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Calling in risks alerting Citi to the offer and having it withdrawn.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 24, 2016, 1:09 pm
#871
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,692
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.
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.
Feb 25, 2016, 7:57 pm
#872
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 159
How often are the bonuses this high for the Amex/citi cards (i.e. if I don't apply for them now, how long will I have to wait to get them to get the 75k/70k bonuses)?
Feb 25, 2016, 7:59 pm
#873
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 329
For The Citi 75k offer, it was around for a while. It disappeared in January and got replaced with the 60k offer. Now it has already jumped back up to 75k again this week. Presumably because the Amex bumped their offer up to 70k is my guess.
Hard to say! I guess if you want the cards, I would jump on them!
Feb 25, 2016, 8:19 pm
#874
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Citi never had a 75k bonus until last year. (And they've had that card for ages.) Since then they've had it twice. With that little history, it's hard to predict.
Feb 28, 2016, 6:54 pm
#875
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.
Feb 28, 2016, 6:58 pm
#876
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 84
My bonus wasn't matched. Called a supervisor and was told they won't honor what the previous supervisor committed to!
Feb 28, 2016, 11:15 pm
#877
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,692
Feb 29, 2016, 1:50 pm
#878
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 84
Has anybody been lucky with matching a Citi Hilton offer? I applied for 60k points offer and a couple days later the 75k pts offer showed up...
Mar 2, 2016, 3:56 pm
#879
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: AA, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 501
How much will it hurt if I sign up for the Surpass and close it in 8 months? I have the no-fee card and I want to get the bonus from upgrading the no-fee card to the Surpass as well.
I'm also getting an SPG and this will be my 3rd app in a month for Amex, 6th overall, so not sure how my prospects look. Might have to do it 3 month slater if I find enough datapoints that discourage me from going through with it
I'm also getting an SPG and this will be my 3rd app in a month for Amex, 6th overall, so not sure how my prospects look. Might have to do it 3 month slater if I find enough datapoints that discourage me from going through with it
Mar 2, 2016, 6:06 pm
#880
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
How much will it hurt if I sign up for the Surpass and close it in 8 months? I have the no-fee card and I want to get the bonus from upgrading the no-fee card to the Surpass as well.
I'm also getting an SPG and this will be my 3rd app in a month for Amex, 6th overall, so not sure how my prospects look. Might have to do it 3 month slater if I find enough datapoints that discourage me from going through with it
I'm also getting an SPG and this will be my 3rd app in a month for Amex, 6th overall, so not sure how my prospects look. Might have to do it 3 month slater if I find enough datapoints that discourage me from going through with it
And are you sure you're going to be able to do all the minimum spend in time? The common methods for Manufactured Spend are disappearing fast, who knows how many will be left in a month or two?
Of course, since all your questions seem to be about Amex, I'm not sure why you're posting them in the Citi forum. This here is a thread specifically for Hilton cards, not for general questions about applying for Amex cards.
I would think 3 apps in one month at Amex sure sounds like pushing it, but I've never come close to that, and so I haven't been paying attention to what exactly is the limit.
See threads like these in the Amex forum:
One post in the first link above implies the limit is 2 credit cards per 90 days, but no limit on charge cards. If all the cards you're applying for are credit cards, then trying for a 3rd sounds quite dangerous. (And, yes, all hotel cards from Amex are credit cards.)
Last edited by sdsearch; Mar 2, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Mar 8, 2016, 8:34 am
#881
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 451
I have a Citi Hilton Visa which I opened it 3 years ago. Will I get 75K bonus if I apply for another one?
Mar 8, 2016, 8:47 am
#882
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Mar 17, 2016, 3:29 pm
#883
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, CC Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 433
Do you recommend upgrading to Hilton Surpass or apply for new card?
I have had Hilton regular Amex for years. I have never upgraded or applied for Surpass. Now thinking of finally getting in on Surpass card since I got Diamond match a few months ago. I saw new application for new card is currently 85,000.
I also saw if i upgrade from regular Hilton to surpass, I would get 50,000 miles but wondering if new language once per lifetime rule applies to this.
Should I apply for new card to get 85,000 and burn my once a lifetime app or go for the 50,000, and keep my once in a lifetime Surpass app for later.
Thanks
I also saw if i upgrade from regular Hilton to surpass, I would get 50,000 miles but wondering if new language once per lifetime rule applies to this.
Should I apply for new card to get 85,000 and burn my once a lifetime app or go for the 50,000, and keep my once in a lifetime Surpass app for later.
Thanks
Mar 17, 2016, 4:36 pm
#884
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Moderator action
cdoobiest's question has been moved from the American Express forum to this thread because there is essentially no discussion of HHonors co-branded cards in that forum. (It's in the Hilton forum.)
Mar 17, 2016, 8:06 pm
#885
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
I have had Hilton regular Amex for years. I have never upgraded or applied for Surpass. Now thinking of finally getting in on Surpass card since I got Diamond match a few months ago. I saw new application for new card is currently 85,000.
I also saw if i upgrade from regular Hilton to surpass, I would get 50,000 miles but wondering if new language once per lifetime rule applies to this.
Should I apply for new card to get 85,000 and burn my once a lifetime app or go for the 50,000, and keep my once in a lifetime Surpass app for later.
Thanks
I also saw if i upgrade from regular Hilton to surpass, I would get 50,000 miles but wondering if new language once per lifetime rule applies to this.
Should I apply for new card to get 85,000 and burn my once a lifetime app or go for the 50,000, and keep my once in a lifetime Surpass app for later.
Thanks
So it's not clear you'll even be able to do a from-scrach Surpass app later, if you do the upgrade now.
But the lifetime limitation does not apply to upgrades, so if you get the Surpass "from scratch" now, then cancel it after a year (when the annual fee for the 2nd year comes due), and then wait perhaps another half year or year, you should be able to do an upgrade of your existing no-AF card to Surpass at that time and get another bonus. (And then a year later, downgrade to the no-AF card, and then sometime later, upgrade to Surpass again.)
So that's why you should apply now for the 85,000, rather than upgrading first.