Two New Hilton Honors Promotions That Probably Aren't Worth It
While the Hilton Honors program does have some valuable perks, especially for elites, that you could take advantage of, its Honors points aren't the most useful or most rewarding. There are currently two promotions on offer from Hilton, but they're not all that great, unfortunately.
The first promotion is offering is up to an 80% bonus when you purchase points through December 29, 2017. Here's how the bonus breaks down based on how much you spend:
- If you purchase 10,000-19,000 points, you'll get a 60% bonus
- If you purchase 20,000-80,000 points, you'll get an 80% bonus
You must purchase points in increments of 1,000. In addition, you won't get a bonus until you've purchased at least 10,000 points. With the 80% bonus, you're purchasing points at a price of about 0.56 cents apiece, so you'd be paying slightly less than TPG's most recent valuation of 0.6 cents apiece. So, you're getting a total of 0.04 cents per point in savings by maxing out this promotion. Of course, if you have a specific redemption in mind, a minuscule bonus is better than no bonus at all.
You can purchase up to 80,000 with Hilton per calendar year. In addition, if you're looking to take advantage of the bonus, you must purchase points by December 29 at 11:59pm ET.
In addition to the above promo, American Express is targeting members to get a 33% bonus when you transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors. If you're targeted for the offer, you'll get 2,100 Hilton points for every 1,000 Amex points transferred through December 15, 2017.
Like the first promotion, this isn't particularly exciting — especially if you don't have a specific redemption in mind. Based on TPG's most recent valuations, Hilton points are worth 0.6 cents apiece whereas Amex Membership Rewards points are worth more than double that at 1.9 cents apiece. Even with the 33% transfer bonus, you're still losing out on some value here. Say, for example, you transfer 10,000 Amex points (worth $190), you would get 20,100 Hilton points, which are worth $121.
Of course, both of these promotions aren't bad under every circumstance. If you have a specific redemption in mind, either (or both) of these promotions could be worth it for you. It's never recommended to transfer points or buy points without a specific redemption in mind, as there's no way to reverse the transfer or sell points back after they're bought.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.