Amex Hilton Changes

[HuskerATL]

Just had a minor frustration with my Aspire and a hotel stay in the UK. I spent two nights at a Hilton Garden Inn at LHR, booked with points. I had an Amex offer where if you spend 300 with Hilton, you get $60 back. HGV is excluded, so it needs to be a hotel stay. I charged some food and drinks to my room, figuring that would trigger the credit, only to discover the hotel charged my credit card separately for each transaction, so I never hit the $300 minimum. oh well.

Ugh .. That is frustrating. Normally, that is the way to do it and then pay at the end

 

[mountainboy]

the hotel charged my credit card separately for each transaction, so I never hit the $300 minimum. oh well.

*can ask the hotel Mgr to review & update, possibly (explaining the why behind your ask... Worse they will say is no)... (possible it is too late for this go around)..
Next time, may proactively ask/tell them to do in this way, to maximize your chance of getting that credit...
TY!

 

[1Kflyerguy]

*can ask the hotel Mgr to review & update, possibly (explaining the why behind your ask... Worse they will say is no)... (possible it is too late for this go around)..
Next time, may proactively ask/tell them to do in this way, to maximize your chance of getting that credit...
TY!

I think its too late for the hotel, as we are already back home and all of the charges have posted to my account. I think I may try messaging Amex to see if they will honor it, but thats a bit of a long shot

 

[HuskerATL]

I think its too late for the hotel, as we are already back home and all of the charges have posted to my account. I think I may try messaging Amex to see if they will honor it, but thats a bit of a long shot

definitely worth a try. Just tell them that you spent it onsite, at an eligible property, so it should count.

 

[JohnnyO]

Received out $200 Resort Credit from charges to our stays on the Big Island. Also got the $50 travel credit toward airfares/taxes.

While we were at Kohala Suites the Concierge booked some diving training and boat dive for us. I asked the Concierge if this was processed through Hilton. He said no it was direct with the vendor. So we used a different card. When I saw the charges on our Chase card it said Hilton, so the concierge was wrong. So I called the number on the receipt and they were more than happy to reverse the charges on our Chase card and process the charges on our Aspire and we got 14x points.

 

[mountainboy]

So I called the number on the receipt and they were more than happy to reverse the charges on our Chase card and process the charges on our Aspire and we got 14x points.

@1Kflyerguy , see...
May be worth a shot for you too, if you want...
Worse they will say no (which is where you are now anyways)..
TY!

 

[Reddart]

Piggy backing on this thread since there should be experience with what I’m about to ask.

Since my wife and I are joint HH members (same #, as many HGVC here owners may be), in some planned travel to Japan, I’d like to book 2 rooms for us and the inlaws (who are not HH members). Ideally, we could get Diamond benefits for both rooms, but I know the policy is just the booking diamond members room would be diamond and the other would not carry the benefits.
If my wife had her own HH account, with her aspire/diamond we could book the 2 rooms separately listing the respective inlaws as other guest in our rooms. But with the joint account, it doesn’t appear that we would be able to do separate bookings, as it ties the rooms to our one account with my name automatically entered in the reservation.

Has anyone experienced a workaround for this?

 

[HuskerATL]

Piggy backing on this thread since there should be experience with what I’m about to ask.

Since my wife and I are joint HH members (same #, as many HGVC here owners may be), in some planned travel to Japan, I’d like to book 2 rooms for us and the inlaws (who are not HH members). Ideally, we could get Diamond benefits for both rooms, but I know the policy is just the booking diamond members room would be diamond and the other would not carry the benefits.
If my wife had her own HH account, with her aspire/diamond we could book the 2 rooms separately listing the respective inlaws as other guest in our rooms. But with the joint account, it doesn’t appear that we would be able to do separate bookings, as it ties the rooms to our one account with my name automatically entered in the reservation.

Has anyone experienced a workaround for this?

We just went to Prague, Berlin, and Barcelona booking 2 rooms on HH points in each location (Hiltons); one for us and one for our sons. No issues with them using the executive lounge. The room is just under your name and shows as Diamond.

 

[ljmiii]

FYI for New York Residents, yesterday I discovered that the Aspire is now the best card I have for Rental Cars with its 7x earn. Sometime in the past few years the CSR (and all Visa Infinite) changed to no longer providing primary insurance for US rentals to NY residents. AMEX's primary coverage surcharge of $24.95 per rental (not day) is well worth the money. (Note that AMEX's primary coverage is unavailable to NH residents).

 

[HuskerATL]

FYI for New York Residents, yesterday I discovered that the Aspire is now the best card I have for Rental Cars with its 7x earn. Sometime in the past few years the CSR (and all Visa Infinite) changed to no longer providing primary insurance for US rentals to NY residents. AMEX's primary coverage surcharge of $24.95 per rental (not day) is well worth the money. (Note that AMEX's primary coverage is unavailable to NH residents).

I just signed up for that premium coverage with our Platinum card. It just charges when you rent and covers more. If you are using it internationally, just check the countries not covered though... Like Italy.

 

[mountainboy]

Not for Hilton Aspire, but for Amex Platinum users (many of us have both), Amex launching new Amex Travel app with lounge wait times etc.
More on Amex Platinum refresh tmrw (likely separate post by Amex Platinum experts on that, soon)

American Express Launches the Amex Travel App (Lounge Wait Times Included)

American Express announced the launch of a stand-alone Amex Travel app which will become available for iOS in a few days and on Android in a few weeks. It combines the regular Amex Travel booking…

www.doctorofcredit.com

Also, looks like they nerfed a benefit on the Biz Platinum for J & F Fliers..

[Last Chance] American Express Business Platinum Will No Longer Earn 35% Rebate On All First & Business Class Bookings

American Express announced today that the Business Platinum card will no longer include First and Business Class tickets booked on an airline that is not your selected airline. The change will go into…

www.doctorofcredit.com

 

[Monkeyboy]

FYI for New York Residents, yesterday I discovered that the Aspire is now the best card I have for Rental Cars with its 7x earn. Sometime in the past few years the CSR (and all Visa Infinite) changed to no longer providing primary insurance for US rentals to NY residents. AMEX's primary coverage surcharge of $24.95 per rental (not day) is well worth the money. (Note that AMEX's primary coverage is unavailable to NH residents).

How would you buy the Amex primary coverage?

 

[HuskerATL]

How would you buy the Amex primary coverage?

They offer a premium coverage for rental cars that only charges you when you book and it is $24.95 each time that you rent. It basically covers everything like normal car coverage covers.

 

[ljmiii]

How would you buy the Amex primary coverage?

You sign up on the AMEX website for primary rental car coverage (I suppose you could probably do it in the app as well). Then AMEX charges you every time you rent using the card.

 

[HuskerATL]

You sign up on the AMEX website for primary rental car coverage (I suppose you could probably do it in the app as well). Then AMEX charges you every time you rent using the card.

You can sign up via the app. It is available through the Aspire and Surpass also. We have the plat, Aspire, Surpass, and Preferred Cash and it says all 4 are eligible to enroll.

 

[Zenichiro]

Not for Hilton Aspire, but for Amex Platinum users (many of us have both), Amex launching new Amex Travel app with lounge wait times etc.
More on Amex Platinum refresh tmrw (likely separate post by Amex Platinum experts on that, soon)

American Express Launches the Amex Travel App (Lounge Wait Times Included)

American Express announced the launch of a stand-alone Amex Travel app which will become available for iOS in a few days and on Android in a few weeks. It combines the regular Amex Travel booking…

www.doctorofcredit.com

Also, looks like they nerfed a benefit on the Biz Platinum for J & F Fliers..

[Last Chance] American Express Business Platinum Will No Longer Earn 35% Rebate On All First & Business Class Bookings

American Express announced today that the Business Platinum card will no longer include First and Business Class tickets booked on an airline that is not your selected airline. The change will go into…

www.doctorofcredit.com

I bit the bullett and upgraded to platinum just to see what all will come with the changes. Have a lot of travel planed so the lounge access will come in handy and will use the airline, FHR, Hilton, phone, digital entertainment and Resy credits.

 

[Zenichiro]

They added $5 to digital entertainment and included YouTube TV. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/amer...ap4jNAf7up7C9JKyee_aem_iIqHEVzHZpxS2IoA6snDZw

 

[HuskerATL]

I bit the bullett and upgraded to platinum just to see what all will come with the changes. Have a lot of travel planed so the lounge access will come in handy and will use the airline, FHR, Hilton, phone, and Resy credits.

Plus streaming credits and Walmart+ credit which includes Paramount+, Uber credit that we mostly use for Uber eats, Clear, global entry, etc.

I will need to do the math this year to see if it is worth keeping. We also have the Delta Reserve which gives us access to the Delta lounge and similar benefits. Using the companion ticket covers the annual fee and more depending on the ticket so it makes the other benefits free.

 

[HuskerATL]

They added $5 to digital entertainment and included YouTube TV. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/amer...ap4jNAf7up7C9JKyee_aem_iIqHEVzHZpxS2IoA6snDZw

We have the ad version of the Disney bundle and Peacock so it covers those. Walmart+ comes with Paramount+. Our ATT Internet comes with Max. Our Verizon mobile service gives us a discount on Netflix so we really only pay full price on YouTube TV but we pay it with the Amex preferred cash card so get decent cash back with that. .... So, most of our TV is covered and we only keep YouTube TV during football season and then cancel it.

 

[mountainboy]

I bit the bullett and upgraded to platinum

As you will likely use the benefits, you should be good! Nice to have options (lounge access), when traveling!
Hate the couponing (75 each Quarter for Lulu etc but better FHR credit with just 1 night stay is better than CSR Edit credit with min 2 nite stay)
Keep in mind Centurion does not allow guests unless 75k spend/yr; Escape lounges DO allow 2 guests with Amex Platinum (w/o any 75k spend reqt).
(in PHX T4, Centurion & Escape are next to each other; same kitchen & amenities; nice to be able to take guests for free to Escape lounge (not so at Centurion, unless 75k spend or paying extra to make folks AUs)...
Mahalo!

 

[HuskerATL]

On the Plat discussion, the new benefits are published. Will need to do the math to see if the new $895 price tag is worth it plus we have an additional authorized card..so more for that.

 

[HuskerATL]

BTW, September is the last month in Q3....so start spending those quarterly benefits....just bought the 3 pack of Lululemon mens undies for $78.....used up that $75 credit quickly...

signed up for Uber One since it is free with the credit and did the annual plan since both the monthly and annual plans are covered. Kicking around Oura, not a big wearable person but, if I can get it for free....may do it. I wonder if these will all reset January 1st.

Still will decide by December whether to keep the card or not but will squeak out the benefits while I can.

 

[HuskerATL]

another BTW....out shopping like it is Christmas right now...

 

[JohnnyO]

another BTW....out shopping like it is Christmas right now...

Do we really need to hear about your Lulu undies???

 

[HuskerATL]

Do we really need to hear about your Lulu undies???

Sorry, TMI but more of a joke about 3 pairs of undies for $78....