Logical move from no-fee HHonors card?
Apr 4, 2018, 6:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Lifetime / Annual Titanium; Massively Missing Starwood
Posts: 5,337
Logical move from no-fee HHonors card?
I had the old AMEX no-fee HHonors card; I got upgraded to the new, no-fee card. I previously had applied for another one of the annual-fee HHonors card, and then cancelled it.
I just got an upgrade offer to move from the card that I have to the Ascend card. It comes w/ 75,000 points for the spend.
I'm honestly not that familiar w/ AMEX's card policies, but I have seen 100k offers for the two new annual-fee cards.
In my situation, should I take the offer that AMEX sent me or, conversely, cancel the card I have an use one of the 100k point links?
I just got an upgrade offer to move from the card that I have to the Ascend card. It comes w/ 75,000 points for the spend.
I'm honestly not that familiar w/ AMEX's card policies, but I have seen 100k offers for the two new annual-fee cards.
In my situation, should I take the offer that AMEX sent me or, conversely, cancel the card I have an use one of the 100k point links?
Apr 4, 2018, 6:25 pm
#2
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
Apr 4, 2018, 6:46 pm
#4
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
That would have been Surpass which is now Ascend. Unless you CLOSED that account 7+ years ago, it makes you ineligible for a new account Ascend bonus. Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product or the Hilton Honors Surpass Card. This should not disqualify you from the UPGRADE offer, only the new account offer.
You would be eligible for a new account bonus if you apply for Aspire.
You would be eligible for a new account bonus if you apply for Aspire.
Apr 4, 2018, 7:08 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Lifetime / Annual Titanium; Massively Missing Starwood
Posts: 5,337
To be honest, I want to get as many hhonors points as possible on these new cards. What do I need to look out for before I apply for all of them?
Apr 4, 2018, 7:16 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Lifetime / Annual Titanium; Massively Missing Starwood
Posts: 5,337
To be honest, I want to get as many hhonors points as possible on these new cards. What do I need to look out for before I apply for all of them?
Here is the offer I got via email from AMEX:
Dear Dingo,
We appreciate your loyalty. You’ve been selected to request an upgrade to the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card. Enjoy benefits that can make travel even more rewarding for an annual fee of $95.
Confusion: Your post says I'm ineligible for the Ascend card but I got the offer for the upgrade to the Ascend I'm confused by the two banks carrying the HHonors card and the rules around changing products.
I'd like to max out the 100k-ish opps on these new cards. I have two businesses to use as applicants
Here is the offer I got via email from AMEX:
Dear Dingo,
We appreciate your loyalty. You’ve been selected to request an upgrade to the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card. Enjoy benefits that can make travel even more rewarding for an annual fee of $95.
Confusion: Your post says I'm ineligible for the Ascend card but I got the offer for the upgrade to the Ascend I'm confused by the two banks carrying the HHonors card and the rules around changing products.
I'd like to max out the 100k-ish opps on these new cards. I have two businesses to use as applicants
Apr 4, 2018, 7:22 pm
#8
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
No, that's not accurate.
You are not eligible to APPLY for Ascend and receive a New Account bonus because you have held Surpass.
You are eligible to accept an invitation to UPGRADE a free card to Ascend, and receive a bonus (unless the terms of the upgrade offer state otherwise.)
Applying and upgrading are distinct processes with different rules.
You are not eligible to APPLY for Ascend and receive a New Account bonus because you have held Surpass.
You are eligible to accept an invitation to UPGRADE a free card to Ascend, and receive a bonus (unless the terms of the upgrade offer state otherwise.)
Applying and upgrading are distinct processes with different rules.
Last edited by mia; Apr 5, 2018 at 7:14 am
Apr 5, 2018, 12:09 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,610
Do we have data points of folks not getting the ascend bonus because they used to have a (now-cancelled) surpass few years ago? I think I saw on reddit that atleast one person got the ascend bonus despite having an old (now-cancelled) surpass card.
Apr 5, 2018, 6:52 am
#10
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
We have this explicit statement in the offer terms: Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product or the Hilton Honors Surpass Card.
Apr 5, 2018, 11:25 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Amex has some undocumented process of using "recent" pulls (hard or soft) in place of hard pulls sometimes. Be happy when it happens, but don't count on it.
Meanwhile, what difference does one hard pull make to you? (In general, one hard pull makes very little difference in most cases, but some people aren't aware of that.)
Apr 5, 2018, 12:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,651
The OP has the no-fee card, not Surpass. If I were he/she, I would apply for Ascend and get the 100K bonus. There is no need to cancel the no-fee card in order to sign up for Ascend.
Apr 5, 2018, 1:09 pm
#15
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953