Citi Hilton Honors cards going away by end of 2017
Jul 21, 2017, 8:01 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,785
The things that concern me are if Am Ex will start giving out the free night certificates and the bonus Hilton points for Hilton spend. The free night certificate was the nicest benefit of the card. I also don't like that a lot of merchants don't accept Am Ex so harder to get the spend in. I'd like to see the FTF go away as welel but if it doesn't I'll just use my CSR for overseas Hilton stays.
Jul 21, 2017, 8:51 am
#34
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
So for example I will be awarded a cert on my anniversary date in August and I supposedly have the opportunity to earn a second one by spending 10K between then and the end of the year.
Jul 21, 2017, 8:53 am
#35
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
Sure but in the past years the $95 fee has gotten me a free night + the opportunity to earn bonus Hilton points for 12 months. If they convert the card to earning Thank You Points after 1/1 I have several no fee cards that do that and feel I should be entitled to at least a pro-rated refund of the fee like Amex does when you cancel or downgrade a Surpass card.
Jul 21, 2017, 9:37 am
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Lauren-Can you verify that if I put $10K in spend on between my anniversary date in 17 and 12/31/17 and cancel the card on 1/1 that I will get the certificate in June?
Jul 21, 2017, 9:44 am
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
3 UR points with CSR (4.5 cents) and 10 HH points (5 cents) are pretty much a wash anyway. If Amex offers the free night cert, I will switch. But I don't see it happening as they didn't do it when they had a direct competition.. why would they do it now when they are the only game in town?
The Surpass did start giving away gold with no spend and eliminated the $20K spend requirement once the reserve card came around but they may have lost a lot of customers over that to Citi who didn't make the $20K spend and probably had some customers switch over from the fee free Hilton to the Surpass.
Seeing Am Ex is waiving the FTF on their Delta and most of their other fee based cards I would be surprised if they don't start waiving on the Surpass soon.
Jul 21, 2017, 1:14 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,785
You're right not much difference anyway but if you factor in a FTF the CSR is a better deal overseas. Now five or six years ago when the diamond desk would allow you to do a standard rate diamond force at the DT times square new years eve for 50K points a night that was another story
Yeah those were the days! Stupid premium reward devaluation!
The Surpass did start giving away gold with no spend and eliminated the $20K spend requirement once the reserve card came around but they may have lost a lot of customers over that to Citi who didn't make the $20K spend and probably had some customers switch over from the fee free Hilton to the Surpass.
Surpass lost me because Citi had the annual cert.
Seeing Am Ex is waiving the FTF on their Delta and most of their other fee based cards I would be surprised if they don't start waiving on the Surpass soon.
I just don't see myself going back to the Surpass again (even without FTF) unless they offer the free night
Yeah those were the days! Stupid premium reward devaluation!
The Surpass did start giving away gold with no spend and eliminated the $20K spend requirement once the reserve card came around but they may have lost a lot of customers over that to Citi who didn't make the $20K spend and probably had some customers switch over from the fee free Hilton to the Surpass.
Surpass lost me because Citi had the annual cert.
Seeing Am Ex is waiving the FTF on their Delta and most of their other fee based cards I would be surprised if they don't start waiving on the Surpass soon.
I just don't see myself going back to the Surpass again (even without FTF) unless they offer the free night
Jul 21, 2017, 2:29 pm
#39
Company Representative - Honors by Hilton
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,516
Good to know. I haven't put that much in spend in since June since I try to knock out minimum spends as early in the year as possible.
Lauren-Can you verify that if I put $10K in spend on between my anniversary date in 17 and 12/31/17 and cancel the card on 1/1 that I will get the certificate in June?
Lauren-Can you verify that if I put $10K in spend on between my anniversary date in 17 and 12/31/17 and cancel the card on 1/1 that I will get the certificate in June?
Looking into this - will share an update once I know more.
Thanks!
Lauren
Jul 21, 2017, 2:34 pm
#40
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
Can you also confirm what would happen to those who have a very late annual renewal date in the year? My renewal date is middle of December (which means the certificate does not post well into January - February of the following year) and I have already met the spending required to get the certificate.
Jul 21, 2017, 4:09 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Had another question about the spending for the time period. I applied for the card as soon as it was available and it looks like my first charge was on July 29 and my statement with citi closed today. My annual fee is charged every year around August 25 which must be when my August statement closes. Am I correct in assuming that the $10K min for the free night and the $1K in Hilton charges for the bonus Hilton point will start today since my July/Aug statement just started and that's the first day of this statement?
Reason I'm asking is I have a couple charges that total over $10K I have to make on Tuesday I was going to put on the card to just take care of the minimum right away or is it based on when the annual fee hits?
Jul 24, 2017, 3:04 pm
#42
Company Representative - Honors by Hilton
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,516
Hi all,
To answer the questions that came up earlier on the thread...
Can you verify that if I put $10K in spend on between my anniversary date in 17 and 12/31/17 and cancel the card on 1/1 that I will get the certificate in June?
jamesteroh - if you reach the $10K spend threshold before 12/31/17, you will receive the free night in June of 2018. You will not be able to cancel your Citi card on January 1, 2018 since that card will cease to exist at that point. As the banks have told us, there is a difference between you cancelling your card and the bank changing/stopping the card.
Can you also confirm what would happen to those who have a very late annual renewal date in the year? My renewal date is middle of December (which means the certificate does not post well into January - February of the following year) and I have already met the spending required to get the certificate.
MD/DC Flyer -if you've already met the spend threshold, you will receive the cert in January or February.
Had another question about the spending for the time period. I applied for the card as soon as it was available and it looks like my first charge was on July 29 and my statement with citi closed today. My annual fee is charged every year around August 25 which must be when my August statement closes. Am I correct in assuming that the $10K min for the free night and the $1K in Hilton charges for the bonus Hilton point will start today since my July/Aug statement just started and that's the first day of this statement?
Reason I'm asking is I have a couple charges that total over $10K I have to make on Tuesday I was going to put on the card to just take care of the minimum right away or is it based on when the annual fee hits?
jamesteroh - The $10K in card year spend = free night is a benefit from the Citi Reserve card, whereas the $1K spend in calendar year @ Hilton = 10K HH Points is a benefit from the Citi Signature card. I'd recommend contacting Citi to confirm your question about the $10K for the free night, as that would be something they would track.
Hope that helps clarify....thanks!
Lauren
To answer the questions that came up earlier on the thread...
Can you verify that if I put $10K in spend on between my anniversary date in 17 and 12/31/17 and cancel the card on 1/1 that I will get the certificate in June?
jamesteroh - if you reach the $10K spend threshold before 12/31/17, you will receive the free night in June of 2018. You will not be able to cancel your Citi card on January 1, 2018 since that card will cease to exist at that point. As the banks have told us, there is a difference between you cancelling your card and the bank changing/stopping the card.
Can you also confirm what would happen to those who have a very late annual renewal date in the year? My renewal date is middle of December (which means the certificate does not post well into January - February of the following year) and I have already met the spending required to get the certificate.
MD/DC Flyer -if you've already met the spend threshold, you will receive the cert in January or February.
Had another question about the spending for the time period. I applied for the card as soon as it was available and it looks like my first charge was on July 29 and my statement with citi closed today. My annual fee is charged every year around August 25 which must be when my August statement closes. Am I correct in assuming that the $10K min for the free night and the $1K in Hilton charges for the bonus Hilton point will start today since my July/Aug statement just started and that's the first day of this statement?
Reason I'm asking is I have a couple charges that total over $10K I have to make on Tuesday I was going to put on the card to just take care of the minimum right away or is it based on when the annual fee hits?
jamesteroh - The $10K in card year spend = free night is a benefit from the Citi Reserve card, whereas the $1K spend in calendar year @ Hilton = 10K HH Points is a benefit from the Citi Signature card. I'd recommend contacting Citi to confirm your question about the $10K for the free night, as that would be something they would track.
Hope that helps clarify....thanks!
Lauren
Jul 24, 2017, 3:19 pm
#43
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,017
Aug 8, 2017, 4:28 pm
#45
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 493
I hate it when these credit cards change from one bank to another.... or, like the Fairmont Chase card, just disappear.
I already have the Amex Hilton Surpass card. It sucks because you have to pay forex charges. I'm in Italy right now and have stayed in 2 Hiltons already and only took my Citi card. Hope Amex changes that, or I'll just cancel it.
I already have the Amex Hilton Surpass card. It sucks because you have to pay forex charges. I'm in Italy right now and have stayed in 2 Hiltons already and only took my Citi card. Hope Amex changes that, or I'll just cancel it.