No Costco is not a grocery store. I don't have to exact wording, but the store essentially has to primarily sell groceries.
I suppose the only good thing about the removal of restaurants is that when I travel I can charge stuff to my room rather than paying separately with my credit card.
Here's the wording from the original post: "Spending at the following categories of merchants, excluding warehouse clubs and superstores(emphasis mine): supermarkets..."
Programs: AA plat, SPG gold, HH GoldLite, Hyatt Diamond, Miracle Fruit-su club
Posts: 786
Quote:
Originally Posted by Centurion
Is the Hilton card worth getting to use for just one large expense at a Hilton property verus using a starwood card? An expense large enough that would put you imediately over bonus point threshold?
(off topic) That's exactly what I did!
(back on topic) Kinda makes me root for higher gas prices again
I just received the card this week. It still says Platinum, but it does came with the notice about changing the points in the envelope with the card.
Quote:
Originally Posted by christianj
I agree! They did this to the Starwood AMEX a while back too. It used to have the term "Platinum" on the front and when they changed the card design they removed it so there is not mention of Platinum on the SPG AMEX any more. I don't quite understand how people got confused...maybe because I also have an AMEX Platinum card and understand the difference. Why would people think they get the Platinum benefits that cost Plat. members $450 a year for free with the HH card and with the SPG card.
Some chains in the 6-point category (CVS, Walgreen's, grocery stores) are now selling a wide variety of restaurant gift cards. We could buy the gift cards there (6 points) instead of spending directly at the restaurant (3 points).
This might be particularly useful for restaurant chains that have many brands (for example, Chili's + Maggiano's + Macaroni Grill + a few others = 1 "family").
Some chains in the 6-point category (CVS, Walgreen's, grocery stores) are now selling a wide variety of restaurant gift cards. We could buy the gift cards there (6 points) instead of spending directly at the restaurant (3 points).
This might be particularly useful for restaurant chains that have many brands (for example, Chili's + Maggiano's + Macaroni Grill + a few others = 1 "family").
On the other hand, that doesn't help much if the whole point of getting extra points on the HHonors AMEX at restaurants was to use it as your card for iDine/RewardsNetwork dining. That requires the dine to be done with a registered debit or credit card (at most Visa, MC, AMEX, and/or Discover, though the exact mix of card types that qualifies for miles/points/cashback depends on the particular restaurant).
I was just curious what credit card folks are planning to use for restaurants going forward. Someone mentioned the Citi Professional card earlier. Any other good options as I am not quite taken by the Citi Professional card. I had gotten the Hilton AMEX primarily for restaurant spend. While we do not eat out all the time, we do spend at least $7,000 or so a year at restaurants.
Location: formerly Gold now NW Plat, formerly New Orleans, now Los Angeles, sadly soon to be formerly NW
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Priority Club Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,219
So one issue of confusion for me....earning gold elite with $20k annual spend is obviously straight forward. However can you earn higher status purely on AMEX charges? Do these points count as base points and get Diamond with with 100k base points?
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Neither Gold nor in NOLA anymore....soon not to be NW either, a COMPLETE identity crisis!!
Location: SF CA USA. FT addict. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA 1K, Starwood Gold, HH Gold, PC Gold
Posts: 11,098
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOLAnwGOLD
So one issue of confusion for me....earning gold elite with $20k annual spend is obviously straight forward. However can you earn higher status purely on AMEX charges? Do these points count as base points and get Diamond with with 100k base points?
Bonus points are NOT base points!!!
(Hint: this is covered in the HHonors T&Cs, accessible through the link at the bottom of www.hiltonhhonors.com.)
Essentially, BASE points = 10 points/dollar on all eligible folio charges earned during a hotel stay. Everything else (whether hotel bonus, Amex spend, etc.) is BONUS points.
So, NO, you will NOT earn status based on HHonors points earned from your Amex spend. (Although as you correctly point out, you CAN earn status based on your DOLLAR spend on Amex. Again, covered in the HHonors T&Cs -- or rather, the Partner T&Cs, specifically, those for the credit cards.)
Programs: United 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 201
I still haven't received notice of the new terms, but it seems that it is just about going to be a wash for me. Sucks for people who dine out a lot, though!
I was just curious what credit card folks are planning to use for restaurants going forward. Someone mentioned the Citi Professional card earlier. Any other good options as I am not quite taken by the Citi Professional card. I had gotten the Hilton AMEX primarily for restaurant spend. While we do not eat out all the time, we do spend at least $7,000 or so a year at restaurants.
Good question. I really don't know. Likely a CC I get 3% back on, but nothing really is good anymore for me.
Did anybody else notice a change in the earnings structure for the HHonors AmEx? It looks as if they increased the number of points earned for gas stations, grocery stores, etc. to 6 (3 base points + 3 bonus points), but restaurants are now limited to simply the base points of 3. I don't believe that restaurants qualify for bonus points any longer.
Points Accumulation Agreement:
We are replacing the first two paragraphs of the Points Accumulation Agreement with the following:
"You will receive three Hilton HHonors bonus points for each U.S. dollar of "Eligible Spending" (as defined below) on your Hilton HHonors
Card from American Express (the "Card").
You will receive three additional Hilton HHonors bonus points (for a total of six Hilton HHonors bonus points) for each U.S. dollar of Eligible
Spending at the following categories of merchants, excluding warehouse clubs and superstores: supermarkets; drug stores; stand-alone
gas stations; and home telephone, wireless, cable, satellite TV, and Internet service providers.
You will receive three additional Hilton HHonors bonus points (for a total of six Hilton HHonors bonus points) for each U.S. dollar of Eligible
Spending on the Card at any Hilton Family hotel worldwide (excluding Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare purchases and package sales).
Why would people think they get the Platinum benefits that cost Plat. members $450 a year for free with the HH card and with the SPG card. 
