2013 Changes to HH Reward Stays, new cat., more pts needed
Mar 15, 2013, 2:24 pm
#931
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
So i just called and booked it for September next year. The question is will there be any problems with this? Lets hope it will be accepted. I just spent 900,000 points in the last week. Almost have none left. How are 90% of the people who have no idea about the devaluation going to feel when they find out and it is too late. I still have not received any notice from Hilton.
Last edited by sharklover; Mar 15, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Mar 15, 2013, 6:32 pm
#932
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,742
Mar 15, 2013, 9:26 pm
#934
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/NYC/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,134
I'm confused. How are people booking out more than a year in advance? The cert will be expired prior to the stay. Is this not an issue?
Mar 16, 2013, 12:11 am
#935
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,754
Last week a friend was able to book an AXON for Nov 2014 Conrad Tokyo. She then changed her mind on the dates and called back to change it - the agent told her she would have no cert even the booking stuck because cert expired in 1 year from the date issued and the hotel would not accept an expired cert.
So the award was canceled. Then later the system glitch was fixed, that the calendar would not go over 1 year. She booked a VIP to the last available date. Then went back to change the date - despite the calendar remained gray out and gave a warning, she went ahead to change the date to Nov. The update went thru, with a new Reward ID showing on the ressie. I suspect it is the e-cert that is sent directly to the hotel but it most likely still carry 1 year expiration date though we would not be able to see it.
Last edited by Happy; Mar 16, 2013 at 12:18 am
Mar 16, 2013, 1:17 am
#936
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: Hyatt Gold Passport Platinum, HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 82
The agent made a mistake. You would wound up have a reservation that is not paid for because your cert expired. Worse (though I am not 100% sure), since your cert expired, you may not get your pts back... It is a possibility should you decide to keep the reservation as it is and take a huge risk.
Last week a friend was able to book an AXON for Nov 2014 Conrad Tokyo. She then changed her mind on the dates and called back to change it - the agent told her she would have no cert even the booking stuck because cert expired in 1 year from the date issued and the hotel would not accept an expired cert.
So the award was canceled. Then later the system glitch was fixed, that the calendar would not go over 1 year. She booked a VIP to the last available date. Then went back to change the date - despite the calendar remained gray out and gave a warning, she went ahead to change the date to Nov. The update went thru, with a new Reward ID showing on the ressie. I suspect it is the e-cert that is sent directly to the hotel but it most likely still carry 1 year expiration date though we would not be able to see it.
Last week a friend was able to book an AXON for Nov 2014 Conrad Tokyo. She then changed her mind on the dates and called back to change it - the agent told her she would have no cert even the booking stuck because cert expired in 1 year from the date issued and the hotel would not accept an expired cert.
So the award was canceled. Then later the system glitch was fixed, that the calendar would not go over 1 year. She booked a VIP to the last available date. Then went back to change the date - despite the calendar remained gray out and gave a warning, she went ahead to change the date to Nov. The update went thru, with a new Reward ID showing on the ressie. I suspect it is the e-cert that is sent directly to the hotel but it most likely still carry 1 year expiration date though we would not be able to see it.
So does that mean it would be OK to book VIP beyond 1 year because no e-cert is involved?
Mar 16, 2013, 1:28 am
#937
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
I also booked over a year out and can see my reservations on Hilton.com. It doesn't state anywhere there is an expiration of the award and my reservation has confirmation numbers. Is there anything worth worrying about?!
Mar 16, 2013, 1:34 am
#938
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,754
Read carefully, there is still an electronic cert generated directly to the hotel. And someone already pointed it out upthread that in the old days when you actually got to see the cert, it did have an expiration of one year from issuance. Now except for the AXON, the cert no longer is available for YOU to see, but that does not mean that the old one year expiration date is gone away because now only the hotel sees the cert.
As I mentioned, at initial booking the website would not let her go beyond one year. At change the calendar was grayed out. My friend just ignored the warning popped up and forced the change.
Whether the reservation would be honored almost 20 months from now, only God would know.
Personally I do not want to take such risk. To each their own.
Mar 16, 2013, 1:49 am
#939
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: Hyatt Gold Passport Platinum, HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 82
No.
Read carefully, there is still an electronic cert generated directly to the hotel. And someone already pointed it out upthread that in the old days when you actually got to see the cert, it did have an expiration of one year from issuance. Now except for the AXON, the cert no longer is available for YOU to see, but that does not mean that the old one year expiration date is gone away because now only the hotel sees the cert.
As I mentioned, at initial booking the website would not let her go beyond one year. At change the calendar was grayed out. My friend just ignored the warning popped up and forced the change.
Whether the reservation would be honored almost 20 months from now, only God would know.
Personally I do not want to take such risk. To each their own.
Read carefully, there is still an electronic cert generated directly to the hotel. And someone already pointed it out upthread that in the old days when you actually got to see the cert, it did have an expiration of one year from issuance. Now except for the AXON, the cert no longer is available for YOU to see, but that does not mean that the old one year expiration date is gone away because now only the hotel sees the cert.
As I mentioned, at initial booking the website would not let her go beyond one year. At change the calendar was grayed out. My friend just ignored the warning popped up and forced the change.
Whether the reservation would be honored almost 20 months from now, only God would know.
Personally I do not want to take such risk. To each their own.
OK, I got it. Thanks!
I actually have a reservation for May 2014. I just went back to see the exact language in the reservation confirmation I received in the email. All I could find is the following:
"Points will be deducted from your balance and a Reward Certificate will be issued at the time of booking confirmation.
Reward value rates quoted apply and are only valid for arrival date and length of stay shown. A printed copy of this confirmation will include the Reward Confirmation ID required for check-in."
Nowhere does it mention that the Reward Certificate is valid only for one year.
Also, I didn't receive any warning when making the reservation.
Mar 16, 2013, 1:53 am
#940
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tacoma, WA, USA
Posts: 639
Please clarify how you know that certificates are still generated and provided only to hotel? This is the first I hear of this.
No.
Read carefully, there is still an electronic cert generated directly to the hotel. And someone already pointed it out upthread that in the old days when you actually got to see the cert, it did have an expiration of one year from issuance. Now except for the AXON, the cert no longer is available for YOU to see, but that does not mean that the old one year expiration date is gone away because now only the hotel sees the cert.
As I mentioned, at initial booking the website would not let her go beyond one year. At change the calendar was grayed out. My friend just ignored the warning popped up and forced the change.
Whether the reservation would be honored almost 20 months from now, only God would know.
Personally I do not want to take such risk. To each their own.
Read carefully, there is still an electronic cert generated directly to the hotel. And someone already pointed it out upthread that in the old days when you actually got to see the cert, it did have an expiration of one year from issuance. Now except for the AXON, the cert no longer is available for YOU to see, but that does not mean that the old one year expiration date is gone away because now only the hotel sees the cert.
As I mentioned, at initial booking the website would not let her go beyond one year. At change the calendar was grayed out. My friend just ignored the warning popped up and forced the change.
Whether the reservation would be honored almost 20 months from now, only God would know.
Personally I do not want to take such risk. To each their own.
Mar 16, 2013, 1:58 am
#941
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
OK, I got it. Thanks!
I actually have a reservation for May 2014. I just went back to see the exact language in the reservation confirmation I received in the email. All I could find is the following:
"Points will be deducted from your balance and a Reward Certificate will be issued at the time of booking confirmation.
Reward value rates quoted apply and are only valid for arrival date and length of stay shown. A printed copy of this confirmation will include the Reward Confirmation ID required for check-in."
Nowhere does it mention that the Reward Certificate is valid only for one year.
Also, I didn't receive any warning when making the reservation.
I actually have a reservation for May 2014. I just went back to see the exact language in the reservation confirmation I received in the email. All I could find is the following:
"Points will be deducted from your balance and a Reward Certificate will be issued at the time of booking confirmation.
Reward value rates quoted apply and are only valid for arrival date and length of stay shown. A printed copy of this confirmation will include the Reward Confirmation ID required for check-in."
Nowhere does it mention that the Reward Certificate is valid only for one year.
Also, I didn't receive any warning when making the reservation.
Mar 16, 2013, 4:10 am
#942
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,218
How do you make a Hilton reservation for more than a year out? The calendar stops there on their website, yet someone just mentioned having one for May, 2014?
Mar 16, 2013, 5:29 am
#943
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,209
Anyone making a reward booking more than a year in advance needs to be aware that they are taking a big risk. Any of the following may happen:
I am not trying to say HHonors is right in any of this (indeed I think it isn't) but people using website "hacks", uninformed agents, etc. etc. to get bookings that they should not be able to get need to remember that they are setting themselves up for stress down the line.
- You may be denied check-in
- You may be told when checking in that your reward reservation is invalid and invited to agree to pay the rack rate
- Your reservation may be cancelled sometime between booking and checking in
- The above, but you may be given the option to pay the extra points between the old and new rates
- You may be told when checking out that your certificate is invalid and your card billed for the rack rate
- You may have your card billed for the rack rate some time after you check out
I am not trying to say HHonors is right in any of this (indeed I think it isn't) but people using website "hacks", uninformed agents, etc. etc. to get bookings that they should not be able to get need to remember that they are setting themselves up for stress down the line.
Mar 16, 2013, 7:02 am
#944
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London
Posts: 2,385
Anyone making a reward booking more than a year in advance needs to be aware that they are taking a big risk. Any of the following may happen:
I am not trying to say HHonors is right in any of this (indeed I think it isn't) but people using website "hacks", uninformed agents, etc. etc. to get bookings that they should not be able to get need to remember that they are setting themselves up for stress down the line.
- You may be denied check-in
- You may be told when checking in that your reward reservation is invalid and invited to agree to pay the rack rate
- Your reservation may be cancelled sometime between booking and checking in
- The above, but you may be given the option to pay the extra points between the old and new rates
- You may be told when checking out that your certificate is invalid and your card billed for the rack rate
- You may have your card billed for the rack rate some time after you check out
I am not trying to say HHonors is right in any of this (indeed I think it isn't) but people using website "hacks", uninformed agents, etc. etc. to get bookings that they should not be able to get need to remember that they are setting themselves up for stress down the line.
There is no hack. There is no loophole. You are simply phoning reservations and making a booking. There is nothing on the website to say that bookings are only valid within 12months, there is nothing in the HHonors T&Cs to say that bookings are only valid for 12 months, and there is nothing in the booking confirmation to say that either. Those are the FACTS.
Its not rocket science for Hilton reservations system to prevent >12m bookings if they wanted, but the fact is that they're freely available to book, and via human beings on the reservation line, not just online.
Over the years, and all will attest to this, I've had all manner of crazy statements by individual agents, so some will nodoubtdly tell you that there is a 12m limit, but I'm more interested in legalities and facts. I'm not saying that I'm right, i'm just saying that at this point in time there is zero evidence to suggest a time limit.
Mar 16, 2013, 7:32 am
#945
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Chapel Hill, NC - UA Nobody (sigh)/0.925MM, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 3,510
IME, back in the days when Hilton routinely issued award certs for every award stay I booked, every single one of them had an expiration date that was one year from the date the cert was issued.
Since they (mostly) stopped sending the certs, it's harder to tell when they expire, but one year from issue date would not surprise me.
Since they (mostly) stopped sending the certs, it's harder to tell when they expire, but one year from issue date would not surprise me.
Anyone making a reward booking more than a year in advance needs to be aware that they are taking a big risk. Any of the following may happen:
I am not trying to say HHonors is right in any of this (indeed I think it isn't) but people using website "hacks", uninformed agents, etc. etc. to get bookings that they should not be able to get need to remember that they are setting themselves up for stress down the line.
- You may be denied check-in
- You may be told when checking in that your reward reservation is invalid and invited to agree to pay the rack rate
- Your reservation may be cancelled sometime between booking and checking in
- The above, but you may be given the option to pay the extra points between the old and new rates
- You may be told when checking out that your certificate is invalid and your card billed for the rack rate
- You may have your card billed for the rack rate some time after you check out
I am not trying to say HHonors is right in any of this (indeed I think it isn't) but people using website "hacks", uninformed agents, etc. etc. to get bookings that they should not be able to get need to remember that they are setting themselves up for stress down the line.
You are of course free to believe whatever you want, but I believe that you are doing so at your own peril. The outcomes that stifle lists are real possibilities. If you are willing to risk seriously inconveniencing yourself on a future award stay, best of luck to you. I personally wouldn't risk it. Happy travels.