sabrina

I stayed at the SLC Airport Hilton during a layover last Thursday night, and I was told by the front desk staff and guest services manager that I would not receive credit or points for my stay because I booked the room through Expedia. They told me that I do not receive any HHonors benefits by booking my rooms through the Internet sites like Travelocity or Expedia; the only way to receive points/miles/stay credit is to book the room through a conventional travel agent or through Hilton directly.

Of course, I was counting on this stay for the Fast Track to Gold promotion. I called HHonors and spoke with a CSR who told me to fax them my receipt to get credit. SLC Airport Hilton told me they could not give me a receipt since I paid Expedia directly for my reservation.

Any thoughts?

-Sabrina

Eugene

Usually, prepaid bookings (when you pay a third party in advance for your Hilton stay) are not supposed to earn points/miles. Some members on this Board reported occasional appearance of unexpected points even on prepaid stays, but AFAIK, it would be exception rather than a rule.

Regular (non-prepaid) reservations, even those made through Expedia, Travelocity, etc., do earn both points and miles.

BlondeBomber

I have always received points AND airline miles for bookings through Travelocity. I haven't tried the prepaid route yet though. I have one booking in UK in July that is prepaid so I guess I will find out.

Good heads up though. If I had known, I would have booked it on Hilton's site.

DOC 2 BE

I think that Sabrina was referring to the special "Travelocity Value Rate" which in effect lists HRN's consolidator rates. A "normal" booking thru Travelocity would probably still earn credit as you pay the hotel at the time of checkout, not some consolidator before you arrive.

mevans

I stayed at a Wydham a few months ago and they refused to give airline points since I booked an Expedia special rate and it showed up as prepaid.

Does anyone know whether an Expedia Special Rate stay at a Hilton property is eligible for HHONORS points/bonuses/etc?

THANKS!

gsw

Last year, I used Expedia to book a stay at Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas. The hotel did not credit me with my Hilton HHonors points. I contacted Hilton HHonors directly, had to fax them a copy of the hotle bill, and I received my points. I hope that this helps.

200 ngts/ 200 legs/year

From experience and multiple stays. Here is how it seems to work.

No credit for the daily room rate as it is some sort of pre-paid rate. BUT you get nightly credit towards gold, diamond etc and you get points for all charges on the folio at check out. Now is the catch--make sure you get some charge on the folio (even a $1.25 phone call or a beverage from the mini-bar) this insures nightly credit.

So if you like or need the great rates that Expedia often has (20-40% off low pub) then the trade off seems to be no HHonors points for the room rate.

I for one make that trade every day (but I am cheap). Value the HHonors pts yourself and see if the cheaper room rate is worth it.

The GREAT news is I have been able to get the Gold benefits that I am entitled to. Room upgrades, free breakfasts etc with the same issues as on other Gold threads but not related to the Expedia Special Rates.

Overall I have become a huge fan of Expedia.

ronamc

For what it is worth, here is the list of rates that you do not receive points for (from an HHonors customer service email):

"Unfortunately, per Hhonors terms and conditions, points & miles are earned for stays at rates with the exception of those at the following INELIGIBLE rates:

Complimentary or barter rooms
Contracted airline crew rooms
Wholesale / tour operator packages
Stays on NET Group, Series Group or Individual Tour Group rates
Entertainment or Encore rates
Stays using airline percent-off award certificates

A member whose bill is "direct billed" to a company for payment will earn Hhonors points.

When a member's charges are places on a "master account", they will not earn points.

Note: Hhonors members may earn stay credit towards VIP status for Entertainment and Encore rates; however, No point credit is earned for these rates."

stevenl57

With a business trip upcoming to the exotic locale of Grand Rapids, MI, I was checking rates out. The Hilton near the Grand Rapids airport had an Expedia Special rate of $78/night, as opposed to the 139 on the Hilton web site. Is this rate eligible for points/miles? I looked at Member Services and am not clear on it. Any help (or other recs for Grand Rapids?) would be appreciated.

Steve

VizSFO

Ive booked most of my hotel stays at Hilton at Expedia. My points have been showing up nice and regular.

Once when I found a lower rate on Expedia than on Hilton, I called the reservation agent who was quite nice and told me she couldn't match the rate, just book away on Expedia. The other strange quirk I've had is I have been told that the rooms are "sold out" on Hilton and they show up on Expedia. I booked one, they gave me a conf #, I put down a deposit to make sure, and my stay was just wonderful.

The only upside I've found for booking in directly at the Hilton Res Computer system is you can do a zip check in where you don't need to do anything. I check both prices either way. Part of it could be I usually end up with the AA discount on expedia, or specially negotiated rates, where I don't know which code to enter in hiltons reservation system for AA member discount.

VizSFO

stevenl57

Thanks Viz, appreciate your help

Steve

CHANI

The other strange quirk I've had is I have been told that the rooms are "sold out" on Hilton and they show up on Expedia. I booked one, they gave me a conf #, I put down a deposit to make sure, and my stay was just wonderful.

********
that is because Expedia "bought" the rooms...they buy a block of rooms, and sell them at whatever price they want. And I must say, you are lucky you are getting points for Expedia rates, because Hilton considers them ineligible rates. But since the hotel is the one paying for the points, if they choose to give them to you, it is their loss, not Hiltons.

Eugene

There are different Expedia rates. Their "special rates" are in fact prepaid to Expedia and normally not eligible for points/miles. At the same time, you can book "regular" rates through Expedia, and those rates are indeed eligible for points/miles.

MartinElk

Most of Expedia's "Special Rates" are through TravelScape, a subsidiary of Expedia. You can't tell it's TravelScape on the main list of hotels.

pointman

I've been wondering about this for a while. So, just to clarify - I see on the site that for airline tickets, the special rates are not eligible for program earning. However, for hotel rooms, no such disclaimer is made for special rate bookings. Does anyone know for sure about hotel rooms book at expedia special rates?