Question about Hilton Aspire benefits, calendar year or card member year?
 

I'm sorry if there is a guide already posted somewhere here, but I searched the Hilton forum and Amex forum and it wasn't super clear...

Are the $250 airline credits calendar year or card member year? Could I get the card now, use $250 in credit before December is over, and then have another $250 in credits in January?

Is the one free weekend night calendar year or card member year? Again, could I get one now in December and one available again in January? If that's the case, when do those post? Is there a possibility to book and "use" the free weekend night NOW for a stay that takes place sometime in the future? Or would I physically have to make a stay before Dec 31st for the free award night to be applied and used?

Answered here:

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...-0#offer-terms

Ah ha! Thanks, I didn't realize Hilton was so specific on the free weekend night. So sounds like it's tied to when you apply, AND it wouldn't work for me anyway since it takes 8+ weeks for Hilton to send out the cert, which would push me into 2019 anyway.

Airline credit though does sound perfect for scoring $500 in my first annual fee "year", $250 now and then $250 next month!

Now really need to decide if Diamond (vs Gold via platinum card), free night, $250 airline credit, and 150k points offer is worth getting that card now. It'll make me really heavy on premium cards, currently have platinum and CSR. Though neither one of those are real fantastic on hotel earnings... they'll build MR/UR points on the hotels but those always seem a waste on redeeming for hotels. Hilton points aren't great, but could build up quick with all the double point stays and 14x earning on the card AND the Diamond bonus...

I too, was offered the upgrade of 150K points after 4K spend. I am seriously considering it. But then I also remembered that there is a status match - so I could get the diamond for 90 days. I submitted the online form only yesterday and I'm already a diamond today. It says in my AMEX account, "Hilton Honors Trial Diamond Status
Member Number xxxxxxxx" and then when I log into my Hilton Account it does indeed show that I'm a diamond. It's an Aspire benefit for free, anyway. I'm thinking that I just have to do 8 stays in the next 90 days (easy for me) and I get diamond until 2020. It's not to say that the diamond benefits seriously outweigh the gold, but at least it's something. I guess I have time to decide if I want to do the upgrade or not. 150K points is tempting and I can make them go a long way.

https://statusmatch.hiltonhonors.com/

I agree with your analysis. Personally I would rather see some set amount of points dumped into my account every year than a weekend night that comes with strings.

I took the 150K bonus for upgrading a week or so ago and I'm busy getting the $250 airline credit. As to the free night, yes I will get it in the new year, but Hilton's free weekend night has better strings than Marriott's only-up-to-35K-annual-award-night.

Is this scenario still possible?

Apply for new card- 150k Aspire
Upgrade NF Hilton to Aspire for 150k
Result: Opened 2x Aspire and get 300k in signup bonus points

I didn't know you could do that, but I was considering upgrading the NF to Aspire or Ascend and apply for the other one, which is totally doable and would get you two bonuses, but I think the Ascend bonus is currently 125K. There's no Aspire business card, so you can't replicate the Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve type business and personal accounts.

Except you have to call to use it and it's only good on weekends. I'd say each have their positive and negative features. Certainly Hilton can be used at a wider range of properties.

Point taken! I was focusing on the potential for greater value with the Hilton nite, for example at a Conrad, compared to the 35K limitation at Marriott.