Why am I have hard time letting go of my AMEX Hilton Surpass
Sep 22, 2017, 4:03 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
Well the reason is the value of the points. For many years at The Arizona Biltmore or Grand Wailea I have been able to get good redemptions from knowing or reaching out to the GM.
Now the redemption value is so bad that it is making it hard to stay.. CSR is pretty awesome as a replacement
Now the redemption value is so bad that it is making it hard to stay.. CSR is pretty awesome as a replacement
What do you want to collect more of going forward - HH points or UR points? That seems to be the answer you are looking for and only you know this answer based on what you care to use the points for.
Sep 22, 2017, 4:05 pm
#32
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,572
Free weekend night on $10k spend is benefit on the soon-to-be-gone Citi Hilton Reserve credit card. Is this a new benefit for Surpass in 2018? I just got a Surpass yesterday on the 100k point offer, but that only promised a free night on renewal a year from now. (No mention of the free night being an annual recurring benefit.)
All my Hilton stays are overseas. If Amex doesn't end the forex fees, that new shiny new Surpass card is going into my sock drawer after meeting the minimum spend on the sign-up bonus. 12x point earnings aren't particularly good with a 2.7% forex charge tacked-on.
All my Hilton stays are overseas. If Amex doesn't end the forex fees, that new shiny new Surpass card is going into my sock drawer after meeting the minimum spend on the sign-up bonus. 12x point earnings aren't particularly good with a 2.7% forex charge tacked-on.
If the $10k free night is dropped, then I'm most likely to carry the base version of the HH Amex. It'll depend on whether I want to chase Diamond status via spend.
Every year, Diamond seems like it's worth less and less. Running $40k through this card gets more expensive as HH points are devalued vs. the other best-possible places to spend $40k.
Sep 22, 2017, 7:24 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,421
HAving just come back from Koh Samui and the Maldives, I can't imagine doing that trip without HH Gold/Diamond. For $75 it's a no brainer.
Sep 24, 2017, 6:54 am
#34
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,887
Just was approved for this card. Why does this portfolio still have a foreign transaction fee? I like the bonus points offer and will certainly try for the credit on the annual fee,but we stay mostly in international Hilton's so we wouldn't use it there..all the other banks have dropped the foreign transaction fee, so anyone have a theory about why not..
The previous poster mentioned using it at Maldives and koi samui..interested to hear your thoughts given the extra cost to use overseas. Was the value getting diamond benefits..we already have that ..so just trying to figure out strategy
Also, any limitations on the free weekend night stay..location .how you book,.price and how long do you have to use it..just thinking ahead. We had a big redemption year of 15 nights in various places so the kitty is being built up again..
The previous poster mentioned using it at Maldives and koi samui..interested to hear your thoughts given the extra cost to use overseas. Was the value getting diamond benefits..we already have that ..so just trying to figure out strategy
Also, any limitations on the free weekend night stay..location .how you book,.price and how long do you have to use it..just thinking ahead. We had a big redemption year of 15 nights in various places so the kitty is being built up again..
Oct 4, 2017, 8:33 am
#35
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 16
Thank you for this. I guess it just takes a little gumption. I will start to do this with the Amex Hilton Ascend next year. Interesting article here:
http://travelinpoints.com/upcoming-a...s-probably-it/
Oct 9, 2017, 10:41 am
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, UA Million Miler Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,142