[ARCHIVE to 2018] American Express Announces Two New Hilton Credit Cards
#346
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
So I would say Aspire will be separate, but we don't know yet how they'll consider Ascend relative to Surpass.
We don't know, for example, if they'll "force" Surpass cardholders to Ascend (ie, telling them their AF is going up and the name of the card is changing and they're new getting new benefits, sort of like happened with the Amex SPG card a few years back where the AF did go up, there were new benefits, except the name didn't change in that case), or if they'll keep Surpass holders alive indefinitely but stop taking new applications for it, or what.
And datapoints on how it works might come too late (ie, they may come only after the last time to cancel before auto-conversion, if any, has gone by). So you may have to just guess (cancel Surpass now in case Ascend counts as a separate product later) if you really care.
#347
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan, USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond; Delta Platinum
Posts: 552
Any idea when these will be mailed out?
Citi Hilton Honors Card members can expect their new Hilton Honors American Express Cards to be mailed in mid-January.
Is the Aspire card metal like the Amex Plat?
We are still working through the final production specifications of our new Cards.
I have a CitiCard that will be transferred to the new Ascend. Is it possible to request an upgrade to an Aspire card once I get the Ascend card in 2018?
Yes, cardmembers will be able to upgrade to the Aspire Card in 2018.
If I upgrade to aspire, will I get the aspire free night plus the free night I already earned with Citi spending?
Yes, your weekend night reward tied to your Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card will be fulfilled, assuming meet the $10,000 spend requirement regardless if you apply for the Aspire Card or not.
Thanks all,
Lauren
Citi Hilton Honors Card members can expect their new Hilton Honors American Express Cards to be mailed in mid-January.
Is the Aspire card metal like the Amex Plat?
We are still working through the final production specifications of our new Cards.
I have a CitiCard that will be transferred to the new Ascend. Is it possible to request an upgrade to an Aspire card once I get the Ascend card in 2018?
Yes, cardmembers will be able to upgrade to the Aspire Card in 2018.
If I upgrade to aspire, will I get the aspire free night plus the free night I already earned with Citi spending?
Yes, your weekend night reward tied to your Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card will be fulfilled, assuming meet the $10,000 spend requirement regardless if you apply for the Aspire Card or not.
Thanks all,
Lauren
Lauren, Thanks for all the information on this.
Can you clarify the timing on how the certificates would work.
My Citi Reserve Anv. Month is August, and I will meet the spending requirement before the Amex Switch in January.
If I upgrade to the Aspire Card in January and get the extra Cert as you mentioned,
1. When will the Cert from the Citi card be issued? ~ January or not until August 2018?
2. When will the Amex Aspire Cert be issued? At time of Upgrade to the card (~ Late Jan) or my previous Citi Anv. Month (August)
3. Moving forward, for every year in the future will the Cert. issue date be the new Amex Date or my original Citi Anv. Date
#348
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Norway, Maine
Programs: United Silver and HH Diamond
Posts: 1,474
Amex Calendar Year vs Citi MembershipYear
I am unclear about much I have to spend on the Amex Ascend card in order to receive the Free Night Certificate. On the Citi Hilton Reserve card, it is $10,000 a year based on the card holder's yearly membership date. The Amex Ascend card states that it is $15,000 a calendar year. My "year" with Citi ended last month. I paid my annual fee. Should I use my card in November and December? Will those purchases count toward my Free Night Certificate? How?
#349
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
It sounds like you haven't look at the list of Hilton resorts (for which there as a link in one of these threads) yet. Some of them are not all that real a resort, just classified as such. The DoubleTree in Anaheim that is technically a resort can be treated like just any other Anaheim hotel, can't it?
#350
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
$450 for Diamond? This tier will be saturated by those who have paid for this shortcut, in turn making benefits less accessible to those who actually earned it through stays. I will be moving all of my business to Marriott/SPG and using IHG as a backup.
Hilton deserves some backlash for this.
Hilton deserves some backlash for this.
#351
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Unless, as has been predicted by some, they follow IHG's lead for a higher level making HH Diamond via credit card similar to IHG Platinum ($49/year).
#352
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH diamond
Posts: 2,646
We don't know, for example, if they'll "force" Surpass cardholders to Ascend (ie, telling them their AF is going up and the name of the card is changing and they're new getting new benefits, sort of like happened with the Amex SPG card a few years back where the AF did go up, there were new benefits, except the name didn't change in that case), or if they'll keep Surpass holders alive indefinitely but stop taking new applications for it, or what.
And datapoints on how it works might come too late (ie, they may come only after the last time to cancel before auto-conversion, if any, has gone by). So you may have to just guess (cancel Surpass now in case Ascend counts as a separate product later) if you really care.
#353
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,218
It sounds like you haven't look at the list of Hilton resorts (for which there as a link in one of these threads) yet. Some of them are not all that real a resort, just classified as such. The DoubleTree in Anaheim that is technically a resort can be treated like just any other Anaheim hotel, can't it?
#354
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BWI
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 767
$250 in WN gifcard, free weekend night cert. for the Aspire would more than make up the $450 annual fee IMHO, regardless of the free Diamond and $200 in resort fees.
#355
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH diamond
Posts: 2,646
Unless Amex modifies things for 2018, WN gift cards are reimbursed for both the Platinum and Preferred Gold travel 'incidental' program.
$250 in WN gifcard, free weekend night cert. for the Aspire would more than make up the $450 annual fee IMHO, regardless of the free Diamond and $200 in resort fees.
$250 in WN gifcard, free weekend night cert. for the Aspire would more than make up the $450 annual fee IMHO, regardless of the free Diamond and $200 in resort fees.
This benefit doesn't offer credit toward airline tickets, mileage points purchases or mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, upgrades, duty–free purchases, or award tickets. (bolding my emphasis)
Gift cards are specifically excluded from the benefit.
#356
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,218
You know, I have had a lightbulb moment about this whole Aspire thing.
I think Hilton (and it is rather brilliant if you think about it)...is pitching it more to the leisure traveler (like me).
Hate to generalize, but many of the travelers who earn their Diamond status with BIS points are business travelers...many with their companies paying for all their travel, all their earned status.
Leisure travelers, like us (100% leisure since we are retired) will NEVER make Diamond on our own (unless we are super wealthy and then we wouldn't be staying at Hiltons, would we? )
But this is a way to give US a piece of the pie.
Business travelers don't stay at resorts...we do
Business travelers don't need airline perks since they get them expensed...we do
Business travelers don't travel on the weekends...we do
Sure, business travelers take their families on vacation during their off time, but they have usually accumulated so many miles/points that getting these "freebies" thrown their way is irrelevant. They already have their free flights, free rooms, top airline and hotel status...
Now, that being (maybe erroneously) thrown out there, I DO, ABSOLUTELY think that those who have to spend so much time on the road do deserve a special level above Diamond, but for us 100% leisure travelers it is a brilliant move on Hilton's part - garner loyalty from a new group, us leisure travelers. We're often all over the lot with where we stay since we are usually seeking out the best deal (since it's coming out of our own pockets all the time) - this way they steer us to Hilton stays.
Hey, why not? I'm happy to take part in the game.
I think Hilton (and it is rather brilliant if you think about it)...is pitching it more to the leisure traveler (like me).
Hate to generalize, but many of the travelers who earn their Diamond status with BIS points are business travelers...many with their companies paying for all their travel, all their earned status.
Leisure travelers, like us (100% leisure since we are retired) will NEVER make Diamond on our own (unless we are super wealthy and then we wouldn't be staying at Hiltons, would we? )
But this is a way to give US a piece of the pie.
Business travelers don't stay at resorts...we do
Business travelers don't need airline perks since they get them expensed...we do
Business travelers don't travel on the weekends...we do
Sure, business travelers take their families on vacation during their off time, but they have usually accumulated so many miles/points that getting these "freebies" thrown their way is irrelevant. They already have their free flights, free rooms, top airline and hotel status...
Now, that being (maybe erroneously) thrown out there, I DO, ABSOLUTELY think that those who have to spend so much time on the road do deserve a special level above Diamond, but for us 100% leisure travelers it is a brilliant move on Hilton's part - garner loyalty from a new group, us leisure travelers. We're often all over the lot with where we stay since we are usually seeking out the best deal (since it's coming out of our own pockets all the time) - this way they steer us to Hilton stays.
Hey, why not? I'm happy to take part in the game.
#357
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
Very well put. Agree completely. I am on the same boat and I am tempted.
#358
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,212
Not happy that my diamond status with 111 nights this year can just be gotten with a credit card next year, but honestly I've pretty much stopped staying at hiltons in the US. While I've been treated *very* well overseas as a diamond, even at full Hilton's here it's completely hit or miss that they even acknowledge status.
That said, I'll get the card next year. I had planned on doing 30 stays next year anyway to get diamond with the least amount of time spent on property. SPG has treated me FAR better, and for where I've been staying I like it better.
Of course this week I'm staying at a soulless Courtyard, which just reinforces that for me that Marriott is bottom of my list. I hope SPG continues in some form or fashion, or that since Hyatt is evidently hiring all former SPG people that they become what SPG is now. I'll keep pushing for the 10 years of diamond to get lifetime, but I'm not a fan of this move by them.
That said, I'll get the card next year. I had planned on doing 30 stays next year anyway to get diamond with the least amount of time spent on property. SPG has treated me FAR better, and for where I've been staying I like it better.
Of course this week I'm staying at a soulless Courtyard, which just reinforces that for me that Marriott is bottom of my list. I hope SPG continues in some form or fashion, or that since Hyatt is evidently hiring all former SPG people that they become what SPG is now. I'll keep pushing for the 10 years of diamond to get lifetime, but I'm not a fan of this move by them.
#359
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BWI
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 767
Has this been verified? In AMex's T&C for the airline reimbursement:
This benefit doesn't offer credit toward airline tickets, mileage points purchases or mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, upgrades, duty–free purchases, or award tickets. (bolding my emphasis)
Gift cards are specifically excluded from the benefit.
This benefit doesn't offer credit toward airline tickets, mileage points purchases or mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, upgrades, duty–free purchases, or award tickets. (bolding my emphasis)
Gift cards are specifically excluded from the benefit.
Caveat emptor, but if the Aspire travel credit works like the other Amex travel credits, WN gift cards SHOULD work (for now). There is a wiki thread for WN reimbursements in the Amex forum https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...west-only.html
#360
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
$450 for Diamond? This tier will be saturated by those who have paid for this shortcut, in turn making benefits less accessible to those who actually earned it through stays. I will be moving all of my business to Marriott/SPG and using IHG as a backup.
Hilton deserves some backlash for this.
Hilton deserves some backlash for this.
And I think Hilton understands this. Most people are Hilton Diamond because Hilton properties are everywhere in domestic USA. You can't say the same for SPG (and definitely not Hyatt).