Amex Hilton Aspire

[Locksmythe]

This is our first year with Aspire - I think we will be able to get the resort reward while at Hawaiian Village this summer, but otherwise will use for MF at Elara or Bay Club if those work.

I chose United for our airline not knowing they may be difficult to get credits with. I'm going to have to chase that down. Saw a link earlier in the thread.

I see you all talking about the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the airport lounge feature. Is it different than the lounge feature on Aspire? I doubt I will be adding another high fee card this year, so how can we make the most of the Aspire benefit?

 

[hurnik]

This is our first year with Aspire - I think we will be able to get the resort reward while at Hawaiian Village this summer, but otherwise will use for MF at Elara or Bay Club if those work.

I chose United for our airline not knowing they may be difficult to get credits with. I'm going to have to chase that down. Saw a link earlier in the thread.

I see you all talking about the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the airport lounge feature. Is it different than the lounge feature on Aspire? I doubt I will be adding another high fee card this year, so how can we make the most of the Aspire benefit?

United brought back their Travel Bank, so you can use the $250 for that and get credited. There's a time limit to keep the Travel Bank activated (I can't remember exactly but it's on the Flyer Talk forum). I wanna say every 18 months you have to have "some" activity like depositing more into the Travel Bank, or just use it.

 

[Locksmythe]

United brought back their Travel Bank, so you can use the $250 for that and get credited. There's a time limit to keep the Travel Bank activated (I can't remember exactly but it's on the Flyer Talk forum). I wanna say every 18 months you have to have "some" activity like depositing more into the Travel Bank, or just use it.

We are shopping for tickets for the fall now. Can I deposit the 250 today and then use for those tickets?

 

[brp]

I see you all talking about the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the airport lounge feature. Is it different than the lounge feature on Aspire? I doubt I will be adding another high fee card this year, so how can we make the most of the Aspire benefit?

Yes, it is different. Amex cards that have Priority Pass get lounges, but no restaurants. Non-Amex (like CSR) get restuarants as wwll.

Note that CSR has a $300 travel reimbursement, so it's not quite as expensive as it first appears.

Cheers.

 

[hurnik]

We are shopping for tickets for the fall now. Can I deposit the 250 today and then use for those tickets?

I believe so, but here's the thread for United:

Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: UA only (2020-21) - FlyerTalk Forums

American Express | Membership Rewards - Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: UA only (2020-21) - Purchased a lounge pass via the app and priority boarding on 12/28. We received the credit back on 12/31.

www.flyertalk.com

Travel bank discussion is here:

UA "TravelBank" Q&A , with option to deposit funds - FlyerTalk Forums

United Airlines | MileagePlus - UA "TravelBank" Q&A , with option to deposit funds - Originally Posted by gpicur On Sunday, February 6 I attempted to purchase a one-way "L" Fare Ticket (CVG-SRQ) at the United Website. Everything worked fine until it came time to pay for the ticket. I attempted 5

www.flyertalk.com

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Glad to see the Travel Bank purchases still work, i know there had been some post earlier this year that they had stopped working... I used all of my 2021 credit in early Jan and got the rebates right away.

 

[Locksmythe]

edit: nevermind! travelcash is the link for some reason... united still reports that travelbank is closed if you search for it directly

 

[pedro47]

Good luck with them waiving the fee for a new card. Maybe if you have the Centurion card. Perhaps if you ask nicely if you have both the Plat Personal and Plat Biz (I may try this now that I think about this...).

I think they will have a decent sign-up bonus.

$495 annual fee + plus any monthly finances charges. Is this card worth the effort?

In five (5) years it will cost you $2475.00 dollars just in annual fees.

 

[letsgobobby]

what is a weekend night? Fri Sat? Sat Sun? Fri Sat Sun?

 

[1Kflyerguy]

what is a weekend night? Fri Sat? Sat Sun? Fri Sat Sun?

I think its Fri, Sat and Sunday. I don't see that the website lists that. Currently the certificates are good for any night of the week, But new certificates issued after Dec 31, 2022 will go back to just weekends.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

$495 annual fee + plus any monthly finances charges. Is this card worth the effort?

In five (5) years it will cost you $2475.00 dollars just in annual fees.

Absolutely if you own HGVC (can get the $250 statement credit for paying MF), can utilize the Airline credit ($250 credit we use with Southwest), plus the uncapped free night. We've stayed at Waldorf and Conrads that were listed at $500 - $800/night with free Diamond breakfast of $48/for two using the annual certificate.

If they don't devalue, we plan to apply for another one next year. I consider this an extension of our Hilton TS program.

If you don't have Hilton MF payments, drive to destinations and don't stay at HIlton's it is not worth it.

 

[drucifer]

If you don't have Hilton MF payments, drive to destinations, and don't stay at HIltons it is not worth it.

"If you ain't a baller, don't be rollin' wit Aspire"

 

[rickandcindy23]

If you exchange into a Hilton through RCI, the resort fees of $25 per day and the TAT (at HI resorts) do get credited back up to $250. That makes it worthwhile to me, plus I did add Southwest to my card for expenses, and all of the extra expenses come back to me, including all of the $5.60 per flight segment, when I book using points.

Someone suggested booking Mexico through SW w/ points, and those fees get charged at a higher rate, then cancel the flight a few weeks later. Worked like a charm. The credit will also apply but the points were cancelled and went back to my SW accounts.

Hotels are quite expensive, but I did use a night at Hampton Inn and Suites and saved $200 + tax by using the night. I honestly think it's ridiculous to have to call to use the free night. Why don't they let us book the night ourselves online?

 

[fishwithwater]

Will using this card to pay for open season nights, say for Kings' Land, trigger the resort credit?

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Will using this card to pay for open season nights, say for Kings' Land, trigger the resort credit?

I have not done this, but expect that it would trigger the credit. Paying for food drinks at KL have worked

 

[Zenichiro]

We use the Aspire and Surpass together. We use the Aspire for $250 airline credit, $250 resort credit (MF) free night cert. Only charge airline and hotel.
Use Surpass on all daily spend until we hit the $15k for the free night cert. 6x gas, dining and grocery.

This gives us about 400,000 HH points a year and 2 free night certs. So an extra vacation basically. We will do aHilton hotel vacation one year and an HGVC with borrowed points the next.

 

[frank808]

We use the Aspire and Surpass together. We use the Aspire for $250 airline credit, $250 resort credit (MF) free night cert. Only charge airline and hotel.
Use Surpass on all daily spend until we hit the $15k for the free night cert. 6x gas, dining and grocery.

This gives us about 400,000 HH points a year and 2 free night certs. So an extra vacation basically. We will do aHilton hotel vacation one year and an HGVC with borrowed points the next.

Why not change the Surpass to Aspire? That way you get PAID $50 annually and get the free night certificate. Instead of paying $95 to charge $15k on Amex Surpass to get a free night? With a 2% card you will get back $300 easily on that $15k spend.

So with Surpass you pay $95 and get 90K Honors points. Change Surpass to Aspire and save $445 ($95 Surpass AF you do not have to pay + $50 Aspire + $300 on 2% card for $15K spend). Both ways you get the FNA. Only problem if you don't fly enough to eat up another $250 credit. For the Hilton $250, most of us pay MF and it would be spent irregardless. I would rather have the $445 than 90K HH points.

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[PigsDad]

Only problem if you don't fly enough to eat up another $250 credit.

What can you use that $250 airline credit toward? Can you use it toward airfare? On all airlines? If not, I would have a hard time using it, because I very rarely pay for anything besides the fare for an airline trip -- no luggage fees, no drinks / food, etc.

Kurt

 

[1Kflyerguy]

What can you use that $250 airline credit toward? Can you use it toward airfare? On all airlines? If not, I would have a hard time using it, because I very rarely pay for anything besides the fare for an airline trip -- no luggage fees, no drinks / food, etc.

Kurt

Its listed as ancillary fees, baggage, advance seats, food and drink, club passes or annual membership, etc. There are ways to get the system to cover airfare with some effort. The exact method varies by airline. I use our credit with United Travel bank purchases.

 

[brp]

What can you use that $250 airline credit toward? Can you use it toward airfare? On all airlines? If not, I would have a hard time using it, because I very rarely pay for anything besides the fare for an airline trip -- no luggage fees, no drinks / food, etc.

Kurt

Yes airfare, but only on Southwest directly. And this is just something that works and not within the defined rules.

Cheers.

 

[Great3]

Yes airfare, but only on Southwest directly. And this is just something that works and not within the defined rules.

Cheers.

Thanks to TUG and the mention of creative ways to get the Airline Credits to work on Southwest, I now have both the Amex Aspire and Chase Ritz Carlton cards. The math never quite worked for me until I read up on and researched what these creative ways are. My only regret is not getting the cards sooner!

Now I am happy to have these high annual fee credit cards. Thanks again to Tuggers!!!

Great3

 

[drucifer]

What can you use that $250 airline credit toward? Can you use it toward airfare? On all airlines? If not, I would have a hard time using it, because I very rarely pay for anything besides the fare for an airline trip -- no luggage fees, no drinks / food, etc.

Kurt

Same. I get one bag free on Delta and American. There are four other flights (two round trips for skiing) where I have a "sports gear" bag, so that's $200. I might have a change fee or some other little fees that eat the other $50, but I have no way of making good use of another $250.

BTW, I have the Hilton Aspire Amex, and my wife has the base Hilton Amex on separate accounts (Plus Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum, plus Barclay's American Airlines MC)..

 

[brp]

Same. I get one bag free on Delta and American. There are four other flights (to round trips for skiing) where I have a "sports gear" bag, so that's $200. I might have a change fee or some other little fees that eat the other $50, but I have no way of making good use of another $250.

We both have Aspire and I have Amex Platinum. That works out to $700 in flight credit. As we really don't like WN where we can take AS, it's a stretch to spend this. For Aspire, though, $250 in Resort Credit for MFs plus the FNA really does cover the cost, even if we leave all, or part of, the Airline Credit on the table.

AS lounge membership is a possibility, but the limited locations and fact that we usually fly F on longer flights makes that hard to justify as well.

Cheers.

 

[Zenichiro]

Why not change the Surpass to Aspire? That way you get PAID $50 annually and get the free night certificate. Instead of paying $95 to charge $15k on Amex Surpass to get a free night? With a 2% card you will get back $300 easily on that $15k spend.

So with Surpass you pay $95 and get 90K Honors points. Change Surpass to Aspire and save $445 ($95 Surpass AF you do not have to pay + $50 Aspire + $300 on 2% card for $15K spend). Both ways you get the FNA. Only problem if you don't fly enough to eat up another $250 credit. For the Hilton $250, most of us pay MF and it would be spent irregardless. I would rather have the $445 than 90K HH points.

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I do, I use both

 

[frank808]

Its listed as ancillary fees, baggage, advance seats, food and drink, club passes or annual membership, etc. There are ways to get the system to cover airfare with some effort. The exact method varies by airline. I use our credit with United Travel bank purchases.

I did not know that travel bank has been brought back online with United. Can you put money into travel bank on your main screen? Will make it easier to use the $1000 Amex Aspire and $600 Ritz Carlton credit.

I am United loyalist and get 3 free bags for each of us flying, premium economy seats, a selection of food and one alcoholic drink if not upgraded to business/first etc. I find a way to spend the $1600 in airline credits every year. Now if I can just buy travelbank credits, it will be a lot easier to use every cent of rebate from the various credit cards.

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