New HH Amex benefits for a period of time
May 25, 2020, 8:33 am
#46
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, MR Titanium, MR LTP, AA PlatPro, DL PM, UA Silver
Posts: 742
Any further definitive experiences with how much of the HH points awarded in a month are credited as base points towards elite status and LT Diamond? I have a large item (not a supermarket or restaurant, clearly a 3 HH point per $ vendor) that I need to pay by Wednesday and my Amex statement closes Tuesday, so I probably won't be able to see for myself before I need to pay. Frankly given COVID and the ballooning account balances of my two main currencies HH (4 mm) and AA (3 mm) I would rather take 2% cash back than more points. But if it works for LT progress I will use my HH Amex. TIA.
My AMEX statement showing total number of points sent to HH directly matches the increase in base points in my HH account. Your 3x purchase will count as base points in HH.
Last edited by LedgeT; May 25, 2020 at 10:59 am
May 25, 2020, 10:39 am
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,827
May 27, 2020, 9:20 am
#48
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,552
I didn't see it up thread -- anyone see how the restaurant credit is being applied or credited (in lieu of resort fee credit)? Should I see a statement credit in a lump? Individual credits for each restaurant charge? I have to admit the grocery and other bonuses have us using the Aspire as our daily card right now (vs my trusty Sapphire Reserve).
May 27, 2020, 9:36 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: If only I knew
Programs: Several of my own making in which I was recently fast-tracked to super-duper-über-elite status
Posts: 1,074
I didn't see it up thread -- anyone see how the restaurant credit is being applied or credited (in lieu of resort fee credit)? Should I see a statement credit in a lump? Individual credits for each restaurant charge? I have to admit the grocery and other bonuses have us using the Aspire as our daily card right now (vs my trusty Sapphire Reserve).
May 27, 2020, 4:19 pm
#51
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Grocery delivery (Whole Foods via Amazon, Sprouts via Instacart)
Does anyone know if a grocery delivery such as a Whole Foods Market order delivered by Amazon, or a Sprouts delivered by Instacart codes as groceries? These do on the Chase cashback card, but I'd like to use my Surpass because of the bonus points for groceries and that bonus points now count as base points.
May 27, 2020, 5:44 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Does anyone know if a grocery delivery such as a Whole Foods Market order delivered by Amazon, or a Sprouts delivered by Instacart codes as groceries? These do on the Chase cashback card, but I'd like to use my Surpass because of the bonus points for groceries and that bonus points now count as base points.
David
May 27, 2020, 8:06 pm
#53
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
[QUOTE=DELee;32408787]Given where we are relative to June 1st, I'd suggest calling Hilton AMEX to see what they know about this./QUOTE]Sorry, what does being close to June 1st have to do with it?
From AmEx's web site:
Terms and Conditions
1. 12X Points at U.S. Supermarkets
You will earn 6 additional points on top of the 6 points you already earn (for a total of 12 points) from American Express for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card at supermarkets located in the U.S. (superstores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets) starting from May 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020 (“Purchase Period”).
Purchases may fall outside of the Purchase Period in some cases, such as a delay in merchants submitting transactions to us or if the purchase date differs from the date you made the transaction. (For example, if you buy goods online, the purchase date may be the date the goods are shipped). Eligible purchases can be made by the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on a single Card account. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of traveler's checks, person-to-person payments, the purchase or reloading of prepaid cards, and purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. Points received from your Card will be posted to your Hilton Honors member account up to 12 weeks after the end of each month. To be eligible to receive points, Card Member's account must not be cancelled or in default at the time of bonus fulfillment. Offer ends July 31, 2020. American Express reserves the right to modify or revoke offer at any time.
Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. A purchase will not earn additional points if the merchant's code is not eligible. Purchases made through a third-party payment account or on an online marketplace (with multiple retailers) will not earn additional points. A purchase may not earn additional points if the merchant submits the purchase using a mobile or wireless card reader or if you use a mobile or digital wallet.
Nothing about June 1st.
There are more details, and examples, of grocery purchases that do and do not count, but it is silent about grocery-specific delivery services such as Whole Foods delivered by Amazon or Sprouts delivered by Instacart.
I can always call AmEx to ask, but my experience with asking this in other circumstances is that the front-line agents never know more than what's published on their web sites. Since the deal has been going on for three weeks, I thought maybe someone had tried it.
From AmEx's web site:
SUPERMARKETS
From fresh produce to frozen treats, you’ll earn more.
Earn an extra 6 Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. supermarkets (for a total of 12 Points) from May 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020 when using your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. There is no enrollment required.1
Earn an extra 6 Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. supermarkets (for a total of 12 Points) from May 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020 when using your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. There is no enrollment required.1
Terms and Conditions
1. 12X Points at U.S. Supermarkets
You will earn 6 additional points on top of the 6 points you already earn (for a total of 12 points) from American Express for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card at supermarkets located in the U.S. (superstores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets) starting from May 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020 (“Purchase Period”).
Purchases may fall outside of the Purchase Period in some cases, such as a delay in merchants submitting transactions to us or if the purchase date differs from the date you made the transaction. (For example, if you buy goods online, the purchase date may be the date the goods are shipped). Eligible purchases can be made by the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on a single Card account. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of traveler's checks, person-to-person payments, the purchase or reloading of prepaid cards, and purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. Points received from your Card will be posted to your Hilton Honors member account up to 12 weeks after the end of each month. To be eligible to receive points, Card Member's account must not be cancelled or in default at the time of bonus fulfillment. Offer ends July 31, 2020. American Express reserves the right to modify or revoke offer at any time.
Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. A purchase will not earn additional points if the merchant's code is not eligible. Purchases made through a third-party payment account or on an online marketplace (with multiple retailers) will not earn additional points. A purchase may not earn additional points if the merchant submits the purchase using a mobile or wireless card reader or if you use a mobile or digital wallet.
There are more details, and examples, of grocery purchases that do and do not count, but it is silent about grocery-specific delivery services such as Whole Foods delivered by Amazon or Sprouts delivered by Instacart.
I can always call AmEx to ask, but my experience with asking this in other circumstances is that the front-line agents never know more than what's published on their web sites. Since the deal has been going on for three weeks, I thought maybe someone had tried it.
May 28, 2020, 3:08 am
#54
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,827
My Amex statement closed earlier this week. Per the Amex pdf statement I earned about 25,000 HH points for the month, of which I calculate about 12,000 were bonus points for supermarket and restaurant spend. Checked Hilton.com this morning and looked at the base points earned towards Diamond requalification and it had only incremented by the 12,000 amount, and I was initially concerned about the premise that all Amex activity would count for LT status. But then I looked at my total HH points counter and that too has only incremented by the 12,000 point amount, which isn't correct (or certainly isn't complete.) And in reviewing the activity on HH.com I only see entries for the supermarket and restaurant bonus activity (summing to 12,000), not the 3x initial points. So now I am thinking that "points on eligible spend" haven't posted yet, and when they do they will (hopefully) increment both counters. Maybe some legacy batch process glitch. You would think the initial points would come first.
May 31, 2020, 10:43 am
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
My May 2020 AMEX points posted yesterday to my HH account:
And the delta point increase matches my YTD Base Point total.
Here's from earlier this month:
And then today:
So 28,610 - 6,540 = 22,070 = 4,556 + 5,778 + 11,736.
So, to be honest, while that helps my lifetime Base Point total toward Lifetime Diamond, I'm still probably around a little less than 1.6M points away...Probably need to get out and do some AmEx spend on HH rooms to really make a dent this year - if points are my path to LTD.
Probably not. Nice to earn the points though.
David
And the delta point increase matches my YTD Base Point total.
Here's from earlier this month:
And then today:
So 28,610 - 6,540 = 22,070 = 4,556 + 5,778 + 11,736.
So, to be honest, while that helps my lifetime Base Point total toward Lifetime Diamond, I'm still probably around a little less than 1.6M points away...Probably need to get out and do some AmEx spend on HH rooms to really make a dent this year - if points are my path to LTD.
Probably not. Nice to earn the points though.
David
May 31, 2020, 1:49 pm
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,827
My Amex activity finished posting and i had the same outcome. So all categories of spend qualify for elite status at the respective level of HH points earned.
May 31, 2020, 3:23 pm
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,389
I also saw AMEX activity post- my signup bonus did NOT qualify for elite status/base points, my spend did. That's what I figured, since if you did all four AMEX card signup bonuses before year's end you could get around halfway to Diamond just from that.
Jun 1, 2020, 4:59 pm
#58
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Whole Foods Market via Amazon Prime Now
I'm happy to report that my recent Whole Foods Market grocery order via Amazon Prime Now posted with the 12x bonus for U.S. grocery stores. Yay!
Jun 5, 2020, 3:56 am
#59
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: MRY/SFO/SJC
Programs: AS MVP, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 7,784
DP: My Imperfect Foods box deliveries are coding as 12x Supermarkets.
Jun 5, 2020, 9:04 pm
#60
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: If only I knew
Programs: Several of my own making in which I was recently fast-tracked to super-duper-über-elite status
Posts: 1,074
I didn't see it up thread -- anyone see how the restaurant credit is being applied or credited (in lieu of resort fee credit)? Should I see a statement credit in a lump? Individual credits for each restaurant charge? I have to admit the grocery and other bonuses have us using the Aspire as our daily card right now (vs my trusty Sapphire Reserve).