8:33 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Originally Posted by Happy
only ONE superstore and ONE neighborhood store still allow No-Named debit card to buy MOs. And probably ONLY because the customer service managers in both locations know me for several years, LONG BEFORE Visa / Mastercard GCs became PIN enable....

your generation is rather far from what the reality is out there.
So they went thru a special training on MOs, and were taught "no one but Happy" can use GCs?

And the my "generation" really has me puzzled.

Are you quoting The Who?

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Old Jan 19, 2016, 9:50 am
  #49  
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Older posts have been archived. There is a link in the Wikipost.

Last edited by mia; Jan 19, 2016 at 2:33 pm
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Old Jan 20, 2016, 1:08 pm
  #50  
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Originally Posted by RobertHanson
So they went thru a special training on MOs, and were taught "no one but Happy" can use GCs?

And the my "generation" really has me puzzled.
No, they were taught to require named debit cards only but since I am a well-known customer by the customer service manager, the staff went to ask if there would be any exception - and I was given that ONE SINGLE EXCEPTION.

As I expected, when I returned on this Tuesday about 10 days later, the ONLY method to buy MO at that most reliable neighborhood store would be with named, real bank's debit cards WITHOUT needing to give more personal data. However if I (or anyone ) wants to use the Gebits, they would do it, provided you give the DL, SSN, and all other personal data, then they will fax the data sheet to "somewhere" before process a transaction. My customer service dept manager who was as friendly as ever, quietly told me "not to do it" as in the term "not worth it to give out your SSN."

There you have it. Lost one more WMT store in the area that was super friendly before. Fact of life.

As I mentioned numerous times, if you can get away with whatever you advocate to do, great for you. But in all reality, this thing is very localized and the trend is things are getting harder by the day.
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Old Jan 20, 2016, 1:14 pm
  #51  
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My local Jewel Osco supermarket use to sell Variable Load VGCs so I could get the 3x on my EDP card at $500 a piece. No more, they no longer sell them. Another opportunity bites the dust.
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Old Jan 20, 2016, 1:20 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by TMM1982
My local Jewel Osco supermarket use to sell Variable Load VGCs so I could get the 3x on my EDP card at $500 a piece. No more, they no longer sell them. Another opportunity bites the dust.
Right. Opportunities 100% depend on where you live. Yet in general there are less and less opportunities still exist.

Down here there was only one chain would carry the VGCs and the chain turned to cash and debit card only almost 2 years ago but the POS was not hard-coded and store management could make exception. One flagship store let me buy with AMEX cards (and I got huge fuel points during the holiday promotion a year ago.) Sadly their POS finally turned to hard-coded in May 2015. No more grocery store bonus earning opp. 7-11 here are all cash only despite POS is not hard coded but cashiers either would not allow it or check with their managers first - I gave up on Freedom category earnings since last year. Cards have no use to us other than relationship keeper with Chase.
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Old Jan 20, 2016, 3:03 pm
  #53  
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My annual just hit and I'm not planning on keeping the card since gold status is worthless to me. I did hit the $10k in spending last year though. How long after the annual fee lands does it take before the free night hits your Hilton account? I don't want to close too soon and screw it up.
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Old Jan 24, 2016, 11:36 am
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by RamboAroundTheWorld
My annual just hit and I'm not planning on keeping the card since gold status is worthless to me. I did hit the $10k in spending last year though. How long after the annual fee lands does it take before the free night hits your Hilton account? I don't want to close too soon and screw it up.
Citi aka YMMV.

Some get the cert to post before the AF is due. Some get it way too late to cancel and avoid the fee. I'd call Citi and ask how long after the due date for the AF can you cancel and get the fee refunded. I'd guess that's around 30 days, but I don't know for sure.

Then pay the fee just before the due date, and keep checking to see if the cert has posted yet. If you reach the end of the time period for a fee refund and the cert hasn't shown up yet, which is the most likely thing to happen, then you have to decide if the cert is worth the fee. But if it posts before that date you are a winner.
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Old Jan 24, 2016, 11:38 am
  #55  
 
Join Date: May 2015
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Originally Posted by RobertHanson
Citi aka YMMV.

Some get the cert to post before the AF is due. Some get it way too late to cancel and avoid the fee. I'd call Citi and ask how long after the due date for the AF can you cancel and get the fee refunded. I'd guess that's around 30 days, but I don't know for sure.

Then pay the fee just before the due date, and keep checking to see if the cert has posted yet. If you reach the end of the time period for a fee refund and the cert hasn't shown up yet, which is the most likely thing to happen, then you have to decide if the cert is worth the fee. But if it posts before that date you are a winner.
Doesn't Citi prorate their annual fee so this doesn't really matter? My data point is a different card, but I canceled after 3 months and got back a prorated refund automatically.
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Old Jan 24, 2016, 1:51 pm
  #56  
 
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Get $100 gift card on award stay?

For the $100 credit, I understand you have to apply the charge to room bill.

If you stay on an award and buy a $100 gift card from the hotel, will that count?

I suppose you can also prepay a future stay - as long as the charge hits within 3 months of Citi account activation, you'll get the credit.
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Old Jan 25, 2016, 8:58 am
  #57  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
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Hi Everyone! Does anyone know if the 18 month language applies to the date of the new application or the date when the two weekend night certificates are issued? For example if I apply (today) and then next week cancel Reserve #1(which I opened 18+ months ago), will I still get the 2 free nights? (spending wont be met for at least a month)--(It's hard to imagine they look again at the 18 months before they actually issue the certs but just want to confirm) Thanks in advance!
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Old Jan 25, 2016, 9:46 am
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by Flygirl98
Hi Everyone! Does anyone know if the 18 month language applies to the date of the new application or the date when the two weekend night certificates are issued? For example if I apply (today) and then next week cancel Reserve #1(which I opened 18+ months ago), will I still get the 2 free nights? (spending wont be met for at least a month)--(It's hard to imagine they look again at the 18 months before they actually issue the certs but just want to confirm) Thanks in advance!
If you read the terms of the offer it will always explain what the 18 months applies to. Citi is usually all over the place between cards, so it's always important to read everything.
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Old Jan 25, 2016, 10:48 am
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by asur
Doesn't Citi prorate their annual fee so this doesn't really matter? My data point is a different card, but I canceled after 3 months and got back a prorated refund automatically.
Are you sure it was a Citi card that gave you a prorated refund? I don't know about all Citi cards, but I know for sure the AA Exec card was not eligible for one.
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Old Jan 25, 2016, 9:35 pm
  #60  
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Originally Posted by RobertHanson
Are you sure it was a Citi card that gave you a prorated refund? I don't know about all Citi cards, but I know for sure the AA Exec card was not eligible for one.
Regular AA card gives prorated refund, for years and still does so. No idea on HHonors Reserve.
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