topic Re: AMEX HHonors Question in Credit Cards

AMEX HHonors Question

QuakerOatmeal — Thu, 17 May 2018 15:45:38 GMT

I have the no AF HHonors and am Preapproved for the Aspire version of the card. If I get the SUB from the vanilla HHonors card and the 100k points SUB for the Aspire version of the card will the points pool together? Between the points SUB, and the Diamond status it looks very appealing to me...

Will I lose the points from my original SUB if I close the vanilla HHonors card and just keep the Aspire version?

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

MrDisco99 — Thu, 17 May 2018 16:20:43 GMT

Yes the points pool assuming you use the same Hilton Honors account number for the second card.

You can get the bonus for both cards if you apply for both of them as new accounts.

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

QuakerOatmeal — Thu, 17 May 2018 16:30:38 GMT

Is the Hilton Honors card generally considered good?

I recently got the SPG card right before they nerfed the points SUB and I'm looking at the points spending scheme, and it just looks terrible now. I doubt I'll ever really use it unless I'm staying at a starwood property, or to use those points from the SUB.

Meanwhile the Hilton cards look more appealing (from a points perspective) and for that diamond tier status!

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

Anonymous — Thu, 17 May 2018 20:15:11 GMT

Hilton points aren’t that valuable imo. They are worth maybe 0.5 cents a point. Cheapest Hilton room I have seen still cost 20000 points.

With that being said, I have the No AF version that I got specifically for the SUB. I’ll likely keep it and use it at Hilton’s since it is my preferred brand to stay at though:

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

Anonymous — Thu, 17 May 2018 22:53:00 GMT

In the US, they are .5 cent a piece, sometimes less.

The sweet spot with Hilton points are the 5 night bookings where you get 1 night free. I'm looking into the Conrad Maldives for a trip next year. An overwater villa costs around $1500/night or 95,000 points. Using the 5 nights get 1 promo, It is 380,000 points. On this redemption, it is a little under 2 cents a piece. Grand Wailea in Hawaii has a similarly good redemption if you dont want to go as far.

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

MrDisco99 — Thu, 17 May 2018 23:55:46 GMT

You earn more points from Hilton stays and from spend on Hilton cards, but the points are not worth as much, so it kinda balances out vs. other hotel loyalty schemes.

And as the above poster points out really well, the value of any points scheme really depends on where you want to go, and where you can find the best value.

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

marmaladepie — Fri, 18 May 2018 00:50:02 GMT

Does anyone know Amex's policies are about 'matching' newer or better SUB?

My friend signed up for the Ascend last week and the newer promo today has the same 100k but ALSO a free weekend night upon renewal on anniversary. He was able to put in the request with the CSA (but they will follow up).

Is there a limit to how long ago? I'm about 40 days out.

I think Chase will consider matching SUB if you've signed up for a card within the last 90 days.

Thanks!

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

QuakerOatmeal — Fri, 18 May 2018 02:27:13 GMT

It’s very difficult to get them to honor new SUBs. I cold applied for the PRG and was approved for the basic SUB of 3k for 25k MR points. Literally a week later I got a mail in offer for “spend 3k get 50k MR points”. This was maybe a day after I had already activated my card.

I called customer service expecting it to be easy, no problem. My request to get the newer SUB regardless of how soon the offer was received after I had already applied for the PRG was met with deaf ears.

I thought this was just a case of getting the wrong customer service rep. I called back later and got the same response. “No, you accepted the one you’re getting at the time of approval. I’m so sorry”

It took several calls, and several angry tweets until I was able to get a CSR on twitter to handle it via DM. And even then, I was told no because the offer didn’t match my name (I had my name legally changed, so my current last name didn’t match the offer) I explained that my name had been legally changed and they made me submit the legal paperwork showing proof of the name change. After MUCH MUCH discussion, they finally approved me for the new SUB.

It took a lot of work, and alot of persistence, but I did it. I think the trick is to submit the request as soon as possible and try your best to not take no for an answer.

And if worse comes to worse, take it to twitter and make it public. Twitter is what truly made the difference.

It was worth it in the end, I got double the MR for the same amount of spending.

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

Anonymous — Fri, 18 May 2018 03:18:55 GMT

The CSR can’t do anything to match the offer. They don’t have the power to do it. All they can do is forward the request to another department (sounds like they did this). If you escalate it to a supervisor when you call them, the supervisor does have the power to match a SUB. In this case it seems like you are trying to get the free weekend night. As it’s not just doing a points adjustment it might be harder for them to do it.

Re: AMEX HHonors Question

PointsBonus — Fri, 25 May 2018 01:21:37 GMT

Here is what I have been told my AMEX CSR and what I have achieved. the Sign Up Bonus is PER THE CARD not the "program". Meaning :

Delta Reserve : 40,000 SUB - I achieved

Delta Gold : 60,000 SUB - I achieved

Delta Platinum : 70,000 SUB - I achieved

--Same Delta Skymiles Number

I would double check via Chat with a CSR, BUT the ASpire card is a BRAND new product, I am 100% sure you will qualify for the 100,000 with the same HHonors Account without pooling. - If they tell you anything different please let us know.

Also, I am a Diamond member and Platinum with Marriott. I promise you this, Being a Diamond Member MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. To give you two examples, my colleague is a Gold Member, We both booked the same hotel for business the same week, Check in Sunday leave Thursday, well plans changed so I had to change from Tuesday to Thursday, although the price went up $45 a night, when I called the Diamond desk they called they informed me of the price increase BUT locked me in on the lower rate. My colleague, not so much, lets just say per our company policy and the nightly rate going over, he stayed at a different hotel. Taking a trip to Disney, was a little short on points, Diamond desk...... the CSR called the Diamond Hat, and he found some good stuff in the "Diamond" hat.

Also, the $450, $200 of it i already got back from the Airline "upgrade fees".

Please keep us posted.