hilton honors credit card

[beach man]

Listmates:

I just got my unit and received an offer from Hilton for a HHonors credit card with 40,000 points. Does anyone have this type of card?

Are the points better than airline miles?

If you charge about 12 to 15k per year, what would that equal in rooms or other amenities?

Most important, are the rewards easy to get or are they like free airline tickets where you have to book your vacation schedule around them?

Thanks for any experiences you can share.:hysterical: :hysterical:

 

[loafingcactus]

I stayed at Hiltons almost full time for five years, so I earned a lot of points that way. I never had a problem spending them when I wanted to. Whether the credit card is worth as much as airline points I do not know. I've kept my airline card because I feel like I have more flexibility with residence (can downgrade if I'm short money) while the airfare is what it is and I need those free flights.

I don't know how many points per dollar that card is giving you? You need 50k points/night most of the time, 25k/night for some low level hotels in second tier locations. If you google Hilton HHonors you'll get the points chart, and it is also in the HiltonGVC book.

 

[Remy]

Hilton HHonors points are generally* not worth as much as airline miles. I tend to collect the 6 points per dollar on Hilton stays (and gas or grocery purchases if I'm collecting toward a goal) that are worth 6 points per dollar and avoid purchases where only 3 points are awarded.

If you do choose to get the card, they offer a healthy point bonus for referrals as well: http://www.hiltonloyalist.com/hhonors/hhonors-amex-cardholders-get-10000-points-for-referral/

*Whether they are worth as much or not often depends on how you redeem them and what airline you are comparing to.

 

[janckenn]

I use my Hilton Honors AmEx for everything at Hilton type hotels and my maintenance fees for HGVC. It really racks up the hotel points.

For everything else, I use my Delta Sky Miles AmEx. I put every last purchace on that card and pay off balance monthly. It really racks up airline points. I love first class / business class flights so use my miles to upgrade a ticket for a flight over 2 hours.

 

[linsj]

I value hotel points more than extra miles since I get plenty of miles from flying. So I put all my personal purchases on my Hilton amex and business purchases on my Starwood business amex (sure wish Hilton had a business card!)--except for places that don't take amex--and pay the balance off monthly.

One of the best features of Hilton's status program is that award nights count toward status. Since that doesn't happen with airline programs, I don't book free flights for myself.

 

[falmouth3]

I have the free HiltonHonors American Express card. If you spend $20K on your card each year, you attain gold status. Gold usually gets you an upgrade to the concierge floor and concierge lounge. We charge everything we can to our card. DH orders food for his professional group meetings to our card so that helps us reach that $20K goal.

I've reached the conclusion that I'd rather use my points in Europe because hotels in the US are relatively inexpensive compared to Europe. Except for a last minute stay near the Orlando airport where they wanted over $250 for the lower level Hilton Hotels. I happily used points then.

I also prefer hotel points on my credit card because when we fly, I usually use my points for DH's travel, but I pay for my tickets to try to ensure that I reach at least the bottom level of the premier traveler each year.

 

[pianodinosaur]

I use my Hilton AmEx frequently. The points accumulate very rapidly. We have had numerous redemptions at Hilton Family Hotels and resorts. We have had some excellent vacations using the Going Global option. You must call HHonors for this type of redemption as it cannot yet be done online. However, it will give you the most bang for your points.

 

[tim]

What's the Going Global option????

 

[Talent312]

What's the Going Global option????

"Going Global" is the legacy name for what Hilton now calls "VIP Awards."
Some of old-timers aren't used to this new-fangled terminology.

These are discounted Hilton Honors point-rates for stays of 4N or more at Hilton's family of hotels. Only Silver, Gold or Diamond level H-Honors members are eligible. As a HGVC member, you are at least Silver-tier.

If you log on to Hilton's website with an eligible account number, and then search for award-reservation of 4N or more, you'll see "VIP" in the search criteria and discounted point-rates listed for available hotels.

 

[night0wl]

The big disappointment for me with HHonors is that they *CANNOT* be redeemed at any HGVC affiliate resort (but can at true HGVC resorts).

Big bummer when trying to get into SW Florida properties.

 

[Talent312]

The big disappointment for me with HHonors is that they *CANNOT* be redeemed at any HGVC affiliate resort (but can at true HGVC resorts).

Only true Hilton properties ever showed in searches, so I assumed that was the deal.
But I gott'a admire you for thinking outside the box!

If Hilton Hotels can access to HGVC resorts 'cuz HGVC members trade HGVC for Honors points and hotel-bookings, why not affiliates whose HGVC members do the same? Perhaps their 'puters just can't handle it.

 

[night0wl]

Only true Hilton properties ever showed in searches, so I assumed that was the deal.
But I gott'a admire you for thinking outside the box!

If Hilton Hotels can access to HGVC resorts 'cuz HGVC members trade HGVC for Honors points and hotel-bookings, why not affiliates whose HGVC members do the same? Perhaps their 'puters just can't handle it.

Yeah - that was my (false) logic. The other whammy that hit us after buying HGVC was that the tug guide made it sound like HHonors could be used to book open season (rather than using Club points or cash). While technically this is possible through HHOnors website, it doesn't apply to affiliates....and its a transaction not handled through HGVC...and it really isn't open season, its just general availability.

I guess my posts sound negative...but I must say this, on the balance I'm happy with our HGVC resale purchase. I feel I slightly overpaid since I bought 2 x 1 bedroom platinums rather than a 7000 point or 8400 point at Las Vegas or Orlando. But in general, lots of good vacations and memories in the 2 years we've had so far and we havne't even used it for RCI exchanges yet.

 

[pianodinosaur]

NightOwl:

HGVC and HHonors are two separate programs. HGVC points may be converted to HHonors points but HHonors points may not be converted to HGVC points. Membership in HGVC gives you automatic membership in HHonors. However, membership in HHonors does not give you automatic membership in HGVC.

I participate in HHonors, Starwood Preferred, and Marriott Rewards. I think HHonors is the easiest to use and understand.

 

[dja1980]

AMEX vs. Citi Visa

It looks like HHonors cards are available in 2 flavors. Does one offer better incentive over the other?

I currently use my Citi Dividend card for cash incentives. It rewards 1% cash back into a separate account that you can request checks from when you want to, but the maximum incentive is $300/year unless you participate in other promotions. The incentive has actually been reduced over the last few years... used to be 5% cash back on groceries and gas, and 1% everything else.

I use my card for everything and pay it off every month. Since I usually max out my $300 cash incentive, I like the idea of having a different rewards card for Hilton, especially since this can be used for maintenance fees. With Citi, I can link other Citi cards to my login, but maybe AMEX offers a better incentive?

 

[Remy]

It looks like HHonors cards are available in 2 flavors. Does one offer better incentive over the other?

I currently use my Citi Dividend card for cash incentives. It rewards 1% cash back into a separate account that you can request checks from when you want to, but the maximum incentive is $300/year unless you participate in other promotions. The incentive has actually been reduced over the last few years... used to be 5% cash back on groceries and gas, and 1% everything else.

I use my card for everything and pay it off every month. Since I usually max out my $300 cash incentive, I like the idea of having a different rewards card for Hilton, especially since this can be used for maintenance fees. With Citi, I can link other Citi cards to my login, but maybe AMEX offers a better incentive?

The Amex offers more points for purchases at grocery stores and gas stations and more points for all other purchases. Citi has a bigger sign-up bonus.

Neither has a fee.

http://www.hiltonloyalist.com/hhonors/hhonors-no-fee-amex-vs-citibank-visa/

 

[dja1980]

Actually, 3 Flavors

I did a little research, and it looks like AMEX also offers the HHonors Surpass card, but I'm not sure if it's worth the $75 annual fee. It looks like it matches the current Citi sign-up bonus, plus gives 9 points per Hilton dollar and VIP Gold by maintaining $20K/year, and VIP Diamond for $40K/year.

The problem for me is that I will likely continue to use my Citi Dividend card for general purchases and one of the HHonors cards for HGVC & Hilton costs. For this reason, I'm thinking that maybe the Citi HHonors card might be best suited for me.

 

[PigsDad]

I did a little research, and it looks like AMEX also offers the HHonors Surpass card, but I'm not sure if it's worth the $75 annual fee. It looks like it matches the current Citi sign-up bonus, plus gives 9 points per Hilton dollar and VIP Gold by maintaining $20K/year, and VIP Diamond for $40K/year.

The Diamond benefit is definitely worth it if you can make this card your primary CC and can funnel through that level of dollars each year. We have some major expenses that we can charge to a CC (w/o incurring a fee), so this makes sense for us (we just barely hit that level). Without the Diamond perk, I'm not sure it would be worth the $75 annual fee (for us, at least).

Diamond has some pretty nice perks, including a guaranteed reservation at a hotel even if it is full -- we used that one last Thanksgiving, and we were even allowed to use points for the stay! And when you do pay cash for a room, the Diamond bonus points really add up quickly. Access to the Diamond desk is great as well. For example, I was going to make a 4-night reservation w/ points using a VIP award for discounted points. The Diamond desk emailed me back and said that for the last 3 nights of that reservation, there were "point-stretcher" nights available, and if I used 1 night at full-points rate, and the 3-nights of point stretcher, it would actually save me about 20K points vs. the VIP 4-night award. Talk about service!

If you only use your points for more expensive hotels and utilize VIP awards, I have found the HHonors Surpass card to be a great value -- especially compared to our previous primary CC which was the United Mileage Plus Visa card. I've done the analysis before, and I get way more value than 1% of my purchases using the HHonors points earned from the card (more on the order of 2-3%, sometimes more).

Kurt

 

[Kildahl]

The big disappointment for me with HHonors is that they *CANNOT* be redeemed at any HGVC affiliate resort (but can at true HGVC resorts).

Big bummer when trying to get into SW Florida properties.

Also I was told (when attempting to use points to use a Miami hotel) that the only Florida hotels you can use points for our are in Orlando. Hmmm.

 

[Talent312]

Also I was told (when attempting to use points to use a Miami hotel) that the only Florida hotels you can use points for our are in Orlando. Hmmm.

Huh? I dunno who told you this, but that's a ridiculous thing to say and they were out to lunch.

Hilton Honors points may be used at any Florida hotel in the Hilton family (subject to availability), including Miami. I just found six or so hotels in Miami accepting HH-points, ranging from a Hampton Inn to the Hilton Bentley on Miami Beach.

HGVC points may be used for direct hotel bookings anywhere (like HHonors points), but the latter is such a notoriously poor use of points they may not offer, unless you specifically ask for it.

 

[dja1980]

Sorry to hijack, but you guys really got me thinking about all this. I'm rethinking my primary cc... thinking about changing over to AMEX. If I do this, I really need to decide if I want the free card or the Surpass card ($75/yr.). I’m guessing I funnel roughly $20-30K/yr. through my Dividend card, which gives me a cash reward of roughly $200-300/yr. I’m guessing I can get more than $200-300 in value by accumulating HHonors points?

Since I'm still very new to all this, I've spent a lot of time on the HHonors website trying to figure out the program. If I understand correctly, Base points are ONLY accumulated by purchasing rate stays and services at Hilton family hotels. Points accumulated through cc purchases are considered Bonus points, and are NOT subject to the 15%, 25%, 50% Point Bonuses offered by achieving higher tiers.

So, the Surpass card gives you 9 points per Hilton dollar spent and an opportunity to achieve Gold or Diamond VIP status. The problem is that I DON’T purchase hotels stays. That being said, I don’t believe that the higher Bonus points or status tiers offered with the Surpass card will help me to accumulate points any faster. Am I understating this correctly?

 

[Remy]

The Surpass Card wouldn't be worth the $75 since you could earn Gold with the free card and your spending doesn't meet the $40k required for Diamond. The only advantage other than that was the 9 points for Hilton purchases, which would be minimal if you aren't paying for the rooms themselves.

 

[dja1980]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

The only other quick question I have is, do you get to use the perks you get for achieving higher tiers if you are staying at the hotel on HHonors points? For example, if I achieve Gold, can I choose the 1,000 Bonus points option for staying at Waldorf Astoria even if I'm staying there on points?

Oh, and speaking of Bonus points, do Gold / Diamond members receive the 1,000 / 2,000 respective Bonus points when they stay at HGVC? If so, I assume since we are all at least Silver VIP, we also get the newspaper, early check-in, late check-out, and 2 bottles of water HHonors perks?

 

[Remy]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

The only other quick question I have is, do you get to use the perks you get for achieving higher tiers if you are staying at the hotel on HHonors points? For example, if I achieve Gold, can I choose the 1,000 Bonus points option for staying at Waldorf Astoria even if I'm staying there on points?

Oh, and speaking of Bonus points, do Gold / Diamond members receive the 1,000 / 2,000 respective Bonus points when they stay at HGVC? If so, I assume since we are all at least Silver VIP, we also get the newspaper, early check-in, late check-out, and 2 bottles of water HHonors perks?

Yes, I've received the points at an HGI when not selecting the free breakfast option, so I assume it's the same across the brands. You simply don't get the points for the stay itself when HHonors points are used.

The perks you are noting for HGVC are for stays booked through the Hilton.com site, not for a stay booked using HGVC club points.

 

[dja1980]

Ah... that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification. I guess that's an easy way to remember it... if booked through Hilton.com, perks apply.

PS... HiltonLoyalist.com is a nice resource. I just finished reading your eBay article and saved a new eBay search.

 

[Remy]

I came up with that system after my first purchase and because of it was able to get a decent deal on my second purchase. I hope others find it useful if they're in the market. Though, right now eBay has very few HGVC platinum listings. A couple months ago there were a dozen platinum, now there are 5. And most are Bay Club.

Here's the link in case anyone is looking to simplify their eBay search: http://www.hiltonloyalist.com/hgvc/searching-for-your-hgvc-timeshare-purchase-on-ebay/