AMEX account different Honors account
Nov 22, 2006, 8:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 54
AMEX account different Honors account
Looking for guidance on what to do.
I had an existing HHonors account. My wife opened an AMEX HHonors account and listed me as an authorized user. On the AMEX HHonors application, she explictly put my HHonors #.
Today in the mail, my wife received her Silver VIP HHonors card but the # is different than mine (the one that was specified in the AMEX application).
Do I have to have my wife contact AMEX to point the AMEX account to the proper HHonors number? Or do they require that the primary name on the AMEX card match the name on the HHonors account? I thought spouses often mixed & matched successfully.
I've spent $13k already on the AMEX and have a lot of points coming... in the worse case I can transfer the points from the wife's HHonors account to mine so I get the points (even if it doesn't count toward elite status).
We needed the wife to apply for the card b/c her credit is much better than mine. I am an authorized user and have a card too, but it won't do me any good (I travel for business frequently) if the points are mapped to her HHonors accoutn and not mine.
Any advice appreciated.
I had an existing HHonors account. My wife opened an AMEX HHonors account and listed me as an authorized user. On the AMEX HHonors application, she explictly put my HHonors #.
Today in the mail, my wife received her Silver VIP HHonors card but the # is different than mine (the one that was specified in the AMEX application).
Do I have to have my wife contact AMEX to point the AMEX account to the proper HHonors number? Or do they require that the primary name on the AMEX card match the name on the HHonors account? I thought spouses often mixed & matched successfully.
I've spent $13k already on the AMEX and have a lot of points coming... in the worse case I can transfer the points from the wife's HHonors account to mine so I get the points (even if it doesn't count toward elite status).
We needed the wife to apply for the card b/c her credit is much better than mine. I am an authorized user and have a card too, but it won't do me any good (I travel for business frequently) if the points are mapped to her HHonors accoutn and not mine.
Any advice appreciated.
Nov 22, 2006, 8:36 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: United Gold, BA Plat, Starwood Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 238
one question....was the HHonors account your wife's preexisting account or was it one that they created? When I got the Hilton Amex, they created a new HHonors account number even though I was VERY EXPLICIT and gave them my curret number when I applied. It took about five phone calls before they got it right. Be persistent.
If the card linked up to your wife's current account because it did some computer search of its own and matched the names, I'm not sure what will happen if you try to switch the number.
If the card linked up to your wife's current account because it did some computer search of its own and matched the names, I'm not sure what will happen if you try to switch the number.
Nov 22, 2006, 9:23 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
At one time (a couple of years ago), Hilton did a 4 stay/50K promo with Air Canada. I was able to get the promo without an AC number, and then I got an AC number (which provided me with a new Hilton account) and did it again. 
There used to be an option on the website (don't know if it's still there) where you could combine accounts as long as they had the same name. I understand this facility was specifically set up to handle situations like this.
So ... if you have two accounts, and you want to go through the hassle, you can work the same promo twice (like maybe the (rumored) upcoming 3/5/7 promo) and then combine them for a nice payoff.
There used to be an option on the website (don't know if it's still there) where you could combine accounts as long as they had the same name. I understand this facility was specifically set up to handle situations like this.
So ... if you have two accounts, and you want to go through the hassle, you can work the same promo twice (like maybe the (rumored) upcoming 3/5/7 promo) and then combine them for a nice payoff.
Nov 22, 2006, 9:28 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 54
Originally Posted by novaguy30
one question....was the HHonors account your wife's preexisting account or was it one that they created? When I got the Hilton Amex, they created a new HHonors account number even though I was VERY EXPLICIT and gave them my curret number when I applied. It took about five phone calls before they got it right. Be persistent.
If the card linked up to your wife's current account because it did some computer search of its own and matched the names, I'm not sure what will happen if you try to switch the number.
If the card linked up to your wife's current account because it did some computer search of its own and matched the names, I'm not sure what will happen if you try to switch the number.
I suppose I will have to go through the customer service merry-go-round until I get what I want.
Nov 22, 2006, 11:27 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hamilton, NJ, USA
Posts: 137
I had the same problem, a new number assigned by American express.
To correct, first call AE at 1-800-467-8462 to have your correct HHonors number added to the account; then call Hilton 1-800-548-8690 to have both HHonors accounts combined. Since I had one a stay after getting the card, and before my accounts were combined, I had to contact Hilton again request my 2,500 first stay points, and 500 booking bonus points posted to my account. I am still waiting for these points to post.
To correct, first call AE at 1-800-467-8462 to have your correct HHonors number added to the account; then call Hilton 1-800-548-8690 to have both HHonors accounts combined. Since I had one a stay after getting the card, and before my accounts were combined, I had to contact Hilton again request my 2,500 first stay points, and 500 booking bonus points posted to my account. I am still waiting for these points to post.
Nov 22, 2006, 11:47 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 54
Originally Posted by MADFORMILES
I had the same problem, a new number assigned by American express.
To correct, first call AE at 1-800-467-8462 to have your correct HHonors number added to the account; then call Hilton 1-800-548-8690 to have both HHonors accounts combined. Since I had one a stay after getting the card, and before my accounts were combined, I had to contact Hilton again request my 2,500 first stay points, and 500 booking bonus points posted to my account. I am still waiting for these points to post.
To correct, first call AE at 1-800-467-8462 to have your correct HHonors number added to the account; then call Hilton 1-800-548-8690 to have both HHonors accounts combined. Since I had one a stay after getting the card, and before my accounts were combined, I had to contact Hilton again request my 2,500 first stay points, and 500 booking bonus points posted to my account. I am still waiting for these points to post.
By confirming that AMEX switches reporting first and then combining the accounts on HHonors website I should avoid losing any credit. I'm not sure if all my promo credit will post properly but I'm not too concerned with the bonus miles as much as I am with Diamond qualifying points.
Thanks again.
P.S. I submitted email request first on AMEX via their secure web messaging and will let you know if that works. I prefer written correspondence for my records in case they screw up in the future. I'll reply if I was successful.
Nov 22, 2006, 11:58 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 54
So I actually read through the welcome letter that came with my new AMEX Silver VIP HHonors card. Like I said above, I already have an account and AMEX created a new one for me instead of crediting my previous one.
At the bottom it says:
P.S. If you're already an HHonors member, <bold>continue using your existing card and account number</bold> (this is bolded in the letter). To ensure your poitns are correctly recorded, just write your current account number to the right of your address and fax this to 972-788-1818.
At the bottom it says:
P.S. If you're already an HHonors member, <bold>continue using your existing card and account number</bold> (this is bolded in the letter). To ensure your poitns are correctly recorded, just write your current account number to the right of your address and fax this to 972-788-1818.