Apr 30, 2013, 1:02 pm
AXON Hilton Honors Award Questions and Information: The Definitive Thread
Feb 23, 2013, 4:46 pm
#796
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: LAS ORD
Programs: AA Pro (mostly B6) OZ♦ (flying BR/UA), BA Silver Hyatt LT, Wynn Black, Cosmo Plat, Mlife Noir
Posts: 5,992
Feb 23, 2013, 8:55 pm
#797
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
I just got an e-mail for double Hilton points for stays through the end of March for Amex card holders. I hope this isn't the AXON replacement.
Feb 24, 2013, 8:31 am
#799
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
Yep, strange that Amex sends it out rather than Hilton but whatever... I registered and will be using the Citi Reserve in Tokyo and Maldives where double points will certainly help with the devaluation..
Feb 24, 2013, 9:14 am
#801
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 190
AXON Hilton HHonors Award Questions and Information: The Definitive Thread
With the devaluation, any point to even swipe any Hilton card for purchase at all? How is the 6 Hilton point/dollar spend compare to 2% cash back offered by many regular credit cards?
Feb 24, 2013, 9:16 am
#802
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Well, it is indirectly. While none of has has seen the Amex/Hilton contract, there is little chance Hilton is paying for the AXON award discount. Amex is. In some form or fashion. It is a benefit of having the card, so Amex would be footing the bill either by buying the point difference or some other concession.
The question here is whether Amex is going to step up to keep its card competitive or cede to citi. The problem is that the price of poker just went up. Axon use to be a 25k savings over GLON. Now it would, to stay relevant, have to be more, causing Hilton to charge more. Though, given the devaluation, I doubt citi and amex will pay the same for points.
There are many moving parts here. Hilton can't devalue without bringing its partners into the loop. Think about it. Amex agrees to buy 200 million points or whatever it agreed to in order to get the contract for the co branded card. When points are devalued one of three thing (or a combination) happens: 1 they lose customers, 2 they lose swipes or 3 they have to increase benefits to avoid 1 and 2. So Hilton can't just devalue without its partners.
If this devaluation coincides with an end to the Amex contract, all bets are off. If not, the two will have to reach agreement. If it is just a reduction in what Amex pays for points, we are the losers, and Amex will just let the cards fade away. If Amex wants to keep the cards relevant they will pony up to give more befits to replace Axon and devalued points.
The question here is whether Amex is going to step up to keep its card competitive or cede to citi. The problem is that the price of poker just went up. Axon use to be a 25k savings over GLON. Now it would, to stay relevant, have to be more, causing Hilton to charge more. Though, given the devaluation, I doubt citi and amex will pay the same for points.
There are many moving parts here. Hilton can't devalue without bringing its partners into the loop. Think about it. Amex agrees to buy 200 million points or whatever it agreed to in order to get the contract for the co branded card. When points are devalued one of three thing (or a combination) happens: 1 they lose customers, 2 they lose swipes or 3 they have to increase benefits to avoid 1 and 2. So Hilton can't just devalue without its partners.
If this devaluation coincides with an end to the Amex contract, all bets are off. If not, the two will have to reach agreement. If it is just a reduction in what Amex pays for points, we are the losers, and Amex will just let the cards fade away. If Amex wants to keep the cards relevant they will pony up to give more befits to replace Axon and devalued points.
Feb 24, 2013, 9:47 am
#803
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
One night at top category = 95,000 points = $15,833 spend at 6 points per dollar.
You'd get $316 cash back on that spend at 2%.
I could see some deals that might be worth it... but cash doesn't have restrictions on when it can be used...
Feb 24, 2013, 11:50 am
#804
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
Sorry if you were only asking about the Amex surpass. I can't see swiping that card anywhere after drug store bonuse go away in May. There are better supermarket cards. I wouldn't even use that card at Hilton. The exta 2 points over the citi card is only worth it once you have met the 10k citi spend threshold. In other words, only if you are not trying to get to 10k on the citi cardn or have already gotten there is the surpass worth it, and only then to get the extra 2 points at Hiltons. And even then, if you are going for 40k on the citi for diamond, use that instead.
The bottom line for me is I will keep the citi card and pay the annual fee. Unless Amex comes out with a knock your sox off benefit for Surpass, or gives me a crazy good retention offer, I will get rid of it or downgrade to the free card in June.
Feb 24, 2013, 5:17 pm
#805
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,622
Do the Citi hilton reserve free nights expire after a year like the Hyatt free nights?
Feb 24, 2013, 5:59 pm
#807
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,622
What about the two free nights you get with introductory spend? One year expiration?
Feb 25, 2013, 8:08 am
#810
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
I booked two rooms at the DT Suites Times Square for Thanksgiving weekend. Took my account balance down from 291,xxx to almost zip.
My Amex annual fee was January, so sometime late this year I'll roll over to the Citi card. I probably won't bail on HH entirely...still see enough potential uses for Diamond status and a decent stash of points. But it's clear that the truly aspirational Hiltons are now off the board for good.