[ARCHIVE to 2018] American Express Announces Two New Hilton Credit Cards
#1397
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: TrueBlue, Hilton Honors
Posts: 69
Hi Amex experts,
My sister just opened the basic Hilton Amex in order to quickly earn some points towards a family vacation in March we just decided to take. Her husband is listed as an authorized user. They don't travel a lot, so the cards with the annual fee make no sense. My questions are 1) Would Amex let her husband open his own basic hilton card? 2) If he did, would Hilton give them trouble about pooling the points? I know this was happening a bit when points pooling first became an option.
Thank you!
My sister just opened the basic Hilton Amex in order to quickly earn some points towards a family vacation in March we just decided to take. Her husband is listed as an authorized user. They don't travel a lot, so the cards with the annual fee make no sense. My questions are 1) Would Amex let her husband open his own basic hilton card? 2) If he did, would Hilton give them trouble about pooling the points? I know this was happening a bit when points pooling first became an option.
Thank you!
#1398
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
I have a very specific question about the $15,000 spend free weekend night certificate with the Ascend card.
What "exactly" is a standard room?
For example, if you go by "Standard Room Rewards" on a points basis, the same hotel can be asking 40,000 pts for a Queen Room, a King Room, or a room with Two Doubles. When you redeem your free weekend night certificate, do you get to choose which of those you want?
What "exactly" is a standard room?
For example, if you go by "Standard Room Rewards" on a points basis, the same hotel can be asking 40,000 pts for a Queen Room, a King Room, or a room with Two Doubles. When you redeem your free weekend night certificate, do you get to choose which of those you want?
If you go to some hotels, you'll that some rooms are for example 40000 points (which is the Standard Room Reward rate), and then other rooms are much higher, and listed as Premier Room Reward. (Premium Room Rewards rates don't tend to be same round numbers that Standard Room Rewards, since I think they're based off of the exact cost of the room, which is not quite the case with Standard Room Rewards.)
So it's the Room Reward, not the room itself, which is either Standard or Premium. I think the hotel decides which room types it puts into which category, For some hotels only one room type is in the Standard Room Reward category, for other hotels several room types are.
#1399
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Programs: AA Plat, Sixt Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Avis First, Caesars TR Diamond, Mlife Gold
Posts: 4,928
The $450 fee is the best option card?
#1400
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 92
Just received my free Aspire reward night exactly 10 weeks after I was approved for the card. I just paid my first statement’s balance on Saturday. Maybe that triggered it.
#1401
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
It can be, especially if you can make use of enough of the credits (up to $250 "airline incidentals" credit, up to $250 resort credit) to make it a "net negative" annual fee, even before the free night cert. But even if you can't max out both of those credits, factoring in the free night cert, which less-costly cards don't give, may do that too.
But, OTOH, if you can't make use of either $250 credit, and you're not likely to stay at a hotel that costs over $350 (including taxes) with that free weekend night cert, and Diamond over Gold doesn't make that much "real world" difference given you travel pattern, then it might not be as good an option as the $95 Ascend.
So there's no one answer for everyone.
But, OTOH, if you can't make use of either $250 credit, and you're not likely to stay at a hotel that costs over $350 (including taxes) with that free weekend night cert, and Diamond over Gold doesn't make that much "real world" difference given you travel pattern, then it might not be as good an option as the $95 Ascend.
So there's no one answer for everyone.
#1402
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Programs: AA Plat, Sixt Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Avis First, Caesars TR Diamond, Mlife Gold
Posts: 4,928
I wish it had the 6X for groceries.
#1403
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,484
I downgraded Surpass to the no fee, then upgraded that to Aspire a few months later. Annual fee just hit - only $225 . . . anyone else only get charged a half fee?
#1404
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,063
It's your lucky day. I was charged $450 with my first month's Aspire statement. I also have Ascend card, transferred from prior Chase CC.
#1405
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,897
#1407
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
It's really a YMMV situation by person.
For me it was a no brainer. I just used my two free nights (one from the sign up bonus for this card and another I had from my spend on my Citi Card) this past weekend at the Hilton Opera Paris. The rate was around 470EU a night and the diamond desk was able to allow me to use it Friday and Saturday night so the free night alone was more than the $450 annual fee. So I'm literally getting cash back this year on this card on just the free night and I received $250 in airline credits. And if I go to Vegas this year as much as I hate the Trop, I'll stay there for the resort fee since that will be almost a free stay with the credit.
I'm hoping the new SPG Am Ex that rolls out next year is this sweet of a deal.
If you never fly and never stay at expensive Hiltons card may not be the best fit, especially since diamond status isn't worth much in the US (outside of North America if the hotel has a lounge there can be a big difference).
For me it was a no brainer. I just used my two free nights (one from the sign up bonus for this card and another I had from my spend on my Citi Card) this past weekend at the Hilton Opera Paris. The rate was around 470EU a night and the diamond desk was able to allow me to use it Friday and Saturday night so the free night alone was more than the $450 annual fee. So I'm literally getting cash back this year on this card on just the free night and I received $250 in airline credits. And if I go to Vegas this year as much as I hate the Trop, I'll stay there for the resort fee since that will be almost a free stay with the credit.
I'm hoping the new SPG Am Ex that rolls out next year is this sweet of a deal.
If you never fly and never stay at expensive Hiltons card may not be the best fit, especially since diamond status isn't worth much in the US (outside of North America if the hotel has a lounge there can be a big difference).
#1408
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,484
#1409
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: AA PLTPRO, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,559
I was charged even less - $150 then a $25 credit to offset that. I was a Surpass cardholder for years and converted to Aspire a couple of months ago.
#1410
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399