BA Holidays GDS (Hilton status T&Cs)
 

I have searched previous posts but can't see that this has been asked before. Asking here rather than the Hilton form as thought more likely someone may know on here.

Hilton Honors only allows status benefits indirect bookings when they have been made:

What GDS does BA holidays use? Would a hotel booking made through BA Holidays fall under the above?

Sorry can't add link to the Hilton T&Cs as it is my first post.

TIA

Firstly, welcome to the Forum ... there's a fount of knowledge here so I hope you stick around!

BA uses Amadeus, and I therefore suspect [indeed almost guarantee] that any BA Holidays booking (Flight + Hotel, for example) is going to have to be on the same GDS.

I also use Hilton [just expired HHons Gold], on the double-dip for Avios, but I don't think I've ever done that through BA Holidays ... just direct with the Hilton of choice. Our BA Holidays bookings have always been with non-Hilton properties.

When I've done BA holidays bookings with a Hilton property they've been opaque rate bookings that don't earn.

I would have no problem doing so for a Hampton or even HGI as long as there's a substantial saving, but would have to factor in the value (for me) of points, breakfast, and wifi at higher end properties.

AIUI, it is not just a question of using the right GDS but also of booking the correct rate. The rate used by BA Holidays will in all likelihood be an ineligible IT rate. Pretty much anything booked through tour operator (and BA Hols would be tour operator in this context) will be ineligible even if the tour operator's products are sold via one of these GDSs.

That said, if you can convince the Hilton property to enter your membership number in the reservation, the odds are that elite perks will be granted even though the TandCs say differently (points, OTOH, will definitely not post).

I'm very glad that greater experts than I have contributed to help the OP.


I shall quietly slink away to my comfy chair in the corner :)

Greetings and welcome to Flyertalk lcylocal, it's good to see you here, and I hope we will see plenty more of you on the BA forum.

I recall this question has been raised before, and I'm hoping Jerry will be along with a few few references. From what I recall, formally you cannot count of Hilton's status benefits, and even less count on any Honors point accrual. However some people have found that if they send their Honors number off to the hotel concerned in advance (calling up/email) and/or present their card on arrival, then some status benefits, such as breakfast and wifi, may be allowed by a given hotel. You can't count on it. Which is essentially the same as NickB's response.

As noted by C-W-S, people have at times been able to receive their Hilton on-property status benefits on a BAHolidays booking. Hilton has tightened up their t and c's so that on-property benefits are not available but individual properties sometimes still provide them. Unless an error is made, BAHolidays bookings usually have not been eligible to earn HiltonHonors points or stay credit.
See these threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...hrough-ba.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...-benefits.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ght-hotel.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...hrough-ba.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...el-points.html

Where would we all be without you, Jerry? ^

In my experience, I've only received benefits through one Expedia booking with Hilton, I haven't received benefits nor points with Hilton hotels booked by other 3rd party providers (not usually my choice!) including BA Holidays however the savings, in that instance, more than made up for lack of benefits/points.

You can always present your Honors membership number when you arrive and see if the hotel will allow use of benefits or issue points, I doubt it but it's worth a try :)

Booked the Doubletree in Zagreb through BA a few years back as it was a lot cheaper than going direct through Hilton. I presented my HH card at check in and got all the benefits/points as normal.

I think normally its down to the hotel whether they choose to award or not though, so I suspect it was more a case of them being in a good mood rather than standard practice across the brand.

Thanks for all the responses. Apologies that I didn’t find the previous threads - the search can’t have been quite right.

Will try emailing & at check-in but got a good deal through BA holidays so can’t complain if it doesn’t happen.