Hilton free night from opening Hilton AMEX Surpass/Ascend card in 2017
Oct 27, 2018, 9:51 am
#61
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 16
"Surpass" AF just posted. $75. Was absolutely expecting $95. I don't know what to expect anymore. The prospect of a free night for $75 every year seemed worth it when I signed up. This year's free night should be it tho, right? And then next year $75 or $95? I have no precedent for amex card changes.
Oct 27, 2018, 2:45 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 24
My $75 renewal fee also just posted. I chatted with Hilton and they gave me the free night certificate number that has posted. I want to cancel this card and get my $75 back since I since opened an Aspire. Have been looking for datapoints as to whether they will claw back the certificate if I cancel the card. sgd, did you do this a while ago, to know for sure they won't claw it back?
Apr 5, 2020, 6:21 pm
#64
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Lincoln, CA
Programs: HHonors/Marriott/Starwood/SWA Rapid Rewards
Posts: 240
I'm so thankful for this thread that came up when I google searched the question about a free night. I thought I was losing my mind when I discussed this perk with my sister. She consistently charged $15,000 to her card, while I never did. She couldn't figure out how I got 2 free nights. My husband and I each got a card in 2017. We were each awarded the free night in 2018 after the annual fee was paid. I was able to use his free night after we cancelled his card the following year. I was also able to use my free night for 1 of my son's honeymoon nights in Waikiki in July 2019. That was awesome since the Hilton Hawaiian Village is pricey! Problem solved and I didn't lose my mind. The question is going forward, do I still want to pay $95 a year for this? I know that free breakfast comes with the Gold status which is nice. And I do have 97,000 points left. We stayed in Times Square in October 2019 at a Hilton Millenium in the theater district just before our 10 day cruise. That was a big savings since we stayed 2 nights w/ points and our friends wanted to stay at that hotel. It was a little old and tired but it was GREAT to save $400 per night with no taxes, no resort fee, plus we got free breakfast for 2 days! WooHoo! I love this hobby.
Last edited by T Q; Apr 5, 2020 at 6:24 pm Reason: grammar
Apr 5, 2020, 8:11 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,392
Downgrading to the no annual fee card is a fine option if you only stay at Hiltons occasionally and have other cards to use for gas station spending. You have to spend a fair amount of money on the card (thousands, exact number depends on what you spend it on) to make it break even on the annual fee if you don't assign any value to the Gold status.
