topic Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors? in Credit Cards

Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 18:30:02 GMT

I just got the AmEx Hilton HHonors card, which I think is a pretty nice card, but there seems to be a general consensus that it's not worth it based on the point value.

HHonor points are valued at 0.4 - 1.0 per point, depending on how they're redeemed, but with an average earning of 5 pts/dollar spent on things like restaurants, groceries, and gas, isn't the card, like, a solid 2%-2.5% cashback card when redeeming points for hotel stays?

Am I missing something here?

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

red259 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 18:44:25 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I just got the AmEx Hilton HHonors card, which I think is a pretty nice card, but there seems to be a general consensus that it's not worth it based on the point value.

HHonor points are valued at 0.4 - 1.0 per point, depending on how they're redeemed, but with an average earning of 5 pts/dollar spent on things like restaurants, groceries, and gas, isn't the card, like, a solid 2%-2.5% cashback card when redeeming points for hotel stays?

Am I missing something here?

Depends on how you are redeeming I guess. If you want to stay at lower end hiltons you can get a decent return on points. If you want to stay at higher end properties it requires an absurd amount of points. There are other cards that will give a much better return than .2% on gas, groceries and restaurants.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Closingracer99 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:00:04 GMT

I am perfectly fine staying at the lower end of their hotels since I rathe go for price then top end amenties and even their low end is still quite better then places like Day's inn or whatever you might find like Red roof or something while driving around and need somewhere to sleep. For me the points is quite good and since it has no AF just simply use the card and let it build

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:08:50 GMT

Keep in mind "high end" can include more basic properties in high-cost areas.

My last Hilton stay (a Garden Inn in Manhattan) cost me $145 with taxes, but would have cost 60k HHonors points. That's 0.24 cpp.

There are definitely basic properties in inexpensive, rural areas that offer a better value.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

red259 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:09:28 GMT

@Closingracer99 wrote:
I am perfectly fine staying at the lower end of their hotels since I rathe go for price then top end amenties and even their low end is still quite better then places like Day's inn or whatever you might find like Red roof or something while driving around and need somewhere to sleep. For me the points is quite good and since it has no AF just simply use the card and let it build

I feel the same way when it comes to paying cash and will stay at fairfield inns courtyards and hampton inns. However, when I redeem points I like to use them on high end properties, although I do use them on lower end properties when that is all that is in the area.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

red259 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:18:18 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Keep in mind "high end" can include more basic properties in high-cost areas.

My last Hilton stay (a Garden Inn in Manhattan) cost me $145 with taxes, but would have cost 60k HHonors points. That's 0.24 cpp.

There are definitely basic properties in inexpensive, rural areas that offer a better value.

Oh nevermind I see what you mean.I thought you were saying you were getting back 2.4 cents per point, but you meant you were only getting back 2/10ths a cent per point. Yea in this situation I'd just pay cash.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:21:21 GMT

i have found many properties i would stay at for only 20k points. basically just the 40k bonus gets you 2 hotel stays. also? they have a cool option to do points + cash and that's not a bad deal either. can get like a $120 a night place for like 6k points and $60 or something. really isn't as bad as people make them out to be in my opinion.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Closingracer99 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:23:54 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Keep in mind "high end" can include more basic properties in high-cost areas.

My last Hilton stay (a Garden Inn in Manhattan) cost me $145 with taxes, but would have cost 60k HHonors points. That's 0.24 cpp.

There are definitely basic properties in inexpensive, rural areas that offer a better value.

Dude thats CHEAP in Manhattan ... I should know I live in NYC

Marriott in Downtown Brooklyn is $300 a night and most others in NYC are around the $200 mark

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:46:46 GMT

@Closingracer99 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Keep in mind "high end" can include more basic properties in high-cost areas.

My last Hilton stay (a Garden Inn in Manhattan) cost me $145 with taxes, but would have cost 60k HHonors points. That's 0.24 cpp.

There are definitely basic properties in inexpensive, rural areas that offer a better value.
Dude thats CHEAP in Manhattan ... I should know I live in NYC

Marriott in Downtown Brooklyn is $300 a night and most others in NYC are around the $200 mark

That was in the late spring, so it was cheap. (For the uninformed, that's convention season with higher hotel rates).

I had a Hotel Indigo Chelsea stay a few months ago where I was able to stack promotions to get over 40k in IHG points on top of a one-night stay for like $220. I didn't get an upgrade to a suite, but it was still a good value.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

red259 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 20:06:32 GMT

@Closingracer99 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Keep in mind "high end" can include more basic properties in high-cost areas.

My last Hilton stay (a Garden Inn in Manhattan) cost me $145 with taxes, but would have cost 60k HHonors points. That's 0.24 cpp.

There are definitely basic properties in inexpensive, rural areas that offer a better value.
Dude thats CHEAP in Manhattan ... I should know I live in NYC

Marriott in Downtown Brooklyn is $300 a night and most others in NYC are around the $200 mark

Yea I was kinda thinking that is a pretty good dead for Manhattan. Heh. Although I have seen decent sub-$200 rates in the city during non-peak travel seasons. Since I live here though I never have to worry about redeeming points on NYC stays.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

jsucool76 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 20:26:01 GMT

All of the hotel programs have their benefits. Hilton is definitely an "Earn and burn" program. Don't waste too much time saving points, spend em when you get em.

Also, $145 for a HGI in manhattan, i'd take that any day of the week.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 21:52:07 GMT

I settled on Hilton years ago when I started travelling for the job, so the HHonors was a milestone card for me during my rebuilding. If nothing else to keep and maintain my status and get automatic upgrades when the travel is light.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Closingracer99 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:37:40 GMT

@red259 wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Keep in mind "high end" can include more basic properties in high-cost areas.

My last Hilton stay (a Garden Inn in Manhattan) cost me $145 with taxes, but would have cost 60k HHonors points. That's 0.24 cpp.

There are definitely basic properties in inexpensive, rural areas that offer a better value.
Dude thats CHEAP in Manhattan ... I should know I live in NYC

Marriott in Downtown Brooklyn is $300 a night and most others in NYC are around the $200 mark
Yea I was kinda thinking that is a pretty good dead for Manhattan. Heh. Although I have seen decent sub-$200 rates in the city during non-peak travel seasons. Since I live here though I never have to worry about redeeming points on NYC stays.

Yeah if you go hunting for a hotel outside of Manhattan or Downtown Brooklyn you might be able to find a hotel for under $200 but most likely your going to spend around $200 a night for a room at a good hotel tier like a Marriott or Hilton or any of it's related brands. For a place like Day's inn you might be able to get it around $150 or some place like Best Western which there is a ton of them across 4th Ave in Brooklyn from Bay Ridge to the Barclay's center. Don't get me wrong I love places like Holiday inn, Best Western but I just find the hotels in the Hilton/Marriott brand as a really good experience for the traveler who wants a great experience but bit on a budget. I am excluding the boutique hotels like Hotel on Rivington or any other ones from this assessment.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Closingracer99 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:40:38 GMT

@jsucool76 wrote:
All of the hotel programs have their benefits. Hilton is definitely an "Earn and burn" program. Don't waste too much time saving points, spend em when you get em.

Also, $145 for a HGI in manhattan, i'd take that any day of the week.

+1 Specially in Manhattan which is a steal. for a Staycation that would be great.

Might go do one in the summer since I am going to LA in a few weeks and thats costing me a pretty dime already. But I guess it is a good thing because I get to use my new Citi AA plat and Amex Hilton cards to make the spend. I have missed only one signup bonus and that was the Amex Everyday but I don't really value MR as much and I was busy making the spend for the CSP and Marriott card which if I remember was a total spend of $5,000 at the time I signed up for them.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:42:00 GMT

It amazes me that the IHG MC isn't more popular, with no category restrictions for the free night and a $49 AF.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Closingracer99 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:42:06 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I settled on Hilton years ago when I started travelling for the job, so the HHonors was a milestone card for me during my rebuilding. If nothing else to keep and maintain my status and get automatic upgrades when the travel is light.

Yeah for a card with 0 AF with Amex's or Citi's offering This is a good enough perk to get the card imo. I had the Marriott card but I realized even with the free night I ended up always going to a hilton branded hotel anyways because the prices was so much better and I like both of their branded hotels

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Closingracer99 — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:43:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It amazes me that the IHG MC isn't more popular, with no category restrictions for the free night and a $49 AF.

Yeah it's a good card but Hilton Amex and Citi are I believe one of the only cards that offers Hotel points and upgraded status with no AF? Barclay's might offer one but I dont like them and they don't like me. Plus I already have 5 cards with Chase.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 22:45:19 GMT

don't be fooled about the "free night". that's what the $49 AF helps cover. it's more of a "discounted night"

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 23:02:19 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
don't be fooled about the "free night". that's what the $49 AF helps cover. it's more of a "discounted night"

True. My point was more comparing the card to Hyatt and Marriott’s annual “free” nights. Hyatt and Marriott cards have higher annual fees, but the “free” (discounted) nights can’t be used anywhere in Manhattan, while IHG’s can be used not just in Manhattan but at an IC, CP, Indigo, etc. HI/HIX is always good, too.

Re: Underestimated Hilton HHonors?

red259 — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 00:58:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
don't be fooled about the "free night". that's what the $49 AF helps cover. it's more of a "discounted night"
True. My point was more comparing the card to Hyatt and Marriott’s annual “free” nights. Hyatt and Marriott cards have higher annual fees, but the “free” (discounted) nights can’t be used anywhere in Manhattan, while IHG’s can be used not just in Manhattan but at an IC, CP, Indigo, etc. HI/HIX is always good, too.

I don't have much experience with IHG but I have a decent amount of experience with Hyatt, marriott and hilton when it comes to free nights. I be interested in which free night certificates would have the most value. I know marriott with their cat cap aren't really that useful in major cities, but I have managed to get value at lower end properties that are seasonal where they are extremely over priced. Hyatt doesn't seem that great either, but I was thinking about using it for an overnight in Boston which is a decent value. The hilton if you earn the free weekend night can be very valuable of course you are spending 10k & payying an AF to get it. What I find very interesting is that Chase has different language in the terms betwene the IHG and Hyatt credit cards. The IHG card specifically has language that says Chase can close the card for inactivity. The Hyatt card has no such language in the same section. Also, the IHG card has language that says during high demand periods you can be denied the redemption at the properties the hyatt card doesn't say that directly. Has anyone had difficulty in redeeming their IHG nights?