Rumor of new Amex card with automatic Diamond status, free night, more

http://millionmilesecrets.com/2016/10/07/amex-hilton-diamond-card/

Daraius and Emily outline the benefits:

Free Hilton Diamond status
14 Hilton points per $1 you spend at Hilton hotels
7 Hilton points per $1 you spend at US restaurants, car rental agencies, and airfare purchased directly from airlines
3 Hilton points per $1 you spend on all other purchases
Free night at participating Hilton hotels after spending $12,000 annually
$250 annual travel credit for incidental fees like baggage fees
Free Priority Pass membership
The card’s annual fee could be $395.

I don't think I would put that much on hotel credit card in a year. I haven't even perused the program much. I do love Doubletree and Hampton Inns though.

rickandcindy23 said:

http://millionmilesecrets.com/2016/10/07/amex-hilton-diamond-card/

Daraius and Emily outline the benefits:

Free Hilton Diamond status
14 Hilton points per $1 you spend at Hilton hotels
7 Hilton points per $1 you spend at US restaurants, car rental agencies, and airfare purchased directly from airlines
3 Hilton points per $1 you spend on all other purchases
Free night at participating Hilton hotels after spending $12,000 annually
$250 annual travel credit for incidental fees like baggage fees
Free Priority Pass membership
The card’s annual fee could be $395.

I don't think I would put that much on hotel credit card in a year. I haven't even perused the program much. I do love Doubletree and Hampton Inns though.

Click to expand...

With an annual fee of $395, and $12,000 in "spend" required, is it really a "free night?"

jestme said:

With an annual fee of $395, and $12,000 in "spend" required, is it really a "free night?"

Click to expand...

Most Amex cards have been so-so for me.

I love my Chase Sapphire Reserve. I cannot say enough good things about it. It's going to be the best card for our MF's.

Interesting. I stay in enough Hilton properties that I will probably take a serious look at this card if its actually released.

Hmm, I might do that if they come out with it before the new year, and my Key West exchange doesn't come through, as it'd save me some points for the Waldorf Astoria resort down there.

I like the 50% bonus.

I'd at least try it for one year with the reimbursement for incidentals.

Value of the New $395 Card

jestme said:

With an annual fee of $395, and $12,000 in "spend" required, is it really a "free night?"

Click to expand...

We don't spend that much in Hilton Hotels so that it would be difficult for us to justify the $395 cost. However, if you get a free night at a top Hilton, Conrad, or Waldorf Astoria that costs $300-$500 that certainly does make it good deal. Added that our HGVC timeshare maintenance is about $6000 so that the extra 2 points are worth about $100 over the Premier card which cost $95/year.

Amex is missing all those Costco members and their daily charges.

one can get the hilton reserve card with a $99 annual fee. Get gold status and 1 free night/year. Plus you can use it at costco.

Not hard to get diamond after that with a few stays and some purchases.


Using our free night right now here in Chicago.

Rewards
10 HHonors Bonus Points
per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton Portfolio1
5 HHonors Bonus Points
per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases1
3 HHonors Bonus Points
per $1 spent on other purchases1



Earn an upgrade to HHonors Diamond Status
when you make $40,000 or more in purchases with your card each calendar year.1

Diamond Status Includes benefits such as:
48–hour Room Guarantee — You are guaranteed a room when you make a reservation at least 48 hours prior to your arrival
50% Elite Status Bonus – With Diamond elite status, you automatically receive a 50% bonus on all the HHonors Base Points you earn.
+ All Gold Status benefits

Enjoy Hilton HHonors Gold Status as long as you are a Citi Hilton Reserve cardmember

Gold Status Includes benefits such as:
25% Elite Status Bonus - You automatically receive a 25% bonus on all the HHonors Base Points you earn.
5th Night Free – Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members will receive every 5th night free2 on Standard Room Reward stays of 5 nights or more.
Complimentary in–room and lobby Standard Internet access
Express check–out
Late check–out
Complimentary access to fitness centers and health clubs


Earn an anniversary bonus
of one weekend night certificate good for one weekend night (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, standard room, double occupancy), at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio after you spend $10,000 on purchases each year (starting from your Annual Fee Date) and remain a cardmember.1

The Citi Hilton Resrve card is a PIA company!! I have made the switch from AmEx to The Citi Visa in order to use it at Costco. Their customer service is horrible:
1). Denied my payment after I called to raise my limit and to tell them I wanted to pay taxes-called twice to see what the problem was, told it was the processing site (no, it wasn't)-and then told (phone call #4) that I had to have my account tagged for making a large purchase-put on hold 50 minutes to accomplish that....never did get a hold of anyone,
2). Went to CostCo-spent $, all groceries etc in cart, card denied. Called Citi AGAIN, gave her all my info, including my password-but, she had to verify me by calling the number I put on my application-which was my home #. I wasn't home, obviously! She would not "verify" me and would not let me talk to a supervisor, after 20 minutes, she hung up on me and I had to go get my ATM, 3). My HHonors are not transferring to my HHonors account. Have called 4 times-keep getting transferred, cut off, or told its HHonors program at fault. I have sent 2 emails-they remain unread.

I don't think I'm keeping this card-way too many hassles and no customer service. I have no more patience for "thank-you for your patience..." BS!

After venting-anyone have other HHonors cc to suggest?

We have had used the new Costco card to book two (2) cruises and to purchased three Apple I Pad's and other major electronic with no problems.

This card would be very interesting. My way to get to Plat is spending $40K with the Amex CC. The credit and extra points for Hilton spending would make it worth it to me.

The annual fee and min spend are not worth it for me. Whenever I get Amex offers that include a high annual fee I just toss them.

But I do love my Amex Blue Cash Preferred card. The 6% cashback at grocery stores more than pays for it's annual fee.

rickandcindy23 said:

Most Amex cards have been so-so for me.

I love my Chase Sapphire Reserve. I cannot say enough good things about it. It's going to be the best card for our MF's.

Click to expand...

My wife and I just got our Chase Sapphire Reserve and are going to take advantage of the 100K ultimate rewards... we are planning a super mondo vacation!

Does Hilton or DVC allow you to pay monthly with a CC?

simon.fisher.2 said:

My wife and I just got our Chase Sapphire Reserve and are going to take advantage of the 100K ultimate rewards... we are planning a super mondo vacation!

Does Hilton or DVC allow you to pay monthly with a CC?

Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by the last question. HGVC maintenance fees are due in one shot (it's not spread out over 12 months, it's one bill like your property/school taxes). But you can pay via CC.

Diamond status at Hilton is so watered down these days anyways. I achieve Diamond status through stays and I'm closing in on lifetime Diamond status. The only thing I get is an occasional upgrade, book a room at a sold out location and book an award stay beyond the limits. With that said, the more fast track ways there is to be a diamond, the more watered down this product will be.

I'm waiting to ultimately see what will happen to the SPG rewards now with Marriott onboard.

I talked to an Amex Biz Plat Rep and asked about this card. The Rep said she had not heard anything.

You can get Diamond status with the AMEX Surpass card and a $40K annual spend. But, frankly, having been Diamond based on hotel stays (back when I was traveling for work nearly every week), I don't notice much difference between Diamond and Gold. The Diamond suite upgrades rarely came through--even at properties where I was a frequent or even regular guest.

When Hilton devalued the Hhonors program a few years back, it basically made loyalty a matter of "is it worth paying an annual fee on a credit card on the off-chance that I'll get a few more hotel points and a random room upgrade?" proposition.

At least, for me.

rickandcindy23 said:

Most Amex cards have been so-so for me.

I love my Chase Sapphire Reserve. I cannot say enough good things about it. It's going to be the best card for our MF's.

Click to expand...

I just got the Chase Sapphire Reserve and like it very much as well. The $300 in travel credits (air or hotel) comes off in the same statement as the charge. And it's a true credit on spend. So the $450 card is only $150.

It also has Priority Pass access for member plus free guests.

I also have Amex Platinum for the Centurion Lounge access, primarily.

onenotesamba said:

You can get Diamond status with the AMEX Surpass card and a $40K annual spend.

Click to expand...

Mrs. brp has that card and we do the spend for Diamond. Worth it? Perhaos not.

Cheers.

brp said:

I just got the Chase Sapphire Reserve and like it very much as well. [...]
It also has Priority Pass access for member plus free guests.

I also have Amex Platinum for the Centurion Lounge access, primarily.

Click to expand...

I carry these two as well, the latter primarily for Delta lounge access.

If you stay at Hilton and want to only stay at hilton have at the AMEX card.

But if you travel and eat all over the place and not just Hiltons and need more flexibility the New Sapphire Reserve would be better.

you get 3X the points for all travel, then the smart use of that is to buy more travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards site, as you get a 50% premium when you PURCHASE travel through the portal. So you 1, becomes 3, with 1 50% multiple becomes 4.5% rebate on travel if you book more travel. (Yes I know you don't earn more UR points for that purchase, but it is $0 out of pocket to you and your airline FF does earns points for UR purchases).

I usually use the points for travel. I am currently sitting on nearly $5900 in travel awards. The 100,000 Bonus if you hit spend adds another $1500, plus the $200 travel coded instant credit. More than covers the $450 annual charge and it is timeshare MF payment seasonm which qualifies as travel.

bnoble said:

I carry these two as well, the latter primarily for Delta lounge access.

Click to expand...

The problem with lounge access via Amex Plat is that it is member-only with a charge for guests and mrs. brp and I always travel together.

This is where Sapphire Reserve is better.

Cheers.

We intend to get Sapphire Reserve primarily for travels we have planned in the next few years. The 100K initial bonus, $300 travel credit and other perks make it no-brainer... for a few years. After that, we may revert to our Citi Double Cash Back as its rewards don't require travel.

timeshare MFs are suppose to be categorized at Travel, provided they are coded properly. According to current Sapphire Reserve descriptions and rules.