Helpmeout

Currently have CSP, CSU, and Amex Gold. Chase will be falling off 5/24 in next month or so.
Bit of a dilemma so was looking for some experienced and seasoned guidance.

Either upgrade CSP to CSR or get some value out of a co branded card (Hyatt or Bonvoy Brilliant).
Amex Gold has proven to be a points machine so feel good about coverage for airline transfer, so not sure an upgrade on CSP to CSR makes sense as dining will remain on Amex.

Makes me think co-branded hotel card would make the most logical sense for next slot. Aware of Hyatt limitations with footprint and Bonvoy's devalued point system.
Was thinking Bonvoy Brilliant annual night alone makes sense. Currently am Titanium though this will fall off this year (company pays for hotel bills except incidentals).

Any thoughts of Hyatt of Bonvoy Brilliant or is there a card I am not looking at (or am I being short sided about simple upgrade to CSR - which I will not get welcome bonus).

Thanks so much.

Diplomatico

The AMEX HIlton Aspire doesn't interest you? You obtain Hilton Diamond status simply by owning the card.

Helpmeout

Thought about it. To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of their hotels (domestics, at least).
That and I had read they had crazy amount of points needed for nights.
You have experience with them?

Diplomatico

I've been HIlton Gold for years. Takes a lot of points for some redemptions but you also earn a lot of points, particularly if you hold the Aspire card. I don't hold that card (yet) but as a Diamond with an Aspire card you'd earn something like 29 points per dollar spent on stays using the card plus whatever additional points the current promotion offers.

If you don't like their hotels, though, no sense in signing up for it.

Helpmeout

Thanks for reply. Yeah maybe I think I probably need to educate myself further with regards to their hotels.
If earning points is the name of the game, clearly can't go wrong here.

bigbuy

Agreed. Last 4 stays in Europe, I was upgraded to full suites. Free Breakfast is big savings.
In the USA, we usually don't expect or receive suite upgrades, but again the free breakfast is nice.
Personally, I will never cancel the Aspire card unless there is a huge devaluation.

bgriffin

I periodically take a look at my Hilton, IHG, and Marriott stays. I take how many points I earned divided by how many nights I stayed to come up with an average number of points earned per night, then figured out how many nights it took at that number for my average redemption. When I checked last, in July, Hilton was the worst by far, Marriott was the best by far, IHG was in between but closer to Hilton. Marriott got 80 nights from me this year, IHG and Hilton got exactly enough to make Platinum and Diamond.

I do not pay attention to "how much a point is worth" sites and "OMG it takes 7,000,000 points for the highest redemption now they devalued." I look at how many points *I* average spending for a redemption and how much those nights would have cost me had I paid cash.

sdsearch

I will never cancel the Aspire card unless there is a big devaluation in its effective annual fee for me.

So far, I've been able to use the airline credit for an upgrade I would bought anyway, I've been able to the resort credit at about the same cost per stay as I would have had at a non-resort in the same city, and was able to use the free weekend night in a town where even the cheap hotels were $150+ including tax per night (the Hampton I stayed at was about double that). That's $250 + $250 + $150 = $650 in value from a $450 AF card, before the Diamond status value is counted, before the Priority Pass lounge access value is counted, etc. (I don't have Priority Pass from any other card. I do have a legacy Diners Club card which has an overlapping lounge network, but one lounge I entered this past year didn't accept Diners Club, it only accepted Priority Pass.)

Helpmeout

Thanks for everyone's reply!

Side note I called Bonvoy to insure I would get the 15 nights for this year (2019) as I am obviously applying before years' end.
They stated that the nights would not be applied till next year (weird). I am about 13 nights removed from renewing status.
If this is the case, will opt to pass on this.

Thoughts?

bgriffin

That seems....odd. I don't have the Marriott card (surprisingly) but it's next on my list. I would have thought you would get them immediately but perhaps it's at the end of the cardmember year (like free night certs)?

rasheed

They made a change to do the annual elite nights in the first quarter of the calendar year when they made the card program changes. I definitely would not expect any elite nights to be credited this year.

Helpmeout

Sort of total BS. I threatened Marriot today about pulling all stays moving forward if they don't reconsider.
Doubt it will make a difference.

philemer

I can guarantee it won't make a difference.

The fine print on 15 night credits:

"A maximum of 15 Elite Night credits will be credited to your Marriott Bonvoy™ member account within 60 days upon opening your Card Account. On or before March 1 of each subsequent calendar year, a maximum of 15 Elite Night credits will be credited...."

I like the AMEX Hilton Surpass too.

sdsearch

Have you had a meeting yet? You get 10 elite nights for one meeting a year now. See this thread:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...18-2018-a.html

If you haven't done a meeting and can get it done really quickly (with a hotel which will post it really quickly), and you do 3 actual nights (those can paid or award), then that would do it if it's really 13 you need. But you said "about" so I'm not sure what exactly you need.

With the credit card, you have to plan ahead. You'll basically get 15 nights early in the year no matter how many (1+) Marriott Bonvoy credit cards you have, except the first year it'll be a while after you are approved (which is not necessarily when you apply).

And that's the problem with planning so late: Even if you applied today, you might not even get approved for the card until after 1 Jan. Chase can be very slow in approving you, two weeks is not that unusual (even outside of the holidays!), and two weeks from tonight is New Year's Eve!

Helpmeout

So here's my scenarios: which one do you think works best (current cards AMEX Gold, CFU, CSP).

1. Upgrade to CSR (No bonus) and apply for World of Hyatt. Only concern is that restaurant spend will continue to go on Amex Gold (4x).
2. Keep CSP and apply for Bonvoy Brilliant (current cards I have have zero overlap with regards to perks).
3.Just don't like Hilton Properties so no Aspire,

Which of these two scenarios, given the above, do you feel would be most beneficial?