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Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card [Ends Dec 2017]

Old Oct 6, 2013, 12:04 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: mia
Citi's contract to issue Hilton co-branded cards ends in December 2017. Citi will sell most accounts to American Express. The criteria for determining which accounts are eligible to be sold are unpublished. Read Hilton FAQ: http://hiltonhonors3.hilton.com/en/e...-card-faq.html


ALL known links for ALL Citi Hilton Honors cards appear to be dead now.
-----------------------------

This thread is a continuation of: Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card (2012 - 2015)


Link no longer working: https://www.citicards.com/cards/cred...7A711D5L00101W

Link no longer working: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/cr...s-reserve-card

- Earn two weekend night certificates - at select hotels and resorts - after making $2,500 in purchases.

- Enjoy Hilton HHonors Gold Status as long as you are a Citi Hilton Reserve cardmember

- Annual Fee: $95,
not waived


From the app page:
"Weekend Night Certificates offer is not available if you have had any Citi®Hilton HHonorsTM card opened or closed in the past 24 months"."Weekend Night Certificates offer is not available if you have had a Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card account that was opened or closed in the past 24 months." (Language change to "any" dates back to August 2016.)


When will I receive my free nights?
Some datapoints indicate that the certificates are emailed ~7 days after the statement in which the spend is met, but others datapoints indicate that it may take 1-2 additional statement cycles before they're actually sent.

How long do I have to use the free nights?
The certificates expire 12 months from the date that they're emailed to you. Your stay must be completed on or before this expiration date.

Do I need to print the certificates and take them with me?
Yes. Some people say they haven't been asked for them, but it's much better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

Can the free weekend certs be redeemed online?
No, you have to call the HHonors department to book them. Even regular Hilton reservations cannot book them, although they can transfer you to the right department.


so the 2-browser trick is dead. can we still apply two HH Reserve card every 65 days, with same HH #, and get four certificates?
Several people have reported successfully churning this card, and receiving the certificates for both cards. Closing one card before applying for another doesn't appear to be required.

You can still get as many as you want of the Citi Hilton 50k cards (except that CITI only allows two cards of any type every 60-65 days).all 50k card offers without 18 month language dead as of 7/5/15

Can you get the anniversary free night bonus without paying the annual fee, or do you get the free night bonus only if you hit $10,000 in charges AND renew?
This seems to be YMMV. Some people have reported not getting it until well after their AF payment is due, while others have reported getting it in time to cancel and have their AF refunded. More data points on this are needed.

Terms and conditions for the free nights
Friday, Saturday & Sunday night, and I don't think there are any blackout nights (beyond the normal HHonors program rules). Here is the description from the Cert as well as the T&C's:

Description: You've received this reward certificate because you've met the purchase requirements with your Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve card. This reward is valid for one complimentary weekend night for a standard room at participating hotels worldwide, subject to availability. This reward is not valid at All-Inclusive or Distinctive properties and cannot be combined with the 5th Night Free benefit or other promotions. Please visit HHonors.com/weekendcertificate to see a list of excluded properties.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
As with any HHonors Reward, this Reward Certificate is subject to all HHonors Terms & Conditions on participation, use, and redemption, posted at http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/terms.do. The hotel stay received with this Hotel Reward Certificate shall be treated as a Hotel Reward Stay, as defined in the Terms & Conditions, except Points & Money, Premium Room and Room Upgrade Rewards cannot be used with this Certificate.

HOTEL REWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Reward Certificate is not transferable after issued and may be redeemed only by the individual named thereon, consistent with HHonors Terms & Conditions. If a person other than the individual named on the Reward Certificate attempts to redeem it, the Certificate will be deemed void and accommodations will be denied.
2. Reward Certificate may not be sold, auctioned, bartered, brokered or purchased except with the express written consent of Hilton HHonors. Any Reward Certificate obtained in this manner by any person or entity will be considered to be fraudulently obtained and will be deemed void if transferred for cash or other consideration. Altered Reward Certificates are void and will not be honored.
3. Reward Certificate may not be combined with other certificates, discounts, packages or promotional offers, or Hotel Reward stays beyond Standard Room Rewards, unless otherwise specified in writing by Hilton HHonors.
4. Reward Certificate cannot be redeemed for cash, prizes or credit. Reward Certificate is not exchangeable.
5. Reward Certificate will not be replaced, reissued or credited if lost, stolen or otherwise destroyed.
6. Reward Certificate is void if copied, prohibited or restricted by law.
7. HHonors members will not earn points or miles for Hotel Reward stays, unless otherwise stated on the Reward Certificate.
8. Reward Certificate expires on the date noted on the face of the Reward Certificate.
9. Reward Certificate must be redeemed in strict accordance with the procedures specified on the certificate.
10. For the purpose of Certificate redemption, a weekend night is defined as a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, unless specified otherwise on the Reward Certificate.
11. Reward Certificate applies to the room rate and tax of one standard room at a participating hotel and as further provided on the Certificate. A "Standard room" is as defined by the hotel. Any tax liability incurred in connection with the receipt and/or use of this Certificate, including, but not limited to, local or city occupancy taxes, or individual income tax is the sole responsibility of the user. Incidental charges are the responsibility of the user.
12. Reward Certificate usage is limited to Double Occupancy. Additional occupants, age 19 and above, are subject to the standard extra person charges.
13. Reward Certificate reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card. Some hotels may require a deposit in lieu of a credit card guarantee. Deposits cannot be waived for Reward Certificate reservations. Reward Certificate reservations that are cancelled outside of the time frame set by the hotel's individual cancellation policy will be charged one night's room and tax at the hotel's minimum rate for that date.
14. Reward Certificate is valid for the number of nights noted under the description on the face of the Certificate. If the Certificate is valid for more than one night, all nights must be used and the Certificate redeemed for a single stay that includes up to all Certificate nights. The Certificate cannot be broken down and/or redeemed for more than one stay. Any unused nights will be forfeited and will not be replaced or credited.
15. No credit or substitutions will be given for any Reward Certificate including those that are only partially used.
16. Promotional Rewards are for Standard Rooms only.
17. Hotel stays resulting from Reward Certificate are non-commissionable to travel agents.
18. Recipients of Reward Certificate may be required to sign a release of liability and a statement permitting the use of their name and/or photo for promotional purposes without additional compensation.
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Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card [Ends Dec 2017]

Old Nov 1, 2017, 9:48 am
  #481  
mia
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Originally Posted by farnorthtrader
Doesn't look like already having the Surpass/Ascend will be a determining factor on converting from citi to Amex as the FAQ say...
True, but American Express is paying Citi a premium for these accounts. I can see buying a duplicate account if the customer is carrying a balance and paying interest, but otherwise not. Still, American Express may have already factored in the duplication rate as part of the price negotiation.
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Old Nov 1, 2017, 10:36 am
  #482  
mia
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There is also a thread started by the official Honors representative:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...dit-cards.html
mia is offline  
Old Nov 1, 2017, 3:43 pm
  #483  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta, AA, Marriott, Hyatt, SPG
Posts: 10
Interesting data point, I just called and spoke to both frontline CSR and account manager CSR. They said that they are being blocked from doing any product conversions on the Reserve now and the only option is to cancel the account outright or wait for the letter to see if your account is going to be transferred to AMEX or not. Tried to get information on what criteria will be used to determine if the account goes to AMEX and she said they have no info but she knows that the letters went out today.
CamaroZ28 is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 5:11 am
  #484  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
If you have spent the $10,000 on the card to earn a free night, and you cancel now, I assume you don't get the free night? When will those be awarded, my anniversary date is in February and free night normally hits in April.

Am I obligated to convert to AMEX and keep until April in order to receive my Citi Card free anniversary night?

I'd rather cancel before conversion and apply for new card with sign up bonus.
jphripjah is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 6:36 am
  #485  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Originally Posted by jphripjah
If you have spent the $10,000 on the card to earn a free night, and you cancel now, I assume you don't get the free night? When will those be awarded, my anniversary date is in February and free night normally hits in April.

Am I obligated to convert to AMEX and keep until April in order to receive my Citi Card free anniversary night?

I'd rather cancel before conversion and apply for new card with sign up bonus.
This is my question, too, although I am slightly on the other side of the transition:

Assuming I finish it up, my $10,000 spend will have to be done by the billing renewal date of 6 Jan 2018. At that moment, Citi is presumably still the cardholder, and I would have (under normal circumstances) something like until 1 Feb to actually pay the annual fee. Problem, of course, is that under normal circumstances the hotel certificate would not / will not be issued until late February or early March.

I don't think I want the new card -- I would not be doing a $15,000 spend for the weekend night, and would prefer the $450 new AF card anyhow.

So do I just cut my losses now (the $7,000 "wasted" spend to date on this card), cancel, and move on, or is there some advantage in actually paying to renew the Citi card effective 6 Jan 2018 and holding onto it (but what will "it" be, and at what cost to having it?) until the certificate is issued? I suppose that since I don't really want a Hilton card that requires $15,000 spend for a weekend night, maybe I am not losing anything here ...

Jeez, this is like therapy -- if you talk it out, eventually you solve your own problem. Only difference is, none of you get paid for having listened.
Biggie Fries is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 11:21 am
  #486  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,784
Wow, I just have fastest close of a credit card account on the phone ever. I thought they will try to get me to switch to another Citi card, but I guess they have some kind of agreement with Amex for not allowing that. I never even get to talk to a human.

What is the last 4 digit of you card number
xxxx
Do you wish to hear your account balance...
close account
Do you want to close your account?
yes
You account has been closed.
Do you want a txt or email confirmation?
Yes
Txt or Email?
Email

There maybe a few more questions but pretty much that.
Need is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 12:05 pm
  #487  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,181
Originally Posted by jphripjah
If you have spent the $10,000 on the card to earn a free night, and you cancel now, I assume you don't get the free night? When will those be awarded, my anniversary date is in February and free night normally hits in April.

Am I obligated to convert to AMEX and keep until April in order to receive my Citi Card free anniversary night?

I'd rather cancel before conversion and apply for new card with sign up bonus.
Just received an answer from Hilton lurker on another thread that free night cert will be issued on anniversary date, so you might be able to get the cert in February and still cancel the AMEX, but you would have to hold the card through conversion.
farnorthtrader is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 12:09 pm
  #488  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,181
Originally Posted by Biggie Fries
This is my question, too, although I am slightly on the other side of the transition:

Assuming I finish it up, my $10,000 spend will have to be done by the billing renewal date of 6 Jan 2018. At that moment, Citi is presumably still the cardholder, and I would have (under normal circumstances) something like until 1 Feb to actually pay the annual fee. Problem, of course, is that under normal circumstances the hotel certificate would not / will not be issued until late February or early March.

I don't think I want the new card -- I would not be doing a $15,000 spend for the weekend night, and would prefer the $450 new AF card anyhow.

So do I just cut my losses now (the $7,000 "wasted" spend to date on this card), cancel, and move on, or is there some advantage in actually paying to renew the Citi card effective 6 Jan 2018 and holding onto it (but what will "it" be, and at what cost to having it?) until the certificate is issued? I suppose that since I don't really want a Hilton card that requires $15,000 spend for a weekend night, maybe I am not losing anything here ...

Jeez, this is like therapy -- if you talk it out, eventually you solve your own problem. Only difference is, none of you get paid for having listened.
Based on past experience with Hilton AMEX cards, there will likely be upgrade offers from the Ascend to the Aspire, so if you are interested in the Aspire, you might very well be able to get the bonus without applying for and opening a new account.
On the other hand, letting it convert may mean that you can never get a new account bonus for the Ascend, so you might want to cancel before conversion, to preserve that option.
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Old Nov 2, 2017, 2:34 pm
  #489  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: AGR S+, Marriott Plat, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 100
Originally Posted by Need
Wow, I just have fastest close of a credit card account on the phone ever. I thought they will try to get me to switch to another Citi card, but I guess they have some kind of agreement with Amex for not allowing that. I never even get to talk to a human.

What is the last 4 digit of you card number
xxxx
Do you wish to hear your account balance...
close account
Do you want to close your account?
yes
You account has been closed.
Do you want a txt or email confirmation?
Yes
Txt or Email?
Email

There maybe a few more questions but pretty much that.
I wish you can get retention bonuses like that
neutralist is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 2:36 pm
  #490  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Originally Posted by farnorthtrader
Just received an answer from Hilton lurker on another thread that free night cert will be issued on anniversary date, so you might be able to get the cert in February and still cancel the AMEX, but you would have to hold the card through conversion.
Man, that would be terrific, because in my case I could get the certificate on 6 January or shortly thereafter, never pay that statement, and cancel before the 18 or 31 January switchover.

I can dream, right?
Biggie Fries is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 2:57 pm
  #491  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,784
Originally Posted by Biggie Fries
Man, that would be terrific, because in my case I could get the certificate on 6 January or shortly thereafter, never pay that statement, and cancel before the 18 or 31 January switchover.

I can dream, right?
Unless they are very efficient in email out the cert, you will be getting the cert in February with a Jan 6 anniversary date. So your account would be switched over already.

Here is the quote from Hilton Rep:
How long after we reach the 10K Citi Reserve spend will we receive our free night certificates? Will it be at the end of our cardmember year, or a certain # of weeks after reaching the 10K threshold?
Citi Reserve cardmembers who have already spent the $10,000 should receive the email with the reward code in it within 6-8 weeks of the cardmember year. Your account must be open and current at the time the reward code is issued.
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Old Nov 2, 2017, 3:13 pm
  #492  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
Originally Posted by Need
Wow, I just have fastest close of a credit card account on the phone ever. I thought they will try to get me to switch to another Citi card, but I guess they have some kind of agreement with Amex for not allowing that. I never even get to talk to a human.

What is the last 4 digit of you card number
xxxx
Do you wish to hear your account balance...
close account
Do you want to close your account?
yes
You account has been closed.
Do you want a txt or email confirmation?
Yes
Txt or Email?
Email

There maybe a few more questions but pretty much that.
Same here. I tried to get them to refund my entire annual fee, which I paid two months ago. I said that I didn't think they should have collected it and kept it only to switch me to a card that I don't want. He said that I would get the prorated amount credited, but wouldn't budge. But other than that two minutes, the entire call was maybe four minutes in total.

Make sense. I can't imagine Amex would want them to product change after they purchased the big portfolio.
lkar is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 4:11 pm
  #493  
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Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Originally Posted by Need
Wow, I just have fastest close of a credit card account on the phone ever. I thought they will try to get me to switch to another Citi card, but I guess they have some kind of agreement with Amex for not allowing that. I never even get to talk to a human.

What is the last 4 digit of you card number
xxxx
Do you wish to hear your account balance...
close account
Do you want to close your account?
yes
You account has been closed.
Do you want a txt or email confirmation?
Yes
Txt or Email?
Email

There maybe a few more questions but pretty much that.
No, I don't think they have an agreement like that. It's because you didn't talk to a human that you weren't offered any other options! The voice-response computer never ever offers any other options, if you tell it to close, it will close, end of story. Which is why you never want to use the computer to fish for redemption offers, because it'll close without telling you any redemption offers.

(Citi does have restrictions on product converting a card that's been open less than a year, but that's any card of theirs that's been open less than a year.)
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Old Nov 2, 2017, 4:31 pm
  #494  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Originally Posted by Need
Unless they are very efficient in email out the cert, you will be getting the cert in February with a Jan 6 anniversary date. So your account would be switched over already.

Here is the quote from Hilton Rep:
Who are you to be depriving me of my delusions?

Thanks for the useful info! ^
Biggie Fries is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2017, 4:41 pm
  #495  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA, B6, UA, HH, WoH
Posts: 455
Originally Posted by sdsearch
No, I don't think they have an agreement like that. It's because you didn't talk to a human that you weren't offered any other options! The voice-response computer never ever offers any other options, if you tell it to close, it will close, end of story. Which is why you never want to use the computer to fish for redemption offers, because it'll close without telling you any redemption offers.
I did talk to a human, and I was not offered any other options. I requested a portion of my CL to be transferred to an existing Citi Card, and was specifically told that transfers of CL’s from Hilton cards were not being allowed. I did not beg, because it was not important to me. End of story.
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