[ARCHIVE to 2018] American Express Announces Two New Hilton Credit Cards
Apr 18, 2018, 7:22 am
#1261
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
Curious - other than paying a second AF, is there another reason to first cancel the Ascend card? I too am waiting for an upgrade offer to jump to Aspire, no longer have a need for my Ascend, can wait several months more before there is a need for the Aspire benefits. Perhaps a downgrade to no AF card, rather than outright cancellation will trigger a better upgrade offer?
UPDATE Called AMEX, ended up downgrading the Ascend to $0 AF card.
Agent reports targeted upgrade offers are typically sent out every 6 months, AMEX is still struggling to process former Citi Hilton cardmembers, which has delayed offers for current Hilton cardholders.
In regard to my question above: Agent reports prior upgrade offers for would include multiple options - such as Green to Gold or Platinum - with different fee structures, bonus offers.
UPDATE Called AMEX, ended up downgrading the Ascend to $0 AF card.
Agent reports targeted upgrade offers are typically sent out every 6 months, AMEX is still struggling to process former Citi Hilton cardmembers, which has delayed offers for current Hilton cardholders.
In regard to my question above: Agent reports prior upgrade offers for would include multiple options - such as Green to Gold or Platinum - with different fee structures, bonus offers.
I guess I will have to call to "cancel" and then see if they'll provide an upgrade offer to Aspire instead. If not, will actually cancel and re-apply for Aspire with 100k bonus.
Apr 18, 2018, 2:01 pm
#1262
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
I too have been waiting for upgrade offer to Aspire... nada. No emails or online offers. Sad that. I'd like to have Diamond status for the summer. Sad the $250 is only for resorts... rarely stay in those. Hopefully can make back AF via Airline credits and 1 free night. And of course the perk is Diamond status
I guess I will have to call to "cancel" and then see if they'll provide an upgrade offer to Aspire instead. If not, will actually cancel and re-apply for Aspire with 100k bonus.
I guess I will have to call to "cancel" and then see if they'll provide an upgrade offer to Aspire instead. If not, will actually cancel and re-apply for Aspire with 100k bonus.
I promptly re-applied and the 100k bonus is in my HH account!
Apr 18, 2018, 10:52 pm
#1263
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 12
When I called in, I provided my certificate numbers to the representative. I also told him that I was waiting on my third certificate, but I did not have it yet. So what he did was book me a 3 night stay, using 2 of the certificates, and placing an authorization charge on one of my cards for the third night. He said when I get the third night certificate, to call back, and they'll switch the payment from the card to the certificate.
The reason that I had to do it this way was to make sure that the standard award room remained available (i.e. "on hold" for me) until I get the certificate.
The reason that I had to do it this way was to make sure that the standard award room remained available (i.e. "on hold" for me) until I get the certificate.
Apr 19, 2018, 9:56 am
#1264
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,396
My certificate for the free night for the Aspire card was in my email today
Apr 19, 2018, 1:16 pm
#1265
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
This is great to know. So when I call to cancel Ascend... if they don't make me an offer to upgrade, you are saying I can cancel and then just apply for Aspire and can work towards the 100k bonus offer via spend? One is eligible for that bonus even if you hold Ascend?
Last edited by TravelinSperry; Apr 19, 2018 at 1:46 pm
Apr 19, 2018, 1:54 pm
#1266
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,651
This is great to know. So when I call to cancel Ascend... if they don't make me an offer to upgrade, you are saying I can cancel and then just apply for Aspire and can work towards the 100k bonus offer via spend? One is eligible for that bonus even if you hold Ascend?
Apr 19, 2018, 2:24 pm
#1267
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
I have no need for multiple cards like this... I actually have 2 Ascend cards (one I got direct and one from Citi that transferred). No point in keeping 3 cards for me. I'll cancel the two Ascends. I think Amex has a cap at 4 cards (although I've also heard it could be 5)... may need to cancel one Ascend before applying. Assuming they do have a cap - any idea how quickly their system recognizes I have one less card after cancelling?
Apr 19, 2018, 4:59 pm
#1268
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Unless you are going to use the Ascend card, it makes sense to downgrade to no AF; not only will you receive a prorated refund, but AMEX will likely make targeted Ascend upgrade offers.
Apr 19, 2018, 5:03 pm
#1269
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
This is great to know. So when I call to cancel Ascend... if they don't make me an offer to upgrade, you are saying I can cancel and then just apply for Aspire and can work towards the 100k bonus offer via spend? One is eligible for that bonus even if you hold Ascend?
Amex does not allow cancel & re-apply to get the bonus a second time when it's the same card, but in this case they consider Aspire to be a different card so you can get the Aspire bonus.
Apr 19, 2018, 5:28 pm
#1270
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
I just cancelled my first of 6 Hilton cards today. It was an Ascend with the annual fee due. I too was hoping that I would see some upgrade offers but have seen none, so will be trimming my cards going forward in order to eventually be able to get new credit cards from AMEX (with today's cancellation, I am down to 7). One possibility I am thinking for a reason why no upgrade offers is because we are way over the maximum number of cards allowed but maybe nobody is getting any offers.
Lots of people are getting upgrade offers (that give points) from no-AF to Ascend, but obviously you wouldn't see that if you already have an Ascend (and probably not for a while even after you cancel your last Ascend).
(I'm not clear if you were talking about upgrade offers period or only upgrade offers that give points for upgrading. Yes, lots of people see offers -- though not necessarily"prominenty" -- to upgrade to Aspire, but with nothing given for that doing that upgrade.)
Apr 21, 2018, 7:37 am
#1271
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
That is correct. If you have Ascend, cancel it, then apply for Aspire, spend $4k, and then 100k pts is yours!
Amex does not allow cancel & re-apply to get the bonus a second time when it's the same card, but in this case they consider Aspire to be a different card so you can get the Aspire bonus.
Amex does not allow cancel & re-apply to get the bonus a second time when it's the same card, but in this case they consider Aspire to be a different card so you can get the Aspire bonus.
Interestingly, within my account it showed a "Request Upgrade" button on my Ascend cards. I didn't hit it as I didn't know if hitting it resulted in the request without any offer. And obviously I wanted to peruse what I got beforehand. So I just applied directly for Aspire to ensure I got the 100k bonus offer.
Apr 21, 2018, 8:08 am
#1272
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
It was thinking it may be worth it to keep Ascend and get to the $15k spend level so I can get the free night. Then after achieving and redeeming this, downgrade. I have $11k left to spend on it. However a quick back of the napkin calculation shows that the same $11k spend on my SPG Amex through July 31, would result in a $300 value - and that free night can't be worth more than that... so probably just cancel/downgrade when af comes due later this year.
Apr 21, 2018, 10:14 am
#1273
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan, USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond; Delta Platinum
Posts: 547
My $250 resort credit from the Aspire Card posted the next day after my stay at the Hilton Bentley.
Quite, quite satisfied with the benefits of this card. Everything has come promptly as advertised.
Quite, quite satisfied with the benefits of this card. Everything has come promptly as advertised.
Apr 21, 2018, 11:50 am
#1274
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
Thanks for catching my glaring error.I actually have 2 Ascend cards... I will have to now analyze if I can achieve said spend on both. One was the Citi transfer card... does Amex calculate spend from that card backwards (before the transfer) so you can gain the free weekend night? Or do they just calculate from late Jan onwards?
Last edited by TravelinSperry; Apr 22, 2018 at 7:46 am
Apr 22, 2018, 5:38 am
#1275
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
I actually have 2 Ascend cards... I will have to now analyze if I can achieve said spend on both. One was the Citi transfer card... does Amex calculate spend from that card backwards (before the transfer) so you can gain the free weekend night? Or do they just calculate from late Jan onwards?
I also have an Amex offer to earn 10k points for every $3k in spending up to 30k points, so you may want to check your Amex offers.
