Honors points transfers
Jul 14, 2006, 3:43 am
#61
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Originally Posted by philemer
I've accumulated 5500 points thru various promotions but don't plan any Hilton stays w/in the next year or two. I've heard points can be transferred to others but I couldn't find any details. Would these be worth anything on Coupon Connection?
Jul 14, 2006, 8:32 am
#62
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Originally Posted by cblaisd
Actually you can now transfer to another person, but only at a minimum of 10K points and in 10K chunks at $25/10K
Never mind, I just went to HHonors and there it was on the FRONT PAGE staring me on the face.
Jul 14, 2006, 9:03 am
#63
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I don't know...I don't think the situation is THAT desperate. HH's credit cards are free, so there is 10k-20k in truly free points sitting there for you.
In and of itself, with no other effort, that's 1 night in a typical 3-star Hilton. Maybe 2 nights at rural Hampton Inns. I mean...that's better than magazines, isn't it?
As most HH loyalists know, this program is heavily based on the 6-night high-end stay. People who travel in the Scandic markets might get good value out of 1-nighters, but for a U.S. traveler, we're pretty much shooting for the ALON/GLON-type awards.
But still, I wouldn't burn the points on magazines or rental car upgrades. First off, rental car upgrade codes are ubiquitous. They all have roughly the same limitations and can be had for free using publicly-available codes that can be found all over Flyertalk and the rest of the Internet. Second, upgrade codes usually prevent you from also entering a Free Day or discount code. So unless you absolutely need a confirmed Premium car (the highest thing typically upgradable), you're better off booking whatever size you like and then applying the discounts or Free Days.
(Sorry for the rental car rant. It has little to do with HHonors beyond "don't waste HH points on rental car upgrades.")
In and of itself, with no other effort, that's 1 night in a typical 3-star Hilton. Maybe 2 nights at rural Hampton Inns. I mean...that's better than magazines, isn't it?
As most HH loyalists know, this program is heavily based on the 6-night high-end stay. People who travel in the Scandic markets might get good value out of 1-nighters, but for a U.S. traveler, we're pretty much shooting for the ALON/GLON-type awards.
But still, I wouldn't burn the points on magazines or rental car upgrades. First off, rental car upgrade codes are ubiquitous. They all have roughly the same limitations and can be had for free using publicly-available codes that can be found all over Flyertalk and the rest of the Internet. Second, upgrade codes usually prevent you from also entering a Free Day or discount code. So unless you absolutely need a confirmed Premium car (the highest thing typically upgradable), you're better off booking whatever size you like and then applying the discounts or Free Days.
(Sorry for the rental car rant. It has little to do with HHonors beyond "don't waste HH points on rental car upgrades.")
Jul 14, 2006, 10:17 am
#64
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Pinniped hits it right on. imho, buying a rental car upgrade is bad use of points just as it usually is magazines. Otoh, I regularly use orphaned USAir miles for subscriptions to the Economist or WSJ. YMMV.
You can buy 5,000 HHonor points for $62.50 https://www.hiltonhhonors.com/purchasepoints/index.aspx and then redeem for a category 1 property, but in reality, cat 1 properties are now few and far between given the recent category changes and since you have no plans on staying at a Hilton soon, that doesn't seem very wise either. If you bought the 5,000 points, you would then have 10,500 and could transfer them for 1,500 miles, but $62 for 1,500 airline miles is very expensive.
Concerning getting an Honors Visa/Amex, well I guess it depends on your feeling about credit cards. I can't say I never got a card just for the bonus points. I used to do this regularly, but . . . . well it gets old.
Sometimes you just have to sit on the points. I tried cleaning out my SPG account last year because the points were about to expire, so I gave a three night stay to my inlaws as a gift. Well they stayed and my points went to zero, but my bil managed to get my SPG number onto the incidentals bill and now I am sitting on about 600 SPG points with nothing to do with them.
Cblaisd answered the original question about transfers, so you could buy 5,000 points and then gift a stay to someone else, but I doubt you could get $62 of value in coupon connection, but you could try to trade for something. again, YMMV.
Finally, I can only find that link to transferrring points if it shows up on the main page. I find no other link through HHonors. Bad web design, I think.
You can buy 5,000 HHonor points for $62.50 https://www.hiltonhhonors.com/purchasepoints/index.aspx and then redeem for a category 1 property, but in reality, cat 1 properties are now few and far between given the recent category changes and since you have no plans on staying at a Hilton soon, that doesn't seem very wise either. If you bought the 5,000 points, you would then have 10,500 and could transfer them for 1,500 miles, but $62 for 1,500 airline miles is very expensive.
Concerning getting an Honors Visa/Amex, well I guess it depends on your feeling about credit cards. I can't say I never got a card just for the bonus points. I used to do this regularly, but . . . . well it gets old.
Sometimes you just have to sit on the points. I tried cleaning out my SPG account last year because the points were about to expire, so I gave a three night stay to my inlaws as a gift. Well they stayed and my points went to zero, but my bil managed to get my SPG number onto the incidentals bill and now I am sitting on about 600 SPG points with nothing to do with them.
Cblaisd answered the original question about transfers, so you could buy 5,000 points and then gift a stay to someone else, but I doubt you could get $62 of value in coupon connection, but you could try to trade for something. again, YMMV.
Finally, I can only find that link to transferrring points if it shows up on the main page. I find no other link through HHonors. Bad web design, I think.
Jul 14, 2006, 10:24 am
#65
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Originally Posted by philemer
I've accumulated 5500 points thru various promotions but don't plan any Hilton stays w/in the next year or two. I've heard points can be transferred to others but I couldn't find any details. Would these be worth anything on Coupon Connection?
TIA,
Phil
TIA,
Phil
1. It has no annual fee, so you can hold on to it forever.
2. You'll get enough bonus points for just signing up to get to a useful number of points (which 5500 isn't).
3. All you have to do is use that card for a small purchase a couple times a year (if you don't do any other promotions), and your points will last "forever". While HHonors points do expire after one year of no activity, ANY activity which adds or removes points from your account extends that another year. And thus a Hilton credit card purchase twice a year (to be on the same side of timing) will keep your points around until you have some Hilton stay opportunities or until you slowly accumulate a much more useful number of points.
Jul 14, 2006, 10:26 am
#66
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Originally Posted by sdsearch
I would recommend a Hilton credit card for three reasons:
1. It has no annual fee, so you can hold on to it forever.
2. You'll get enough bonus points for just signing up to get to a useful number of points (which 5500 isn't).
3. All you have to do is use that card for a small purchase a couple times a year (if you don't do any other promotions), and your points will last "forever". While HHonors points do expire after one year of no activity, ANY activity which adds or removes points from your account extends that another year. And thus a Hilton credit card purchase twice a year (to be on the same side of timing) will keep your points around until you have some Hilton stay opportunities or until you slowly accumulate a much more useful number of points.
1. It has no annual fee, so you can hold on to it forever.
2. You'll get enough bonus points for just signing up to get to a useful number of points (which 5500 isn't).
3. All you have to do is use that card for a small purchase a couple times a year (if you don't do any other promotions), and your points will last "forever". While HHonors points do expire after one year of no activity, ANY activity which adds or removes points from your account extends that another year. And thus a Hilton credit card purchase twice a year (to be on the same side of timing) will keep your points around until you have some Hilton stay opportunities or until you slowly accumulate a much more useful number of points.
Jul 14, 2006, 11:41 am
#67
Join Date: Aug 2002
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50,000 points for free; 120,000 points for $25
Originally Posted by pinniped
I don't know...I don't think the situation is THAT desperate. HH's credit cards are free, so there is 10k-20k in truly free points sitting there for you.
In and of itself, with no other effort, that's 1 night in a typical 3-star Hilton. Maybe 2 nights at rural Hampton Inns.
In and of itself, with no other effort, that's 1 night in a typical 3-star Hilton. Maybe 2 nights at rural Hampton Inns.
15,000 free points - Amex Note that this is a BETTER deal than the banner ad on FT offering 20,000 (read the terms, you'll see)
15,000 free points - Visa
6,000 free Starpoints transfers to 5,000 HawaiianMiles to 10,000 HHonors points
5,000 free Midwest Miles transfers to 10,000 HHonors points
That's 50,000 points right there. If you are willing to pay the American Airlines $25 transfer fee, you can get 35,000 miles = 70,000 points with the following offers:
15,000 free AA miles - Visa
20,000 free AA miles - Amex
Note that most of these cards are "No Annual Fee the first year" - you'll want to cancel them after you get your bonuses.
So, for $25, philemer can bring his balance to 125,500 points. All it would take then is a few months of spending on the HH Amex and Visa to get a GLON2.
Nevertheless philemer, my trade offer still stands (see my private message).
Credit where credit is due: PGary aka Gary Steiger.
Jul 14, 2006, 11:46 am
#68
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Wow. Sounds like we all need to do this and have the Official Rut Dog AXON Four-Nights-for-$25 Do! 
120,000 gets your pick of almost any Hilton in the world...
120,000 gets your pick of almost any Hilton in the world...
Jul 15, 2006, 6:52 pm
#69
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Originally Posted by Rut Dog
OK, let's got crazy...
15,000 free points - Amex Note that this is a BETTER deal than the banner ad on FT offering 20,000 (read the terms, you'll see)
15,000 free points - Visa
6,000 free Starpoints transfers to 5,000 HawaiianMiles to 10,000 HHonors points
5,000 free Midwest Miles transfers to 10,000 HHonors points
That's 50,000 points right there. If you are willing to pay the American Airlines $25 transfer fee, you can get 35,000 miles = 70,000 points with the following offers:
15,000 free AA miles - Visa
20,000 free AA miles - Amex
Note that most of these cards are "No Annual Fee the first year" - you'll want to cancel them after you get your bonuses.
So, for $25, philemer can bring his balance to 125,500 points. All it would take then is a few months of spending on the HH Amex and Visa to get a GLON2.
Nevertheless philemer, my trade offer still stands (see my private message).
Credit where credit is due: PGary aka Gary Steiger.
15,000 free points - Amex Note that this is a BETTER deal than the banner ad on FT offering 20,000 (read the terms, you'll see)
15,000 free points - Visa
6,000 free Starpoints transfers to 5,000 HawaiianMiles to 10,000 HHonors points
5,000 free Midwest Miles transfers to 10,000 HHonors points
That's 50,000 points right there. If you are willing to pay the American Airlines $25 transfer fee, you can get 35,000 miles = 70,000 points with the following offers:
15,000 free AA miles - Visa
20,000 free AA miles - Amex
Note that most of these cards are "No Annual Fee the first year" - you'll want to cancel them after you get your bonuses.
So, for $25, philemer can bring his balance to 125,500 points. All it would take then is a few months of spending on the HH Amex and Visa to get a GLON2.
Nevertheless philemer, my trade offer still stands (see my private message).
Credit where credit is due: PGary aka Gary Steiger.
Amazing deal. Thanks for your efforts.How many pts. for a GLON2 in Hawaii?
Phil
Jul 15, 2006, 9:07 pm
#70
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(Cross-posted in the OP's tCC thread.)
For example, Philemer, if I needed a room award priced at 25K points, I would:
A. Offer U something for your 5500 points;
B. Put 20K into your HHonors acct. by one of the options in my Post #2;
then C. Ask U to call HHonors to issue a 25K certificate in my name as your 'friend.'
Capisce?
For example, Philemer, if I needed a room award priced at 25K points, I would:
A. Offer U something for your 5500 points;
B. Put 20K into your HHonors acct. by one of the options in my Post #2;
then C. Ask U to call HHonors to issue a 25K certificate in my name as your 'friend.'
Capisce?
Jul 16, 2006, 5:35 am
#71
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Originally Posted by philemer
Wow! I wonder what would have to my credit rating (FICO score) if I got all these c. cards? Amazing deal. Thanks for your efforts.
Amazing deal. Thanks for your efforts.
How many pts. for a GLON2 in Hawaii?
May 13, 2007, 1:30 pm
#72
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Transferring Hilton Points
Ok I did a search, and I am sure I missed something obvious (searched on the word transfer) but is there any options for transferring Hilton points to anything else? Or other ways to use them other than hotel stays?
May 13, 2007, 1:33 pm
#73
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Redeem for other than hotel use, yes, per the following http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/...VMVCQKIYFC3UUC
And transfers per the following http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/points/transfer.do work too.
May 13, 2007, 1:43 pm
#74
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The obvious is the www.hiltonhhonors.com website itself.
Redeem for other than hotel use, yes, per the following http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/...VMVCQKIYFC3UUC
And transfers per the following http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/points/transfer.do work too.
Redeem for other than hotel use, yes, per the following http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/...VMVCQKIYFC3UUC
And transfers per the following http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/points/transfer.do work too.
Although in looking at your first link, the thought of using them for a cruise sounds pretty good to me too
May 13, 2007, 1:51 pm
#75
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Not really, at least not officially in a way that doesn't automatically seriously erode value.
After something like http://webflyer.com/programs/mileage...rter/index.php , the closest some may do to accomplish exactly that -- after having already earned the HHonors points under a points+miles earning selection -- is an informal private exchange between two persons, where one person redeems an award (or maybe transfers points to another HHonors account) for another, and the other person gifts a transfer of Starwood points which are then converted into DL miles. (This is not something the hotel programs encourage.)
After something like http://webflyer.com/programs/mileage...rter/index.php , the closest some may do to accomplish exactly that -- after having already earned the HHonors points under a points+miles earning selection -- is an informal private exchange between two persons, where one person redeems an award (or maybe transfers points to another HHonors account) for another, and the other person gifts a transfer of Starwood points which are then converted into DL miles. (This is not something the hotel programs encourage.)