Amex Hilton Changes

[HuskerATL]

You are right, they used to have your progress on these credits on the website and now don't. They do for a couple others .. Not even the progress toward the free night.

Before, the airline was for incidentals but now for airfare.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

It sounds like the new airfare benefit is not limited to just one airline anymore. So IMO I can book airfare and then cancel/ add to wallet to apply for key airlines. Will have to book at end of quarter then cancel to get maximum wallet 1 year use or apply to Southwest Airlines with credits that never expire.

I don't like the distribution of these benefits throughout the year - designed for breakage. Will have to put reminders in my calendar.

 

[HuskerATL]

I think it is designed to not be fully utilized or try to force more travel.... Or both.

 

[hurnik]

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.

​

This is for the Aspire Card, BTW (that I'm posting about)

Personally I'm not sure these are good changes. Prior to this, my $450 AF was covered quite easily. The $250 airline credit via the United Travel Bank purchase, and the $200 "Resort" charge was covered as my HGV Las Vegas Maintenance fees. Priority Pass was very handy and of course, the free night cert.

Now, the $250 Airline credit is reduced to $200 spread out $50/quarter. It is unknown if the United Travel Bank will be covered or not. However, it does sound like the new $200/$50-quarter credit can be used directly towards airfare purchases, but I don't travel 4x/year. Remains to be seen how to "work" this.

The $400 resort credit will be reduced to $200 for those of us using to pay our MF because we can't pay 6 months early or 6 months late. And that also assumes the resort credit would still be triggered via the MF.

The loss of priority pass (for those that used it) is not good. AFAIK, even the Chase Sapphire Reserve loses the Restaurant Credit. I think only the Bank of America Premiere Elite is close to "equivalent". It covers UNLIMITED visits/guests and you can also "gift" up to 3 additional memberships to people and it covers restaurants. Although the AF is a bit hefty ($500 or $550 I think? with a $300 Travel credit and I think a $150 "lifestyle" credit).

CLEAR is an interesting beast. IF I even keep the Aspire card, I'll cancel my Amex Green Personal (no sense in paying the AF just for CLEAR if the Aspire has it). Although I've only been able to use CLEAR once due to airport limitations.

So realistically, ASSUMING the "old" tricks still triggered things, I'm now paying $550 AF and only able to use $400 in credits.

Not sure the 17x in HGV purchases (Maintenance fees) at $0.005/point is really worth it. (let's see, $1200 x 17 x 0.005 = $102 or thereabouts). If I charge to my Chase card at 5x at the bare 1.25 min = $75, so an extra $27. (gotta check and see if possibly a diff. Amex or Chase card gets extra for travel)

But obviously there will be folks who actually travel more and stay at the specific HGV Resorts to trigger the full $400 resort credit, plus possibly the $100 resort credit for Waldorf and Conrad.

YMMV, but I'm not impressed or pleased with the changes.

 

[hurnik]

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.

Hmm, I did not think of that, although I guess it depends on if my MF for the certain Vegas resorts will be ready by then.

 

[Eric B]

It is unknown if the United Travel Bank will be covered or not.

The terms & conditions say you can't use the airline credit for cash equivalents, which I would interpret as being the travel bank. Tried it anyway and it doesn't seem to trigger a reimbursement - it's been a few days and they typically seem to have given the reimbursements more quickly than advertised so I think it would have worked by now if it was going to.

However, it does sound like the new $200/$50-quarter credit can be used directly towards airfare purchases, but I don't travel 4x/year. Remains to be seen how to "work" this.

If you travel twice a year, book your flight on the last day of the quarter and your spouse's (or a friend's) on the first day of the next quarter. That's about the best work around I can come up with, though the book a flight and cancel it suggested by @CalGalTraveler might work, too. Kind of an annoyance.

Have to admit I liked the $250 and the ability to use the travel bank better; I fly Southwest a fair amount and will have to do the math and figure out whether I'm better off using my Southwest Visa and getting more miles for the flight cost.

 

[hurnik]

The terms & conditions say you can't use the airline credit for cash equivalents, which I would interpret as being the travel bank. Tried it anyway and it doesn't seem to trigger a reimbursement - it's been a few days and they typically seem to have given the reimbursements more quickly than advertised so I think it would have worked by now if it was going to.

If you travel twice a year, book your flight on the last day of the quarter and your spouse's (or a friend's) on the first day of the next quarter. That's about the best work around I can come up with, though the book a flight and cancel it suggested by @CalGalTraveler might work, too. Kind of an annoyance.

Have to admit I liked the $250 and the ability to use the travel bank better; I fly Southwest a fair amount and will have to do the math and figure out whether I'm better off using my Southwest Visa and getting more miles for the flight cost.

So far there's at least one report on Flyertalk (along with screenshot of charges and reimbursement) that the Travel Bank will trigger the $50 credit. A few more days and we should have more data points, although they're split among the Amex forum and the Hilton Hotels forums for the threads.

FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2023)

Post 35684885 - FlyerTalk is a living, growing community where frequent travelers around the world come to exchange knowledge and experiences about everything miles and points related.

www.flyertalk.com

One other option (if someone flies Southwest a lot) is to book and cancel since their travel funds/credits do not expire (unlike Delta and AA and United ETC/FTC). UA Travel Bank has a 5 year expiration date

 

[Eric B]

So far there's at least one report on Flyertalk (along with screenshot of charges and reimbursement) that the Travel Bank will trigger the $50 credit. A few more days and we should have more data points, although they're split among the Amex forum and the Hilton Hotels forums for the threads.

FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2023)

Post 35684885 - FlyerTalk is a living, growing community where frequent travelers around the world come to exchange knowledge and experiences about everything miles and points related.

www.flyertalk.com

One other option (if someone flies Southwest a lot) is to book and cancel since their travel funds/credits do not expire (unlike Delta and AA and United ETC/FTC). UA Travel Bank has a 5 year expiration date

Interesting; I'll keep an eye out and update this thread if I do get the credit.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Since many of us are already Aspire holders (we are 2-player) I am still confused about the old credits ($250 airline amenity/$250 Hilton) and new credits announced($200 any airline($50/qtr)/$400 Hilton ($200/6 mos)) in 2023. Here is the clearest answer I have found.

"For those who are existing cardmembers, I wanted to cover some of the basics of how the transition from the old perks to the new perks works (specifically for those who already have the card):

• As of February 1, 2024, the card no longer offers a Priority Pass membership, so existing memberships will be canceled; the only exception is that if you enrolled between February 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, your membership will be valid through October 31, 2024
• The card no longer offers a $250 annual Hilton resort credit; those who had the card prior to October 19, 2023, can still use the benefit through December 31, 2023, and can’t use the new $400 annual Hilton resort credit until 2024
• The card no longer offers a $250 annual airline fee credit; those who had the card prior to October 19, 2023, can still use the benefit through December 31, 2023"

Hilton Honors Aspire Card Review: Worth The Fee

A detailed review of the $550 annual fee Hilton Aspire Card, which offers incredible benefits that more than justify the annual fee.

onemileatatime.com

PSA: Make sure you use up your old credits before Dec 31, 2023. I had to contact AMEX chat to find out my balances because they are no longer on the site.

I used up my resort credit without realizing it at recent stay at HHV.. Pretty sure i used the old Airline fee credit with UA travel bank purchases.. but not 100% certain will need to check on that.

 

[Lodemia]

Is the general consensus that the airline credit is not $50 instead of $250? My renewal date was on Oct 16th, and I didn't immediately process the $250 into the United travel bank. I guess I can go ahead and do the thing and see.

 

[Zenichiro]

Is the general consensus that the airline credit is not $50 instead of $250? My renewal date was on Oct 16th, and I didn't immediately process the $250 into the United travel bank. I guess I can go ahead and do the thing and see.

You can message Amex to see what you have remaining of the old. You should also have $50 of the new

 

[letsgobobby]

likewise she confirmed via chat i have not yet used airline credit for 2023.

 

[Lodemia]

One of the benefits that I actually use is priority pass. Has anyone come up with a suitable semi-low cost replacement card yet? I'm searching nerd wallet, etc, but those are all sponsored ads.

 

[HuskerATL]

One of the benefits that I actually use is priority pass. Has anyone come up with a suitable semi-low cost replacement card yet? I'm searching nerd wallet, etc, but those are all sponsored ads.

we have the Amex Platinum, it still has access to priority pass...but that is not low cost.. however, if you look at the benefits, you may be able to make up the cost with the benefits..we do. Then you have access to both the Centurion and Delta lounges

 

[ljmiii]

One of the benefits that I actually use is priority pass. Has anyone come up with a suitable semi-low cost replacement card yet? I'm searching nerd wallet, etc, but those are all sponsored ads.

So...Chase Sapphire Reserve is currently $550 but comes with $300 in travel credit and $25/year (annualized) for Global Entry/TSA Precheck/NEXUS so $225 net. I also get around $180 in value from Doordash ($5/mo + ~$10/mo in lower fees) so I'm at $45/yr. In exchange for which I get the 'good' Priority Pass, Chase Lounges, Primary rental car insurance, and 3x points on dining and travel (roughly 6% back on spend). When I use Lyft I get 10x points (roughly 20% back)...but I almost never do. Obviously, YMMV.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

One of the benefits that I actually use is priority pass. Has anyone come up with a suitable semi-low cost replacement card yet? I'm searching nerd wallet, etc, but those are all sponsored ads.

Chase Sapphire Reserve has better priority pass because it includes restaurants. I prefer that card for that reason for that benefit.

 

[Nowaker]

I believe both cards have improved significantly post-update

Credits are now much harder to use.

A single airline credit was year round. And so was the $250 credit for (most) MFs.

I don't agree it's an improvement. It probably provides more value at the cost of having to track it religiously. Previous Aspire was much easier to utilize.

The $400 resort credit will be reduced to $200 for those of us using to pay our MF because we can't pay 6 months early or 6 months late. And that also assumes the resort credit would still be triggered via the MF.

I think we should be paying most MFs in December and the rest on January 1st. Which is the due date. This will probably do it.

Not sure the 17x in HGV purchases (Maintenance fees) at $0.005/point is really worth it.

My all stays at Hiltons show an average value of $0.0085. And FNC value of $590.

Assuming $0.005 for HH is really underselling its value. I only had one or two redemptions of this value.

The loss of priority pass (for those that used it) is not good.

Exactly. PP was a good benefit.

The terms & conditions say you can't use the airline credit for cash equivalents, which I would interpret as being the travel bank. Tried it anyway and it doesn't seem to trigger a reimbursement - it's been a few days and they typically seem to have given the reimbursements more quickly than advertised so I think it would have worked by now if it was going to.

My experience with previous credit is it takes 5-7 days to post.

 

[hurnik]

Credits are now much harder to use.

A single airline credit was year round. And so was the $250 credit for (most) MFs.

I don't agree it's an improvement. It probably provides more value at the cost of having to track it religiously. Previous Aspire was much easier to utilize.


I think we should be paying most MFs in December and the rest on January 1st. Which is the due date. This will probably do it.


My all stays at Hiltons show an average value of $0.0085. And FNC value of $590.

Assuming $0.005 for HH is really underselling its value. I only had one or two redemptions of this value.


Exactly. PP was a good benefit.


My experience with previous credit is it takes 5-7 days to post.

OMAAT, TPG, and View From the Wing all value Hilton points at 0.004 - 0.006/point,, thus the average is 0.005/point. When even the credit card hawkers/bloggers give it an average range as stated above, (they usually over-inflate things so people sign up with their referral links), it's probably more "real world".

CAN you get more? Sure. Can you get less? Yup.

Unfortunately my stays are usually not with Hilton hotels, and are 1-2 night stays (pre/post cruise, etc).
JFK Hampton Inn for 1/13/24 is $205 or 60,000 points which I believe is $0.003/point (even lower)

H Hotels by LAX on 6/1/24 is $255/night or 80,000 points which is also $0.003/point

Now a Maldives or Tahiti may yield a much higher ratio IF you can snag one (I think Hilton went semi-dynamic pricing).

YMMV

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Am I thinking of this wrong? If you have Surpass and Aspire you can get $500 off on MF?
Dec $200 Aspire resort credit + $50 Surpass. Jan 1st $200 Aspire resort credit + $50 Surpass.

For an annual fee of $700 you would reduce the cost to $200. You would still then have $100 in resort credit and $200 flight credit. Positive $100 and I didn’t factor the $189 clear or FNC(s)

That would only work once. The next year you have already used that years credit previously.

 

[Lodemia]

That would only work once. The next year you have already used that years credit previously.

I don't follow the math. Isn't is every 6 months now?

 

[Nowaker]

OMAAT, TPG, and View From the Wing all value Hilton points at 0.004 - 0.006/point,, thus the average is 0.005/point. When even the credit card hawkers/bloggers give it an average range as stated above, (they usually over-inflate things so people sign up with their referral links), it's probably more "real world".

I don't really care about TPG and others. "Real world" is my 53 Hilton nights spent between December 2021 and today. I have Hampton (4 nights), Homewood (12), Home2 (6), Tapestry (3), DoubleTree (11), Embassy Suites (2), Curio (2), a couple airport Hiltons, and a couple real Hiltons.

Their calculations don't include complimentary upgrades. If you get upgrades from a studio room to a suite, you should be looking at the price of the suite for your redemption value - obviously. This is where the discrepancy comes from. I've gotten sick upgrades like studio to suite, parking view to ocean view, high floor, etc. thanks to asking for them diligently before my stay (as opposed to check-in).

Their calculations also don't include promotions like "Unlimited Points", or whatever, that give you an extra 2000 pts or 1000 pts or whatever the terms are, neither do they include your Diamond bonus where you get 1000 pts extra on certain properties (like Tapestry). All this has to be taken into account because when you pay 50,000 HH for booking, and get 1,000 HH back after the stay, the cost was 49,000 HH and not 50,000 HH (doh). These are pennies though.

In any case, HH value without upgrades for me is $0.0067. And $0.0085 with upgrades. Which I consider the real world value.

 

[Eric B]

I don't really care about TPG and others. "Real world" is my 53 Hilton nights spent between December 2021 and today. I have Hampton (4 nights), Homewood (12), Home2 (6), Tapestry (3), DoubleTree (11), Embassy Suites (2), Curio (2), a couple airport Hiltons, and a couple real Hiltons.

Their calculations don't include complimentary upgrades. If you get upgrades from a studio room to a suite, you should be looking at the price of the suite for your redemption value - obviously. This is where the discrepancy comes from. I've gotten sick upgrades like studio to suite, parking view to ocean view, high floor, etc. thanks to asking for them diligently before my stay (as opposed to check-in).

Their calculations also don't include promotions like "Unlimited Points", or whatever, that give you an extra 2000 pts or 1000 pts or whatever the terms are, neither do they include your Diamond bonus where you get 1000 pts extra on certain properties (like Tapestry). All this has to be taken into account because when you pay 50,000 HH for booking, and get 1,000 HH back after the stay, the cost was 49,000 HH and not 50,000 HH (doh). These are pennies though.

In any case, HH value without upgrades for me is $0.0067. And $0.0085 with upgrades. Which I consider the real world value.

You're probably better off using the $0.0067 because it is what really represents your "willingness to pay" for the stay. That's a generally preferred methodology for valuing things. If you think about it, you got the upgrade because of the hotel loading at the time you were staying and your relative loyalty status. You likely would have gotten the same upgrade if you had paid cash for the original room you booked, so that cash value represents what you would have been willing to pay to stay at that hotel. Unless you were willing to pay the higher cost of the upgraded room, which was not evidently the case since you didn't book that room, though the premium night costs can be quite a bit higher in HH points than the standard ones. (N.B., it's actually probably more likely for you to get an upgrade as a paying customer than a points customer, but that's not really an issue here.)

There's also the fifth night free part of the program, but that also isn't at play here.

I do fairly well with my point values for reservations by going to Waldorf Austorias, etc. If I were to really examine my motivations, however, I would be somewhat less likely to go to those if I weren't using points instead of dollars. Generally, I use the $0.005 valuation as a threshold for deciding whether to book a stay using points or cash.

 

[HuskerATL]

couple airport Hiltons, and a couple real Hiltons.

Maybe this can be the next Hilton ad.... Come stay with us in a "real" Hilton....

 

[HuskerATL]

Their calculations also don't include promotions like "Unlimited Points", or whatever,

Or the 5 nights for the cost of 4 when using HH pts.

 

[frank808]

This is for the Aspire Card, BTW (that I'm posting about)

Personally I'm not sure these are good changes. Prior to this, my $450 AF was covered quite easily. The $250 airline credit via the United Travel Bank purchase, and the $200 "Resort" charge was covered as my HGV Las Vegas Maintenance fees. Priority Pass was very handy and of course, the free night cert.

Now, the $250 Airline credit is reduced to $200 spread out $50/quarter. It is unknown if the United Travel Bank will be covered or not. However, it does sound like the new $200/$50-quarter credit can be used directly towards airfare purchases, but I don't travel 4x/year. Remains to be seen how to "work" this.

The $400 resort credit will be reduced to $200 for those of us using to pay our MF because we can't pay 6 months early or 6 months late. And that also assumes the resort credit would still be triggered via the MF.

The loss of priority pass (for those that used it) is not good. AFAIK, even the Chase Sapphire Reserve loses the Restaurant Credit. I think only the Bank of America Premiere Elite is close to "equivalent". It covers UNLIMITED visits/guests and you can also "gift" up to 3 additional memberships to people and it covers restaurants. Although the AF is a bit hefty ($500 or $550 I think? with a $300 Travel credit and I think a $150 "lifestyle" credit).

CLEAR is an interesting beast. IF I even keep the Aspire card, I'll cancel my Amex Green Personal (no sense in paying the AF just for CLEAR if the Aspire has it). Although I've only been able to use CLEAR once due to airport limitations.

So realistically, ASSUMING the "old" tricks still triggered things, I'm now paying $550 AF and only able to use $400 in credits.

Not sure the 17x in HGV purchases (Maintenance fees) at $0.005/point is really worth it. (let's see, $1200 x 17 x 0.005 = $102 or thereabouts). If I charge to my Chase card at 5x at the bare 1.25 min = $75, so an extra $27. (gotta check and see if possibly a diff. Amex or Chase card gets extra for travel)

But obviously there will be folks who actually travel more and stay at the specific HGV Resorts to trigger the full $400 resort credit, plus possibly the $100 resort credit for Waldorf and Conrad.

YMMV, but I'm not impressed or pleased with the changes.

Chase Ritz or Chase Sapphire Reserve have the better PP that you can still use it at restaurants.

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