AmEx Bonvoy Brilliant Luxury Card [General Discussion Thread]
Sep 23, 2022, 2:20 pm
#2191
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,255
On a different note, does anyone remember if reloading your uber eats gift card balance triggered the dining credits in the past (like those given during covid)? Chat function on my mobile device isn't being cooperative so I would appreciate if anyone can let me know as that would be the easiest option for me at the moment for using my $25 monthly credit.
Sep 23, 2022, 2:52 pm
#2193
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,347
Thanks. Not a Dunkin fan. I use Uber eats the most because of all my Amex credits. Use grubhub once a month for the gold credit and Doordash once every 3 months for the chase reserve credit. So any of these 3 could potentially work for me but my preference would be uber eats.
Last edited by friedablass; Sep 23, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Sep 23, 2022, 3:43 pm
#2195
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,921
Sep 23, 2022, 4:01 pm
#2196
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,520
Lifetime Platinum here (From SPG). Rarely stay at Marriott anymore for a variety of post merger reasons. They are my backup chain - 5-10 nights/year. Going to dump this card as it no longer has value to me. If I didn’t have lifetime platinum and stayed a bit more I’d probably keep it. $350/year net is too much for a cert I’d be pressed to use.
The crappy thing about this is it’s gonna dilute Platinum more.
The crappy thing about this is it’s gonna dilute Platinum more.
Sep 23, 2022, 4:04 pm
#2197
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,894
After thinking a lot about this, a few thoughts...
- If the benefits aren't changing, I just can't imagine how crazy the competition will be for suite upgrades. We all saw how difficult it's been the past 6 months, at least in the US. I had enough difficult trying to use the SNAs and still came up short.
- Marriott is going to have to make this a decent value proposition for people to keep the card long term because right now, it's a bit questionable. But that's mostly because of some of the unknowns (which maybe truly are unknowns at the moment). The Hilton Aspire though sure looks better and better with their benefits by comparison where you can easily get way more value than the annual fee. It might honestly be the best lux card value wise that exists. At least until they inevitably devalue it.
- I wonder if there will be some distinction between platinum from the Brilliant card vs platinum earned from EQNs. Yes, the annual choice benefit is something, but I'm wondering if Marriott will consider those members to be platinum plus or some other delineation. Not everyone who gets the 40 nights from the cards are going to actually stay 10 or more, so it seems like this would be a good way to give those people an extra leg up.
- The Ritz card all of a sudden looks more interesting, particularly if you don't have the Sapphire Reserve. The $300 travel credit + 85K FNA cert + the supped up PP membership looks solid.
- My renewal date for the card was 9/12. I did confirm in the chat that I will be receiving the 85K cert this year. I assume that will apply to all members with recent renewals.
1) Hilton Diamond is worse than Marriott Platinum, from what I can tell. No upgrades in the US, barely any breakfast benefit, no suite upgrades, no late checkout, barely any US lounges available. The best benefit of Hilton Diamond is better earnings. The real star of Hilton status is Gold
2) Resort credit is hard to use; so is Brilliant luxury credit. I ignore both
3) Both have priority pass and similar benefits
4) Brilliant has a dining credit, which is fine
5) Hilton’s free night is miles better
To me, Aspire is a $450 card for a superior free night cert and Diamond status. Brilliant is a $350 card for an 85K cert and Platinum status. Brilliant wins IMO (both cards are keepers).
Sep 23, 2022, 5:06 pm
#2198
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 308
I hold the Hilton Aspire, but not sure how it is obviously better than Brilliant
1) Hilton Diamond is worse than Marriott Platinum, from what I can tell. No upgrades in the US, barely any breakfast benefit, no suite upgrades, no late checkout, barely any US lounges available. The best benefit of Hilton Diamond is better earnings. The real star of Hilton status is Gold
2) Resort credit is hard to use; so is Brilliant luxury credit. I ignore both
3) Both have priority pass and similar benefits
4) Brilliant has a dining credit, which is fine
5) Hilton’s free night is miles better
To me, Aspire is a $450 card for a superior free night cert and Diamond status. Brilliant is a $350 card for an 85K cert and Platinum status. Brilliant wins IMO (both cards are keepers).
1) Hilton Diamond is worse than Marriott Platinum, from what I can tell. No upgrades in the US, barely any breakfast benefit, no suite upgrades, no late checkout, barely any US lounges available. The best benefit of Hilton Diamond is better earnings. The real star of Hilton status is Gold
2) Resort credit is hard to use; so is Brilliant luxury credit. I ignore both
3) Both have priority pass and similar benefits
4) Brilliant has a dining credit, which is fine
5) Hilton’s free night is miles better
To me, Aspire is a $450 card for a superior free night cert and Diamond status. Brilliant is a $350 card for an 85K cert and Platinum status. Brilliant wins IMO (both cards are keepers).
We also don't know what we're getting yet with Marriott's new Plat. At least with Hilton you know what you're getting. If Marriott has been consistent with anything, it's their devaluations. I would fully expect that one is coming on plat status within the next 16 months.
Last edited by PumpkinSmasher; Sep 23, 2022 at 5:12 pm
Sep 23, 2022, 5:30 pm
#2199
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,894
The $250 Hilton travel credit > $300 in monthly Marriott restaurant credits. I also disagree with you about the resort credit. It's worth $250 and while they don't have resorts everywhere, they have many in some desirable places (Disneyworld, Key West, Vegas etc). I've had no issues using it and have found it to be quite useful. $250 in resort credits + $250 travel credit + 1 free night at any property + diamond status is very much worth the price of admission. I also agree with what another poster stated too...the diamond status is more more valuable outside of the US, at least based on my experiences. But I've had some good ones in the US too (Oceana in Santa Monica upgrade me to a wonderful suite room and I got an insane upgrade at the Waldorf Astoria in Park City to a huge suite too).
We also don't know what we're getting yet with Marriott's new Plat. At least with Hilton you know what you're getting. If Marriott has been consistent with anything, it's their devaluations. I would fully expect that one is coming on plat status within the next 16 months.
We also don't know what we're getting yet with Marriott's new Plat. At least with Hilton you know what you're getting. If Marriott has been consistent with anything, it's their devaluations. I would fully expect that one is coming on plat status within the next 16 months.
I had do look up what you meant by the $250 “travel credit” - i forgot, that is the airline fee credit. I have it on three cards and attribute basically zero value to it. If offset some fees but too inconsistent IMO. The issue with the the resort credit is that you have to stay at a Hilton resort annually - i may stay at a Hilton resort once every few years, so I don’t value it. YMMV obviously but Aspire requires that you stay at specific Hilton properties or to select an airline to take advantage of any credit. Even though the dining credit is worse than the Marriott credit, it is still worth $300 because it is easy to use.
Sep 23, 2022, 5:41 pm
#2200
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,926
Sep 23, 2022, 5:51 pm
#2201
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,196
My gosh - I used to base my vacations just so that I could requalify for SPG platinum.
Now this. Pathetic. Glad I bailed for Hyatt Globalist despite being lifetime titanium. Zero stays this year at Marriott. There's a reason
Now this. Pathetic. Glad I bailed for Hyatt Globalist despite being lifetime titanium. Zero stays this year at Marriott. There's a reason
Sep 23, 2022, 6:33 pm
#2202
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
But even if you can only take advantage of just one of those, it's now a net $200 AF, and that's before Diamond status and an uncapped free night.
Sep 23, 2022, 7:00 pm
#2203
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,894
The Aspire has a $250 resort credit and a $250 airline incidental credit -- neither of which is that hard to use if you do a little research.
But even if you can only take advantage of just one of those, it's now a net $200 AF, and that's before Diamond status and an uncapped free night.
But even if you can only take advantage of just one of those, it's now a net $200 AF, and that's before Diamond status and an uncapped free night.
Sep 23, 2022, 11:34 pm
#2204
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 308
I had do look up what you meant by the $250 “travel credit” - i forgot, that is the airline fee credit. I have it on three cards and attribute basically zero value to it. If offset some fees but too inconsistent IMO. The issue with the the resort credit is that you have to stay at a Hilton resort annually - i may stay at a Hilton resort once every few years, so I don’t value it. YMMV obviously but Aspire requires that you stay at specific Hilton properties or to select an airline to take advantage of any credit. Even though the dining credit is worse than the Marriott credit, it is still worth $300 because it is easy to use.
I just think the Hilton card offers great value if you use what's available to you. Much better than any other hotel card.
Sep 24, 2022, 1:42 am
#2205
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,134
LAX