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Hilton Honors Program Shift Pushes Some Award Rates Higher

June 11, 2019
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4 min read
Hilton Honors Program Shift Pushes Some Award Rates Higher
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Hilton has confirmed to TPG that it has implemented a "slight shift" in its Honors loyalty program, leaving many surprised to see standard room rates 5,000 points (or more) higher than just last week. While dynamic award charts enable firms to implement changes without warning, this doesn't exactly send a heartwarming message to program loyalists.

Given the immense breadth of Hilton's portfolio, it's nearly impossible to keep a real-time bead on what properties are pegged to what rates. Plus, without a fixed award chart, members are left to sift through archives in an attempt to figure out how current rates compare to past rates.

How to Choose the Best Hilton Credit Card for You

The Gate dug into a FlyerTalk discussion and found that several properties are now displaying one rate, but flash a higher rate during checkout. It also found that the number of Hilton properties available for the fewest amount of points (5,000 at the time of writing) has dropped from 27 to 23. More troubling is the reality that this number can oscillate at any moment without notice.

As an example, members have reported that the Hilton Tokyo has increased from a base rate of 60,000 Honors points per night to 65,000 points per night.

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Meanwhile, the Hilton Garden Inn Vienna South has seen its base rate double, from 10,000 points per night to 20,000 points per night.

Hilton noted to TPG that rates "can flex depending on the hotel and date," and recommended that members bookmark its Points Explorer tool to search desired hotels, destinations and preferred dates.

While it's not possible to list out all hotels where pricing has shifted due the dynamic nature of the program, this serves as a poignant reminder that holding back is not an especially wise strategy. Once you have enough points to achieve a desired stay, make the reservation. Be sure to dig into the guides below to maximize any Hilton Honors points you have in your account.

Finally, keep in mind that the free weekend night certificate available through select cobranded Hilton Amex cards is not restricted by how many points a given hotel stay requires. By holding one of the below cards and earning that certificate, you're hedging a critical weekend night against any future base rate increases. In fact, I recently used my free weekend night certificate for a stay at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island — a luxurious property where cash rates can easily approach $1,000 per night, and award stays start at 95,000 points per night.

  • Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express: You’ll receive one free weekend night upon opening the card and each year after your account renewal. You also have the ability to earn a second free weekend night through spending — for every calendar year in which you spend $60,000 on the card, you’ll be issued another free night certificate.
  • Hilton Honors Ascend Card from American Express: You’ll earn a free weekend night certificate by spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year.
  • The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: You’ll earn a free weekend night certificate by spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. You’ll also earn a second certificate by spending an additional $45,000 on the card (for a total of $60,000) in that same time frame.

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.

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.