ksh937

Long time reader, first time poster. Thanks to everyone for their contributions to this forum, it's been a fantastic resource!

I'm an SPG loyalist (Platinum) and HHonors user as well (Gold). I am comparing the new SPG Luxury card to the new Hilton Aspire card and it seems like the Aspire is better.

For one, you get Diamond status with the Aspire (Hilton's highest status) vs. Gold status for the Luxury (SPG's 2nd highest status). And two, you get 29 HHonors pts per dollar spent booking a Hilton hotel ($0.174 based on TPG's latest valuation) vs. 6 Marriott pts per dollar spent booking a SPG hotel ($0.054). Other perks seem comparable (i.e. statement credit, reward nights, etc.)

Am I missing something? The Aspire seems to have a much better set of perks than the Luxury...

christianj

This thread might actually be better suited for the AMEX forum as it compares two products under the AMEX brand. IMHO the new HH Aspire card is significantly better than the announce Luxury card from MR/SPG. Alone from a points earning perspective (on hotel spend) it's a huge difference. Naturally redemption rates are important and since we do not know what hotels will fall into which category of the new MR system we will have to wait and see. The Luxury card and the other MR/SPG cards will likely only be interesting if you want to definitely earn MR points for your spend. As for Everyday spend, I would not use HH Aspire card either as I believe there are better options out there.

ksh937

Sorry for putting it in the wrong forum. I was just hoping an SPG loyalist like myself had done the math and analysis so he/she could explain to me why, if at all, the Luxury card is better than the Aspire.

And yes, I was only talking about hotel-specific spending. I tend to use my hotel credit cards for hotel spending only, airline cards for airline spending, etc.

36902BRF

As a person who travels about 20-25 days a year on my own dime and who earns most of my points via credit credit card Hilton is the better program for me. In fact after 8/1 it will be the only hotel program I am going to care about. Marriott has made it clear (and I totally understand why) that if you don't spend 50 nights with the them you aren't important. I am never going to do that so I'll focus on the program that gets me a free breakfast and lounge access. I will go out of my way to stay at Hiltons when they make sense else I'll be a free agent using AirBnB, non-chain hotels and chain hotels as they make sense for my situation (the vast majority of my stays are international).

zorbachs

I don't see the appeal of the SPG Luxury card at all. If you're going for a premium card, I'd get the Platinum card over the SPG Luxury for any sort of SPG status. Hilton has by far a better card - giving you better point accumulation and higher status

ethernal

Is the $300 statement credit effective for spend on the hotel room or only spend for hotel "add-ons" (e.g., food, etc)? If it is the former, then the SPG Luxury Card is really only a $150 card that comes with a free night certificate worth around $300. If that's the case I'll certainly upgrade. I don't believe the Hilton card has a statement credit like that.

christianj

Rumors so far have been that the $300 can be applied to the regular room rate. If that is the case it essentially is a $150 a year card and for that you get some goodies including a free night up to the 50k redemption value.

ksh937

The Aspire has a $250 resort credit for incidentals (food, spa, etc. i.e. NOT the actual room charge) and another $100 on premise credit for a total of $350 in annual credits. Although not the exact same as the SPG statement credit ($300 which is rumored can be used on the actual room), I think it's very comparable. I can't say that I've ever had a multi-night stay at a hotel without spending something... So that's another thing in the Aspire's favor (or at the very least, makes the Luxury and Aspire comparable).

Plus the Aspire has a $250 airline credit whereas the Luxury only has a Global Entry/TSA Pre Check credit ($100/$85 but you only need it once every 5 years, I believe, so it's only worth $20/$17 annually).

diesteldorf

The $250 Hilton Aspire resort credit can be applied to the actual room charges. However, it is only valid at around 190 specific Hilton resorts. www.hilton.com/resorts

I am assuming the $300 SPG Luxury Card credit can be used at any property. Personally, I was easily able to use the $250 Aspire airline credit and also the $250 resort credit, so I feel like I have already earned back the $450 annual fee. Plus, I have a weekend anniversary night that can be used at most Hilton properties---I haven't tried redeeming mine yet. I am sure Hilton may add a higher tier at some point, but my Diamond status earns me free breakfasts and lounge access, so I'm satisfied.

Provided you can redeem the $250 airline credit and resort credit, you are basically getting a free weekend night on the house.

As someone previously stated, the Amex Luxury Card isn't a bad deal, since most SPG/Marriott Loyalists will probably have no trouble using the $300 credit. Assuming the 50,000 point anniversary night nets you more than $150 in value, you've already made up the $450 annual fee. However, the Hilton Aspire is a better card for my personal circumstances.

At this point, I am curious if Chase will alter the benefits of the Ritz Carlton Card. I thought I remembered reading that they may also be adding an anniversary night. if that's true, I might put that ahead of the SPG Luxury card, since it also offers unique travel and airline credits.

If I was considering another Amex Card, I might even put the Platinum card ahead of the SPG Luxury card, since the $200 airline credit and $200 UBER credit can bring the annual fee down to $150, equal to that of the SPG Card. Plus, the Platinum card should also get you Marriott/SPG gold.

mediator

Hands down, Hilton Aspire wins:
1. You get diamond status (publicly highest Hilton status).
2. Annual weekend cert without category restriction
3. $250 airline fee credit
4,$100 HILTON ON-PROPERTY CREDIT

Vulcan

This is just what I have been looking for. Lounge access to me is a priority and since Marriott is now moving the goal posts as I have been attempting to get to 500 nights for LTP in *wood (which now becomes 600 in the new program), a change after 10+ years of SPG Platinum seems like the only option. Getting Diamond Status apparently gets Hilton lounge access so this will fulfill my needs very nicely.

Kacee

Agree. Really a weak offering.

Hilton Aspire is a much richer option, except it earns Hilton points and you have to stay at Hilton properties to use the benefits

christianj

If the sign-up deals for the LUXURY card are anything like the laughable bonus they are offering for the new "regular" AMEX card this card will be DOA. I'm speechless!!!!

https://runningwithmiles.boardingare...323.1428926485

TravelinSperry

1- Diamond status at Hilton is not comparable to Platinum at SPG. For example, you do not get guaranteed 4pm late checkout. You get the right to fight with a front desk clerk over your checkout and it will be somewhere around 2pm... more if you fight well.
2- The $100 on property credit must be booked via a unique Hilton link. Are the rates higher than booking without using that link?

One of the true perks of Aspire is the 7x on Air, Car, & Restaurant spend. Hilton points are valued at .006 cents per (I've personally found my redemptions to be ~5% higher... but we'll use .006). So that's 7x.006 or $4.20 per $100 spent on those categories. SPG Luxury Amex only provides 2x on those categories (since they are considered everyday spend). However, it's hard to calculate exactly the value of SPG points post Aug 1 since the reward chart isn't available yet. Still we can safely assume the new base is no greater than .009 (which is 1/3 of the previous 2.7 cents per SPG points were valued at). We know this since Marriott is converting all SPG points 1:3 on Aug 1. Now while a deval may occur (once might say it's darn likely), we simply don't know... so let's keep it where it is. That's .009*2 or $1.80 for every $100. That is some amazing difference on those categories making the Aspire card the CLEAR winner for Air, Car, and Restaurants (assuming of course you have need of Hilton points and can redeem for award stays). It's such a high level actually, that depending on how you redeem your airline miles, it may make sense to use over your direct airline cards when booking air (e.g., if you solely redeem for economy class).

As to everyday spend, the cards are equal assuming no Marriott deval come Aug 1. You earn 3x*.006 ($1.80) on Aspire and 2x*.009 ($1.80) on SPG Luxury.

For me the 1.8 level is darn close to 2% cashback cards. If you can get your Hilton redemptions up to .66, which is possible sometimes - you will just edge out 2% cashback. It is in the running for my everyday card (although I have yet to analyze Chase Ultimate rewards which may net more than 2%).

Another perk found on Aspire is that they offer premium roadside assistance. You get 4 tows free up to 10 miles annually. Plus, flat tire, lockout, etc. Could cancel AAA with that perk saving $50-$70 annually.

EasternTraveler

my AAA has 150 mile tow unlimited not 10 miles.