What You Need to Know About Hilton's Transition From Citi to Amex
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If you have a Hilton co-branded Citi credit card, its days are numbered. As announced late last year, the hotel chain is dropping Citi in favor of a partnership with a single issuer: Amex.
If you have a Citi Hilton Honors Card or Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card, it will be automatically transitioned to a Hilton co-branded Amex credit card by the end of January 2018. Here are answers to all the questions you may have as a Citi Hilton cardholder.
Q: When will I get my new Hilton Amex card?
A: Amex has already started sending out the new Hilton Amex cards to existing Hilton Citi cardholders, so if you haven't received yours in the mail yet, it should arrive in the next week or two.
Q: Which card will I get as a replacement?
A: This depends on which Citi Hilton card you currently hold. If you have the Citi Hilton Honors Card, you'll receive the no-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card. And if you have the Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Card, you'll be transitioned to the Hilton Honors Ascend Card — one of three Hilton cards Amex will launch this month. If you want to switch to a different card (to take advantage of a higher bonus category multiplier, for instance), contact Amex after you receive your new Hilton card.
Q: Will I be eligible for a sign-up bonus on my new card?
A: No, because you're an existing cardholder transitioning to a different card, you won't be eligible for a sign-up bonus.
Q: When can I start using my new Hilton Amex?
A: Citi Hilton cardholders can start using their Hilton Amex cards on January 30 — which is a bit confusing, since you'll likely receive your replacement Amex card before that date. So basically, don't throw out your Citi Hilton card till the end of the month, unless you weren't planning on making any purchases with either the Citi or Amex Hilton cards.
Q: What will happen to my Citi Hilton card's balance once I receive the Amex?
A: It will move over to your new Amex account, naturally!
Q: Will my card account number change?
A: Yes, it will — as will the account numbers of any authorized users you have on your Citi Hilton card(s).
Q: What if I already have a Hilton Amex or Hilton Amex Surpass card?
A: You'll still get an additional one if you have a Citi Hilton card that's being converted. You can contact Amex to learn about the options you have for your account after your account is transferred.
Bottom Line
The switchover from Citi Hilton cards to Amex Hilton cards should be pretty seamless; you'll get your Amex card in the next few weeks, and can begin using it on January 30. You'll want to add your Amex Hilton card to your AmericanExpress.com account or create one on January 30. Until January 30, 2018, Citi cardholders can continue to access their account online at Citi.com. However, after January 25 only limited online functionality will be available to Citi cardholders whose accounts are transferring to American Express. You can find additional information on the FAQ page here.
If you aren't an existing Citi Hilton cardholder but are interested in the upcoming Hilton Amex cards, keep an eye out for those to launch on January 18. We don't yet have info on the cards' sign-up bonuses, so stay tuned.