# Converting to Hilton Honors points



## cobourgladdie (Nov 6, 2008)

The way I see it, at the end of the year a decision has to be made. I have 4800 points unused in 2008, and 4800 points for 2009.

If I book a resort before Dec 31 2008 I can use my HGVC points in HGVC. But if I convert my 2009 points to Hilton Honors will they expire in 2009 or do I get to keep them forever?


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## Talent312 (Nov 6, 2008)

cobourgladdie said:


> The way I see it, at the end of the year a decision has to be made. I have 4800 points unused in 2008, and 4800 points for 2009.
> 
> If I book a resort before Dec 31 2008 I can use my HGVC points in HGVC. But if I convert my 2009 points to Hilton Honors will they expire in 2009 or do I get to keep them forever?



You don't necessarily have to book a resort in 2008 in order to save them.  That is one  option, but you can also "rescue" them (by 12/31) for use anytime in 2009.  Your rescued points would have to be used for club reservations before 12/31/2009.

If you convert your 2009 points to HHonors, they won't expire.  The conversion rate may be  reasonable (4800x25= 120,000); however, the point/night rate in the HHonors program is not very consumer friendly.  120,000 points only gets you 4 nights at a moderate-class hotel.

IMHO, it would be better to "deposit" your 2009 points for use in 2010.  You can borrow them back, if need be, and that will give you maximum flexibility for both 2009 and 2010.  ...  This is what I plan to do w-my 2009 points.


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## pianodinosaur (Nov 6, 2008)

Talent312 is absolutely correct.  Another option to consider is to deposit your 2008 HGVC points into RCI.  That gives you and additional two years to play with them. I moved my 2009 HGVC points into 2010 along time ago just for the sake of increased flexibility.


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## cobourgladdie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Thanks for the answers*

The answers more or less confirm what I had suspected: that honors points don't expire and that manipulation of the HGVC points, rescuing, depositing in RCI is only good for one or two years at the most. I realise that the HH points are only worth about half of HGVC points in real value but if I can't use them, or will lose them if I don't use them then converting to HH points should save about half of them forever.


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## Talent312 (Nov 7, 2008)

cobourgladdie said:


> The answers more or less confirm what I had suspected: that honors points don't expire and that manipulation of the HGVC points, rescuing, depositing in RCI is only good for one or two years at the most. I realise that the HH points are only worth about half of HGVC points in real value but if I can't use them, or will lose them if I don't use them then converting to HH points should save about half of them forever.



... true, for hotel rooms
... and until that is, Hilton decides (as the airlines did) to "improve" the system by diluting their value and imposing a use-or-lose expiration date.


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## alwysonvac (Nov 8, 2008)

cobourgladdie said:


> The way I see it, at the end of the year a decision has to be made. I have 4800 points unused in 2008, and 4800 points for 2009.
> 
> If I book a resort before Dec 31 2008 I can use my HGVC points in HGVC. But if I convert my 2009 points to Hilton Honors will they expire in 2009 or do I get to keep them forever?



To move your 2008 HGVC points to Hilton Honors, you would need to:
First, make a hilton hotl reservation for 2008 via HGVC using your current years points. 
Second, after the reservation has been made then you can call the Hilton Honors desk later to cancel the reservation and your points will be refunded to your Hilton HHonors account.

See this post for more details - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=619106&postcount=12


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## pianodinosaur (Nov 8, 2008)

You cannot convert your 2008 HGVC points to HHonors unless you are at the Hilton Elite Plus level or higher.  Hilton Elite Plus and Hilton Elite Premier have the option of same year conversions.   

You will get more bang for you points by depositing them into RCI than you will from an HHonors conversion.  Therefore, I see nothing to gain by converting your 2009 HGVC points to HHonors.


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## alwysonvac (Nov 8, 2008)

> You cannot convert your 2008 HGVC points to HHonors unless you are at the Hilton Elite Plus level or higher.  Hilton Elite Plus and Hilton Elite Premier have the option of same year conversions.


Correct, non-Elite members can not convert this years HGVC points to Hilton HHonors points. My post offers a suggestion on how non-Elite members can workaround the current year conversion restriction.  




> You will get more bang for you points by depositing them into RCI than you will from an HHonors conversion.  Therefore, I see nothing to gain by converting your 2009 HGVC points to HHonors.


It depends on where you want to go. If I wanted to visit a major city in Europe (London, Paris, Rome, Venice, etc) I would opt for the HHonor conversion.


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## pianodinosaur (Nov 9, 2008)

alwaysonvac:

Your points are well taken.  I have yet to convert HGVC points to HHonors.  However, I have done numerous HHonors redemptions. We will be staying in Barecelona next year and our room was secured with an HHonors redemption.  The HHonors program accumulates most quickly when the Hilton AmEx is used to pay for a Hilton family hotel booked online.  There is a 500 point bonus just for booking online.  There are 10 HHonors base points for every dollar spent at the hotel and 5 bonus points for every dollar paid with the Hilton AmEx.  Then you get the additional bonus depending upon if you are at the silver, gold, or platinum level. If the Hilton AmEx is used for non hotel related charges, there are 3 bonus points for every dollar spent.  

Clearly, not everyone accumulates HHonors points at the same rate. We have been at the platinum level the past three years and will most likely revert to the gold level next year. However, the HHonors program is so user friendly in its own right, that in my personal opinion, many of us would not  need to convert HGVC points to HHonors points. 

Lets say you spent $15000 per year on the HHonors AmEx.  That means you would accumulate a minimum of 45,000 HHonors points that year.  If you were to spend $1000 at a Hilton Family hotel, you would get 500 HHonors points for booking online.  You would get 10,000 HHonors base points for you hotel stay. You would get 5,000 bonus points because you charged it to your Hilton AmEx.  If you are at the gold level, you would get an additional 2,500 bonus points just because you are at the gold level.  That would give you 18,000 points just for spending $1000 at a Hilton Family hotel if you are at the gold level.  I would currently get 20,500 points because I am currently at the platinum level.  You would get 1500 bonus points at the silver level giving you a total of 17,000 points.  

I would think that accumulating 150,000 to 200,000 points in three years is not an unreasonable expectation if the HHonors program is used in conjunction with the Hilton AmEx.  That would cover a week in Paris without converting HGVC points.  On the other hand, if your goal is stay in a level 6 European hotel and you are not utilizing HHonors in the course of your normal behavior, then the conversion would be very useful. 

Now, lets say you convert 7000 HGVC points into 175,000 HHonors points.  You should still use your Hilton Amex and charge everything to the room. Consider:

roundtrip airline tickets to Paris for two: about $1800 earns 5400 HHonors points

hotel meals and incidentals for two: about $800 earns 8000 HHonors base points and 4000 AmEX bonus points and 2000 bonus points at the gold level.
This is about 14000 points eventhough you are staying in Paris on a redemption. 

Therefore, it would still be very easy to pick up about 18,000 to 20,000 HHonors points even when you are doing a redemption.


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## alwysonvac (Nov 9, 2008)

pianodinosaur said:


> alwaysonvac:
> 
> Your points are well taken.  I have yet to convert HGVC points to HHonors.  However, I have done numerous HHonors redemptions. We will be staying in Barecelona next year and our room was secured with an HHonors redemption.  The HHonors program accumulates most quickly when the Hilton AmEx is used to pay for a Hilton family hotel booked online.  There is a 500 point bonus just for booking online.  There are 10 HHonors base points for every dollar spent at the hotel and 5 bonus points for every dollar paid with the Hilton AmEx.  Then you get the additional bonus depending upon if you are at the silver, gold, or platinum level. If the Hilton AmEx is used for non hotel related charges, there are 3 bonus points for every dollar spent.
> 
> ...




I know how both the HHonors and Hilton AMEX programs work. I've also completed numerous HHonors redemptions. I've been a HHonors member for 10+ years.  

I'm sure your post will help those who are unfamiliar with the Hilton AMEX option. While the Hilton AMEX option is a good option for those who want to accumulate HHonors points. There are many credit card reward programs to choose from. One size doesn't fit all. I prefer to do all of my spending on a different credit card which satisfies some of my other goals. 

I carry the Hilton AMEX so I can take advantage of the AXON reward but I’ve also used it to secure Gold status when I need it. 

It all comes down to personal preference. Your personal preference is to use your HGVC points for cruises, RCI exchanges and HGVC stays and use your Hilton Amex card for Hilton Hotel stays. My personal preference is to use my HGVC points for HGVC Hawaii stays and expensive Hilton hotel stays, pay cash to get the best cruise deals and use one of my other timeshares for Interval International exchanges.


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## pianodinosaur (Nov 10, 2008)

alwaysonvac:

Your points are again well taken. Perhaps the day will come when it will be in my personal advantage to convert HGVC points to HHonors points.  

I have enjoyed this conversation and I look forward to more of your posts to that I may continue to learn from them.


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## derb (Nov 10, 2008)

*Auto Silver Membership*

As a HGVC owner you are a silver member of HHonors.  As such you qualify for their going global program that allows for top hotels around the world for 175K for 6 nites.  We used it for the Hilton Cavalari In Rome.  What a joy.
By the way its a little known fact that you can extend these stays for 1/6th of 175K per nite rate or 30K per nite.


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