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Amex Hilton Aspire

mav

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I have their Aspire card and they let me use the whole $250 towards Hilton hotel stays.
 

frank808

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Resorts Owned
Disney Vacation Club (Aulani,SSR,VGC,VGF) Hilton Grand Vacation Club(Bay Club, Kohala Suites, The District) Marriott Vacation Club (Aruba Surf Club, Grand Residence, Grand Chateau, Grand Vista,Harbour Lake, KoOlina,Willow Ridge & DC points)
I have their Aspire card and they let me use the whole $250 towards Hilton hotel stays.
As long it is at one of the resorts listed, you will receive the credit. $250 credit is not good at every Hilton hotel.

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frank808

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Disney Vacation Club (Aulani,SSR,VGC,VGF) Hilton Grand Vacation Club(Bay Club, Kohala Suites, The District) Marriott Vacation Club (Aruba Surf Club, Grand Residence, Grand Chateau, Grand Vista,Harbour Lake, KoOlina,Willow Ridge & DC points)
I have this card and find it well worth it - especially when HGVC expenses count. Hope to get another one for DH when my AF is due so we can have 2 free nights for a weekend stay and keep expiration dates in sync.

I find using the free night at Conrad London in NYC to extend a stay at W57 a great value. Close by but nicer than Midtown.
I find the card very worth it for paying mf and airline charges. So good that I have 2 of them and wife has one. How can you go wrong when you are paid $150 every year ($50 per card) and get 3 free weekend nights to use for any standard room rate. Great use for Grand Wailea whena room is 95k points per night. Actually are waiting for another upgrade offer to upgrade her Amex Surpass card to Aspire.

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CalGalTraveler

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True. The resort credit does not work on W57 maint fees but works on our Vegas property. We have to pay attention to this detail.

We usually use it in Hawaii for extras charged to the room.
 

ski_sierra

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Too many
I used the Aspire card to pay MF for Craigendarroch and got a statement credit for the Amex UK offer as well as the annual $250 credit.

I can make partial payments by calling in and plan to cash out credits for a few of my Aspire cards this way.

upload_2019-11-30_20-34-13.png
 

Ralph Sir Edward

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The joys of credit cards today. . .

I called HGVC and charged my Bay Club MFs to my AMEX Hilton Surpass card. (I'll get about 60,000 points.)

AMEX went bonkers! (I've been using this card steadily for much smaller purchases.)

They unilaterally closed the account and sent me new cards. They said that the 5K "purchase" triggered their fraud alert, and they were being "proactive".

(Never mind that the purchase was from the affinity company set for the card. Never mind I did this the year before for an even larger MF payment.)

I had to spend the next day changing my repetitive billing (a toll tag) to another, more stable, card.

Thank you AMEX. . . .
 

brp

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Interesting. I've had charges declined (both Amex and Chase Visa) in cases like this, but never a card cancelled unless I call and initiate.

Cheers.
 

hurnik

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The joys of credit cards today. . .

I called HGVC and charged my Bay Club MFs to my AMEX Hilton Surpass card. (I'll get about 60,000 points.)

AMEX went bonkers! (I've been using this card steadily for much smaller purchases.)

They unilaterally closed the account and sent me new cards. They said that the 5K "purchase" triggered their fraud alert, and they were being "proactive".

(Never mind that the purchase was from the affinity company set for the card. Never mind I did this the year before for an even larger MF payment.)

I had to spend the next day changing my repetitive billing (a toll tag) to another, more stable, card.

Thank you AMEX. . . .

Very odd. I've never had Amex unilaterally close the account. They've ALWAYS called (and emailed and texted) with a fraud alert, and then when I call back (or happen to pick up the phone at 2:00 a.m.) they ask if the charge was something I made. I can see them blocking the charge (and any future ones), but that seems very very odd and a-typical behavior of Amex.

Although I suppose anything's possible, I've just never seen/heard this on FT or Reddit (close the card entirely and issue a new number before contacting the owner of the card to verify the purchase).

Perhaps I'll call Amex ahead of time and give a heads up just in case when I pay my MF online.
 

bcjenkins

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Hixson, TN
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean Tower
HGVC Craigendarroch Lodges
Carlsbad Seapointe
El Cid Vacations Club
I used the Aspire card to pay MF for Craigendarroch and got a statement credit for the Amex UK offer as well as the annual $250 credit.

...

Hi, @ski_sierra.

How did you pay your MF--phone, post, or online (flywire)? I'd like to pay online via the flywire app at the start of the year (I maxed my Aspire benefits for 2019), but I want to be sure the charge shows for Craigendarroch Owners (as yours did) and not a third-party payment processor.

Thanks.
Bruce
 

brial05

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A sneaky / dirty trick the HGVC salesman have is that they have a little kiosk at some resorts that is there to specifically apply for the Hilton Amex.
This was not just one of their desktops ... it was certainly a one off computer .... we were given an Amex on the spot ... digits and all ... again not a normal internet URL ..... with a credit limit that I knew we had no business being allowed.

We took our new Amex digits and at the time politely said no to the resort .... we've had the newest very of this card every time they offer it ... we use card way to much ... we pay it out ... use it too much .. pay it out ... ..
 

greenwich3

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I took a shot and got the card.

Last year, I stayed at where I own which is Kingsland. When I got the Amex bill, they reimbursed me $250 to my pleasant surprise towards the food I ate there.

We now live in Waikoloa and I paid my maintainence fees January 2 and my card immediately posted a $250 reimbursement So for me, the card has worked well. I’m not sure if that was a mistake, but I’m glad to take it.
 

Sandy VDH

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I have already used my $250 credit for this anniversary use year, but was wondering if Bay Club paid online actually results in the credit. It is not on the Resort list, but it is the only Waikoloa Resort that is not. I know Seaworld is on the list. Just hope that they post correctly.
 

natarajanv

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I got my $250 credit last week for paying lv Blvd mf.

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anderik1

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It works for craigendarroch as well.

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GT75

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Legacy HGVC
FAVC-Cabo
It is not on the Resort list, but it is the only Waikoloa Resort that is not. I know Seaworld is on the list.

Where is this list?

It works for craigendarroch as well.
Yes, I honestly don’t know what took me so long to get this card. I think that it must have been the $450 fee and not figuring out that it pays $500 back each year. Thanks to HGV TUG members in providing details on how this card saves you money.
 

anderik1

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Where is this list?


Yes, I honestly don’t know what took me so long to get this card. I think that it must have been the $450 fee and not figuring out that it pays $500 back each year.
My wife and I each have one now. I'm debating on whether to keep both. It was great when you could use the airline fees for gift cards. It's still pretty good though.

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GT75

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My wife and I each have one now. I'm debating on whether to keep both. It was great when you could use the airline fees for gift cards. It's still pretty good though.

I know that one TUG member told me that he have 5 of them. I am just trying to understand one right now. I used it for SW gift cards and I received the credit back. It took over a month to show up and I didn’t realize at first what it was. If something on the bill is a credit, I usually don’t question it. Later, I figured out it must have been the SW gift cards. So, I am still learning this card myself.
 

natarajanv

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I know that one TUG member told me that he have 5 of them. I am just trying to understand one right now. I used it for SW gift cards and I received the credit back. It took over a month to show up and I didn’t realize at first what it was. If something on the bill is a credit, I usually don’t question it. Later, I figured out it must have been the SW gift cards. So, I am still learning this card myself.

Are you planning on getting SW gift cards this year as well? Let us know if you still get the credit back. They stopped that loophole on American airlines gift cards last March.

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anderik1

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I know that one TUG member told me that he have 5 of them. I am just trying to understand one right now. I used it for SW gift cards and I received the credit back. It took over a month to show up and I didn’t realize at first what it was. If something on the bill is a credit, I usually don’t question it. Later, I figured out it must have been the SW gift cards. So, I am still learning this card myself.
When was that? From everything I've seen that went away in July when Amex started getting more detailed transaction data: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/choosing-your-amex-platinum-200-airline-fee-credit/

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GT75

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JJVGHNC

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I got the card in September and I bought SW gift cards Dec 1st, just to see. People have said the credits usually post within a few days, and mine didn't. I had a spirit flight Dec 11, so I called amex Dec 10 and got them to change my 2019 airline to Spirit. After confirmation, I upgraded to big front seat both ways, $102 each way, and spent $46 on cocktails on the roundtrip. The two $102 credits appeared within a few days, but the $46 still have not been credited. I thought onboard purchases counted, but maybe I'm wrong? I'll check the fine print and give them a call if onboard is included. I wouldn't have upgraded on Spirit, but by then it was use it or lose it. Big seat was nice, but I'd rather have gotten credit for SW gift cards. But it's ok because I knew I'd be flying SW soon. Resort credit, free breakfasts, etc. with diamond and other stuff, I'm happy with the card.
 

Sandy VDH

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If you are considering this card time it midyear or later in the year, the reason being, is you get the resort credit once per anniversary year, but you get the airline credit once per calendar year. So I got the card in July and I will get $250 for UA in 2019, and another $250 for UA in 2020, and I also received the $250 resort credit. So $750 back for my $450 fee in the first year. Not to mention the signing up bonus points and Diamond Status. If I continue to keep the card I would be ahead provided I was able to use the Airline Credits. I know I would be able to get the hotel credit as Seaworld is listed on the resorts, and I will check to see if other got the credit for MF at that location, but it does appear that does happen for payment of MF at other locations.

Whether I keep it beyond the anniversary year remains to be seen, but I used it to purchase an annual UA Priority Plus seating pass, last year, and this year I will upgrade the pass to one that includes Global. They will credit you what you already paid and used on the original pass on the purchase of the upgrade. That is how I got the $250 applied to a pass in both calendar years. I had a bunch of domestic flights last year, and some international this year, and without status and at 6' tall I need leg room. It seemed like the best use of UA mileage credit for me. Domestic I usually carry on so I did not need to use the credit on checked bag fees. Don't fly SW or Delta so no gift card opportunities for me to use if they are still out there. It seems that this loophole might be closing or already closed.
 

JJVGHNC

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I was curious about the onboard spend with Spirit, so I called AMEX and they said it did qualify, and credits would show up on next statement, 1/17, so that's good to know.
 

Oscar923

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In November after my card anniversary, I paid the MF for my HGVC Boulevard and received the $250 Hilton resort credit a few days later. Also, I switched my airline choice to Southwest on Jan 1, and used the Amex Aspire to pay for SW early birds for my whole family on Jan 2. Today, I received all $250 airline credits.

I am already ahead this year.
 
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