eponymous_coward

What's your source for that? The Gold card is losing the airline credit, but the Platinum card hasn't had an announcement about that. It would be over 636453459 travel blogs and FT if it was losing the airline credit (and note that the announcement for the Gold card was made in early 2021 so that the benefit swap of Uber Eats for airline credit would be for the 2022 card year- presumably they would have done this for Platinum already).

I would assume that if Hilton lost the airline credit because AMEX doesn't want to do them any more they'd try something. Given that Marriott's benefit package (free anytime room under 50k + $300 credit usable at any Marriott) is pretty close to Hilton's in value ($250 resort credit not good everywhere + free weekend night + $250 airline credit) they'd have to do something. Perhaps they'd just do free anytime room + $300 credit similar to Marriott.

Here's the problem: Hilton has a relationship with Lyft. Rather awkward to have your cobrand credit card encourage use of a competitor (read: won't happen since Uber and Marriott have a partnership, so Lyft will likely stick with Hilton).

mia

Speculative discussion here: Rumor: USA Personal Plat Annual Fee Increasing Q3 2021

diesteldorf

That's a great point. I forgot...stupidly....that Hilton has a relationship with Lyft already, so you are absolutely correct. Compared to the Marriott Brilliant card, the Aspire offers a better opportunity for outsized value if you are willing and able to utilize all the credits.

IF...the airline credit went away, I just hope Amex would offer something in return to make up for it.

I look at the points and miles game as a game with rules (i.e. perks and benefits) that can change anytime.

If the Aspire got devalued, I would be disappointed, but I would make the decision to keep or cancel the card and move on.

hhdl

I think the Aspire would be more likely to keep the airline fee credit. It targets a traveler who's less likely to have airline status, and hotel points are perhaps a more viable rewards currency for a family than airline miles (it's a linear (or even superlinear) increase in redemption cost to buy tickets for more people).

Even if they drop the credit for the Platinum, Hilton may well insist on the Aspire keeping it as the only Amex with the credit (or they alternatively have Amex cut the AF to $250, which would still be a step up from the Surpass).

notquiteaff

They seem to be considering the option of removing it. And all kinds of other changes, I recently did an extensive survey for them of various options. Based on the survey a lot of changes *could* happen - including making the Diamond status based on (significant) spend. Time will tell...

lsquare

I think the Aspire is the better card. There is a rumor that the Brilliant will be revamped to include Platinum status by default, but at a much higher AF. I'm willing to pay for that when and if AMEX decides to go ahead with it.

Points Scrounger

Agreed - there's a serious benefit difference with Marriott Platinum over Gold!

ovacikar

I would rather have Amex include priority pass restaurant benefit, or a similar airport F&B credit.

Dr Jabadski

Yes, I have. Even with only 1 Hilton stay in the past year I still give this card 2 thumbs up👍👍. With minimal effort on my part the card paid me $50 in January. UA TravelBank $250 credit was much easier than UA Per Fee contortions. In past years I received the Resort credit at the end of the year when I paid deposits on ski area Doubletree or Hampton Inn reservations. This year I made a reservation with a deposit in January, 2 days later received the Resort credit, 2 weeks later decided not to ski, cancelled the reservation, resort credit was not reversed. Voilŕ, $50 net credit and a free night “in the bank”.

In my original post I wrote “In 3 years I’ve paid $1350 total fees and received $1500 in direct credits plus about $1000 saved”. It’s now $1350 total fees and $2400 in credits (inc free nights value) and a banked free night. The card offered a very generous 12x on groceries for 3 months last year, makes me wish I had 8 mouths to feed 😊.

Unfortunately the card cannot be churned. Even IF the airline fee credit were to go away, reassessment would probably be that the resort credit and the free night easily offset the annual fee with the other perks (for me primarily Diamond status with free breakfasts at ski resort Doubletrees and Hiltons, and lounge access) as added value. It’s still a keeper.

Dr Jabadski

Even with shifting my 50 actual hotel nights this year to Hyatt (to take advantage of Hyatt’s generous lowered status requirements), only 2 Hilton nights and less than $500 total actual spend (other than credited charges and AF) on the card, and Hilton significantly lowering the value of Diamond breakfast benefit, it’s still among my favorites and a keeper. (My largest charge this year was $305 early in the year so when a resort credited my deposit to the card that statement wouldn’t have a credit balance, the AmEx resort credit was not clawed back, I thought a statement credit balance with the Hilton resort credit might attract AmEx attention.)

It paid me $50 early in the year after I did UA TravelBank and booked then cancelled a Hilton resort stay which required an immediate deposit. Another $20 per month in dining credits. Still have 2 banked free nights good any day of the week until the end of 2022. Can’t be churned so no point to closing the account to set up for a (repeat) SUB in a few months or a year. I do wish HH points were more valuable.

Contrary to some, I have no problem with “buying status”, it would be terrific if Hyatt had a similar card.

(Super Mario, post #3 above ) “… I agree, the card is almost too good to not have ...”, still rings true.

gtran26

Hi what are your thoughts for someone that lives in Southeast Asia with visits to Turkey/Portugal? I currently have the no AF Hilton, Hilton Surpass which when renewal comes I may downgrade to another no AF Hilton since I've never gotten the SUB yet for the Aspire. I'm unable to use Lyft or dining credits. I guess I need to see which resorts I'd like to visit in SE Asia to see if it's a keeper. Thanks for your opinion!

Dr Jabadski

Sorry, I'm not at all familiar with Hilton in SE Asia/Turkey/Portugal. As I've mentioned above, the (Aspire) Resort credit can be received upon booking a fully refundable rate which requires an immediate (usually 1 night) deposit. IME, upon cancelling that reservation a month or 2 later (due to completely unrelated reasons ), the Resort credit was not clawed back.

gtran26

Thanks! I know it has worked for you but do you consider this slightly high risk because the ski resort refunds the money back to your Hilton card? Or does it not do that and your "free night" remains to be used at a future date of your choosing at that resort? Or you could ask the resort to refund to a non-Amex card or write you a check.

Dr Jabadski

Yes, I consider it “slightly high risk”. No guts, no glory .

Uncertain of the meaning of “free night” in a discussion of the Aspire card Hilton Resort credit (of $250 per anniversary year). You could ask the resort to refund to a non-Amex card or write a check, I don’t know if that would be successful, I made and cancelled the reservation online so presumably the refund automatically went back to the original form of payment.

TravelingZoomer

I wish no ill will, and hope this doesn’t happen to you, but I 100% guarantee you will get audited eventually and have to pay the 250$ back at some point when RAT does their audit