Making "Cents" Out of Points for Budget Travelers

Posts in category Hilton HHonors

My Experience Transferring Hawaiian Airlines Miles to Hilton HHonors Points

Apr11th
2013 3 Comments Written by Ken

After wiping out my Hilton HHonors account balance due to the recent devaluation, I’ve been on the fence about how I want to proceed with earning Hilton HHonors points. Well, Hawaiian Airlines forced my hand a bit. I received a nice courtesy email from them reminding me that my HawaiianMiles would be expiring at the end of September. As much  as I’d love to go to Hawaii, it’s just not happening so I decided to convert my HawaiianMiles to Hilton HHonors points.

I briefly explained the process in an earlier post but at that time, I hadn’t actually tried it. Now I have so I just want share the experience. I called in the middle of the day (after 1pm) and there was no wait from the moment I told the voice recognition system I wanted to speak to a representative. The whole call, from voice prompt to thanking the representative for their help, took about five minutes.

I simply told them I would like to transfer my miles to my HHonors account and proceeded to give her my HawaiianMiles and HHonors account numbers, verified my email address, answered one or two security questions, and told them how many miles I wanted to transfer. I was put on hold for less than a minute and when the representative came back, she recapped our discussion, gave me a reference number and informed me of the 10-15 business day waiting period. DONE.

So that’s it. The experience was quick and painless. The conversion transfers the miles at a 1:2 ratio (1 mile = 2 points) so now my HHonors balance is somewhat replenished. While I still don’t know what I want to do about the points, I feel confident that I’ll use my Hilton HHonors points sooner than I’d use my HawaiianMiles.

UPDATE (4/17): Over the weekend I received a call from the Hawaiian Airlines reservations line. They left a voicemail asking me to confirm that I still wanted to transfer my miles to my Hilton HHonors account. I had a “WTF?”  moment. Of course I still want to make the transfer. If I hadn’t, then I wouldn’t have called the first time.

In the voicemail, they instructed me to call back at the reservations number, not the HawaiianMiles Service Center, which is actually closed on the weekends. When I called, the agent I spoke seemed like she didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. She told me to call back on Monday when the service center would be open. I really don’t blame her for anything. She handles reservations, not miles transfers.

So I just got around to calling them back today. After pulling up my account, this agent said she had no record of my transfer so she transferred me to the Marketing department who handles the transfers. This time they asked if my first and last name matched the name on my HHonors account, asked for my HHonors account number and then told me I was all set. They mentioned that my miles would be deducted immediately but it would take 2 to 4 weeks for the points to be transferred.

So we’ll see what happens. I’ll update this post with any new developments.

UPDATE (5/1): I received my bonus points on April 29. So it took nine business days including the day I called and the day I actually received the points. Aside from getting a weird call on the weekend asking me to re-confirm my intentions, this was a smooth process and I’m glad I was able to put some points back in my account.

Hawaiian Airlines    , ,

Buying Perks and Mid-level Elite Status with Credit Cards

Apr3rd
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Ken

Most major hotel chains now have co-branded credit cards that come with some intriguing benefits and in some cases, a bump in status for the respective loyalty program. Having the credit card is nice alternative to putting in the time and money to actually stay at the hotel. However, those benefits don’t come free. Most of these co-branded credit cards come with an annual fee. I was always told to get credit cards that have no annual fee, and I did at first. Now most of my cards have annual fees. It really comes down to whether or not the benefits you receive are worth paying the fee.

Here’s a look at some of the credit cards available to you along with the annual fee, benefits, and some insight as to whether or not this card is worth having.

Hilton HHonors American Express and Hilton HHonors Citi Reserve

The Hilton HHonors credit cards from American Express come in two flavors; The no-fee version and the annual fee version, the Surpass card ($75 annual fee). Here are some benefits that both cards have in common:

  • Complimentary Silver VIP status in the Hilton HHonors program
  •  Achieve Gold VIP status when you spend $20,000 on the credit card in a calendar year
  • Access to AXON and GLON discount codes that give you discounts on reward redemptions

For a $75 annual fee, the Surpass card gives you more points per dollar for when you actually stay at Hilton family hotels plus complimentary Gold status for the first year of card membership. You’ll also be able to get Diamond status if you spend $40,000 in a calendar year.

The Citi Reserve card comes with a $95 annual fee but, unlike the Surpass card, you get Gold status for as long as you have the credit card.

Analysis

With Hilton HHonors Gold status, some of the notable perks are room upgrades, free breakfast and free internet. Of the three credit cards, your best bet is the Citi Reserve card because you get Gold status for as long you keep the card. Consider the alternative where you earn Gold the old fashioned way; head in bed. You’d have to actually stay a minimum of 20 stays, which could easily be over $2,000. I could do a lot with $1,900 in savings. I’m sure you could too!

If the AMEX cards and the AXON discounts tickle your fancy, I’d recommend starting withe Surpass card to get Gold status for the first year. The $75 fee is worth it for Gold status. To avoid paying another fee, you can always downgrade your card to the no-fee version before your fees are due.

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American Express, Guides, Hyatt Gold Passport, Hyatt VISA, Marriott, SPG    , , , , , ,

Hilton HHonors Q2 2013 Promotion – Daily Grand

Mar21st
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Ken

Yesterday Hilton HHonors announced the details of their second quarter 2013 promo, Daily Grand. Beginning April 1, 2013 and ending June 30, 2013, Hilton HHonors members can earn 1,000 bonus points per night for stays between Mondays and Thursdays (a total of 4,000 points). Members will earn 2,000 bonus points per night for stays between Fridays and Sundays (a total of 6,000 points).

As always, registration is required in order to receive your bonus points. One thing that is different from past promotions, which is pretty notable, is that there is no exclusion list this time. In other words, all Hilton and Hilton branded hotels are participating in the promo. In the past, there was always a hefty number of hotels that opted out. My guess is that this move is influenced heavily by the upcoming devaluation.

Devaluation Fallout

We’re quickly approaching the March 28 deadline when Hilton HHonors redemption rates will skyrocket, making our points less valuable. If you haven’t already done so, I highly recommend finding a place to burn some of those points. The program definitely needed to do something positive to offset the backlash it received after the devaluation announcement. Making all hotels participate is certainly a step in the right direction. How can they ask us to pay more points while limiting us to the number of hotels where we can earn points? I would be surprised if this isn’t the norm for at least the next year. But then again, they just added three new categories to our redemptions so maybe I wouldn’t be that surprised.

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Hilton HHonors American Express Bonus Categories Are Changing

Feb22nd
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Ken

The Hilton HHonors program has been pretty busy lately. Not only is their reward chart experiencing an overhaul, but the no-fee Hilton HHonors AMEX is also going through some changes. At the moment, you earn 6 points per dollar on purchases at Hilton family hotels, gas stations, supermarkets, and cable and wireless bills. You earn 3 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Beginning in May, with your new statement, you’ll now have this points earning structure:

  • 7 Hilton HHonors points per dollar spent at Hilton and Hilton family hotels
  • 5 points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations, and supermarkets
  • 3 points per dollar on all other purchases

So cable and wireless categories have been removed, and the restaurant category has been added. And while you will be able to earn an extra point per dollar at Hilton family hotels, the points for spending on bonus categories has been reduced. It’s a bummer to see the cable/wireless category get kicked to the curb. There aren’t too many other credit cards out there with that category and if you live in the United States, you’re familiar with how expensive these services cost on a monthly basis.

The addition of the restaurant category doesn’t sit too well with me. It’s just another category that can be found on a number of other credit cards with better earnings. Why wouldn’t you want to keep your credit card different from the competition and give card holders a reason to use your card?

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American Express    , , , ,

Hilton HHonors Points Devaluation Coming Soon

Feb21st
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Ken

The big news this week is the Hilton HHonors points devaluation. In case you missed the festivities, or didn’t get the email from Hilton HHonors, here is a quick breakdown of what you missed:

  • Starting March 28, 2013, Hilton HHonors will add THREE categories to its award chart, making the highest category a Category 10.
  • Seasonal award pricing will also be introduced, meaning the redemption rate can fluctuate based on whether or not you’re traveling in a peak or off-peak season.
  • Silver, Gold and Diamond members who reserve a standard room award stay of five or more nights will get the fifth night free.

Your first question is probably, “What’s the damage?” Here’s the answer:

HHonors Award ChartYes, you’re reading that right. After March 28, it will now cost you 95,000 points for one free night in a Category 10 hotel. Keep in mind that’s just for a standard night. With Premium Room Rewards, it’s going to cost you even more. Have a look at this chart to see how your favorite properties are being hit by these changes.

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Hilton HHonors Has Increased the Criteria for Elite Status

Jan24th
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Ken

In case you haven’t already noticed when you logged in to your Hilton HHonors account,  the number of stays, nights and base points required to achieve Gold and Diamond status in 2013 has changed.

Before the change was implemented, you needed to complete one of the following scenarios within a calendar year to reach Gold status:

  • 16 stays
  • 36 nights
  • 60,000 base points

With the changes, here are your new criteria:

  • 20 stays (25% increase)
  • 40 nights (11% increase)
  • 75,000 base points (25% increase)

A 25 percent increase in both stays and base points is pretty significant. For just 5 more stays, or a having a credit card that offers stay/night credit, you can have Platinum status in SPG or Diamond status with Hyatt. Platinum and Diamond are the top tier in their respective loyalty programs and you will enjoy better (and more consistent) perks than Hilton’s second highest tier. Loyalty Traveler offers a unique analysis on the increase in base points (aka spend) requirements:

The real penalty is imposed on HHonors elite members who qualify on hotel spend. Increasing Gold elite from $6,000 in spend to $7,500 to earn 75,000 base points seems unreasonable to me. That increases the average spend from $167 per night to $187.50 per night when comparing the $7,500 spend level to the 40 nights level for Gold qualification. Both stays and spend increased 25% and means an average spend of $375 per stay when comparing the cost of earning Gold elite by spend vs. stays.

In other words, qualifying for Gold via base points is not in your best interest. On the other hand, it opens up a few doors for you. With an increase in spend, you now have the option of looking elsewhere. The extra $20 that is required of you could let you explore other hotels and/or loyalty programs.

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Try Status Matching To a New Hotel Program Before It’s Too Late

Jan16th
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Ken

As you already know by reading some of my previous posts, I didn’t re-qualify for Hyatt Diamond status in 2013. I put in 16 stays; nine short of re-qualification. Most hotel programs give you a couple of months of grace period before stripping you of your perks and with just about a month and a half before I lose mine, I’m wondering what my next move will be. The one thing I know for sure is that I want to make the best use of my Diamond status before it leaves. But when I say that, I’m not necessarily referring to putting in some stays and enjoying the perks.

The other day I was trying to plan out a weekend staycation and stumbled across a Kimpton hotel that I found appealing. After looking at the amenities and the accommodations, I went looking for more info on their loyalty program, InTouch. I found their program pretty intriguing. Just having the membership gives you a $10 credit for the mini-bar and free wi-fi. With programs like Hilton HHonors and Hyatt Gold Passport, free wi-fi is a perk that you have to work for.

Elite status in the InTouch program is called Inner Circle, which requires 15 stays or 45 nights in a calendar year. After doing some digging, I found out that Kimpton offers a status match to Inner Circle, provided you have elite status elsewhere. I haven’t contacted Kimpton yet, but with 16 stays under my belt in 2012 and an expiring elite status, this looks like a good opportunity to eek some additional value out of my status.

Are you losing your status? Would this strategy work for you? Have a look at your travel plans for the year and see if you can make it work. It doesn’t hurt to try. Good luck!

Guides, Hyatt    , , , , , ,
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