help building HILTON points
Jan 12, 2013, 7:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Southern (Coastal) California
Programs: United MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 28
help building HILTON points
Hello all,
I've been a frequent reader of this forum, and employee of UA for some time. That being said, I am very curious the easiest way to accrue "valuable" Hilton Honors points. I do a significant amount of traveling for work(non biz), but am not interested in spending all my money to accrue the points...
The reason I am so interested in accruing points is due to the fact a honeymoon in a year or so will be done at a Hilton resort (Maldives.. Conrad resort), and using points will definitly help.
Also, by using my UA credit card, does it recognize hotel purchases? Or, do I need to book them all via the UA MP website?
Thank you so much for your help!
I've been a frequent reader of this forum, and employee of UA for some time. That being said, I am very curious the easiest way to accrue "valuable" Hilton Honors points. I do a significant amount of traveling for work(non biz), but am not interested in spending all my money to accrue the points...
The reason I am so interested in accruing points is due to the fact a honeymoon in a year or so will be done at a Hilton resort (Maldives.. Conrad resort), and using points will definitly help.
Also, by using my UA credit card, does it recognize hotel purchases? Or, do I need to book them all via the UA MP website?
Thank you so much for your help!
Jan 12, 2013, 8:16 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: NY "expat" living in BOS
Programs: AA Gold, rif-raf on most others; MBTA "valued customer"
Posts: 374
e-rewards
I believe Hilton is a redemption partner.
More importantly, NEVER book a hotel through the MP website (or any 3rd party site for that matter). General rule of thumb is prepay rate through non-hotel website = 0 points. Many of us have learned this the hard way.
I'll alert the mod to move this to the Hilton Forum as I'm sure many people there are knowledgeable on easy and cheap ways to accrue Hhonors points.
Welcome to FT.
More importantly, NEVER book a hotel through the MP website (or any 3rd party site for that matter). General rule of thumb is prepay rate through non-hotel website = 0 points. Many of us have learned this the hard way.
I'll alert the mod to move this to the Hilton Forum as I'm sure many people there are knowledgeable on easy and cheap ways to accrue Hhonors points.
Welcome to FT.
Jan 12, 2013, 8:47 am
#3
Ambassador: Finnair Plus
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Priority Club Plat Amb, Miles and Smiles Elite
Posts: 5,294
Well, one way to accrue points is to stay at Hilton properties, and sign up for the (mostly quarterly) promos. While at the hotel, remember to charge everything you can on the room.
Jan 12, 2013, 9:07 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTT, HH Diam, UA Silver, USAF million miler ;)
Posts: 1,596
Don't overlook the Hhonors premeire credit card. I'm in a $700 room at the Waldorf courtesy of the two free nights and my status upgrade (and some begging...anniversary!)
You and fiancé each get a card, that's four nights plus 100K points...most of a weeks stay.
(Edit) not sure the certs are good at your destination but still...
You and fiancé each get a card, that's four nights plus 100K points...most of a weeks stay.
(Edit) not sure the certs are good at your destination but still...
Jan 12, 2013, 9:11 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SFO/STS
Programs: UA Gold-1MM, Hhonors Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold
Posts: 1,090
Get a Hilton Hhonors credit card, I prefer the AmEx to the Visa. Get a second card (on your account) in your fiance name. Put all your everyday costs on it, ie: if you usually pay cash/check and they take credit cards, charge it and pay off the bill at the end of the month. You get extra points for gas, grocery, ect.... I builds up very fast.
If you spend more than $20,000 a year, you also get Gold status which is good for some upgrade, but also free breakfast.
Good luck.
If you spend more than $20,000 a year, you also get Gold status which is good for some upgrade, but also free breakfast.
Good luck.
Jan 12, 2013, 10:00 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: HHonnors Diamond, AA Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 293
Get a Hilton Hhonors credit card, I prefer the AmEx to the Visa. Get a second card (on your account) in your fiance name. Put all your everyday costs on it, ie: if you usually pay cash/check and they take credit cards, charge it and pay off the bill at the end of the month. You get extra points for gas, grocery, ect.... I builds up very fast.
If you spend more than $20,000 a year, you also get Gold status which is good for some upgrade, but also free breakfast.
Good luck.
If you spend more than $20,000 a year, you also get Gold status which is good for some upgrade, but also free breakfast.
Good luck.
Jan 12, 2013, 10:04 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SFO/STS
Programs: UA Gold-1MM, Hhonors Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold
Posts: 1,090
Jan 12, 2013, 11:45 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DTW/FNT
Programs: Delta (nee NW), Hilton Diamond. IHG (PT)
Posts: 4,823
I've made Diamond with 7 stays in x amount of time where x was a small number, but it was easy to do because I was on a trip that put me in a different city each night for about 10 days.
Bob H
Jan 12, 2013, 12:51 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...5k-offers.html
Another way to earn 70k+ Hhonors points (1 HA mile = 2Hhonors points).
Another way to earn 70k+ Hhonors points (1 HA mile = 2Hhonors points).
Jan 12, 2013, 3:30 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: HHonnors Diamond, AA Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 293
Jan 12, 2013, 3:47 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH diamond
Posts: 2,646
Free Amex, Gold AFTER spending $20K in a calendar year. No ability to get to Diamond with spend.
AMEX Surpass: $75 annual fee (not waived), GOLD free FIRST year ONLY, Gold after $20K annual spend thereafter. Diamond AFTER $40K annual spend
Jan 12, 2013, 4:50 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: San Diego, CA , 4.2MM+ AA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Starwood Gold
Posts: 574
Hilton Reserve Visa gives automatic Gold by having the card (not just the first year), Diamond after $40K in spend, 2 free weekend room nights after $2,500 K in spend within the first 4 months and another room night certificate after $10K in spend after the first anniversary.
The Gold benefits in Europe (free breakfast) are worth about 30 euros per person, so a multimate-day stay, plus the free weekend nights will more than offset the annual cost of the card.
Fee is $95 and the anniversary cert posts 6-8 weeks after the anniversary, meaning you may have to keep the card open to receive/use the certificate.
3x points for most purchases w/ 5 points for airline and car rentals and 10 points at Hilton properties.
If you really want to rack up the points (30K per month) check out some of the blogs re:Amex Bluebird. CVS purchases count as drug store purchases, so many are reporting that they can buy Vanilla reload cards on their Hilton Amex cards and get 6x points. With a 5K Bluebird reload limit per month, 5K x 6 points = a potential 30,000 Hilton points per month.
The Gold benefits in Europe (free breakfast) are worth about 30 euros per person, so a multimate-day stay, plus the free weekend nights will more than offset the annual cost of the card.
Fee is $95 and the anniversary cert posts 6-8 weeks after the anniversary, meaning you may have to keep the card open to receive/use the certificate.
3x points for most purchases w/ 5 points for airline and car rentals and 10 points at Hilton properties.
If you really want to rack up the points (30K per month) check out some of the blogs re:Amex Bluebird. CVS purchases count as drug store purchases, so many are reporting that they can buy Vanilla reload cards on their Hilton Amex cards and get 6x points. With a 5K Bluebird reload limit per month, 5K x 6 points = a potential 30,000 Hilton points per month.
Last edited by FrAAmer; Jan 12, 2013 at 4:55 pm
Jan 12, 2013, 6:59 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SFO/STS
Programs: UA Gold-1MM, Hhonors Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold
Posts: 1,090
Ok, back now I looked it up on line. I get 3 points for each $, + bonus points.
Guess I dont have a great deal, but it is a free AmEx and I am usually happy with them. I always seem to have all the points I need, when I am ready to use them.
Jan 13, 2013, 6:22 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Hoover, AL
Programs: Delta DM, HH DM
Posts: 4
I just got the Visa Reserve Hilton card and unfortunately it no longer comes with the 2 free certificates and no longer has an additional one after $2500 spend. It still has the gold status and higher purchases points award.