Oct 19, 2023, 12:43 pm
Last edit by: rrgg
Aspire Benefits (T&C here)
Unchanged:
Unchanged:
Unchanged:
Unchanged:
- Annual free night certificate with cardmember anniversary. Separate thread here.
- Additional free night certificate for $60k spent in a calendar year
- Same spending bonus categories (14x @ Hilton; 7x @ US restaurants, airlines & car rental; 3x @ all other)
- Diamond status
- $100 statement credit benefit for some Waldorf/Conrad stays. Separate thread here
- Additional free night certificate for $30k spent in a calendar year. Effective now so 2023 spending can earn this FNC
- $200 statement credit at Hilton Resorts in H1 and $200 in H2. Begins 1/1/24 for existing cardholders Resort credit discussion link
- $50 statement credit every quarter when a ticket is purchased from any airline or AmexTravel.
No airline selection required. Technically incidentals are ineligible, but it may depend on how they post. Travel agencies ineligible.
New counter is already showing in Amex login
Discussion in a separate thread. - CLEAR Plus $189 credit per calendar year
- $800 Cell phone insurance with $50 deductible
- National Car Executive status
- New physical card design
- Annual fee increased from $450 to $550. For existing cardholders, this is effective 2/1/2024
- $250 annual airline incidentals end 12/31/2023
- $250 credit at Hilton Resorts ends 12/31/2023 Resort credit discussion link
- Priority pass membership enrollment ends 1/31/2024. Must enroll by phone. If you enrolled before 2/1/2023 membership continues through 1/31/2024. If enrolled after, membership continues through 10/31/2024
Unchanged:
- Annual free night certificate with $15,000 spend
- Gold status
- Added 4x spend on US online retailers (all other categories unchanged -- 12x @ Hilton; 6x @ US restaurants, US supermarkets & US gas stations; 3x @ all other) (for the no-annual-fee card: 7x @ Hilton; 5x @ the three bonus categories; 3x @ all other)
- $200 credit for Hilton purchases (broken down to $50 per quarter)
- New physical card design
- Annual fee increased from $95 to $150. For existing cardholders, this is effective 2/1/2024
- National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status
- Priority pass membership enrollment ends 1/31/2024. Must enroll by phone. If you enrolled before 2/1/2023 membership continues through 1/31/2024. If enrolled after, membership continues through 10/31/2024
Unchanged:
- Gold status
- Earn Diamond status at $40k spent
- Earn 12x at Hilton
- Added $60 Hilton credit per quarter
- Added National Executive status
- Added metal card design
- Non-Hilton spending earns 5x on the first $100k each calendar year, then 3x
- Annual fee raised from $95 to $195
- FNC program ends 6/30/24. Must meet spending thresholds by that date.
- Priority Pass ends 6/30/24. If enrolled before 6/30/23, your PP ends 7/1/24. If enrolled after, your PP ends 3/1/25
- Old spending bonus categories end 6/30/24
- New member bonus 175k on $8k spent in 6 months
Hilton AMEX Card Redesign; Higher Annual Fee; New Benefits
Oct 18, 2023, 11:00 pm
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,638
Hilton AMEX Card Redesign; Higher Annual Fee; New Benefits
Noticed following Hilton card designs when logging into AMEX iOS app.
Hilton AMEX
Surpass
Aspire
Hilton AMEX
Surpass
Aspire
Oct 19, 2023, 1:25 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,854
Oct 19, 2023, 1:29 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
Hilton Aspire...
- gets a $400 Hilton resort credit, split in two halves (one per half-year).
- gets a $200 airline credit, split in four $50 (one per quarter). Seems like any old flight qualifies.
- free night at $30k spend and $60k spend (you can get a cert by spending $30k from today til the end of the year)
- $189 CLEAR credit
- Priority pass is gone
Hilton Surpass...
- gets a $200 credit, split in four $50 (one per quarter). I think it's at any Hilton hotel?
- gets 4x points on online purchases
(No word on AF changes.)
- gets a $400 Hilton resort credit, split in two halves (one per half-year).
- gets a $200 airline credit, split in four $50 (one per quarter). Seems like any old flight qualifies.
- free night at $30k spend and $60k spend (you can get a cert by spending $30k from today til the end of the year)
- $189 CLEAR credit
- Priority pass is gone
Hilton Surpass...
- gets a $200 credit, split in four $50 (one per quarter). I think it's at any Hilton hotel?
- gets 4x points on online purchases
(No word on AF changes.)
Oct 19, 2023, 1:50 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
Oct 19, 2023, 4:17 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Hilton Honors Aspire Card Members approved prior to October 19, 2023 will receive up to $250 in statement credits per membership year for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts through December 31, 2023. Starting January 1, 2024, Card Members can receive up to a total of $200 in statement credits semi-annually (January through June; and July through December), for up to $400 back annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on their Card Account.
Oct 19, 2023, 5:40 am
#10
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,263
Oct 19, 2023, 5:40 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Oct 19, 2023, 5:49 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 35
Yeah I just looked through my benefits tab too and it’s still there along with the changed ones (and no more Priority Pass).
So with that now known, I’m kinda ok with these changes. Obviously no one likes paying a $100 higher annual fee, but I can easily take advantage of the $400 per year resort credit even splitting it into two $200 credits (I use the max $250 right now). The airfare credit being split into quarterly credits is a little annoying, but then again having it as $50 each with no restrictions on use and not having to choose an airline is an upgrade. Priority Pass, eh, I have it through my regular Amex Plat card so no big loss there. So as long as the annual free night certificate is staying, and it looks like it is, the card seems to remain a decent value for me.
So with that now known, I’m kinda ok with these changes. Obviously no one likes paying a $100 higher annual fee, but I can easily take advantage of the $400 per year resort credit even splitting it into two $200 credits (I use the max $250 right now). The airfare credit being split into quarterly credits is a little annoying, but then again having it as $50 each with no restrictions on use and not having to choose an airline is an upgrade. Priority Pass, eh, I have it through my regular Amex Plat card so no big loss there. So as long as the annual free night certificate is staying, and it looks like it is, the card seems to remain a decent value for me.
Oct 19, 2023, 6:31 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,792
The moderate increase from $450 to $550 is what is saving this from being 'ehh' and not ugh. The changes to the airline fee credit suck, because the $250 credit could already effectively be used for flights if you knew the airline specific workarounds. Now it's $50 less and dispensed quarterly. Increase in the resort credit is only valuable if you visit qualifying properties twice yearly on Amex's set schedule, which I never have. Clear, PP, cell phone insurance are all meaningless additions/reductions for me, and probably many of us that have one or more cards that already provide that.
Still a net positive card, but less of a net positive than it was, at least for me.
I wonder when the annual fees will increase for existing cardmembers since my renewal is up in December.
Still a net positive card, but less of a net positive than it was, at least for me.
I wonder when the annual fees will increase for existing cardmembers since my renewal is up in December.
Oct 19, 2023, 6:47 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043