jamesteroh

As a Delta PM I wish in way they would have paired with Hilton instead of SPG, but this also gives me a good chance to try out SPG and get a guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout (pretty sad I get a 4 p.m. checkout guaranteed with NO SPG status at a SPG property but not at a Hilton property as a diamond).

I think the reason Delta paired with SPG is that they are both in bed with Am Ex. It appears that Hiltons relationship with Am Ex keeps growing weaker and they are getting closer with Citi and moving away from Am Ex

maxduke

Just booked 10N at Hilton Barbados, at 45,800 a night, ouch. I'll be upset if I don't get an upgraded room for almost half a million points.

chad3

I don't know if I dare make this comment but... In January, I made almost a million points worth of reservations for a couple of big trips later this year. I'd accumulated those points over a year and a half and I was getting jumpy to get rid of them. I know a lot of people here think of the HH points a bit like cash savings but I heard a couple of horror stories in the past that made me worry about building big balances in loyalty schemes - does anyone remember how some very loyal customers/savers lost big with Ansett a few years ago?
So, I've always burnt my "savings" as soon as possible and a few times, I've been glad I did. This is one such time - I checked out what my existing (made in late Jan/early Feb) bookings would have cost me now and its well north of 350K more after the devaluation.
Like I say, I feel bad saying this now to those who are hurting but I just wanted to say, I got my reservations made in time - not because I am wise (I didnt know in advance that a specific devaluation was imminent) but because devaluation is always a possibility in any programme - caveat emptor.

So, this is no consolation but my opinion (which doubtless, others on here will choose to pick to shreds) is that loyalty programmes are like sunny days - they dont continue for ever - one day, its gonna rain and so you need to be prepared. the sun may (or may not) come out tomorrow but thats a completely separate discussion.

[for me, clause 4 of the Hilton honors T&Cs gave me my lead - if they only promise me 6 months, then I'm nervous exposing my "savings" to a longer risk than that...
"The Program has no predetermined termination date and may continue until such time as Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C. decides to terminate the Program, at any time, with or without notice. Members will have six months from the date Program termination is announced to accumulate and redeem a desired Reward. This means that, regardless of the amount you participate in the Program, your right to accumulate points and claim Rewards can be terminated by Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C. six months after Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C. announces Program termination."]

Filthy Monkey

Booked some time in the Presidential suite at the Waikoloa today (paid less than the 'pre-devaluation' rate) and was advised that the 5th night free only applies to standard rooms. Bit unfair really, given how much extra 'premium' rooms can cost. Still, I can't complain; I've got $10,000 worth of stay for free

Deemus7

No the fifth night free only applies to standard rooms. I haven't booked one yet, but I was looking at the Conrad Bali and on stays for next January, a one-night stay in a standard room was 50,000 points while a deluxe room was 47,600 points. When searching for a five-night stay, however, the price of the standard room drops to 40,000 points/night while the deluxe room stayed at 47,600 points/night.

flyer4512

AXON 7 at 145K is still available............foolish move

msc75

Only until June, then ''changes'' are coming. Also many previous cat 7's are now 8-10. I keep the free AMEX but rarely use it anymore.

DaveInLA

So we can so use AXON until June 2014?

travelinfoo

It appears that way for hotels that are the CURRENT Cat 6-7.

That said, the W-A hotels have now been given Cat instead of being a separate category. Many are now Cat 7. So you can now book a W-A classified hotel with an AXON (not true before March 28). There are still bargains to be had before the AXON changes kick in.

apk123

For accumulating points with CC, I think it's a close call between SPG and HHonors, depending on how much you of your spend would be in the HHonors card bonus categories.

However for someone who plans to spend many nights and become a top elite, I'm unimpressed by the SPG earning rate (other elite benefits are a different topic).

A HHonors diamond can get 32 points per dollar without promos (10 base + 5 from 50% bonus + 5 from points&points + 12 from amex surpass). An SPG plat 75 would get 6 points per dollar (2 base + 2 from 100% bonus + 2 from amex SPG). So without taking promos into account, the HHonors guy earns 32/6 = 5.33 hhonors points for every 1 SPG point. Therefore a spend that would get 20,000 SPG points could have gotten 106,667 hhonors points. So a night at a near-top hotel during off-season in SPG vs a night at the best property in peak season plus change in HHonors.

Please let me know what I'm missing here.

Deemus7

You aren't missing anything. I am Diamond with Hilton and a regular Plat with SPG, and while this devaluation has left a bad taste in my mouth, I am not running for the hills. True, the top of the line hotels are now quite pricey, but there are still values to be had. My travel patterns often take me to places where it's either Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, or Choice (sometimes Marriott). Take a guess which one of those is more lucrative and consistent.

ORD-TGU

You got it right in the earning side. Now on the redemption side, what's your take?

ORD-TGU

I booked a Hampton Inn Mexico City Historic District, 10K per night. BAR US$110+tax. A good points value for my dishhonor points.

apk123

That was my take:

since 20,000 SPG = cat 6 off-peak
and 95,000 HH = cat 10 peak

So for high-end redemptions, HHonors seems to be better.

Could you use the points differently on hotel stays such that SPG would be superior to HHonors at 1:5.33?

azepine00

Hilton is full of premium rewards scam - even 95k (!) is not the limit.

Spg has a wider range of cash+points.

At spg your 20k will confirm a suite (since this comparison was made for top tiers) or give you a fair chance to get one as backed by the rules.


SPG has much better top tier hotels in great places - Hilton (aside from the very few) packed cat 7-9 with generic properties where I wouldn't want to spend obscene amounts of points

You can convert 80k spg into one flight in C somewhere - try that with 380k Hilton..

Spg kept the rates steady over many years - Hilton went through 3 or 4 dilutions in 5-7 years - there is a very good chance that 2-3 years down the road once you earn enough points they will devalue again as many found again and again over the recent years...