Amex Hilton Changes

[SNS02]

We've done this, too. I think, technically, this is booked as individual nights and then the reservations are combined after-the-fact. But, even if you complied with that the agent said and had them book three separate, consecutive, nights, the hotel could treat them as a single reservation anyway. We've done this as well.

Cheers.

It can be an issue though for availability. Sometimes standard awards aren’t available for just one night, but are available for say 3 nights. So when a rep tries to book they can’t. I’ve had this issue before when mixing certificates with different honors numbers. I Could book two nights but when the third is booked separate it is a no go, so then had to get creative with points. Also confirming my past reservations and this one were one reservation and not separate nights that were then combined at the hotel.

 

[brp]

It can be an issue though for availability. Sometimes standard awards aren’t available for just one night, but are available for say 3 nights. So when a rep tries to book they can’t. I’ve had this issue before when mixing certificates with different honors numbers. I Could book two nights but when the third is booked separate it is a no go, so then had to get creative with points. Also confirming my past reservations and this one were one reservation and not separate nights that were then combined at the hotel.

Yeah, this is a good point. If there is a stay minimum this may fail. I am looking at something for May of 2027 (hard to get time and location and availability disappears in minutes). They do have a 4-night minimum, so I think I'll be SOL trying to use FNCs here...even if I can grab a reservation at all.

Cheers.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I booked my free Hilton night for our stay tomorrow night in Rawlins, WY, and did I make a mistake in allowing Pablo to transfer me to the Hilton Vacations agent. That was a hard sell for a presentation stay. I couldn't believe how pushy the guy was. He asked where we like to travel, told him we love Maui and go 10-12 weeks a year and own 4 OF weeks at Westin. He was going to book us at some hotel in West Maui for $800 or something, and I said I wouldn't stay there, even if you paid me $800. I think it was Ka'anapali Shores. I didn't even know that was associated with Hilton.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I booked my free Hilton night for our stay tomorrow night in Rawlins, WY, and did I make a mistake in allowing Pablo to transfer me to the Hilton Vacations agent. That was a hard sell for a presentation stay. I couldn't believe how pushy the guy was. He asked where we like to travel, told him we love Maui and go 10-12 weeks a year and own 4 OF weeks at Westin. He was going to book us at some hotel in West Maui for $800 or something, and I said I wouldn't stay there, even if you paid me $800. I think it was Ka'anapali Shores. I didn't even know that was associated with Hi

In locations with limited availability, they will probably use a hotel for the presentation stay. That is usually a Hilton property, but they may use other hotels since Hilton does not have a big presence on Maui. I had tried to use a 3 night package in Vegas, and they kept offering a Hampton Inn a few miles off the strip. But I was going on a popular weekend.

 

[HuskerATL]

Not Hilton specific but just received an email for the Amex Platinum providing some nice benefits in Fine Hotels and Resorts

 

[brp]

Not Hilton specific but just received an email for the Amex Platinum providing some nice benefits in Fine Hotels and Resorts

This has been around for a number of years. We have used it in the past and it can be a very nice benefit.

Cheers.

 

[HuskerATL]

This has been around for a number of years. We have used it in the past and it can be a very nice benefit.

Cheers.

We have used it a couple times and can be a nice perks but I am not sure the Amex travel site gives you the best rates.

 

[brp]

We have used it a couple times and can be a nice perks but I am not sure the Amex travel site gives you the best rates.

They don't. The one time we used it, I could have gotten a better rate elsewhere. But, with the perks factored in, the FHR benefit was a win. But it's not always a slam dunk kind of thing to be sure.

Cheers.

 

[Zenichiro]

We like it and have used it a few times for hotels you cannot normally book Like Omni for example is a great deal and high end.

 

[mountainboy]

We have used it a couple times and can be a nice perks but I am not sure the Amex travel site gives you the best rates.

May use this tool to pick good dates/price for your Amex FHR stay.
Can be a bit finicky but can be a good tool...
TY!

Max FHR

Web site created using create-react-app

maxfhr.com

MaxFHR: An awesome way to help use your $200 Fine Hotels & Resorts credits

MaxFHR is a tool that collates hotels bookable via Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) with their lowest price listed to identify ~$200 rates

frequentmiler.com

 

[easyrider]

I started using the goforless.com site for hotel stays. We use a rewards card for air miles for the most part. Flights are a larger expense than hotels.

Bill

 

[JohnnyO]

May use this tool to pick good dates/price for your Amex FHR stay.
Can be a bit finicky but can be a good tool...
TY!

Max FHR

Web site created using create-react-app

maxfhr.com

MaxFHR: An awesome way to help use your $200 Fine Hotels & Resorts credits

MaxFHR is a tool that collates hotels bookable via Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) with their lowest price listed to identify ~$200 rates

frequentmiler.com

I’ve always tried to stay away from anything that says MAX

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I started using the goforless.com site for hotel stays. We use a rewards card for air miles for the most part. Flights are a larger expense than hotels.

Bill

We do both timeshare and hotel-based vacations. We often spend more on the hotel than the airfare unless the trip is short.

 

[easyrider]

We do both timeshare and hotel-based vacations. We often spend more on the hotel than the airfare unless the trip is short.

We try to use bonus time for a night here and there on our road trips. We used up all of the rewards on the Hilton Amex Card and decided to cancel it. We did get a Marriott Bonvoy Amex card for car rentals and hotel rewards. It has a small fee but also has a yearly reward. I was thinking about getting a Wyndham rewards card for the hotel rewards but I'm thinking enough time has passed that I could do another Hilton rewards card.

Bill

 

[ljmiii]

I started using the goforless.com site for hotel stays. We use a rewards card for air miles for the most part. Flights are a larger expense than hotels.

We do both timeshare and hotel-based vacations. We often spend more on the hotel than the airfare unless the trip is short.

Same here. Though I would more say that the travel that involves higher airfares usually involves longer flights which in turn means that we want to stay there longer and so incur higher hotel/timeshare prices over the duration of the stay. It's cheap and only two and a half hours to get to Florida so a week is fine. Flights to Europe and Hawaii are more expensive and seven to twelve hours so two weeks is our minimum.

I've also come to reserve miles for open jaw/one way travel because most airlines like to gouge for anything that isn't round trip. Not always...but usually.

 

[easyrider]

Same here. Though I would more say that the travel that involves higher airfares usually involves longer flights which in turn means that we want to stay there longer and so incur higher hotel/timeshare prices over the duration of the stay. It's cheap and only two and a half hours to get to Florida so a week is fine. Flights to Europe and Hawaii are more expensive and seven to twelve hours so two weeks is our minimum.

I've also come to reserve miles for open jaw/one way travel because most airlines like to gouge for anything that isn't round trip. Not always...but usually.

With Alaska Airlines, I'm finding better rewards by using the one way option. I can't remember the last time we actually paid cash for a flight. It would have been with a companion fare maybe 7 years back.

Bill

 

[Zenichiro]

With Alaska Airlines, I'm finding better rewards by using the one way option. I can't remember the last time we actually paid cash for a flight. It would have been with a companion fare maybe 7 years back.

Bill

Yes I’m glad I got all my Amex points transferred to Alaska while I could. Already have most of 2026 flights booked just waiting on June to open up and we will be set. Just sad that loophole is closed.

 

[HuskerATL]

Just received my $50 quarterly airline credit. It is getting to be more work to find a flight that is over $50 but not too much over to book and then cancel for the eCredit/credit.

This is what I do for my quarterly airline credits when I am not using it to book a flight. I book a cheap Delta flight that cancels to eCredit. Once the credit hits the Amex card, I cancel the flight and then use the Delta eCredits later. You can use up to 5 per booking.

And, I use the Q2 and Q3 Hilton Surpass credits toward MFs. You can call and pay it... Then the Q1 and Q4 with the normal MF payments

 

[GT75]

Just received my $50 quarterly airline credit. It is getting to be more work to find a flight that is over $50 but not too much over to book and then cancel for the eCredit/credit.

This post is timely because I am trying to figure out the best way to use my aspire $50/quarter flight credits. In the past I have always used for sw. But I am looking for alternatives now because SW flight credits now are only good for one year. I have SW, Delta, Alaska and American CC. I plan to use delta and Alaska at least once per year. Any thoughts/recommendations?

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Just received my $50 quarterly airline credit. It is getting to be more work to find a flight that is over $50 but not too much over to book and then cancel for the eCredit/credit.

This is what I do for my quarterly airline credits when I am not using it to book a flight. I book a cheap Delta flight that cancels to eCredit. Once the credit hits the Amex card, I cancel the flight and then use the Delta eCredits later. You can use up to 5 per booking.

And, I use the Q2 and Q3 Hilton Aspire credits toward MFs. You can call and pay it... Then the Q1 and Q4 with the normal MF payments

I used mine for United Travel Bank. I don't fly UA quite as much, but I still fly it a couple of times a year, so that works well for me. We have a stay at an points stay at an LXR property later this month, but my guess is there will be some additional charges to use up the quarterly Surpass credit. Otherwise, since we are not elite, any HGV transaction fee will trigger the credit.

 

[HuskerATL]

This post is timely because I am trying to figure out the best way to use my aspire $50/quarter flight credits. In the past I have always used for sw. But I am looking for alternatives now because SW flight credits now are only good for one year. I have SW, Delta, Alaska and American CC. I plan to use delta and Alaska at least once per year. Any thoughts/recommendations?

We use Delta since we are in ATL so the eCredits there work well.

 

[GT75]

We use Delta since we are in ATL so the eCredits there work well.

How long are the eCredits good for? And can I use them for any person’s ticket?

 

[HuskerATL]

How long are the eCredits good for? And can I use them for any person’s ticket?

1 year but I think only your tickets but I could be wrong about that. Do the same for the wifes Aspire so we use the eCredits from mine on my tickets and then hers on hers.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

I use the Q2 and Q3 Hilton Aspire credits toward MFs. You can call and pay it... Then the Q1 and Q4 with the normal MF payments

You made me look it up. Yes, we have the Aspire. Isn't the $400 Hilton credit semi-annual? So doesn't breaking it into just 2 x $200 chunks (Dec &Jan) get all of the credit? Is there another credit you're talking about?
As for the $50 airfare, United Travel Bank turns out to be easy. I first thought it'd be a pain, but it is easy. $50 x 4 gives $200/yr toward a $200 to $225 flight to Hawaii. I guess T-Bank just turns out to be a simpler version of that eCredit route, for those who fly UA.

and yes, I freq need to remember if we have Aspire or Surpass.

 

[GT75]

United Travel Bank turns out to be easy. I first thought it'd be a pain, but it is easy. $50 x 4 gives $200/yr toward a $200 to $225 flight to Hawaii. I guess T-Bank just turns out to be a simpler version of that eCredit route, for those who fly UA.

I never (or almost never) fly UA but how long are the UTB credits good for?