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Hilton updating how you earn points on hotel stays

Jan. 09, 2020
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3 min read
The Waldorf Hilton London-high category hilton
Hilton updating how you earn points on hotel stays
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Hilton yesterday announced that it would be rolling out a few positive changes on how Hilton Honors members earn points on room stays, as posted by Hilton's William Sanders on Flyer Talk.

Here are some of the changes and what they mean for you.

Sanders says members will now be able to earn Base Points on up to four rooms on eligible multi-room reservations. Previously, the program allowed you to earn base points on two rooms only.

Related: How to Get Points When Booking Multiple Hotel Rooms

For airlines, miles that are earned are generally called “butt-in-seat” miles, meaning the person who is flying is the one who gets the miles. With hotels, however, you can book a hotel for someone else, and in many cases, you can still earn points and/or elite credit for booking multiple hotel rooms.

There will no longer be a limit on the number of base points a member can earn per stay. Previously, Hilton Honors members were unable to accrue more than 100,000 base points per stay at certain brands.

Hilton Honors members will now be able to earn points on eligible hotel incidental spend at all of Hilton Portfolio brands. Previously, Hilton Honors members only earned 10 points per dollar on room rates only (not other charges) at Hampton Inns and Homewood Suites. At Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton, they only earned 5 base points per dollar spent.

Sanders said the hotel will release the updated terms and conditions on Jan. 9, and we will update this post when they're live.

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If you're thinking about adding a Hilton co-branded credit card to your wallet to earn even more points, you have several options including:

  • Hilton Honors American Express Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
  • Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express will net you 150,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening your account. You also earn 14 points per dollar spent at participating Hilton hotels, 7 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com and car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

While the Aspire is arguably the “best bang for your buck”, be sure to look at the full portfolio of cards to see which card works best for you.

You can also use transferable points, as American Express Membership Rewards transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio. The program does run transfer bonuses from time to time, but since TPG values Amex points at 2 cents per point and Hilton Honors points at 0.6 cents per point, even transferring during a bonus period likely won’t make sense.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

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  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $6,000 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.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.