[ARCHIVE to 2018] American Express Announces Two New Hilton Credit Cards
Jan 22, 2018, 10:04 am
#796
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PHX
Programs: AS MVP, HH Diamond
Posts: 3,259
It may have happened to me too. I applied and was approved yesterday. When did you apply?
Jan 22, 2018, 10:06 am
#797
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: 52,555
I wish this opportunity was coming a year from now, and I've tried to make the numbers work 8 ways from Sunday, but it's just not "right" right now.
We are currently Diamond with Hilton and Gold with our airline of choice...which means D status with H means nothing, and we have ALL cancellations, changes covered without penalty, in addition to free luggage, so the airline credit is useless.
It's already been determined that the "deal" with W-A is not what it seems.
I would love the resort credit, but our only resort this year is with our kids/grandkids, and that might go by the wayside if someone gets sick, etc. So no guarantees there.
What I gain in the 14x Hilton stays (vs. 12 with the Ascend), I lose with the supermarket spend (3x with the Aspire, 6x with the Ascend). We stay home more than we travel. YMMV.
Restaurants are almost a wash, 7x vs. 6x.
I do feel bad about missing out on the 100,000 bonus points and the free night...but you have to make the other numbers work for them to be a benefit.
Just for me, and the reason I'm posting is that we "almost" got all caught up in the hype, too,...just not right at this time. And we have no plans for a 4,000 spend in the beginning of the year, so we might not have made the spend anyway.
Just do the MATH for YOUR particular situation.
We are currently Diamond with Hilton and Gold with our airline of choice...which means D status with H means nothing, and we have ALL cancellations, changes covered without penalty, in addition to free luggage, so the airline credit is useless.
It's already been determined that the "deal" with W-A is not what it seems.
I would love the resort credit, but our only resort this year is with our kids/grandkids, and that might go by the wayside if someone gets sick, etc. So no guarantees there.
What I gain in the 14x Hilton stays (vs. 12 with the Ascend), I lose with the supermarket spend (3x with the Aspire, 6x with the Ascend). We stay home more than we travel. YMMV.
Restaurants are almost a wash, 7x vs. 6x.
I do feel bad about missing out on the 100,000 bonus points and the free night...but you have to make the other numbers work for them to be a benefit.
Just for me, and the reason I'm posting is that we "almost" got all caught up in the hype, too,...just not right at this time. And we have no plans for a 4,000 spend in the beginning of the year, so we might not have made the spend anyway.
Just do the MATH for YOUR particular situation.
I have an existing Surpass and a new Ascend that came over from Citi. Have existing Surpass cardholders been given any kind of bonus offer to upgrade to Aspire? With that nudge, I might upgrade, dump the other Priority Pass card I have (a Citi Thank You card), and call it good. But without an incentive, I'm not yet sure...might dump two or three other cards and go CSR....
Jan 22, 2018, 10:07 am
#798
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,822
Opposite for me - Hilton has updated my status (I entered my Honors number in Aspire application), but the new card doesn't appear yet in my Amex account.
Jan 22, 2018, 10:09 am
#799
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Well, the WyndhamRewards card earns 5 points per dollar at WR hotels, and 5 x $3000 = 15000, and all WR properties (from the lowest to the highest) are 15000 points per night. So if you consider hotel stays a category, and if you consider the highest WR property to be "top tier" (ie, was your "top tier" relative to the program or absolute, and if absolute in what sense?), then that card can do it (though only if you stay at WR properties a lot).
Jan 22, 2018, 10:10 am
#800
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
Maybe the difference is I didn't apply for a *new* card for I had an old card that was converted to Ascend card and I went online and click *upgrade* and immediately I was upgraded to Aspire Card (was impressed how fast it is). But apparently Hilton didn't get the memo yet.
Jan 22, 2018, 10:12 am
#801
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
Can anyone share what exactly are considered "Airline Credits"? I have read many webpages and statements and the only explicit mentioning of Airline Credit is luggage fee. (and of course what are NOT airline credits: tickets, buying points, etc.) For example: if I buy food and merchandise onboard are those considered Airline Credit and reimbursable? Anything else in your experience?
Jan 22, 2018, 10:30 am
#802
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,822
Maybe the difference is I didn't apply for a *new* card for I had an old card that was converted to Ascend card and I went online and click *upgrade* and immediately I was upgraded to Aspire Card (was impressed how fast it is). But apparently Hilton didn't get the memo yet.
Jan 22, 2018, 10:31 am
#803
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,822
Can anyone share what exactly are considered "Airline Credits"? I have read many webpages and statements and the only explicit mentioning of Airline Credit is luggage fee. (and of course what are NOT airline credits: tickets, buying points, etc.) For example: if I buy food and merchandise onboard are those considered Airline Credit and reimbursable? Anything else in your experience?
E.g., Delta:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...s-dl-only.html
The wiki at the top has links to other airline specific threads.
Jan 22, 2018, 10:43 am
#804
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
Jan 22, 2018, 11:20 am
#805
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Just booked 2 nights at a Kimpton hotel using free IHG credit card anniversary night (wife and I each have the card) - $49 AF earns Platinum status, free nights which can also be used at IC properties worldwide. No min spend required.
IHG has become my back-up hotel group after Hilton, particularly when the customized quarterly promotion is generous. It typically takes me 9 months to qualify for Diamond, based on stays, so I mix in a few IHG stays when it is lucrative to do so (from an award perspective).
Jan 22, 2018, 11:24 am
#806
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: 52,555
Well, the WyndhamRewards card earns 5 points per dollar at WR hotels, and 5 x $3000 = 15000, and all WR properties (from the lowest to the highest) are 15000 points per night. So if you consider hotel stays a category, and if you consider the highest WR property to be "top tier" (ie, was your "top tier" relative to the program or absolute, and if absolute in what sense?), then that card can do it (though only if you stay at WR properties a lot).
I look at it in terms of my own value per point at the hotels. Even in current devalued-to-hell Hilton, I still get 0.6-0.7 cpp without trying too hard. So 12-14x is in the 7-9% range. Compare to using the SPG Amex at Marriotts and Starwoods, which is in the 6-8% range. (One MR = 1.3 cpp).
So the new cards are in a competitive range in terms of hotel earnings. It's not going to get you to the Grand Wailea by itself, but it accelerates the process if you're using it in conjunction with a bunch of hotel stays already earning lots of points by themselves.
Jan 22, 2018, 11:41 am
#807
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Delta Plat, AA Gold, Avis PresClub
Posts: 104
Jan 22, 2018, 11:43 am
#808
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Feeder Band Land (South FL)
Programs: seeking best cc sign-up & spend bonus offers
Posts: 863
> The Hilton Honors American Express Card (no annual fee):
Got mailed offer 80K bonus pts $2K spend;
so busy pursuing (4) AmexDeltaPlat spend triggers,
missed Hilton cc Jan 17, 2018 apply deadline
phone rep says now 50K bonus; any links or info
still active 80K or higher than 50K appreciated!!!
Thanks! ^ ^ ^
Got mailed offer 80K bonus pts $2K spend;
so busy pursuing (4) AmexDeltaPlat spend triggers,
missed Hilton cc Jan 17, 2018 apply deadline
phone rep says now 50K bonus; any links or info
still active 80K or higher than 50K appreciated!!!
Thanks! ^ ^ ^
Jan 22, 2018, 11:49 am
#809
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 25
Possibly. I did put my HHonors # on the Aspire application so not sure if that was what made a difference. I did however have to make an entirely new account with Amex for my Aspire card. For some reason it would not allow me to add it to my existing account that hold both my (now) Ascend card and SPG card.
Customer service did tell me once I receive the card in hand to active it, I can get it linked to my orginal accoutn with the Platinum card & Blue cash card.
Jan 22, 2018, 12:25 pm
#810
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 171
Just call AMEX to link