I just picked up this card as well a few weeks ago. I was getting decent upgrades and perks as a Gold member due to the Plat card but really picked this up for the Diamond status (hoping to have similar or better experiences as Gold) along witht he airline credits and resort credits. As of now, I will have $500 in Delta gc's (still works) by January due to the credit. No brainer for me since we mainly fly with Delta.
You will definitely not be disappointed.
@sdsoccerdad wrote:I just picked up this card as well a few weeks ago. I was getting decent upgrades and perks as a Gold member due to the Plat card but really picked this up for the Diamond status (hoping to have similar or better experiences as Gold) along witht he airline credits and resort credits. As of now, I will have $500 in Delta gc's (still works) by January due to the credit. No brainer for me since we mainly fly with Delta.
You will definitely not be disappointed.
I hope your experience will be a "Diamond" treatment like mine, also keep in mind, with the Diamond Status you can get a Platinum Challenge from Marriott or depending on who you get they will MATCH your Diamond for a instant Platinum. Then you can have bets of both worlds.
Also, change your signature picture form Ascend to Aspire.
@PointsBonus wrote:
@Cred4All wrote:@VIPERLTDMYFICO this definetly helps thank you. I'm a primarily Hilton loyalist, not because of a cult but they just happen to be everywhere and everywhere that my business takes me. I've been treated very well as 'Gold' since August having the Amex Platinum, however as time has ticked and stays have slowly increased, I continue pondering the Aspire.
Where I get hung up and torn is merely that any search of reviews as to "Diamond Status" online for Hilton lead to a plethora of horrendous reviews. Many state Gold is the best option as it includes the breakfast (Which I've enjoyed) and doesn't require the stays for Diamond. That being said, I also recognize the usefullness of acquiring 150,000 Hilton points with the Aspire SUB and like how in a last ditch effort if all hotels are booked, they 'should' still have a room for a Diamond.
I'm happy to hear the Diamond status and card are working for you, and that Diamond is still reviewed by those who use it as being useful. Have you primarily been in the US or Overseas if I may ask?
Only question(s) left to ponder is if app'ing for the Aspire would cause a jealousy w/ Chase. (CSR and Platinum acquired in August 18', Discover IT in October) and if I want to deal with a 3rd hefty annual fee. Amex takes 2 months to report the new card so that would technically be 6 months since the Chase card was approved. Ahhhh, these moments do try me. I can already hear voices from other Garden members coming into range..
I am going try my best to keep it short ...i tend to tell stories...
@Anonymous reason why there is a Diamond is because DIAMOND is different, there is a SEPARATE line for a DIAMOND DESK which I have used many times, but most recently for my Disney vacations with my family. I was short about 32,152 ( Some odd number of points ) points and I called to simply ask Diamond how I can book it since I am short and I didn't want to my extra points for extra points to be left over, the gentleman was very nice and ask me how old my kids were and small talk, not the normal reading off a screen, long story short - he comes back and he states "I found a few things for you in my Diamond Hat" - 1. Free upgrade to a 2 room 2 bath living suite @ the NORMAL room Points value ( I planned on asking for this but he beat me to the punch ) 2. The dally resort fee of $50.00 - Bwam GONE ! ...at this point I was excited and was ready to pay for the points ! why ? with Hilton you can Use your points like CASH and stay at a Normal Room for XX,XXX points per night and stay in a Suite for XXX,XXX points per night. Lastly he GAVE ME THE EXTRA POINTS FOR FREE and booked my room and all !
This will not happen with a GOLD status, TRUST ME. I also had a situation in Daytona Beach Florida Hilton, Hilton Daytona, when I arrived they gave me a nice room with a ocean view, no issues.... after dinner I come back to the hotel and the whole floor for some reason had a bunch of yougn kids goign wild, again, long story short here, when I called the front desk, I ask nicely if there were any more rooms in a different floor, she just clocked in and just did a quick glance and it was at 100% capacity, I forgot to ask her about the Diamond floor and also i was checking my app and my app told me it was sold out too, so she offered me some points for the "loud floor". After I hang up, 3 minutes later the front desk manager calls me and says "Mr.Shin, I was just over hearing your conversation and I apologize for the loud noise and apologize for "Jane Doe" not checking the Diamond floor as she just clocked in, I am sending a gentleman up there with your new room keys on the Diamond Floor. The Diamond floor was SOOOO quite and nice.....
So, with all that being said, the $450 fee will take care of it self with the other "credits" from American Express, but the Diamond Status in my opinion.....is Price Less. Ask yourself this, Can you put a price on time or experience ?
I can also tell you a story about our Hawaii Hilton stay but....it be toooo long but I can share a picture of the view from the "Diamond Upgrade"
@VIPERLTDMYFICO Great info, if I had never stayed in a Hilton in my life that write-up would've swayed me no doubt. Appreciate the info, you're right.. based on that experience I can see where the status definitely helped play a role. Thanks for all of those details.
@iced That sounds about on par with a # of things I've read via other sites with mixed experiences. I know the credits the Aspire card gives are nice and outweight most of the fee such as Viper mentioned, then again I have two cards that already provide a # of the same perks. I will also absorb your info and appreciate that viewpoint, thanks again. I've been fortunate in my recent stays this past month that even with some glitches, I've been treated extremely well but am cognizant of the mixed reviews also.
@jeffreymrimd Again, sounds spot on with many I've read that Diamond can be hit or miss, but it's excellent to hear you're still happy with the card regardless of hiccups with the Status experience. Thanks for sharing!
@sdsoccerdad wrote:I just picked up this card as well a few weeks ago. I was getting decent upgrades and perks as a Gold member due to the Plat card but really picked this up for the Diamond status (hoping to have similar or better experiences as Gold) along witht he airline credits and resort credits. As of now, I will have $500 in Delta gc's (still works) by January due to the credit. No brainer for me since we mainly fly with Delta.
You will definitely not be disappointed.
@More positive info, excellent thanks @sdsoccerdad! Glad you had a good experience.
Hah! Thanks for providing the image. I’ll make sure to change this in the morning. I read about the status match. I need to read more about it since that would be pretty cool.
Call the Marriott line, call and hang up until you get a nice person that wants to either MATCH or give you an EASY challenge.
@redpat wrote:I’m not a rosd worrier by any means but I have switched from Marriott from Hilton and have been very pleased with customer service with all my stays w/ gold status. I book suites if I want them because I don’t want to count on getting upgrades and I could care or less about a suite upgrade for a one night stay.
Hilton may have picked up their game since Marriott apparently drop the ball on their SPG acquisition and award program.
I have also picked up a ton of points and I have been happy with my redemptions that have ranged from .7 to 1.5. I also find that I can accumulate more Hilton points faster w/ less spend for redemptions than Marriott.
I tend to agree that gold to diamond isn’t that much more.
Yes, Gold isn't a bad place to be I agree, been treated great and have the free breakfast. None the less the 150k SUB is useful being I am in Hilton 95% of my stays so, Diamond could be worth the leap. I also just had a recent stay where things did not go as planned, however via email with the Asst. Mgr (Due in part only to me asking a question regarding thea recent stay) she credited me a night stay, as well as voluntarily placed 10,000 Hilton points onto my account. I feel that was above and beyond what was expected, they may have improved a bit unless it was pure luck. Ironically on that stay being in a 3 month old hotel I did receive my first upgrade to a 2bdrm, 2 bathroom suite, so miracles do happen.
@ICEYWARM