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Amex Hilton Changes

Zenichiro

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Just noticed the changes to Surpass and Aspire cards. At the moment they appear to be positive.

Surpass changes Receive up to $200 back each year (up to $50 in statement credits each quarter) for eligible purchases made directly with Hilton.
Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental®Emerald Club Executive® status
4x HH on US Online Retail

Aspire changes Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card

Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or though amextravel.com

$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit

complimentary National Car Rental®Emerald Club Executive® status

Cell phone: for a maximum of $800 per claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim

New design

Could be more but that is what I saw so far

Edit: Aspire annual fee increase to $550. Priority pass dropped on both cards. Aspire will be metal.

 
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TheDude

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I will miss the losing Priority Pass. The rest I can work with. Any suggestions on travel cards that include Priority Pass?
 

ljmiii

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I will miss the losing Priority Pass. The rest I can work with. Any suggestions on travel cards that include Priority Pass?
Chase Sapphire Reserve. Includes airport restaurant locations which AMEX cards haven't offered for a while.
 

ljmiii

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Just noticed the changes to Surpass and Aspire cards....

Thank you for posting.

Aspire changes...Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or though amextravel.com Edit:... Aspire annual fee increase to $550.

Well...that's annoying. The change in airline credit from $250 to $50 * 4 and increase in annual fee from $450 to $550 makes getting the Aspire less of a 'no brainer' than it was. At least for me, a happy Surpass owner who has been debating the merits of getting an Aspire card as well (I'd prefer not to give up my 6x Gas and Groceries).

So it now would cost me $350 (instead of $200) for a Free Night Award, 14x instead of 12x on Hilton spend, and Diamond without having to spend an extra $25,000 on my Hilton AMEX ($40,000 to get Diamond on Surpass vs $15,000 to get the Surpass FNA). Sigh.
 
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HuskerATL

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spire changes Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually f
This is a nice change from the $250 annually...that alone will almost pay for the card. We have the Platinum Amex and have Priority Pass through them but rarely use it, unless they drop it also. It does still get us into the Delta Lounge and Centurion Lounges. Our Platinum is metal, which is cool when you first get it, and then a shrug later....and then a PIA later if you need to shred it...because you can't and need to ship it back to them or destroy it in another way. Or, you can sharpen the edges to make Amex throwing rectangles....:)
 
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brp

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Interesting. We both have Aspire cards and did not receive any notices about these changes.

For the Clear benefit, I wonder if there's a way to pay for the member with one card, say Amex Platinum, and the additional member with another card to have it all covered.

Or just have mrs. brp get her own Clear account for free.

Cheers.
 
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I value the free night at about $400, and even if I could use no other credits, I think the card is worth the remaining $150. I probably won't use the $50 airline credit every quarter, but I will definitely use the $400 resort credit, so combined that's an additional $500. Switching my phone bill to the Hilton Aspire.

No changes on the Business Hilton yet. Since it still includes Priority Pass, I bet change is in the pipeline.
 

brp

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This is a nice change from the $250 annually...that alone will almost pay for the card. :)
It seems that one could pay the MFs in two installments - use the latter semi-annual credit to pay part in December and the earlier installment to pay the rest in January. Thus, $400 in savings per year from MFs.

And the airline benefit is a definite plus for us as it seems it can now be used for airfare rather than "other" charges or conniving ways to use it on Southwest, who we rarely fly.

Cheers.
 
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HuskerATL

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It seems that one could pay the MFs in two installments - use the latter semi-annual credit to pay part in December and the earlier installment to pay the rest in January. Thus, $400 in savings per year from MFs.

And the airline benefit is a definite plus for us as it seems it can now be used for airfare rather than "other" charges or conniving ways to use it on Southwest, who we rarely fly.

Cheers.
I wonder if it is calendar year or ownership year? Back when we got ours, I think it was in the summer.
 

brp

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natarajanv

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$200 Flight Credit​

Basic Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Members can receive up to a total of $50 in statement credits each calendar quarter (January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December), for up to $200 annually for eligible purchases of airfare made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com. To be eligible for this benefit, an airfare purchase must be for a scheduled flight on a passenger carrier and purchased directly from the airline or through amextravel.com.

Eligible purchases do not include: charter flights, private jet flights, flights that are part of tours, cruises, or travel packages or ticketing or similar service fees, ticket cancellation or change fees, interest charges, or purchases of cash equivalents. Purchases of scheduled flights made with third party travel agents or websites may be eligible for this benefit if the airfare is charged directly to your Card account by the airline. Please visit americanexpress.com/rewards-info for more information.

Eligible purchases can be made by both the Basic and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $200 per Card Account per calendar year. Please allow 8-12 weeks after the eligible purchase is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account. To receive this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. Statement credit(s) may not be received or may be reversed if the purchase is cancelled or modified, or if you engage in abuse or misuse in connection with the benefit.

American Express relies on the merchant's processing of transactions to determine the transaction date. The transaction date may differ from the date you made the purchase if, for example, there is a delay in the merchant submitting the transaction to us or if the merchant uses another date as the transaction date. This means that in some cases your purchase may not earn the statement credit benefit for the benefit period in which you made the purchase. For example, if an eligible purchase is made on December 31st but the merchant processes the transaction such that it is identified to us as occurring on January 1st, the January statement credit would be applied. American Express also relies on information provided to us by the merchant to identify eligible purchases. If American Express does not receive information that identifies your transaction as eligible for this benefit, the Basic Card Member will not receive the statement credit. For example, your purchase will not be eligible if it is not made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com (e.g. if a purchase is made through a third party travel service). Basic Card Members may not receive the statement credit if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible, if a transaction is made with an electronic wallet or through a third party (such as an app store), or if the merchant uses a mobile or wireless card reader to process it.

$400 Hilton Resort Credit​

Basic Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Members can receive up to a total of $200 in statement credits semi-annually (January through June; and July through December), for up to $400 back annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on their Card Account.

Eligible purchases must be made directly with a participating Hilton Resort and charged to a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for the benefit to apply. Visit hilton.com/resorts for the list of participating Hilton Resorts. Advance Purchase Rates/Non-Refundable Rates are not eligible for the resort credit. Incidental charges (including charges made at restaurants, spas, and other establishments within the hotel property) must be charged to your room and paid for with a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for the benefit to apply.

Eligible purchases can be made by both the Basic and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $400 on the Card Account per calendar year. Please allow 8-12 weeks after the eligible purchase is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account. Please call American Express at the number on the back of your Card if statement credits have not posted after 12 weeks from the date of purchase. To be eligible for this benefit, your Card account must not be cancelled or past due at the time of statement credit fulfillment. Statement credit(s) may not be received or may be reversed if the purchase is cancelled or modified, or if you engage in abuse or misuse in connection with the benefit.

American Express relies on the merchant's processing of transactions to determine the transaction date. The transaction date may differ from the date you made the purchase if, for example, there is a delay in the merchant submitting the transaction to us or if the merchant uses another date as the transaction date. This means that in some cases your purchase may not earn the statement credit benefit for the benefit period in which you made the purchase. For example, if an eligible purchase is made on December 31st but the merchant processes the transaction such that it is identified to us as occurring on January 1st, the January statement credit would be applied. American Express also relies on information provided to us by the merchant to identify eligible purchases. If American Express does not receive information that identifies your transaction as eligible for this benefit, the Basic Card Member will not receive the statement credit. For example, your purchase will not be eligible if it is not made directly with a Hilton Resort (e.g., if a purchase is made at a restaurant or convenience store within a Hilton Resort). Basic Card Members may not receive the statement credit if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible, if a transaction is made with an electronic wallet or through a third party (such as an app store), or if the merchant uses a mobile or wireless card reader to process it.

$400 Hilton Resort Credit​

Hilton Honors Aspire Card Members approved prior to October 19, 2023 will receive up to $250 in statement credits per membership year for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts through December 31, 2023. Starting January 1, 2024, Card Members can receive up to a total of $200 in statement credits semi-annually (January through June; and July through December), for up to $400 back annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on their Card Account.
 

HuskerATL

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The Amex Platinum, for example, has some semi-annual credits, and these are calendar year, so this is most likely.
This one is calendar because there is a $50 Saks 5th Ave credit that is good for Jan to June and then another one from July to December. My wife orders a new pair of underwear every 6 months....:)
 

brp

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This one is calendar because there is a $50 Saks 5th Ave credit that is good for Jan to June and then another one from July to December. My wife orders a new pair of underwear every 6 months....:)
Yup. That's the one I was thinking of when surmising that the Aspire credits would also be calendar-based. Then I found, and linked, the T&Cs confirming that.

So, this is a net positive for us:

+$150 in resort fees
+$60 in Clear as mrs. brp can get her own for free

It's -$50 for the airline fee but, since it now includes airfares, we can actually use it. So still a plus for us.

And, of course, the -$100 for added premium.

Cheers.
 

HuskerATL

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This is looking good. I will be interested to see the changes in the Platinum. One change is the AU. Up to now, it is $175 for up to 3 AUs but now it is $175 each....so will probably dump the AUs. We just have them for lounge access and for $175 each, they can eat in the airport McD......while I hang out in the lounge...:)
 

Reddart

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Are these changes in effect now this quarter, or January 1 for current cardholders?

I see the priority pass will still be valid until 2024, though I have never been able to use it.
 

BingoBangoBongo

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Are these changes in effect now this quarter, or January 1 for current cardholders?

I see the priority pass will still be valid until 2024, though I have never been able to use it.

It looks like the old resort credit is in place through the end of the year and the new terms start on 1/1/24. I just (today) paid my Club Dues and have all $250 left against this credit, so I will look to confirm the $250 gets credited. The Resort Credit renews on my wifes card in mid-November, so it looks like I might be able to use the old $250 credit on both cards before the end of the year and then have another $200 on each cards starting 1/1/24.


$400 Hilton Resort Credit​


Hilton Honors Aspire Card Members approved prior to October 19, 2023 will receive up to $250 in statement credits per membership year for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts through December 31, 2023. Starting January 1, 2024, Card Members can receive up to a total of $200 in statement credits semi-annually (January through June; and July through December), for up to $400 back annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on their Card Account.
 

HuskerATL

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Starting January 1, 2024, Card Members can receive up to a total of $200 in statement credits semi-annually (January through June; and July through December), for up to $400 back annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on their Card Account.
Just need to figure out how to space out the MF payments...may be tricky this upcoming year but next year would be easier.
 

Reddart

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Overall seems to be positive for me (Surpass). Increased AF from $99 to $150, but the free night cert and $50/quarter Hilton spend credit more than make up for the cost.
 

ernststarhemberg

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Yeah the increased resort credit on Aspire is a big plus, spacing out MF payments to take full advantage of it is less fun, but worth it.

I am interested to see how the Amex Platinum changes. The National Executive status was worth it if you rent cars frequently, but that is now included with Aspire. Also the Clear+ membership, included with Aspire so no longer unique to Platinum.

The lack of gas rewards on the Aspire isn't a turn-off as all gas goes in my Costco Citi Visa (4% cash back), $0 annual fee.

The Skyclub access with Platinum is a benefit (new Delta rules announced this week allow annual SkyClub passes again for $695), but under the previous-new rules Platinum SkyClub passes were being limited to six per year, not sure if that is changing again with the revised rules announced this week.

Net-Net for HGV owners the Aspire card has become more appealing.

A lot of the new Aspire perks but a dent in the appeal of the Platinum Amex. The 5x Amex rewards on airfare is still a big plus for folks who fly a lot, though.
 
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ernststarhemberg

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Did anyone else notice that the Hilton credit card avatars on their Amex mobile apps are blank today, too? I suppose the cards are also getting a facelift.
 
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