New to Honors-- what should I know?
 

I'm just now starting my adventures in HHonors after four years as a platinum IHG (on stays, mind you; I never got their status-granting credit card, and the very fact that this exists plays a role in my decision to switch).

The HHonors folks have generously agreed to let me do a status challenge-- 21 stays in 90 days, which I'll achieve easily, but my gold status came from a now defunct Amex Platinum benefit-- so I've never actually stayed in a Hilton property.

While the high end offering of all of the major loyalty chains are all very nice, I don't stay there on a regular basis due to my employer's travel policy, so the low to mid tier *ANYTHING* has got to be better than the bargain-basement Holiday Inn Express I've spent the past three months at; forget hotel bar, they didn't have hotel glassware.

I'm staying five nights at a time at an Embassy Suites for the next month or so (ES Washington Square in Oregon, if anyone cares), so I've signed up for the quadruple points promotion, and switched my earning preferences to points + points.

I'm also assuming that the points are always better than opting for a candy bar at check-in.

What else should I know to make the most of the program? I wind up collecting throughout the year, and then spending them all on a foreign trip with the wife every December...

You say your Amex card is history. You could get a no fee Hilton Amex card for the bonus points they give on Hilton stays.

With Hilton promotions, be very careful as there's usually an "opt-out" list of properties! Some managers feel that their expected occupancy will be high enough that they don't need to chip in to pay for those extra points.

Know that massive devaluations of your hard earned points can come from nowhere.

And make you wonder why in the world you started with HHonors in the first place (when you could rather have been loyal to Marriott, Hyatt or Starwood).

Finally, if you do decide to give HH some business, try spend those earned points as fast as you earn them!

Agree with this.

BUT: SPG devalued their program just this year massively. Hyatt will most certainly do something next year.

The best policy is 'Earn & Burn asap' because Points & Miles are neither an investment or have savings potential.

Take a very thorough read of the Hhonors T&Cs, and of the rewards sticky at the top of the forum page. People often come here with misunderstandings of sequential night stay credits, multi-room credits, and 3rd party bookings.

For your challenge, each stay is how many ever consecutive nights you stay at one time. So, if your challenge is stays make sure you are not counting nights and visa versa. (MAKE SURE YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHALLENGE IS STAYS OR NIGHTS).

Also, print promotion confirmations or send to your email for your records (or screenprint).

It is up to you to keep track of your account, promotions, cancellation policies, etc.

Don't expect upgrades, just be happy when you get them. It is not a guaranteed benefit. It is upon availability at the time of check in (and really depends on who the hotel assigns upgrades to, if they assign any at all).

Don't expect favors due to status. Just play by the rules and don't try to cheat the system. You don't want your account flagged as such.

If you travel and pay for two rooms, have them billed to 1 folio (not 2 separate bills). Otherwise, most likely the second room will not post and you will have to watch your account and call for credit on that second room. (DO NOT make this a masterbill--- only on the same folio).

You can get credit for up to 2 rooms max, IF YOU are STAYING in 1 room and paying for both rooms.

Other than that, just do a quick read through the general terms and conditions. No real tricks. It's your account and your responsibility to track.

Good luck and happy travels.^

There are 4 CC's out there for Hilton

Amex -Cost free, Status given Silver - 20K spend for Gold,
6 HH pts per dollar spent, Sign up bonus 40K HH pts with $750 spend in 3 mo

Amex Surplus -Cost $75, Status given Silver - 20K spend for Gold,
12 HH pts per dollar spent, Sign up bonus 40K after 1st purchase and 20K HH pts with 3k spend in 3 mo

Visa Signature -Cost free, Status given Silver,
6 HH pts per dollar spent, Sign up bonus 40K HH pts with 1k spend in 4 mo

Visa Reserve Card - Cost $95, Status given Gold - 40K spend for Plat, 10 HH pts per dollar spent, Sign up bonus 2 free wknd nights with 2.5k spend and anniversary bounus 1 free wknd night with 10k spend, No FX Fees

I personally have the Visa Reserve Card. With gold status, Complementary WiFi and Breakfast adds up quick for the locations that charge for the service.

Good luck with your choice. :)

The Amex Surpass card gives 3 points per $ spend generally, 6 at certain merchant types (gas stations, supermarkets), and 12 at Hilton properties only.

Both Amex Surpass and Citi Reserve give Diamond for $40k in annual spend.