[ARCHIVE to 2018] American Express Announces Two New Hilton Credit Cards
Jan 28, 2018, 6:31 pm
#901
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,394
I thought I was going to apply (new) when I first heard about the Aspire card, but I realized a couple of things...We are Diamond with Hilton until 3/2019, plus we are Gold with our Airline of choice until 2019, so those 2 benefits are irrelevant. (no change/cancel fees on our airline).
Plus, I came to the realization that if everything is a wash (you pay $450 and get that much in benefits) you are not gaining anything. I will easily hit $15,000 with the Ascend (formerly Surpass) so I'll get a free night (and there is NO WAY I'd hit $60,000). If our ONE resort stay gets cancelled, I will lose the resort benefit, and if we don't book a W-A (at a questionable advantage) no benefit there, either.
Maybe next year when we're no longer Diamond with Hilton, and no longer have Gold no-fee with our airline, the Aspire will make sense.
I might regret not capitalizing on the 100,000 bonus points now, but if everyone thinks a better offer will be in the future, what would be great...
Plus, I came to the realization that if everything is a wash (you pay $450 and get that much in benefits) you are not gaining anything. I will easily hit $15,000 with the Ascend (formerly Surpass) so I'll get a free night (and there is NO WAY I'd hit $60,000). If our ONE resort stay gets cancelled, I will lose the resort benefit, and if we don't book a W-A (at a questionable advantage) no benefit there, either.
Maybe next year when we're no longer Diamond with Hilton, and no longer have Gold no-fee with our airline, the Aspire will make sense.
I might regret not capitalizing on the 100,000 bonus points now, but if everyone thinks a better offer will be in the future, what would be great...
I doubt we'll see a bonus better than the 100K and quite honestly I hope they don't give a better bonus seeing how devalued HH points are, I'd rather they make the points worth something than to keep handing them out. If they do lower the sign up bonus I'm sure there'll be some kind of notice so people will still have time to take advantage of it like when Chase realized how much they were losing on the lucrative sign up bonus on the CSR, I doubt they'll just make the change overnight with no announcement.
If someone has a stay at a resort property coming up then it would make sense to apply for the card now.
Jan 28, 2018, 8:33 pm
#902
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New York, NY
Programs: IHG Spire Ambassador, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 456
Aspire $100 on-property credit - can anyone with an Aspire card suggest how rates at HiltonHonors.com/aspirecard compare? Wondering how much relative value I can get. Thanks.
Jan 28, 2018, 8:39 pm
#903
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,179
Yeah, that’s why we pulled the trigger on the Aspire cards. I figured out that the place we were going to go at the end of March is a resort, so between the two of us, we will get $1000 in credits plus the 200,000 points and once the citi cards convert we won’t be getting any new Amex credit cards, so we also picked up a business card each as well.
Jan 28, 2018, 9:00 pm
#904
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: LAX ⇄ JFK
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond
Posts: 213
I was just looking at the London NYC for the last weekend in March. The Honors discount rate for a London Suite was $407/night. The Aspire rate was $429/night.
Jan 28, 2018, 9:46 pm
#905
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Why not just apply for a new Aspire card and get the 100K bonus? That's what I did (and have both the Citi and Amex versions of Surpass/Ascend) and there does not appear to have been any hard credit pull since I'm already in their system. I'll just cancel one of my Ascend cards after I'm certain I've received any certs I'm due.
Upgrading a card you've had for years works around this problem, because the card you upgrade to inherits the original card;s "opened on" date.
Jan 28, 2018, 9:55 pm
#906
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,404
Jan 29, 2018, 2:16 am
#907
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
Jan 29, 2018, 7:30 am
#908
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,394
In my case it wouldn't pay to apply for a new card right now and pay two annual fees to Am Ex, I'll just wait until the free night post and upgrade the card or get a new card and cancel this one.
New card benefits wont do me much good since I'm already diamond and have no resort stays in the near future. The extra HH points would be nice but I'm trying to keep my top tier at Hyatt so most of my stays are going there right now instead of Hilton.
Applying for a new card could also affect heavy card churners with the Chase 5/24 rule.
Jan 29, 2018, 9:00 am
#909
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,501
it wouldn't if you applied for a new card, that was just a warning for people thinking of upgrading their card.
In my case it wouldn't pay to apply for a new card right now and pay two annual fees to Am Ex, I'll just wait until the free night post and upgrade the card or get a new card and cancel this one.
New card benefits wont do me much good since I'm already diamond and have no resort stays in the near future. The extra HH points would be nice but I'm trying to keep my top tier at Hyatt so most of my stays are going there right now instead of Hilton.
Applying for a new card could also affect heavy card churners with the Chase 5/24 rule.
In my case it wouldn't pay to apply for a new card right now and pay two annual fees to Am Ex, I'll just wait until the free night post and upgrade the card or get a new card and cancel this one.
New card benefits wont do me much good since I'm already diamond and have no resort stays in the near future. The extra HH points would be nice but I'm trying to keep my top tier at Hyatt so most of my stays are going there right now instead of Hilton.
Applying for a new card could also affect heavy card churners with the Chase 5/24 rule.
Jan 29, 2018, 12:48 pm
#910
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
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 29, 2018, 1:07 pm
#911
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,394
Jan 31, 2018, 6:29 am
#912
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 82
So I tried to read through most of these post but I didn't really see anyone bring this up.
Aspire:
14x on Hilton
7X Airline, Car and Restaurants
3X Everything else
Ascend:
12X Hilton
6X Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas
3X Everything else
Now not taking any other perks of the cards into account and for someone who doesn't constantly stay at hotels and has another "premium card". I can't see any reason to get the Aspire over the Ascend. In my case I have a chase sapphire reserve which I use for Food and Travel, I had a Amex Blue cash I was using for Gas, Supermarkets and Dept Stores and A Chase Freedom Unlimited for everything else. My goal was to replace the Blue Cash with the Hilton Honors. This if I need to book a Hotel I'll have Hilton Honor Points from the bonus, Groceries and Gas, and I still have the Chase Sapphire Reserve for airfare etc.
Anyways maybe you won't agree but I sort of feel like Amex should have included the 6x (or 7x) points on gas and supermarkets also on the Aspire The average person probably spends around $3600 on groceries a year, so thats 21,600 points plus another 7,200 points for gas.
Aspire:
14x on Hilton
7X Airline, Car and Restaurants
3X Everything else
Ascend:
12X Hilton
6X Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas
3X Everything else
Now not taking any other perks of the cards into account and for someone who doesn't constantly stay at hotels and has another "premium card". I can't see any reason to get the Aspire over the Ascend. In my case I have a chase sapphire reserve which I use for Food and Travel, I had a Amex Blue cash I was using for Gas, Supermarkets and Dept Stores and A Chase Freedom Unlimited for everything else. My goal was to replace the Blue Cash with the Hilton Honors. This if I need to book a Hotel I'll have Hilton Honor Points from the bonus, Groceries and Gas, and I still have the Chase Sapphire Reserve for airfare etc.
Anyways maybe you won't agree but I sort of feel like Amex should have included the 6x (or 7x) points on gas and supermarkets also on the Aspire The average person probably spends around $3600 on groceries a year, so thats 21,600 points plus another 7,200 points for gas.
Jan 31, 2018, 7:10 am
#913
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
So I tried to read through most of these post but I didn't really see anyone bring this up.
Aspire:
14x on Hilton
7X Airline, Car and Restaurants
3X Everything else
Ascend:
12X Hilton
6X Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas
3X Everything else
Now not taking any other perks of the cards into account and for someone who doesn't constantly stay at hotels and has another "premium card". I can't see any reason to get the Aspire over the Ascend. In my case I have a chase sapphire reserve which I use for Food and Travel, I had a Amex Blue cash I was using for Gas, Supermarkets and Dept Stores and A Chase Freedom Unlimited for everything else. My goal was to replace the Blue Cash with the Hilton Honors. This if I need to book a Hotel I'll have Hilton Honor Points from the bonus, Groceries and Gas, and I still have the Chase Sapphire Reserve for airfare etc.
Anyways maybe you won't agree but I sort of feel like Amex should have included the 6x (or 7x) points on gas and supermarkets also on the Aspire The average person probably spends around $3600 on groceries a year, so thats 21,600 points plus another 7,200 points for gas.
Aspire:
14x on Hilton
7X Airline, Car and Restaurants
3X Everything else
Ascend:
12X Hilton
6X Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas
3X Everything else
Now not taking any other perks of the cards into account and for someone who doesn't constantly stay at hotels and has another "premium card". I can't see any reason to get the Aspire over the Ascend. In my case I have a chase sapphire reserve which I use for Food and Travel, I had a Amex Blue cash I was using for Gas, Supermarkets and Dept Stores and A Chase Freedom Unlimited for everything else. My goal was to replace the Blue Cash with the Hilton Honors. This if I need to book a Hotel I'll have Hilton Honor Points from the bonus, Groceries and Gas, and I still have the Chase Sapphire Reserve for airfare etc.
Anyways maybe you won't agree but I sort of feel like Amex should have included the 6x (or 7x) points on gas and supermarkets also on the Aspire The average person probably spends around $3600 on groceries a year, so thats 21,600 points plus another 7,200 points for gas.
Jan 31, 2018, 7:12 am
#914
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,179
So I tried to read through most of these post but I didn't really see anyone bring this up.
Aspire:
14x on Hilton
7X Airline, Car and Restaurants
3X Everything else
Ascend:
12X Hilton
6X Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas
3X Everything else
Now not taking any other perks of the cards into account and for someone who doesn't constantly stay at hotels and has another "premium card". I can't see any reason to get the Aspire over the Ascend. In my case I have a chase sapphire reserve which I use for Food and Travel, I had a Amex Blue cash I was using for Gas, Supermarkets and Dept Stores and A Chase Freedom Unlimited for everything else. My goal was to replace the Blue Cash with the Hilton Honors. This if I need to book a Hotel I'll have Hilton Honor Points from the bonus, Groceries and Gas, and I still have the Chase Sapphire Reserve for airfare etc.
Anyways maybe you won't agree but I sort of feel like Amex should have included the 6x (or 7x) points on gas and supermarkets also on the Aspire The average person probably spends around $3600 on groceries a year, so thats 21,600 points plus another 7,200 points for gas.
Aspire:
14x on Hilton
7X Airline, Car and Restaurants
3X Everything else
Ascend:
12X Hilton
6X Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas
3X Everything else
Now not taking any other perks of the cards into account and for someone who doesn't constantly stay at hotels and has another "premium card". I can't see any reason to get the Aspire over the Ascend. In my case I have a chase sapphire reserve which I use for Food and Travel, I had a Amex Blue cash I was using for Gas, Supermarkets and Dept Stores and A Chase Freedom Unlimited for everything else. My goal was to replace the Blue Cash with the Hilton Honors. This if I need to book a Hotel I'll have Hilton Honor Points from the bonus, Groceries and Gas, and I still have the Chase Sapphire Reserve for airfare etc.
Anyways maybe you won't agree but I sort of feel like Amex should have included the 6x (or 7x) points on gas and supermarkets also on the Aspire The average person probably spends around $3600 on groceries a year, so thats 21,600 points plus another 7,200 points for gas.
The Aspire, on the other hand, is a purely traveler kind of card. Everything about it is travel related. Free night, free status, airline credit and resort credit, all travel related freebies. Therefore, the spending categories align perfectly with the rest of the card.
Jan 31, 2018, 7:46 am
#915
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Norway, Maine
Programs: United Silver and HH Diamond
Posts: 1,474
They are targeted at very different market segments. The Ascend is meant to be their everyday spending, average joe kind of card.
The Aspire, on the other hand, is a purely traveler kind of card. Everything about it is travel related. Free night, free status, airline credit and resort credit, all travel related freebies. Therefore, the spending categories align perfectly with the rest of the card.
