"Enhancements" to Hilton Business AMEX

[Eric B]

Can not change business product to personal product with Amex. To Product Change with Amex, business accounts have to stay with business products. IIRC you can PC from personal card to business though.

I did not know that. I'll have to look over their other business cards.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

If one flies UA enough. And I realize that the bank has 5 years, but it also piles up each year. We don't fly UA enough to make it worth it. But,. now that we can book tickets with folks that we do fly each quarter, it's much easier to use.

Cheers.

That's my take except we use Southwest. Can always book quarterly tickets somewhere whereas United is a once a year international trip. United trips are expensive trips so nice to be able to save up and offset the cost.

Southwest never expires > United 5 Years > Delta etc. 1 year expiration

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@frank808 How do you pay HGVC MF during the off quarters namely Q2 and Q3 when there is no MF available? Unlike Vistana where you can prepay, I haven't figured out a way to do this with HGVC.

 

[Nowaker]

$60/quarter credit is effective now. I don't have any MFs to pay now... but I paid an extra $60 anyway. 4 days until Q2, so hopefully it will post in Q1.

To pay MF when no MF is due, use my trick to get to the right page and pay it:
https://club.hiltongrandvacations.com/en/hoapayment/CONTRACTID#/payall
CONTRACTID = 12-3456789

The system did not reject this payment, so I'll just keep a negative balance. We will see if they keep it for later, or refund at a later point. And whether it posts in Q1 so $60 doesn't go to waste.

 

[GT75]

How do you pay HGVC MF during the off quarters namely Q2 and Q3 when there is no MF available?

MFs for Valdoro are billed twice a year. So my plan is to pay part during Q2 and remainder during Q3 (This only applies to the Surpass card).

 

[Nowaker]

Bummer. I was going to get this card for the $15k spend free night.

Too late for you. It was too good to be true, maybe that's why it didn't last that long.

Good news for existing cardholders: you have until 7/1 to reach $15K and still get an FNC.
Source: my interaction with Amex customer service: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/...45094-9-0?key=tncBody&rwdFlag=rwd#offer-terms

Eligible purchases made through June 30, 2024 will count toward the Hilton Honors Free Night Rewards benefit. After June 30, 2024 the Hilton Honors Free Night Rewards benefit will no longer be available on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, and you will no longer be able to earn Free Night Reward(s) as a benefit of your card.​

The effective cashback rate of old Hilton Business card was fantastic when accounted for the value of HH (in my case: $0.0086), the FNC (in my case: $621.68), and negative value of the annual fee.
(15000 × 3× .0086 + 621.68 − 95) ÷ 15000 = 6%

Without the FNC, the increased earning rate is a must. However, +2x is not enough to cover it. 2x on $15K = extra 30K HH = $258 value, down from $621.68 FNC. But they added Hilton quarterly credit of $60, total $240. Total value $498. Still lower than the FNC value. But the AF increases!
(15000 × 5× .0086 + 240 − 195) ÷ 15000 = 4.6%

Meh. I'll close this card before renewal (which is in December).

The silver lining of this happening is:

• I have 1.5M HH points that only keep growing even though I stayed 30 free nights at Hiltons in the last 12 months. And I have 4 FNCs right now, expiring in 7-12 months.
• This will free up space for a different Amex Business card for me. I reached the maximum cards number limit on both personal (SSN) and business (EIN) cards, so it's finally time to get a new SUB.

I'll try getting BBP (Blue Business Plus) with 50K MR SUB = $750 value in Delta point, or if I'm in popup jail (never happened to me on business cards but who knows), get a Lowe's card. Amex Lowes card is better than Synchrony Lowes because not only does it do the 5% off on Lowes end, but it also gives you 2% cashback on Amex side. So 7% total. I don't see any other good business card, since I already have a Delta card, Amex Gold card (got 150K MR SUB from it = $2250 value in Delta points), and Amex Marriott card (got 150,000 Marriott points).

 

[letsgobobby]

was just discussing the biz card and now the FNC is dead. saves me the hassle.

We will cancel at least one if not both of our CSRs this fall when AF hits. PP restaurant access was the primary benefit to us, since we fly a lot with the kids and there are 3 restaurants and 0 PP lounges at our home airport. All the coupon booking is tedious and contemptuous. What kind of so-called Premium card gives you a $5 monthly discount on your local McDonald's DoorDash?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

It sounds like Chase is eliminating the PP restaurants in favor of their new Sapphire lounges. The Sapphire Reserve lounges sound really nice but are in limited locations (e.g. missing SFO, EWR, DEN, LAX).

The article below says you can access these lounges once per year if you don't have CSR but have Priority Pass. Now that Aspire and Surpass lost PP, not sure where to get PP. We don't have AMEX plat or gold or Capital One cards.. Although I find the Chase lounge attractive, it would not be enough to keep both cards since you can bring a guest and I am usually traveling with my spouse. Perhaps apply later and get another signup bonus if we want a second CSR card again.

The complete guide to Chase airport lounges - The Points Guy

The airport lounge game is getting even more interesting with Chase opening its own Chase Sapphire Lounges. Here's how to access them.

thepointsguy.com

 

[dioxide45]

Actually, with the rise of Mobile Passport and the MPC app, I have a feeling that Global Entry may go the way of the dinosaur. We shall see how well it works but, as advertised, it is simpler than GE.

Cheers.

Mobile passport also doesn't provide TSA Pre.

 

[bnoble]

Then it sounds like none of the credit card airline travel credits are for you

i was talking specifically about the CSR and Amex Plat which don’t have much for airlines beyond the $300 travel credit and $200 airline fee credit, respectively. I use both of those.

I do have the Delta Amex Plat. Most years I was able to use the companion fare, but with a pending divorce and both kids out of state (and in different time zones) that’s going to be more difficult so I might downgrade to gold.

The other Delta-specific perks are about to become less important. I will hit million miler this summer, which grants permanent Gold Elite.

 

[linsj]

I will hit million miler this summer, which grants permanent Gold Elite.

Congratulations a little early. I hit a million miles on United earlier this month--and was royally celebrated during boarding and the flight. The lifetime gold status is what is most important to me.

 

[bnoble]

I have a round trip to NRD. I'll be a few hundred short after getting there, so the trip on the way back will push me over.

 

[Huskerpaul]

We fly Alaska a lot, and usually have money in their very easy tom use Wallet to pay for things. So, we just book and cancel a trip quarterly and it goes in the Wallet for when we need it. Easy peasy.

Amex Platinum is less easy to use.

Cheers.

You can buy a GC from Alaska to trigger the $50 Aspire credit. I did it this month. Easier in my mind that booking and canceling a flight.

I have the Hilton Biz card and was working on the $15k spend when this announcement came out. I will earn the FNC before the end of June, but when my AF posts in October I will be canceling the card. I have only been in the CC game for a couple years now, but it seems I'm getting in right at the end of the Golden Age of churning, what with the AMEX coupon trend and now the lowering for swipe fees.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Congratulations a little early. I hit a million miles on United earlier this month--and was royally celebrated during boarding and the flight. The lifetime gold status is what is most important to me.

Congrats! UAL million miler is awesome. My DH is expected to hit it by mid- year. And I will get his gold for life status as well.

 

[Zenichiro]

I don’t like losing the FNC benefit so I’ll be cancelling eventually but it does pay for itself with the $60 credit per quarter. Compounded with the Surpass your getting a 5.5x HH on all catagories which is not too bad.
Once they get several cancellations they will offer a larger sign up bonus. I don’t see this change lasting as the Marriott business provides a way better carrot by allowing ENC to be combined with personal.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

OTOH...There is a sign up offer for 175,000 (once per lifetime). With that many points, that's the equivalent+ of a $15k free night in year 1 (without the spend!)

Combining signup points with the $60/qtr might be worth signing up and keeping for 1 - 2 year if I can figure out @Nowaker method to pay Q2 and Q3 MF on that $60.

 

[frank808]

@frank808 How do you pay HGVC MF during the off quarters namely Q2 and Q3 when there is no MF available? Unlike Vistana where you can prepay, I haven't figured out a way to do this with HGVC.

I was going to call in and pay on one contract $60 x2. Have to this for twice a year, hence my reluctance to save $45 a year total.


If I can figure nowaker way it would be a lot simpler and save 2 calls a year.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[brp]

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It sounds like Chase is eliminating the PP restaurants in favor of their new Sapphire lounges. The Sapphire Reserve lounges sound really nice but are in limited locations (e.g. missing SFO, EWR, DEN, LAX).

The article below says you can access these lounges once per year if you don't have CSR but have Priority Pass. Now that Aspire and Surpass lost PP, not sure where to get PP. We don't have AMEX plat or gold or Capital One cards.. Although I find the Chase lounge attractive, it would not be enough to keep both cards since you can bring a guest and I am usually traveling with my spouse. Perhaps apply later and get another signup bonus if we want a second CSR card again.

There is a Sapphire Terrace in AUS that we will visit next week for our eclipse-chasing trip. Looking forward to that.

Even though the loss of PP restaurants is a downgrade, the reality is that it has been more than a year since we actually used a restaurant. Between lounges for PP, AA or AS, we have not had to use a restaurant. So we won't really miss it.

mrs. brp has CSP and I have CSR. Hers is primarily because Car Rental insurance is primary. For the CSR, the actual AF is $250 due to the $300 travel credit. So, it's just $155 more than the CSP. Maybe the Sapphire Lounges are not enough reason to keep it, but maybe they will expand the network enough to make it worth it. I'll play their game a little longer.

You can buy a GC from Alaska to trigger the $50 Aspire credit. I did it this month. Easier in my mind that booking and canceling a flight.

Very cool to hear. I know that GCs were always suspect, but we will try come Monday.

Mobile passport also doesn't provide TSA Pre.

True. We still get GE as we each have at least two cards that will pay for it. My point was that GE, itself, will be pretty useless in places that support MPC. TSA Pre will be the only reason that we would need GE, not GE itself.

Cheers.

 

[Eric B]

There is a Sapphire Terrace in AUS that we will visit next week for our eclipse-chasing trip. Looking forward to that.

Even though the loss of PP restaurants is a downgrade, the reality is that it has been more than a year since we actually used a restaurant. Between lounges for PP, AA or AS, we have not had to use a restaurant. So we won't really miss it.

mrs. brp has CSP and I have CSR. Hers is primarily because Car Rental insurance is primary. For the CSR, the actual AF is $250 due to the $300 travel credit. So, it's just $155 more than the CSP. Maybe the Sapphire Lounges are not enough reason to keep it, but maybe they will expand the network enough to make it worth it. I'll play their game a little longer.



Very cool to hear. I know that GCs were always suspect, but we will try come Monday.



True. We still get GE as we each have at least two cards that will pay for it. My point was that GE, itself, will be pretty useless in places that support MPC. TSA Pre will be the only reason that we would need GE, not GE itself.

Cheers.

In my experience, GE gets me head of the line through immigration at IAD, but MPC wouldn’t. Might be different elsewhere.

 

[brp]

In my experience, GE gets me head of the line through immigration at IAD, but MPC wouldn’t. Might be different elsewhere.

Thanks for the info. We have not actually used MPC yet, so don't know how it will really work. It just seemed a lot simpler than GE since there was no kiosk to visit and fill out. Maybe it won't be the advantage that I'm expecting and GE will not be as obsolete for us as I assume

Cheers.

 

[Eric B]

The last couple of times with GE, it’s just been going up to a kiosk w/facial recognition — no forms at all. It’s transitioning to allow you to take a picture on your phone instead of using the kiosk. I don’t see it going away, particularly with the TSS pre included.

 

[GT75]

In my experience, GE gets me head of the line through immigration at IAD,

Same at ATL. No longer a kiosk required.

 

[hurnik]

The last couple of times with GE, it’s just been going up to a kiosk w/facial recognition — no forms at all. It’s transitioning to allow you to take a picture on your phone instead of using the kiosk. I don’t see it going away, particularly with the TSS pre included.

Agreed. MPC while "good" still takes longer (IMO) than GE. I think last time it was less than 2 minutes for GE. I think the fastest I ever got through with MPC (again, it'll depend on WHEN you land, WHERE, and how many other planes are coming in) took about 30 minutes. Felt bad for the rest of the other lines where people were waiting for over an hour. Eesh.

 

[bnoble]

waiting for over an hour.

I'd been hemming and hawing about getting GE---I had been comped into PreCheck for years from the original Delta pilot program. But a 1 1/4 hour wait coming back from Shanghai to DTW was all it took to push me over the edge.

 

[brp]

Very cool to hear. I know that GCs were always suspect, but we will try come Monday.

I just wanted to follow up on this part about buying an AS Gift Card for the credit. Just did it for our cards, and I'll see if it posts.

In case anyone else does this, I wanted to point out a glitch I experienced: I added the Hilton card to the AS account. Went to buy the GC and it wanted the CVN. So, I entered the 4 digits on the front as one does (and their guidance even suggested that that was what to add). It got rejected by the AA site as invalid. Not the CC company, but the AS site right off the bat.

I finally tried the 3-digit code on the back (despite the fact that this is not what is supposed to be used for Amex, and their guidance showing the front code) and it worked.

So, just be advised.

Cheers.