Hilton AmEx cards

[brp]

Here is the letter that you get at check in:
View attachment 71529

Wow, this is a good benefit. It has pretty much all the perks one would get as an elite plus the $100 credit. And this is on top of the $200 right off the top. Thanks for the detailed info. I will definitely have to use this going forward.

Cheers.

 

[HuskerATL]

Wow, this is a great benefit! Sounds like a good value.

Gotta rethink Amex Plat again as I was never convinced by Amex Plat benefits to provide significantly more than the annual fee - and this is my benchmark for keeping a card with AF.

• $240 Digital entertainment meh, our friends group of 3 pool together all streaming services, and Hulu/Disney is already covered by other friend
• $155 Walmart+ meh - but there could be a value in Paramount+ included, but it's meh since it's an ad-supported version and I have the version that is sanity-friendly (no ads)
• $189 CLEAR credit meh - because I'm not eligible
• lounges meh - I don't travel too much for it too matter, plus my Priority Pass is enough
• $300 Equinox meh - because I live rural and have my own workout room
• $15 x 12 + $20 Uber / Uber eats meh - no Uber in my area, so it's only for vacations that we don't drive to and don't rent a car
• $200 airline credit meh - because I have AA and Delta low-AF cards that provide free bags, and I'm not a seat upgrading dude. And besides bags or seats, I don't know what else there is to spend money on. Internet didn't count as incidental charge - it was charged by Viasat directly. Look below how I used my 2x $250 credit on Aspire before EOY, but it's nothing I would ever buy myself so the usefulness is questionable.

View attachment 71532

For us, we use the FHR $200 credit, $15 Uber/ Uber eats, 5x points on flights, the $189 clear for the family (very helpful in ATL), global entry, some offers which seem to be better than the Aspire ones, Walmart $12.95/month that comes with paramount+, $240 streaming service credit for the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+, airline credit for seat upgrades, Delta lounge access, priority pass for other lounges, and points for flights. We save quite a bit more than it cost us. We also have the Aspire for Hilton related stuff, and the Delta Amex Platinum which has Delta perks and a free companion ticket each year.... This last perk more than covers the cost of the card.

 

[letsgobobby]

For us, we use the FHR $200 credit, $15 Uber/ Uber eats, 5x points on flights, the $189 clear for the family (very helpful in ATL), global entry, some offers which seem to be better than the Aspire ones, Walmart $12.95/month that comes with paramount+, $240 streaming service credit for the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+, airline credit for seat upgrades, Delta lounge access, priority pass for other lounges, and points for flights. We save quite a bit more than it cost us. We also have the Aspire for Hilton related stuff, and the Delta Amex Platinum which has Delta perks and a free companion ticket each year.... This last perk more than covers the cost of the card.

the clear credit covers the whole family not just the cardholder? that was another factor holding me back.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

Quick comparison question. In another post, I was looking at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. Which is better for benefits, the HH Aspire card or the Bonvoy Brilliant? The AF looks to be $200/year less for the Aspire. I am not really wanting to go with Marriott, just going where the benefits outweigh the high AF.

TS

 

[GT75]

Thanks for the great discussion on CCs everyone. It was time for me to reevaluate.

 

[HuskerATL]

the clear credit covers the whole family not just the cardholder? that was another factor holding me back.

Not really or maybe So, if you have status with Delta (silver and above) you can link your account with clear and get it for $109. Each family member above 17 is $60. So, if you have kids under 18, they go with you for free and if you have status with Delta, then you and your wife can get it for $169 total. Luckily, I am a million miler with Delta so I have silver for life. Not many perks with it but a few. There is another airline with the same ability but I don't remember which one.

I did hear a rumor that the Delta clear cost is going up to $149 though.

You can also get TSA precheck for free. If you and your wife both have it, then you can use the pre-check clear line and it is the shortest. If your airport has it. ATL does. Kids under 18 go with the parents for free.

 

[Zenichiro]

Quick comparison question. In another post, I was looking at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. Which is better for benefits, the HH Aspire card or the Bonvoy Brilliant? The AF looks to be $200/year less for the Aspire. I am not really wanting to go with Marriott, just going where the benefits outweigh the high AF.

TS

I have compared both the Aspire and Brillant recently. We have a chase Marriott that we occasionally use and I don’t want to close because it has 18 years of history on it…
The perks that I see for the Brilliant over Aspire are Global TSA pre check credit 4.5 years, the 25 night elite credits and platinum status. So it’s mainly a Marriott status gaining card to help boost you to Titanium. If you can pair it with another card that gives you elite credits and actually stay a week at Marriott you would then be Titanium (which is not much of a boost in benefits over Platinum IMO). You would definitely be out money accepting this card annually.

Chase Hyatt on the other hand, really has me thinking it could be a great alternative to future great vacations. They don’t have the world wide presence of a Marriott or Hilton but they do have aspirational vacation locations and their points per $ value are very high. You can even use world of Hyatt points at their timeshare properties at reasonable values. Now you would have to put spend on the card and it would take some time to gain status but the status would really mean something.

My annual spend is around 45k and it mainly goes on Hilton Surpass/Aspire (2 FNC and around 500k HH points). That same spend on Marriott most likely would not get me Titanium with Marriott but could get me to Globalist with Hyatt with better point redemption.
(2 FNC, 90k points for spend estimate on card) 5 qualifying nights with card, 18 with spend for 23 total gaining Explorist status. Hyatt also has milestones bonus so with 23 nights you would also gain 4 club lounge access awards and 1 more FNC for a total of 3 free nights.

Now if you use the 3 free nights plus use your points to stay 90k from spend 60k from sign up bonus you can easily gain another 10 free nights or a total of 13+ (depending on point stretching) that is a ton of value for a $95 annual fee card IMO.

It would be tough for me to get the remaining 23 nights needed to obtain Globalist and I don’t think nights roll over a lot with Hyatt but I am planning on a 2024 Hawaii trip and this could really go a long way combined with HGVC/Hilton HH stays

 

[HuskerATL]

Quick comparison question. In another post, I was looking at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. Which is better for benefits, the HH Aspire card or the Bonvoy Brilliant? The AF looks to be $200/year less for the Aspire. I am not really wanting to go with Marriott, just going where the benefits outweigh the high AF.

TS

I don't know the Marriott card but it may depend on how you use it. If you need it for Hilton stuff like stays and maintenance fees, then the Aspire may be better but others would need to chip it.

 

[Zenichiro]

Marriott Brilliant is a $650 card with $300 dining statement credit ($25 in credit per month) 1 Free night which I don’t think you get right away. It’s a tough play to have it make sense in year 2 IMO unless you are a Marriott loyalist, want that status and will use it.

 

[ljmiii]

Quick comparison question. In another post, I was looking at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. Which is better for benefits, the HH Aspire card or the Bonvoy Brilliant? The AF looks to be $200/year less for the Aspire. I am not really wanting to go with Marriott, just going where the benefits outweigh the high AF.

I find no value to the Bonvoy Brilliant...or at least no value that comes close to the AF. I struggle to understand how large the set of people who demand Platinum status but don't get there via nights (or MVC ownership) could possibly be. So I downgraded to the 'no longer offered' basic AMEX $95/yr card - the 35K FNC is more than worth the AF. By being judicious, I've thus far been able to use the 35K FNC for stays that would have cost $350+.

The HH AMEX Aspire offers more value than the Brilliant, but for my circumstances the HH AMEX Surpass is a better deal. I don't stay at Hilton Resorts, I would struggle to use the Airline Fee Credit, and I buy enough Gas and Groceries that when I add my HGVC MFs I reach the $40K spend for Diamond with little if any 'topping off' at the end of the year.

 

[letsgobobby]

Not really or maybe So, if you have status with Delta (silver and above) you can link your account with clear and get it for $109. Each family member above 17 is $60. So, if you have kids under 18, they go with you for free and if you have status with Delta, then you and your wife can get it for $169 total. Luckily, I am a million miler with Delta so I have silver for life. Not many perks with it but a few. There is another airline with the same ability but I don't remember which one.

I did hear a rumor that the Delta clear cost is going up to $149 though.

You can also get TSA precheck for free. If you and your wife both have it, then you can use the pre-check clear line and it is the shortest. If your airport has it. ATL does. Kids under 18 go with the parents for free.

we all have TSA from US Bank Altitude, 2 CSR, and AA MC World Elite. so the Clear for only one of us wasn't appealing but if it could cover all of us or at least the kids, maybe.

 

[frank808]

Not really or maybe So, if you have status with Delta (silver and above) you can link your account with clear and get it for $109. Each family member above 17 is $60. So, if you have kids under 18, they go with you for free and if you have status with Delta, then you and your wife can get it for $169 total. Luckily, I am a million miler with Delta so I have silver for life. Not many perks with it but a few. There is another airline with the same ability but I don't remember which one.

I did hear a rumor that the Delta clear cost is going up to $149 though.

You can also get TSA precheck for free. If you and your wife both have it, then you can use the pre-check clear line and it is the shortest. If your airport has it. ATL does. Kids under 18 go with the parents for free.

United is the other airline that is $129 for members and $109 for silver and gold members. I have free Clear from UA and use the $189 benefit from my Amex green card ($150 AF) so the wife gets Clear also. In years not making top tier, the Clear credit covered myself and I had to pay $60 for my wife. Amex increased the Clear benefit to $189 late last year. That should cover myself and wife annually now even when I do not qualify for free Clear. I tried adding my son (17) to Clear family but Clear said it is not available for anyone under 18. Tried explaining that he travels without us on occasion and flies alone to meet wife and so needs his own Clear profile.

 

[HuskerATL]

I tried adding my son (17) to Clear family but Clear said it is not available for anyone under 18. Tried explaining that he travels without us on occasion and flies alone to meet wife and so needs his own Clear profile.

did they allow it? it would probably be $60 if they did. Our son goes with us or his older brother so no issues yet for us.

 

[frank808]

did they allow it? it would probably be $60 if they did. Our son goes with us or his older brother so no issues yet for us.

Nope Clear did not allow it. Yes it would be $60. Plus now being free for wife and son with Amex green benefit makes it even better. He turns 18 in about 10 months so will get him added to Clear this year.

 

[travelhacker]

the clear credit covers the whole family not just the cardholder? that was another factor holding me back.

You can sign up for a free United mileage plus account and get a discounted price. I signed up my wife, me, and my father in law and my net cost was something like $30.

If you aren't sure if you'll get the value out of it, I'd do it for a year when you can get a good signup bonus and see for yourself.

I was on the fence, and I've been quite pleased with it. As long as the fee doesn't go up much more and the perks don't get cut, it'll be in my wallet for a long time.

 

[letsgobobby]

I find no value to the Bonvoy Brilliant...or at least no value that comes close to the AF. I struggle to understand how large the set of people who demand Platinum status but don't get there via nights (or MVC ownership) could possibly be. So I downgraded to the 'no longer offered' basic AMEX $95/yr card - the 35K FNC is more than worth the AF. By being judicious, I've thus far been able to use the 35K FNC for stays that would have cost $350+.

The HH AMEX Aspire offers more value than the Brilliant, but for my circumstances the HH AMEX Surpass is a better deal. I don't stay at Hilton Resorts, I would struggle to use the Airline Fee Credit, and I buy enough Gas and Groceries that when I add my HGVC MFs I reach the $40K spend for Diamond with little if any 'topping off' at the end of the year.

likewise we have the Marriott visa bonvoy from Chase for $95 AF and use primarily for the FNC

 

[brp]

I find no value to the Bonvoy Brilliant...or at least no value that comes close to the AF. I struggle to understand how large the set of people who demand Platinum status but don't get there via nights (or MVC ownership) could possibly be.

We are those people. We stay primarily at Hyatt because there one actually has to earn status versus getting it via a card. and their top status has the best perks. But we occasionally stay at Marriott, so the Platinum is nice. I can make the $300 dining credit work, and the 85K free night is nice as well. This is harder to justify than some other cards, but the change from Gold to Platinum made it a bit easier.

But mrs. brp has the Hyatt card and we use it for all charging (taxes of all sorts and many other things) to combine with nights for Globalist status. Hilton Aspire is a no-brainer as the perks outweigh the cost annually. Amex Platinum is a good deal as well as we use Clear, Media benefit for NYT, usually Uber, Walmart+ for Paramount+. We have used the airline rebate for WN tickets, but we don't fly them as much and, between our cards, we had $750 in airline credits. I switched my two to AS and will get a lounge membership. mrs. brp will get WN tickets for hers.

Cheers.

 

[letsgobobby]

This thread has evolved into a cc master thread and how the Aspire/Surpass cards fit in the portfolio for HGVC owners. Very useful. Maybe a separate master thread would be less diluted.

 

[Mongoose]

Yes, especially at places like Conrad internationally. There is often an executive floor and lounge.

You typically still get recognized by the hotel as an elite, however you don't get points from the chain.

 

[Great3]

With the Morgan Stanley Amex Plat the associate Plat card is free. The Annual Fee for the card is also rebated back to brokerage account if you have certain Morgan accounts. Since we already work with Morgan Stanley, its a winner for us. And similar I don't use their PP offering either.

Wow, thanks for mentioning this. I didn't know a Morgan Stanley version of the AMEX Platinum existed until you mentioned it, and looking it up, and now reading up on the $695 Annual Engagement Bonus.

Great3

 

[frank808]

the clear credit covers the whole family not just the cardholder? that was another factor holding me back.

You get a $189 credit. So if first person has a discounted rate of $109 and adds their spouse($60) and 18 yr old ($60) it is $229-$189 for $40 total for 3 memberships. I have the Amex green card and that perk is worth the $150 AF for me. Clear lane has saved me anywhere from 0 to 80 minutes even with TSA precheck (EWR is a zoo). Made a flight once because we had Clear (last minute cancellation and got rebooked). Of not for Clear we would have missed that flight. But not pulling put ID is nice.

I have also had Clear take longer than the standard TSA precheck lane (LAX and IAD happens a lot). This is usually the case when Clear employees are not paying attention.

But overall, Clear for free is a win.

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[frank808]

Quick comparison question. In another post, I was looking at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. Which is better for benefits, the HH Aspire card or the Bonvoy Brilliant? The AF looks to be $200/year less for the Aspire. I am not really wanting to go with Marriott, just going where the benefits outweigh the high AF.

TS

When the Brilliant was $450 AF and got $300 MVC rebate for paying MF it was a no brained. So essentially $150 for a 50k free night certificate was a great deal.

Now Brilliant is $650 AF with $300 in $25 month increments for a year. Con is you have to remember to use it monthly. You do get an 85K certificate but now paying $300 for that privilege. I have PP from Chase which includes restaurants so never use the Amex one. When my Brilliant AF is billed at $650 will downgrade to the $95 card with 35K night.

Now the Hilton Aspire card is the opposite. We make $50 a year per Aspire(we pay HGVC dues) and get a FNA. Keeper Aspire as long as AF is less than the credits $250 Hotel and $250 airline credit.

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[brp]

You typically still get recognized by the hotel as an elite, however you don't get points from the chain.

Yup. Can definitely happen. But they are also within their rights to deny benefits as it is explicitly written as such into the rules.

Cheers.

 

[HuskerATL]

Yup. Can definitely happen. But they are also within their rights to deny benefits as it is explicitly written as such into the rules.

Cheers.

I did find this, https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton-honors/terms/

• On-property benefits are not awarded in the following circumstances: Reservations booked through a non-Hilton-direct booking channel or a non-designated GDS, third party website or any other channel; Rates available on "opaque" websites where the hotel brand and specific hotel are not known until the booking is made, or Third party hotel packages or travel packages not booked through one of the eligible channels; Booking ineligible stays, (as defined in the Accrual of Points section) unless hotel contract has specific benefits included.
• A "stay" is defined as the total number of consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, whether or not a guest checks out and checks back in again. Specifically excluded from the definition of "stay" are the following types of ineligible stays: wholesale/tour operator packages; contracted crew rates; travel agency discount rates; packages exclusively for casino player card holders; unauthorized Members staying on Go Hilton Team Member or Family & Friends Travel Rates; stays secured utilizing Hilton Grand Vacations Club and Hilton Club timeshare programs, Hilton Grand Vacations marketing packages with a sales presentation requirement; complimentary or barter rooms; NET Group rates; Series Group or IT Group rates; contracted Entertainment or Encore rates; third party websites bookings (irrespective of rate paid); and "opaque" channel bookings where the brand may or may not be known at the time of purchase.

This is interesting though because I have done it and received our Diamond benefits at the hotel. I think the stay counted but I don't remember that part but I am pretty sure we got points. I have done this for work, via our travel agency who books our travel and includes my HH number.

 

[letsgobobby]

is this the thread where nowaker keeps the list of confirmed resort credit eligible resorts?

I can confirm three things that did not generate the credit

1. taxes/incidentals at Liberty Place Charleston
2. open season reservation at Trump Las Vegas
3. HGVC deed enrollment/club activation fee

I already knew MarBrisa and W 57th didn't qualify.

I guess Lagoon MF will be how both of us get our resort credit.