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Hilton co-branded card upgrade/downgrade [Consolidated]

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Hilton co-branded card upgrade/downgrade [Consolidated]

   
Old Mar 1, 19, 7:50 pm
  #106  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Originally Posted by fivegirls
I have the same question as above. I have an upgrade offer (150k from Ascend to Aspire) and I have not yet had the Aspire card. Can I, as this blogger suggests, apply for the new card then a few minutes later also accept the upgrade offer on my current Ascend? I know it's possible to have two Amex Hilton cards, and I currently only have 3 cards, so I'm fine there. I just worry that my upgrade offer will disappear when I apply for the new card. If this is the case, I'd rather do the upgrade and avoid giving up a slot in my 5/24 to a new Amex card.
https://www.asksebby.com/blog/amex-hilton-upgrade-offers-should-you-accept

The method suggested here is insane and I won’t do this.
  1. It takes 3 slots out of 5 allowed by AmEx.
  2. Hanging to all 3 cards with $450 annual fees offset the benefits gained.
  3. Closing/Downgrading to no annual fee cards too quickly will risk relationship with AmEx, besides potentially having your points clawed back.
So my revised approach to his suggested method

SITUATION 2: Hilton Honors + Hilton Ascend + Hilton Aspire
• 2018 = Apply for Hilton Honors (A) (welcome offer)
Route 2: Apply + Upgrade
• 2019 = Apply for Hilton Aspire (B) (welcome offer)
•2019 = Apply for Hilton Ascend (C) (welcome offer)
•2020 = Upgrade (C) to Hilton Aspire (#2) (upgrade offer)
•2019 = Upgrade (A) to Hilton Ascend (#2) (upgrade offer)
•2020 = Upgrade (A) to Hilton Aspire (#3) (upgrade offer)
Result = 5 4 additional bonuses

In the end I’ll still end up having 4 more sign-on bonuses and lower annual fees. Not bad either and it leave me 1 more room for second Marriott Bonvoy card.
Last edited by vincewy; Mar 13, 19 at 10:45 am
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Old Mar 11, 19, 8:56 am
  #107  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Diamond, American Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,280
I applied for and received a Hilton Ascend in mid to late April 2018. When should I start looking out for upgrade offers to the Aspire? Early April? Early May?

Trying to figure out if I should apply to the Aspire outright. The issue is that I am also interested in the Bonvoy card and only have 1 Amex credit card slot left...
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Old Mar 14, 19, 12:39 pm
  #108  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,423
My no-fee AMEX Hilton card, which was converted from the Citi no-fee card, has an offer to upgrade to Ascend for 150k points. But I’ve already had the AMEX old Surpass card a few years ago that I downgraded to (another) free AMEX card prior to the cards were renamed (so I’ve never had an “Ascend” before). Since the offer shows on my Citi convert, how confident can I be that I’ll get the 150k?
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Old Mar 14, 19, 12:43 pm
  #109  
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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Originally Posted by DaveInLA
My no-fee AMEX Hilton card, which was converted from the Citi no-fee card, has an offer to upgrade to Ascend for 150k points. But I’ve already had the AMEX old Surpass card a few years ago that I downgraded to (another) free AMEX card prior to the cards were renamed (so I’ve never had an “Ascend” before). Since the offer shows on my Citi convert, how confident can I be that I’ll get the 150k?


It depends very much on what your upgrade offer T&Cs say about that. Some upgrade offers don't have any language about having had the card prior, but some may have such language. So you have to check yours, and see what exactly it says.

And from-scratch (public) offers for these cards these days often mention predecessor cards (explicitly or implicitly), so that why you need the exact wording (in case there is any) to figure out if it covers Surpass or not. For example, even though the SPG card has been renamed to Marriott, signup offers still explain how you may ineligible based on SPG cards you had.
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Old Mar 15, 19, 7:25 am
  #110  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,423
Great advice!

Quick question— how long after meeting the $3k spend requirement do the bonus Hilton points post? MR points post within a couple days. Same for Hilton? Or is it statement date?
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Old Mar 15, 19, 1:11 pm
  #111  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,766
Originally Posted by DaveInLA
Great advice!

Quick question— how long after meeting the $3k spend requirement do the bonus Hilton points post? MR points post within a couple days. Same for Hilton?
Yes. Points posting for Amex is independent of statement date.
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Old Mar 18, 19, 3:25 pm
  #112  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
I finally received the upgrade offer from no fee hilton card but it is to the ASPIRE with massive $450 AF. Useless since I have to spend $250 credit at Hilton resort hotels, not any Hilton hotels to get the $250 credit. Most hiltons are not resorts right? Then airline charges to get the $200 airline credit. Decent bonus offer but hard to offset the huge AF. Not to mention the huge $4k spend which amex monitors like crazy! lol

I wish I had the offer to upgrade to ASCEND.
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Old Mar 20, 19, 11:06 am
  #113  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Originally Posted by Blueskyheaven
I finally received the upgrade offer from no fee hilton card but it is to the ASPIRE with massive $450 AF. Useless since I have to spend $250 credit at Hilton resort hotels, not any Hilton hotels to get the $250 credit. Most hiltons are not resorts right? Then airline charges to get the $200 airline credit. Decent bonus offer but hard to offset the huge AF. Not to mention the huge $4k spend which amex monitors like crazy! lol

I wish I had the offer to upgrade to ASCEND.
Correct, you can't use the $250 credit for any Hilton. There are 224 which qualify. Qualifying Resort Properties The airline credit is $250, not $200. You can get it twice in the first cardmember year, and at least for the time being you can purchase gift cards from most airlines other than AA to trigger the credit.
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Old Mar 20, 19, 11:22 am
  #114  
mia
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Posts: 47,209
Originally Posted by LWT3
.... you can purchase gift cards from most airlines other than AA to trigger the credit.
To my knowledge only Delta and Southwest giftcards still trigger reimbursement. Other airlines no longer sell such -or- sell them using a separate merchant account.
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Old Mar 20, 19, 1:22 pm
  #115  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Originally Posted by mia
To my knowledge only Delta and Southwest giftcards still trigger reimbursement. Other airlines no longer sell such -or- sell them using a separate merchant account.
Thanks for correcting me.
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Old Mar 23, 19, 11:22 am
  #116  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
Originally Posted by mia
To my knowledge only Delta and Southwest giftcards still trigger reimbursement. Other airlines no longer sell such -or- sell them using a separate merchant account.
I can get the $250 twice in first year of the $450 AF? Can purchase SW GCs to pay for any SW flights and it has same value (cash) on SW flights? Will those purchase count towards the $4k spend req?
I might consider the upgrade if that will work otherwise not worth $450 AF on top of $4K spend req that is hard to meet.
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Old Mar 25, 19, 10:24 am
  #117  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Posts: 295
Originally Posted by Blueskyheaven
I finally received the upgrade offer from no fee hilton card but it is to the ASPIRE with massive $450 AF. Useless since I have to spend $250 credit at Hilton resort hotels, not any Hilton hotels to get the $250 credit. Most hiltons are not resorts right? Then airline charges to get the $200 airline credit. Decent bonus offer but hard to offset the huge AF. Not to mention the huge $4k spend which amex monitors like crazy! lol

I wish I had the offer to upgrade to ASCEND.
I was in the same situation as you and wished I can get the offer for Ascent.
FINALLY, I got an email today with the upgrade offer: 150K for Ascent. Accepted right away.
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Old Mar 25, 19, 1:52 pm
  #118  
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,301
Was the email actually from Amex? Or some other marketer? I have gotten many email offers that looked like Amex offers but that were actually from some oddball email address.
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Old Mar 25, 19, 2:30 pm
  #119  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 141
Originally Posted by xooz
Was the email actually from Amex? Or some other marketer? I have gotten many email offers that looked like Amex offers but that were actually from some oddball email address.
I received the same email offer today for 150k points to upgrade to Ascend. Expires 5/31/19 and the email is from Amex
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Old Mar 26, 19, 10:10 am
  #120  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Posts: 295
Originally Posted by xooz
Was the email actually from Amex? Or some other marketer? I have gotten many email offers that looked like Amex offers but that were actually from some oddball email address.
I think it's from Amex.
This is the landing page.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...honors-ascend/
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