Airmax95

I am checking into a Hilton tomorrow and realized that I forgot my Amex card with a 50 off 250 offer at home. Does anyone have any experience getting the front desk to manually enter my Amex number in. I wont have the physical card, but I have card number and all personal information and id card.

B3nder

Is the card you want to charged the one you used when you made your reservation on the website? If so, then just don't provide any card, just say to use the one on file.

writerguyfl

I don't think a hotel would allow that. There's no way for the Front Desk agent to verify that the card actually belongs to you. It probably doesn't hurt to ask, but I'd expect a firm no.

birdiedouble

I can't remember the last time I had to show my physical card at the hotel (US travel only). I agree that as long as you've made the reservation with that card you should be ok, but not sure what country you're traveling in. I even had a stay in May that I had my son listed as an additional guest and he was able to check in before my arrival and the room was still billed to my card. I never even went to the front desk. I also get alerts from Amex that the card was not present when they run a pre-arrival hold on the card.

RolfD

Amex will send a new card to you regardless where you are in the world! call Amex

Westcoaster

That should work at most properties. I've run into a few hotels that say they are allowed to require the physical card due to fraud issues. After the first time a hotel in Las Vegas required both ID and the physical card I called Hilton to verify that this was on the up and up. It was. To be safe you can call the hotel to see what they require.

storewanderer

If you do online check in and/or use the digital key you should be okay with typing in the card number yourself... digital key you won't even go to the front desk just use your phone as a key. Just make sure you go to the room and use the digital key before any interaction with the front desk.

Preferably digital key.

I think you have to be Silver, Gold, or Diamond to use the digital key.

B3nder

I'm only in dozens of total stays so not that many overall, I have had plenty ask and then be OK when I declined and asked to use the card on file. They will ask to try to get the lower card-present fees from the credit card company. But one of the problems is that "double-charges" are much more likely if you provide a card again and they do things incorrectly. Had that happen the first time I just gave them it at check in when asked without asking to use the card on file instead.

So, if you don't have an additional credit card with you, they'll cancel the stay and charge the cancellation fee to the same card that they just told you they were unable to charge without a physical card due to fraud issues? Sounds a little absurd that way. Of course I'd just provide the card if they insist, not ask that question.

docbert

For the first time in a long while I had a hotel in the US ask for my card a few weeks ago. They not only needed to see it, but actually processed the transaction via chip.

When I queried it, they said they had done it due to an increase in fraud.

However in general the vast majority of US properties, and the occasional international properties, are happy using the number on file.

notakeenflyer

For almost all of my UK Hilton stays, the card I booked with is used to pay without ever leaving my wallet. This applies to pre-paid and flexible rates.

muzthe42nd

Gold and diamond members mostly won't be asked to swipe the card at check in. If you are a silver member and do a digital check in, there's a good chance you won't be asked to swipe the card.

None of this is guaranteed, a property may ask any guest to swipe their card at check in

Staley Cornell

I didn't have physical possession of my Amex at a recent stay in New York, but since the card was attached as my preferred card in my profile, the front desk was able to add it to the reservation. I had to show ID though which was fine. I was able to earn the double AMEX points so I was very pleased with the way they handled it.

SRQ Guy

I'm very rarely asked to show my card at Hiltons. They just ask if I still want to use the one on the reservation.

writerguyfl

Not according to the Hilton Digital Key FAQs. It's available for all guests that meet the technical requirements:

"Who is eligible to use Digital Key?

muzthe42nd

Any honors member can use digital key, but silvers and above are eligible to bypass the desk. Blue members will always need to stop at the desk and should be asked to swipe their credit card.