Jun 12, 2013, 11:05 am
Last edit by: vah4883
Limited-time offers
Hilton HHonors American Express card. 80,000 points for spending $2,000 in 3 months; no annual fee. Ends May 31, 2017
Hilton HHonors American Express Ascend card. 100,000 points for spending $3,000 ; $95 annual fee.
Hilton HHonors American Express card application page. 75,000 points for spending $1,000 in 3 months; no annual fee.
Public offer expired Feb 1, 2017 (this link brings up a page: "This campaign has expired. Thank you for your interest."), but Refer a Friend links still active. This one has the referral ID stripped out.
Citi HH Visa 40K application page (spend $1K/4 mos.)
Ongoing offersPublic offer expired Feb 1, 2017 (this link brings up a page: "This campaign has expired. Thank you for your interest."), but Refer a Friend links still active. This one has the referral ID stripped out.
Citi HH Visa 40K application page (spend $1K/4 mos.)
- This offer does not contain an explicit 24-month restriction.
If you apply using this link & are not instantly approved, DO NOT CALL CITI.
Calling in risks alerting Citi to the offer and having it withdrawn.
Amex HH Surpass Card
FlyerTalk discussion thread: The Hilton HHonors® Surpass(SM) Card from American Express Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card Citi HH Visa 60K application page. You can also apply by calling 1-866-615-2274.
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose] Basic Amex HH Card
FAQ- Annual fee: $75, no first-year waiver.
- Signup bonus: 75K points for spending $3K in the first 3 months.
- Earning: 12 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 6 points/$ at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets & gas stations; and 3 points/$ on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Gold status for as long as you have the card and Diamond status after $40,000 in annual spend.
- Booking bonus: 500 bonus points for every stay (including award stays) booked directly with Hilton & guaranteed with the card
- Important limitation on this offer: "Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product."
FlyerTalk discussion thread: The Hilton HHonors® Surpass(SM) Card from American Express
- Annual fee: $95, no first-year waiver.
- Signup bonus: 2 free weekend nights after $2500 in spend within four months. These free nights are valid at all Hilton redemption categories, including Waldorf Astoria properties.
- Anniversary bonus: 1 free weekend night each year after $10,000 in spend.
- Earning: 10 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend, 5 points per dollar on air and car rental, and 3 on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Gold status for as long as you have the card and Diamond status after $40,000 in annual spend.
- No foreign currency transaction fees.
- Important limitation on this offer: "Weekend Night Certificates offer is not available if you have had a Citi Hilton HHonors Card account that was opened or closed in the past 24 months.."
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card
- No annual fee.
- Signup bonus: 60K points for spending $1K in the first 4 months
- Earning: 6 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 3 points/$ at U.S. supermarkets, drugstores & gas stations; and 2 points/$ on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Silver status for as long as you have the card.
- Fast track To Gold status: After four qualifying stays within your first 91 days of cardmembership, receive Gold status through the end of the following calendar year.
- Important limitation on this offer: "Hilton HHonors Bonus Points offer not available if you have had a Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card account that was opened or closed in the past 24 months."
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose]
Offer for 50K points (spend $750/3mos.) + $50 credit for first purchase: Make a dummy reservation on Hilton site. Offer will appear on page before final booking. (Cannot be linked to directly.)
Offer for 50K points (spend $750/3mos.)
Offer for 50K points (spend $750/3mos.)
- No annual fee.
- Earning: 7 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 5 points/$ at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets & gas stations; and 3 on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Silver status for as long as you have the card and Gold status after $20,000 in annual spend.
- Booking bonus: 500 bonus points for every stay (including award stays) booked directly with Hilton & guaranteed with the card
1. Are these cards churnable?
As of May 1, 2014, Amex will not give a signup bonus to card applicants who have held the card in the past ~7 years, even if the applicant has never earned a previous signup bonus for it. However, it is still possible to upgrade an existing Hilton Amex to the Surpass card to earn a bonus (and reportedly to do this more than once by later downgrading & then upgrading again). The best strategy is to earn a Surpass signup bonus first, and only afterward pursue the upgrade bonus(es).
In August 2016, Citi began inserting language into applications and landing pages requiring a 24-month wait from the date of the opening or closure of any Citi Hilton card. Previously, the Citi Hilton Signature Visa and Reserve cards were on separate clocks for each applicant. Now there is a single 24-month clock reset by open/close of either type of card. For more info, see the wiki at Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose].
2. I have met the spending. When will my bonus post?
For Amex cards, the bonus will post a few days after meeting the spend. The points from the actual spend will post after statement is generated. For Citi products, bonus points post only at statement close.
3. What happened to the Amex drugstore category spending bonus?
Changes to Hilton Amex cards as of May 2013 are explained here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...at-we-thought/
4. What is the link to upgrade from no fee card to Surpass card for 50,000 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months?
This link redirects to this landing page. Application page.
You need to be logged into your Amex account first, then click on the link above, then click Upgrade. (This does not work for all people. It is suspected that only people that have had the no-fee card for at least one year are able to upgrade to the Surpass card.) There is generally no hard pull on your credit report for upgrading.
5. Does having one of these Hilton cards preclude me from successfully earning the signup bonus on a different one?
No. All four cards are separate products. Having (or having previously had) one of them has no effect on your bonus eligibility for the others--but note, as discussed in FAQ #1, that opening or closing any Citi Hilton card will affect your eligibility for any new Citi Hilton card bonus.
As of May 1, 2014, Amex will not give a signup bonus to card applicants who have held the card in the past ~7 years, even if the applicant has never earned a previous signup bonus for it. However, it is still possible to upgrade an existing Hilton Amex to the Surpass card to earn a bonus (and reportedly to do this more than once by later downgrading & then upgrading again). The best strategy is to earn a Surpass signup bonus first, and only afterward pursue the upgrade bonus(es).
In August 2016, Citi began inserting language into applications and landing pages requiring a 24-month wait from the date of the opening or closure of any Citi Hilton card. Previously, the Citi Hilton Signature Visa and Reserve cards were on separate clocks for each applicant. Now there is a single 24-month clock reset by open/close of either type of card. For more info, see the wiki at Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose].
2. I have met the spending. When will my bonus post?
For Amex cards, the bonus will post a few days after meeting the spend. The points from the actual spend will post after statement is generated. For Citi products, bonus points post only at statement close.
3. What happened to the Amex drugstore category spending bonus?
Changes to Hilton Amex cards as of May 2013 are explained here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...at-we-thought/
4. What is the link to upgrade from no fee card to Surpass card for 50,000 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months?
This link redirects to this landing page. Application page.
You need to be logged into your Amex account first, then click on the link above, then click Upgrade. (This does not work for all people. It is suspected that only people that have had the no-fee card for at least one year are able to upgrade to the Surpass card.) There is generally no hard pull on your credit report for upgrading.
5. Does having one of these Hilton cards preclude me from successfully earning the signup bonus on a different one?
No. All four cards are separate products. Having (or having previously had) one of them has no effect on your bonus eligibility for the others--but note, as discussed in FAQ #1, that opening or closing any Citi Hilton card will affect your eligibility for any new Citi Hilton card bonus.
Ongoing offers for Hilton cards issued by Amex or Citi
Feb 21, 2016, 5:15 am
#856
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 329
Thanks. I just applied yesterday, and in my confirmation email, it did say 2-3 days. The strange thing is every time I call and talk to Amex, they always quote the 7-10 days.
When I mentioned the language in the email, the CSR then backtracked and said that the email is more accurate and they simply give out the default timeframe (7-10 days).
When I mentioned the language in the email, the CSR then backtracked and said that the email is more accurate and they simply give out the default timeframe (7-10 days).
When Amex ships their cards via UPS, then I get a surprise e-mail and I know when it's being delivered. The MyUPS e-mail always says it's coming from "FDR - ECR -AUTOMATED"
I applied for the Hilton card on Thursday 2/18 and I received it on Saturday 2/20.
Feb 21, 2016, 11:38 pm
#857
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS .. but soon SFO
Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD
Posts: 1,528
correct me if I am wrong, but if I want to churn the CITI HH card, I have to keep it open for 18 months before I can reapply and if I close it now, that clock resets?
Feb 21, 2016, 11:41 pm
#858
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 329
If you close the card now, then in 18 months you can apply and receive the sign-up bonus again. EDIT. The following statement is not true. If you currently have the card open, you can't apply for another one and expect to receive the bonus.
Card must be closed for 18 months in order to receive the sign-up bonus again.
Card must be closed for 18 months in order to receive the sign-up bonus again.
Last edited by PowerMan572; Feb 22, 2016 at 7:03 am Reason: Wrong info
Feb 22, 2016, 6:54 am
#859
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
If you close the card now, then in 18 months you can apply and receive the sign-up bonus again. If you currently have the card open, you can't apply for another one and expect to receive the bonus.
Card must be closed for 18 months in order to receive the sign-up bonus again.
Card must be closed for 18 months in order to receive the sign-up bonus again.
Feb 22, 2016, 6:59 am
#860
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 329
Thanks for the correction! I didn't know you could keep the original open and apply for a new card on top of it.
So closing the card would reset the clock. So it's probably best to just apply for the same card again 18 months after you opened the first one and then have 2 cards? After you get the 2nd card, I guess you could close the first one.
Is this correct?
So closing the card would reset the clock. So it's probably best to just apply for the same card again 18 months after you opened the first one and then have 2 cards? After you get the 2nd card, I guess you could close the first one.
Is this correct?
Feb 22, 2016, 7:04 am
#861
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Thanks for the correction! I didn't know you could keep the original open and apply for a new card on top of it.
So closing the card would reset the clock. So it's probably best to just apply for the same card again 18 months after you opened the first one and then have 2 cards? After you get the 2nd card, I guess you could close the first one.
Is this correct?
So closing the card would reset the clock. So it's probably best to just apply for the same card again 18 months after you opened the first one and then have 2 cards? After you get the 2nd card, I guess you could close the first one.
Is this correct?
Feb 22, 2016, 7:09 am
#862
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 329
When the 18 month mark comes around for which card? The 5th one? Because if you close any of the 5, it resets the clock. So after you get the bonus on the 5th card... wouldn't you want to close it/all of them shortly afterwards to reset the clock once and for all? (I hope this makes sense 
) Then basically start the process all over again.
) Then basically start the process all over again.
Feb 22, 2016, 8:08 am
#863
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
When the 18 month mark comes around for which card? The 5th one? Because if you close any of the 5, it resets the clock. So after you get the bonus on the 5th card... wouldn't you want to close it/all of them shortly afterwards to reset the clock once and for all? (I hope this makes sense ) Then basically start the process all over again.
) Then basically start the process all over again.
Feb 22, 2016, 8:13 am
#864
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
The exception, up until now, has been the AA card, where the W>WE "cloaked" the app, so Citi could no longer see it. That may be dead now though. In any case it hasn't applied to the HH card.
Feb 22, 2016, 8:55 am
#865
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,708
Citi HH 75k offer now available: http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.co...rs/#CitiHotels
All 3 of us in the family had this card in 2015, so we have to sit out on this one.
All 3 of us in the family had this card in 2015, so we have to sit out on this one.
Feb 22, 2016, 1:52 pm
#866
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Citi HH 75k offer now available: http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.co...rs/#CitiHotels
All 3 of us in the family had this card in 2015, so we have to sit out on this one.
All 3 of us in the family had this card in 2015, so we have to sit out on this one.
We're in the same boat, will have to sit this one out unless it lasts much longer than expected.
Feb 22, 2016, 10:44 pm
#867
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: US/TYO/LON
Programs: Marriott Titanium; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 411
Damn. Just 2 days after I applied for the AMEX 70k. Although, in all fairness, that is only with a 1k spend, while this Citi is with a 2K.
Might just apply for the Citi as well, and focus spending on that while relegating the AMEX spend to SERVE loads and bill payments.
Might just apply for the Citi as well, and focus spending on that while relegating the AMEX spend to SERVE loads and bill payments.
Feb 22, 2016, 11:02 pm
#868
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 84
In case anybody is interested...
I applied for the Amex HHonors when the 60,000pts offer was up (5 days ago) and yesterday I saw the new offer of 70,000pts. I called the number on the back of the card and asked if I could get the new offer since I had applied 5 days ago. CSR transferred me to a supervisor and he switched me to the higher offer. He said they don't do this but since I was a new Amex customer (3 new cards in last week) they would make an exception.
Same thing with Citi. I applied last week for the 60,000pts offer and yesterday I see the 75,000 offer...dammit! I called Citi and the supervisor told me had to put in a request blah blah blah. I'm getting a reply in 3 days supposedly. Has anybody done this with Citi before? Any luck?
I applied for the Amex HHonors when the 60,000pts offer was up (5 days ago) and yesterday I saw the new offer of 70,000pts. I called the number on the back of the card and asked if I could get the new offer since I had applied 5 days ago. CSR transferred me to a supervisor and he switched me to the higher offer. He said they don't do this but since I was a new Amex customer (3 new cards in last week) they would make an exception.
Same thing with Citi. I applied last week for the 60,000pts offer and yesterday I see the 75,000 offer...dammit! I called Citi and the supervisor told me had to put in a request blah blah blah. I'm getting a reply in 3 days supposedly. Has anybody done this with Citi before? Any luck?
Feb 22, 2016, 11:06 pm
#869
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 329
In case anybody is interested...
I applied for the Amex HHonors when the 60,000pts offer was up (5 days ago) and yesterday I saw the new offer of 70,000pts. I called the number on the back of the card and asked if I could get the new offer since I had applied 5 days ago. CSR transferred me to a supervisor and he switched me to the higher offer. He said they don't do this but since I was a new Amex customer (3 new cards in last week) they would make an exception.
Same thing with Citi. I applied last week for the 60,000pts offer and yesterday I see the 75,000 offer...dammit! I called Citi and the supervisor told me had to put in a request blah blah blah. I'm getting a reply in 3 days supposedly. Has anybody done this with Citi before? Any luck?
I applied for the Amex HHonors when the 60,000pts offer was up (5 days ago) and yesterday I saw the new offer of 70,000pts. I called the number on the back of the card and asked if I could get the new offer since I had applied 5 days ago. CSR transferred me to a supervisor and he switched me to the higher offer. He said they don't do this but since I was a new Amex customer (3 new cards in last week) they would make an exception.
Same thing with Citi. I applied last week for the 60,000pts offer and yesterday I see the 75,000 offer...dammit! I called Citi and the supervisor told me had to put in a request blah blah blah. I'm getting a reply in 3 days supposedly. Has anybody done this with Citi before? Any luck?
I called Citi to get the 60k offer matched to 75k. She investigated and put me on hold while she asked around. Unfortunately, she was not able to do it. She did, however, give me 5k bonus points for calling in. So I basically got 65k points for $1k in spending.
I'd much rather get 75k for $2k in spending. I have sent a secured message to Citi to see if they can match the offer still. I figured it doesn't hurt to ask twice.
I have had luck with Citi matching offers through the Secure Message center on the Citi Hilton Reserve card almost 2 years ago. I would recommend going this route vs. calling in.
Feb 22, 2016, 11:10 pm
#870
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 84
WOW! That's all I can say about Amex matching your bonus. You're like #2 out of 45 stories I've read where someone has been successful in getting an offer matched.
I called Citi to get the 60k offer matched to 75k. She investigated and put me on hold while she asked around. Unfortunately, she was not able to do it. She did, however, give me 5k bonus points for calling in. So I basically got 65k points for $1k in spending.
I'd much rather get 75k for $2k in spending. I have sent a secured message to Citi to see if they can match the offer still. I figured it doesn't hurt to ask twice.
I have had luck with Citi matching offers through the Secure Message center on the Citi Hilton Reserve card almost 2 years ago. I would recommend going this route vs. calling in.
I called Citi to get the 60k offer matched to 75k. She investigated and put me on hold while she asked around. Unfortunately, she was not able to do it. She did, however, give me 5k bonus points for calling in. So I basically got 65k points for $1k in spending.
I'd much rather get 75k for $2k in spending. I have sent a secured message to Citi to see if they can match the offer still. I figured it doesn't hurt to ask twice.
I have had luck with Citi matching offers through the Secure Message center on the Citi Hilton Reserve card almost 2 years ago. I would recommend going this route vs. calling in.
then!I'll wait till I get the reply and if they don't match I'll send an SM. If still no luck then I'll just ask for 5k points haha. Thanks for the advice!