I've capitalized on getting the welcome bonuses on the Hilton Honors, Hilton Surpass & Hilton Honors BIZ in the past year or so. Loveeee the Hilton ecosystem- I've been able to book a 5 Night Stay in Mexico for my honeymoon and still have 500K Hilton Points leftover. Great video Mark!
Hilton is my go to program for a lot of the reasons you mentioned. Points may be worth 3X less than everyone’s favorite Hyatt, but if I can earn them 3X as fast, then it’s equal value in my eyes. Surpass has been and will continue to be a daily driver in my wallet, especially for that FNC
And most importantly you can actually find Hilton hotels around the world. Heck it sometimes is even hard to find Hyatts in the US when you aren't in a city
I’m at 780k points currently, I paid for a trip to Europe in cash, and due to all the promotions and multipliers from having the aspire 100% increase, 100% increase promotion, then the 14x multiplier. I got 130k, the rest are a mix of bonuses and transfer points. Quick tip, Amex points transfer 2:1 so when I buy food with my Amex gold, I’m actually getting 8 points, and if you use rakuten you can get 12x points per dollar turned into 24 hilton points. Hilton has given me so many premium experiences and room upgrades, plus the free breakfast truly saves you money. Those are my Hilton tips!
Running a AMEX Hilton setup is very underrated IMO. Like you said - it's super easy to rack up Hilton points. PLUS - the FNCs are amazing. Thanks for the info + video!
Hey Mark great video. Really comprehensive and as a pretty experienced points/miles guy I still learned some new things about Hilton. You can definitely rack up points fast as you outlined. However, the main strategy you showed to upgrade and downgrade cards has not been as possible in recent years. From what I have seen reported online and in travel groups is they are not frequently, if at all, giving those sweet upgrade offers anymore. Both me and my P2 have had multiple personal hilton cards for years and have never received one, and I reach out to amex about every 3 months to ask. In the long game this may be possible, but the ideal scenario to upgrade then downgrade every card yearly is not an option anymore. Regardless, the Hilton program is nice, especially the Aspire and if you can spend $15k on a surpass. Keep up the good content. You advertised the Ritz card last fall and I switched to it and am so happy. Got me into the BOS Sapphire lounge this morning and haven’t had to “pay” for paid flight wifi all year.
There must be something going on that’s causing you to not be targeted. Maybe not staying at Hilton properties enough or not spending on your Hilton cards? I’ve gotten several offers over the last 2 years and I’ve taken a couple of them. Definitely still a viable strategy if you’re targeted
I cannot comment on the frequency of receiving Hilton upgrade offers as I don't have any of the personal cards myself at the moment. They've always been targeted and are never guaranteed. Glad you enjoyed the Sapphire Lounge @ BOS via the Ritz Card 💯
I plan to follow your exact same strategy when it comes to double dipping on offers on each of the personal Hilton cards. That business card offer is intriguing to me right now too... I may have to jump on it, we'll see! Great video all around as always Mark. I'm excited to dive more into the Hilton ecosystem as time goes on!
A very thorough video on Hilton. I did the math and a person could have earned 9549 more points by using the Aspire card rather than the Surpass on that trip to Florida.
This doesn’t help you increase Hilton points per se, but 18:41 related is using status match to get Hilton Gold match with an upgrade at National with their Emerald loyalty program. FYI.
@@planaheadstayahead - Yep. You can see them at this link: www.hilton.com/en/resorts/ ^ Click the button that says 'Explore More Resorts' to search them all. There seems to be 307 locations right now.
@@planaheadstayahead - Strange, I see what you mean. I wonder if Hilton re-categorized a bunch of properties, or if something is off with their site. Not sure.
If i had a surpass card (LL) cancelled, aspire current (NLL), should i do the following 1) apply to a regular (NLL or LL) 2) then downgrade aspire next year? What do i do if i get PUJ for 1? Thats what I encounter which forced me to get an Aspire NLL
I wouldn't overthink it. As long as you apply via Amex's "Know if You're Approved for This Card With No Impact to Your Credit Score" feature, then there isn't much risk in attempting it.
There isn't a way to know in advance. It depends on how the establishment is set up on the network. You'll have to try it. That's why during actual stays, I always charge onsite dining charges to the room to make sure it gets categorized as a hotel charge & therefore earn at the highest multiplier.
So when you go this route, And say you're alredy a diamond member with the Aspire card. I then apply for the Surpass card, What happens to your status online? Does it still show Diamond? or does it show Gold and also Diamond? also do the points transfer over to the Hilton rewards app automatically? Thanks for these great detailed Vids!
1. It still shows Diamond. 2. As long as you applied for both Hilton cards with the same Hilton Honors loyalty # on the application, then yes, the points will automatically be sent to the same Hilton account.
If I already hold an Aspire that I've applied for directly, can I apply for another Aspire card? Or are only product changes allowed. I'm getting conflicting information about this. For example you can apply for and get multiple platinum and gold cards. I'm not quite sure if this works the same for credit cards.
Great video! Your stacking example makes the Hilton strategy look even more appealing. I don't have any of their cards yet. How often do you see promotions like those?
Do points earned from using Hilton Honors linked reward partners on Lyft count towards earning lifetime status (not using a Hilton credit card)? You also mention transferring points to Hilton Honors, do those points count towards earning lifetime status?
Per my understanding, the answer is "no" to both. Lifetime status requires earning _base points,_ which are earned from paid stays at Hilton properties.
There is an offer going on now to purchase Hilton Honors points; up to 160k for $1,600 and then the bonus doubled it. I assume if I put that on the Amex I’ll get another 3x on the money spent so, 324,800 for $1,600? Or .0049 cents per point?
If the goal is to earn Hilton points, then sure. Amex MR points transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio (e.g. 10,000 MR points = 20,000 HH points). That also means the Amex Gold's 4X multipliers function like 8X for Hilton. However, transferring MR points to the Hilton program will likely mean a ton of lost potential value compared to flights. I generally wouldn't recommend transferring to Hilton.
Awesome! Thanks for the quick response. I’m just seeing if it’s better to transfer some MR points to my Hilton account to “pay” for 2 nights stay over in Tampa. You’re awesome!
As I write this, the order in which you get Hilton cards doesn't matter. However, Amex has implemented rules for a lot of other cards that does affect the order, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen in the future with the Hilton lineup.
Hi. I received upgrade offer for no fee card to the surpass card. (I’ve already had the surpass card) the offer just says upgrade offer but I don’t see any points. I assume they’re just asking to upgrade but I wouldn’t get the points.
Is it true that Hilton closed down almost all the executive lounges in the US? No lounges in Florida, California, Vegas, Chicago, Pennsylvania, etc... ???????
I haven't seen any publications about that, so I can't confirm. Many executive lounges closed across a number of hotel chains during the pandemic for ~ 2 years, and reopening may be slow / delayed. Staffing seems to be a problem at a lot of places I go, not just hotels.
I just received a target offer of 80k points and a free night certificate for the Hilton Amex 0 AF. My question is this a good place to start an Amex relationship? I currently do not have any Amex cards. I currently have 23k points from Hilton stays this year.
Nice offer. Yes, it's a fine place to start given that there's good potential value and a $0 annual fee. However, make sure you have a use for the rewards, esp. the certificate as it only lasts for 1 year.
3 weeks ago I was at Hilton Tokyo Odiaba,Wow incredible experience. By the way you are the best explain every little details about points on credit card. I admire your effort 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Hi Mark, its me again, which hilton honors card will you recommend 1st Start with the basic then upgrade to the surpass. Or start with surpass then downgrade to the AF card after. Just don’t want them taking the promotion away from downsizing in the near future
@@munchymunch8698 - Order doesn't matter with the Hilton cards as I write this. If you're concerned about new rules that could be announced at any time, then go in order from smallest AF to largest AF.
I have zero Amex cards or Hilton cards, this is the very reason why,... confusing and too many cards involved. Got targeted for Plat 150k and gold 90k and green 60k but rejected all. Can someone convince me I should start the Amex ecosystem mostly for intl asia trips?
I'm not here to convince you; I just share information. Are you fully aware of the potential value Amex's transfer partners w/ international airlines can offer?
@@theinternationalist1357 - Scroll down to the ANA section on this blog post for some tips to find award availability: upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines/searching-flight-award-space/
@@theinternationalist1357 - Also per an article today from TPG about ANA, _"Availability can be scarce - you will have the best luck booking 12 months in advance (as soon as the seats are loaded) or last minute (less than 14 days before departure when unsold seats are often loaded for awards). Your best bet for finding availability is to search for it using the United MileagePlus website and call Virgin's Flying Club to book."_ Source: thepointsguy.com/guide/airline-award-chart-sweet-spots/
Bummer, but I haven't heard of upgrade offers being given via a direct request. They normally arrive via email, direct mail, or inside your Amex account on a targeted basis.
See this is what I can’t stand about annual fee credit cards I looked on the Internet and I found Hilton hotels in Vegas goes from $146 all the way up to $500 a night for three bedrooms How much are you willing to pay an annual fees for a free night in a hotel? And how long does it take you to save up that many points to get a free night in a hotel? The Hilton hotel annual fee is $550. The other one is 150. Just like the Delta sky miles, the highest annual fee is $650. A flight from Cincinnati to LAX is $500 but you’re gonna pay $650 annual fee so you can save up your points and get a free flight.
High-annual-fee cards often have credits, benefits, elevated rewards categories, etc. to help you make sense of the annual fees. The HH Aspire card has a $400 Hilton Resort Credit, a $200 Flight Credit, a $199 CLEAR Plus Credit, and a $100 Property Credit that can be used multiple times. Add all that up, and it's a lot more than the annual fee ($899+ vs. $550). We're also not counting other benefits like Diamond Status. If you'd normally spend money in the areas the card gives you those credits, then it's like getting a benefit package at a discount. If you wouldn't normally spend in those areas, then it's true that the $550 annual fee doesn't make sense.
Amazing breakdown as always Mark! I recently opened up the no annual fee card. But I didn’t know about NLL part. How can I find the fine print in my Amex account?? Hoping it’s not bad news for me!
Only one problem with your Method. Typically AMEX offers you and upgrade after one year. So if you start this ladder at the bottom, since your points are only good for two years, you'll will not be able to maximize points from 4 cards. But they do offer plenty of points bonuses through out the year.
I’m very intrigued by this method. I got the Surpass with the 130K and free night offer. Next play would be getting the base Honors card but sign up offer is 80K with no free night. Have a large spend coming up so I may want to split that spend on those two cards though… I have to wait at least 5 days to apply for base Honors. I also want to refer my wife to get the surpass and base as well as we stay at Hilton properties. Thoughts?
Hilton points expire every 24 months with no account activity. To avoid this, you need to earn or redeem points. Each time you do either of those activities, the clock resets.
This is such an informative video! I’m getting ready to start the Hilton card journey with the really excellent SUBs right now. Considering that these SUBs do have the language about the Lifetime clause and the potential for upgrades that you outline, what do you recommend getting first: the no fee card or the surpass? I anticipate I will end up with both moving back and forth between the two for upgrade/downgrade options. Seriously….really helpful video!!! Thank you!
Mark, I just don't understand how you feel that Hilton Pts are worth it. Dining 6x at .6 CPP is 3.6 CPP and can only be used for Hilton. CSP is 3x at 2.0 CPP = 6.0 CPP and can be transferred to hotels or flights. Even if you only wanted to stay at hotels then the CSP is 3x for Dining transferred to Hyatt at 1.7 CPP = 5.1 CPP. Amex Gold is even higher at 4x Dining and Groceries for Amex MR Pts valued at 2.0 CPP = 8.0 CPP. I have the Hilton Honors Business as it was my 2nd rewards card. I did not have a clue on what I was doing and I thought it was better than my Marriott Bonvoy Business card because my company spends about $10,000 / month on shipping and with Marriot I got 4x and with Hilton I got 6x. The first trip I took and used my Hilton Pts, I saw them dwindle in 1 trip costing around 350,000 pts for 5 nights. The only good thing was that I received 1 night free for booking 5 nights. There is not a single category on this card that is the best or even close to the best in that category. The multipliers trap people into believing they are getting good deals until they go to use them. PS. I have Amex (Marriott, Hilton, Gold, Plat) Chase (Ink Cash, Ink Preferred, CSP, Hyatt, SW Preferred, SW Priority) Cap1 Venture X, Barclay. I love watching your videos but I cringe when you make the Hilton out to be a great card. To each their own, but all of those watching this video need to do some major research and get on Hilton's website, search for hotels by points and see if it is worth it for you.
I agree with your statement, the spend "alone" is not worth it… but combined with referrals and sign up bonuses the value is there.. once the points are spent it isn't. I actually am at that point… I am down to my last 180k points and after that I would barely hit any sort of value with Hilton points via spend so Im going to a Hyatt set up. Hilton has value if you aren't into aspirational travel… and/or you spend enough to get FNCs which I did, but again once it's gone its gone it isn't worth it anymore.
Billy - Your points above are excellent. However, we're looking through 2 totally different lenses. 1. Everything mentioned above deals with using Hilton _credit cards_ for spending, yet this video is about _earning Hilton points in general._ 2. Hilton credit card spending made up 1 of 15 methods (i.e. less than 7% of the video). 3. The video is about how to earn 1M points quickly, not about which credit card to use for your everyday purchases. 4. That said, some people have strong brand preferences (I'm one of them). If I want to stay at the Zemi Beach House in Anguilla (a Hilton LXR property), then I'm gonna have a helluva hard time using Hyatt points for that stay 😄 5. Hyatt has an incredibly limited footprint. Just because they've got a good loyalty program doesn't mean they have properties located where I want/need them to be.
Speaking of traps, you've fallen for the CPP trap. It doesn't matter what a program's points are worth on paper. What matters is your plan on how to use them and the value you derive from that plan. Hyatt points, for example, could be worth 10CPP according to travel blogs, but if they don't have locations in places that someone wants to travel, they're effectively worthless. Good luck trying to use Hyatt points at your favorite national parks. In the same vein, one could say MR are worth 20CPP because you can use them for $20K+ first class tickets on ANA to Japan, but if you don't care about that redemption then it's not a fair valuation. You also need to size up the perks between programs to determine a best fit. The lack of a 4th or 5th night free perk or having a point / category cap on free night certificates may make Hyatt a pass for someone over Hilton, since that benefit can save tens or hundreds of thousands of points when used correctly. Overall, focusing on CPP can cause you to miss the bigger picture. Just my two cents
@@JM-kv2kn Show me. You literally have to search for spots with higher than .7 CPP. Most people look for hotels in the city they are visiting, not the other way around.
Try calling into a rep to see if there are offers on Hilton cards you can take advantage of. Allowed me to bypass pop up jail on two cards this year by calling
@@MarkReese I’m quite surprised they took out priority pass for the surpass and aspire. The quarterly/semiannually credits will be hard for some to cash in on too. But yeah for avid Hilton guests it shouldn’t be a big deal.
Me encanta el programa Hilton! He tenido las 4 tarjetas Hilton y he recibido varias ofertas para upgrade y he logrado muchos puntos y noches gratis! Excelente vide! 🫡👍
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I've capitalized on getting the welcome bonuses on the Hilton Honors, Hilton Surpass & Hilton Honors BIZ in the past year or so. Loveeee the Hilton ecosystem- I've been able to book a 5 Night Stay in Mexico for my honeymoon and still have 500K Hilton Points leftover. Great video Mark!
Well done on making that honeymoon trip happen w/ leftover points! 🌴
@@MarkReese Thank you!
🏆🏆🏆
you are the undisputed GOAT of all CC reviewers! thanks again Mark
You're welcome! 🏆
@13:31 All you need to do is take the total points x .5% much faster and easier.
Yep 💯👍
Hilton is my go to program for a lot of the reasons you mentioned. Points may be worth 3X less than everyone’s favorite Hyatt, but if I can earn them 3X as fast, then it’s equal value in my eyes. Surpass has been and will continue to be a daily driver in my wallet, especially for that FNC
Glad you've found solid value in the Hilton system!
💯 It's become our 🥇hotel program as well. Can't beat the value of the FNCs.
And most importantly you can actually find Hilton hotels around the world. Heck it sometimes is even hard to find Hyatts in the US when you aren't in a city
I’m at 780k points currently, I paid for a trip to Europe in cash, and due to all the promotions and multipliers from having the aspire 100% increase, 100% increase promotion, then the 14x multiplier. I got 130k, the rest are a mix of bonuses and transfer points. Quick tip, Amex points transfer 2:1 so when I buy food with my Amex gold, I’m actually getting 8 points, and if you use rakuten you can get 12x points per dollar turned into 24 hilton points. Hilton has given me so many premium experiences and room upgrades, plus the free breakfast truly saves you money. Those are my Hilton tips!
Awesome that you’re getting strong value from the Hilton Honors program! 💯🏆
The cent per point value can be really good if you choose the right hotel and/or factor in free night certs.
Absolutely 💯
Hilton Honors points go very far when used abroad (pun intended). I’m Team Hilton over Team Hyatt.
💯
They sure can! 🌍
Running a AMEX Hilton setup is very underrated IMO. Like you said - it's super easy to rack up Hilton points. PLUS - the FNCs are amazing. Thanks for the info + video!
Agreed. Most valuable FNCs in the industry right now 💯
Hey Mark great video. Really comprehensive and as a pretty experienced points/miles guy I still learned some new things about Hilton. You can definitely rack up points fast as you outlined. However, the main strategy you showed to upgrade and downgrade cards has not been as possible in recent years. From what I have seen reported online and in travel groups is they are not frequently, if at all, giving those sweet upgrade offers anymore. Both me and my P2 have had multiple personal hilton cards for years and have never received one, and I reach out to amex about every 3 months to ask. In the long game this may be possible, but the ideal scenario to upgrade then downgrade every card yearly is not an option anymore. Regardless, the Hilton program is nice, especially the Aspire and if you can spend $15k on a surpass. Keep up the good content. You advertised the Ritz card last fall and I switched to it and am so happy. Got me into the BOS Sapphire lounge this morning and haven’t had to “pay” for paid flight wifi all year.
There must be something going on that’s causing you to not be targeted. Maybe not staying at Hilton properties enough or not spending on your Hilton cards? I’ve gotten several offers over the last 2 years and I’ve taken a couple of them. Definitely still a viable strategy if you’re targeted
I cannot comment on the frequency of receiving Hilton upgrade offers as I don't have any of the personal cards myself at the moment. They've always been targeted and are never guaranteed. Glad you enjoyed the Sapphire Lounge @ BOS via the Ritz Card 💯
I plan to follow your exact same strategy when it comes to double dipping on offers on each of the personal Hilton cards. That business card offer is intriguing to me right now too... I may have to jump on it, we'll see! Great video all around as always Mark. I'm excited to dive more into the Hilton ecosystem as time goes on!
Hilton points are waitin' for ya!
sadly my pop up jail extends to the Hilton personal cards too grrrr
A very thorough video on Hilton. I did the math and a person could have earned 9549 more points by using the Aspire card rather than the Surpass on that trip to Florida.
With an annual fee that is currently $355 higher 😁 (Though that only matters to people who wouldn't be able to use the additional benefits / credits)
@@MarkReese You mentioned having had two Aspires in the past. I was kind of surprised you still didn't have one to use on your Florida trip.
Do you get hotel discount or multipliers with the blue cash cards under amex offers?
Yes, the Blue Cash branded cards may offer hotel discounts in the form of Amex Offers.
This doesn’t help you increase Hilton points per se, but 18:41 related is using status match to get Hilton Gold match with an upgrade at National with their Emerald loyalty program. FYI.
Status matches can be another great method!
Do multipliers with credit card still count if you stay at Hilton Grand vacation properties?
Not sure, I haven't tried it and don't see anything mentioned in the terms.
@@MarkReese also do you know how to determine what properties are considered a "resort" for the resort credit?
@@planaheadstayahead - Yep. You can see them at this link:
www.hilton.com/en/resorts/
^ Click the button that says 'Explore More Resorts' to search them all. There seems to be 307 locations right now.
@@MarkReese when I clicked that it only loads 20
@@planaheadstayahead - Strange, I see what you mean. I wonder if Hilton re-categorized a bunch of properties, or if something is off with their site. Not sure.
If i had a surpass card (LL) cancelled, aspire current (NLL), should i do the following 1) apply to a regular (NLL or LL) 2) then downgrade aspire next year? What do i do if i get PUJ for 1? Thats what I encounter which forced me to get an Aspire NLL
I wouldn't overthink it. As long as you apply via Amex's "Know if You're Approved for This Card With No Impact to Your Credit Score" feature, then there isn't much risk in attempting it.
I live close to a Hilton with a very good restaurant. How would the Hilton restaurant bil as a Hilton hotel or dining?
There isn't a way to know in advance. It depends on how the establishment is set up on the network. You'll have to try it.
That's why during actual stays, I always charge onsite dining charges to the room to make sure it gets categorized as a hotel charge & therefore earn at the highest multiplier.
Mark these videos are invaluable
Glad you think so!
So when you go this route, And say you're alredy a diamond member with the Aspire card. I then apply for the Surpass card, What happens to your status online? Does it still show Diamond? or does it show Gold and also Diamond? also do the points transfer over to the Hilton rewards app automatically? Thanks for these great detailed Vids!
1. It still shows Diamond.
2. As long as you applied for both Hilton cards with the same Hilton Honors loyalty # on the application, then yes, the points will automatically be sent to the same Hilton account.
@@MarkReese awesome thanks, Mark.
Can you stack the night certificates or do they expire or is there a restriction on using more than one per stay
1. Each one expires 1 year after it's issued.
2. You can use multiple certificates for the same stay. Just call to have an agent redeem them.
If I already hold an Aspire that I've applied for directly, can I apply for another Aspire card? Or are only product changes allowed. I'm getting conflicting information about this. For example you can apply for and get multiple platinum and gold cards. I'm not quite sure if this works the same for credit cards.
Yes you can apply for another Aspire or upgrade other Hilton card.
@@jaxpon2010 thank you! Do you personally know someone who has applied for an American Express CREDIT card for a second time while holding the first?
Per my understanding, yes, you can apply for a 2nd HH Aspire Card, but with no welcome offer.
You can apply for multiple credit cards all you want. You just won't get no 2nd welcome bonus.
Great video! Your stacking example makes the Hilton strategy look even more appealing. I don't have any of their cards yet. How often do you see promotions like those?
Hilton typically runs promotions multiple times per year...every single year 💯
@@MarkReese Awesome, thanks! There are a couple more cards on my list before I get to Hilton, but I plan to start on them next year.
Excellent information Mark….
Do points earned from using Hilton Honors linked reward partners on Lyft count towards earning lifetime status (not using a Hilton credit card)?
You also mention transferring points to Hilton Honors, do those points count towards earning lifetime status?
Per my understanding, the answer is "no" to both. Lifetime status requires earning _base points,_ which are earned from paid stays at Hilton properties.
Epic video! Hilton Honors points + Gold status are pretty good in the USA, but redeeming them in Asia is the real travel hack.
Yeah elite treatment abroad tends to be much better than in the U.S. 💯
There is an offer going on now to purchase Hilton Honors points; up to 160k for $1,600 and then the bonus doubled it. I assume if I put that on the Amex I’ll get another 3x on the money spent so, 324,800 for $1,600? Or .0049 cents per point?
If you're purchasing via a Hilton credit card, then yes, the transaction should earn the base rate of 3X.
Someone said you get more value converting all the Hilton cards to the Aspire eventually for those free night certificates. Haven't tried it myself.
Depends on the person & what kinds of redemptions they intend to do. I definitely would not recommend that for everyone.
Hilton definitely makes it really easy to earn or buy points at a great rate!
They sure do 👊
Transferring MR points to Hilton is more beneficial? Correct?
If the goal is to earn Hilton points, then sure. Amex MR points transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio (e.g. 10,000 MR points = 20,000 HH points). That also means the Amex Gold's 4X multipliers function like 8X for Hilton.
However, transferring MR points to the Hilton program will likely mean a ton of lost potential value compared to flights.
I generally wouldn't recommend transferring to Hilton.
Awesome! Thanks for the quick response. I’m just seeing if it’s better to transfer some MR points to my Hilton account to “pay” for 2 nights stay over in Tampa. You’re awesome!
Whoa that’s deep great video a lot of ways to get points thanks for sharing I am going to try some of your techniques keep that great content coming
Your turn! 👊
So a person can have 2 of the same credit card for a certain time period?
Sure, and no time limit. I've had 2 of the same card with multiple issuers.
man i must be psychic asking you about the Hilton card conundrum yesterday. great video!
Haha 🔮
So should I get the first version then. Surpass. Then aspire is what you’re saying.
As I write this, the order in which you get Hilton cards doesn't matter. However, Amex has implemented rules for a lot of other cards that does affect the order, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen in the future with the Hilton lineup.
For the Lyft section, are those 3 points earned on top of the 3x I earn by paying with my Hilton Aspire card? So making it a total of 6x?
Yes 👍
Hi. I received upgrade offer for no fee card to the surpass card. (I’ve already had the surpass card) the offer just says upgrade offer but I don’t see any points. I assume they’re just asking to upgrade but I wouldn’t get the points.
Sounds like it. If no points are mentioned, then they're simply inviting you to upgrade. I've seen the same thing with other cards, too.
Well, there's 19 minutes of my life i'm not getting back.
That's correct.
Is it true that Hilton closed down almost all the executive lounges in the US? No lounges in Florida, California, Vegas, Chicago, Pennsylvania, etc... ???????
I haven't seen any publications about that, so I can't confirm. Many executive lounges closed across a number of hotel chains during the pandemic for ~ 2 years, and reopening may be slow / delayed. Staffing seems to be a problem at a lot of places I go, not just hotels.
Would love to see a video like this for earning Marriott points!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Can you do a review of the new TD Bank credit cards?
Perhaps at some point, but not on the priority list right now.
I just received a target offer of 80k points and a free night certificate for the Hilton Amex 0 AF. My question is this a good place to start an Amex relationship? I currently do not have any Amex cards. I currently have 23k points from Hilton stays this year.
Nice offer. Yes, it's a fine place to start given that there's good potential value and a $0 annual fee. However, make sure you have a use for the rewards, esp. the certificate as it only lasts for 1 year.
Good video Mark…..I just pass the million points recently 🎉(1,016,305) 💪🏼
Time to celebrate, congrats Gabriel! 💯
3 weeks ago I was at Hilton Tokyo Odiaba,Wow incredible experience. By the way you are the best explain every little details about points on credit card. I admire your effort 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@@jaxpon2010 - Awesome to hear! Glad to hear you appreciate the format of the videos! 🎬
How many amex cards can you actually have
Here's another video that explains it: ruclips.net/video/tdSUo1h-ewY/видео.htmlsi=fzT5VNfy-zYIvEQV
Hi Mark, its me again, which hilton honors card will you recommend 1st
Start with the basic then upgrade to the surpass.
Or start with surpass then downgrade to the AF card after.
Just don’t want them taking the promotion away from downsizing in the near future
@@munchymunch8698 - Order doesn't matter with the Hilton cards as I write this. If you're concerned about new rules that could be announced at any time, then go in order from smallest AF to largest AF.
I have zero Amex cards or Hilton cards, this is the very reason why,... confusing and too many cards involved. Got targeted for Plat 150k and gold 90k and green 60k but rejected all. Can someone convince me I should start the Amex ecosystem mostly for intl asia trips?
I'm not here to convince you; I just share information. Are you fully aware of the potential value Amex's transfer partners w/ international airlines can offer?
@@MarkReese Only thing that I know is Amex is a partner with ANA but at the same time it is very difficult to find ANA award seats.
@@theinternationalist1357 - Scroll down to the ANA section on this blog post for some tips to find award availability: upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines/searching-flight-award-space/
@@MarkReese Ok thanks Mark. When I'm ready to start with Amex ecosystem, I will definitely use your links to apply.
@@theinternationalist1357 - Also per an article today from TPG about ANA, _"Availability can be scarce - you will have the best luck booking 12 months in advance (as soon as the seats are loaded) or last minute (less than 14 days before departure when unsold seats are often loaded for awards). Your best bet for finding availability is to search for it using the United MileagePlus website and call Virgin's Flying Club to book."_
Source: thepointsguy.com/guide/airline-award-chart-sweet-spots/
FIRST!!!!…don’t tell me otherwise 😅. I’m here to learn as I’m on the fence with a Hilton card right now.
😬👉5️⃣
@@MarkReese no! I demand a redo 🤣🤣
Just upgraded my surpass to a second aspire and asked for a upgrade bonus and was told no😢
Bummer, but I haven't heard of upgrade offers being given via a direct request. They normally arrive via email, direct mail, or inside your Amex account on a targeted basis.
See this is what I can’t stand about annual fee credit cards
I looked on the Internet and I found Hilton hotels in Vegas goes from $146 all the way up to $500 a night for three bedrooms
How much are you willing to pay an annual fees for a free night in a hotel? And how long does it take you to save up that many points to get a free night in a hotel?
The Hilton hotel annual fee is $550. The other one is 150.
Just like the Delta sky miles, the highest annual fee is $650. A flight from Cincinnati to LAX is $500 but you’re gonna pay $650 annual fee so you can save up your points and get a free flight.
High-annual-fee cards often have credits, benefits, elevated rewards categories, etc. to help you make sense of the annual fees. The HH Aspire card has a $400 Hilton Resort Credit, a $200 Flight Credit, a $199 CLEAR Plus Credit, and a $100 Property Credit that can be used multiple times. Add all that up, and it's a lot more than the annual fee ($899+ vs. $550). We're also not counting other benefits like Diamond Status. If you'd normally spend money in the areas the card gives you those credits, then it's like getting a benefit package at a discount. If you wouldn't normally spend in those areas, then it's true that the $550 annual fee doesn't make sense.
You forgot one thing sir. Hilton Timeshares (just don't get peer pressured into buying lolzs)
Another solid option!
Amazing breakdown as always Mark! I recently opened up the no annual fee card. But I didn’t know about NLL part. How can I find the fine print in my Amex account?? Hoping it’s not bad news for me!
You cannot view the offer terms after you've applied. Did you have the no-fee HH card before?
@@MarkReese thanks for responding! And yes, it is my first HH no annual fee card I have applied
@@RM6488 - Ok, there's a chance you will not get the bonus again. You could ask Amex directly if there's any welcome offer on your account.
Only one problem with your Method. Typically AMEX offers you and upgrade after one year. So if you start this ladder at the bottom, since your points are only good for two years, you'll will not be able to maximize points from 4 cards. But they do offer plenty of points bonuses through out the year.
Points never expire as long as you have account activity.
I’m very intrigued by this method. I got the Surpass with the 130K and free night offer. Next play would be getting the base Honors card but sign up offer is 80K with no free night. Have a large spend coming up so I may want to split that spend on those two cards though… I have to wait at least 5 days to apply for base Honors. I also want to refer my wife to get the surpass and base as well as we stay at Hilton properties. Thoughts?
Sounds good to me! Congrats on the HH Surpass approval 💯
Do the points expire if you don't use them
Hilton points expire every 24 months with no account activity. To avoid this, you need to earn or redeem points. Each time you do either of those activities, the clock resets.
This is such an informative video! I’m getting ready to start the Hilton card journey with the really excellent SUBs right now. Considering that these SUBs do have the language about the Lifetime clause and the potential for upgrades that you outline, what do you recommend getting first: the no fee card or the surpass? I anticipate I will end up with both moving back and forth between the two for upgrade/downgrade options. Seriously….really helpful video!!! Thank you!
Glad you found it helpful! Doesn't matter which one you get initially. Go with the one that gives you the benefits / rewards you value most first.
Mark, I just don't understand how you feel that Hilton Pts are worth it. Dining 6x at .6 CPP is 3.6 CPP and can only be used for Hilton. CSP is 3x at 2.0 CPP = 6.0 CPP and can be transferred to hotels or flights. Even if you only wanted to stay at hotels then the CSP is 3x for Dining transferred to Hyatt at 1.7 CPP = 5.1 CPP. Amex Gold is even higher at 4x Dining and Groceries for Amex MR Pts valued at 2.0 CPP = 8.0 CPP. I have the Hilton Honors Business as it was my 2nd rewards card. I did not have a clue on what I was doing and I thought it was better than my Marriott Bonvoy Business card because my company spends about $10,000 / month on shipping and with Marriot I got 4x and with Hilton I got 6x. The first trip I took and used my Hilton Pts, I saw them dwindle in 1 trip costing around 350,000 pts for 5 nights. The only good thing was that I received 1 night free for booking 5 nights. There is not a single category on this card that is the best or even close to the best in that category. The multipliers trap people into believing they are getting good deals until they go to use them. PS. I have Amex (Marriott, Hilton, Gold, Plat) Chase (Ink Cash, Ink Preferred, CSP, Hyatt, SW Preferred, SW Priority) Cap1 Venture X, Barclay. I love watching your videos but I cringe when you make the Hilton out to be a great card. To each their own, but all of those watching this video need to do some major research and get on Hilton's website, search for hotels by points and see if it is worth it for you.
I agree with your statement, the spend "alone" is not worth it… but combined with referrals and sign up bonuses the value is there.. once the points are spent it isn't.
I actually am at that point… I am down to my last 180k points and after that I would barely hit any sort of value with Hilton points via spend so Im going to a Hyatt set up.
Hilton has value if you aren't into aspirational travel… and/or you spend enough to get FNCs which I did, but again once it's gone its gone it isn't worth it anymore.
Billy - Your points above are excellent. However, we're looking through 2 totally different lenses.
1. Everything mentioned above deals with using Hilton _credit cards_ for spending, yet this video is about _earning Hilton points in general._
2. Hilton credit card spending made up 1 of 15 methods (i.e. less than 7% of the video).
3. The video is about how to earn 1M points quickly, not about which credit card to use for your everyday purchases.
4. That said, some people have strong brand preferences (I'm one of them). If I want to stay at the Zemi Beach House in Anguilla (a Hilton LXR property), then I'm gonna have a helluva hard time using Hyatt points for that stay 😄
5. Hyatt has an incredibly limited footprint. Just because they've got a good loyalty program doesn't mean they have properties located where I want/need them to be.
Speaking of traps, you've fallen for the CPP trap. It doesn't matter what a program's points are worth on paper. What matters is your plan on how to use them and the value you derive from that plan. Hyatt points, for example, could be worth 10CPP according to travel blogs, but if they don't have locations in places that someone wants to travel, they're effectively worthless. Good luck trying to use Hyatt points at your favorite national parks. In the same vein, one could say MR are worth 20CPP because you can use them for $20K+ first class tickets on ANA to Japan, but if you don't care about that redemption then it's not a fair valuation.
You also need to size up the perks between programs to determine a best fit. The lack of a 4th or 5th night free perk or having a point / category cap on free night certificates may make Hyatt a pass for someone over Hilton, since that benefit can save tens or hundreds of thousands of points when used correctly. Overall, focusing on CPP can cause you to miss the bigger picture. Just my two cents
There are plenty of sweet spots where redemptions are .1CPP. And given how good those resorts are I have no idea why not save them for those trips.
@@JM-kv2kn Show me. You literally have to search for spots with higher than .7 CPP. Most people look for hotels in the city they are visiting, not the other way around.
I have 4 million marriott points. No idea how to finish them
Impressive! 🏆
And if you have a player 2, you’d be ballin’
💯💯
lol that’s almost a life time ticket to Hilton
Not at the properties I like to stay at 😁
A million points and only Gold? How?
The majority were not earned from stays, so they do not count towards status.
Been in Amex pop up jail for all the Hilton cards for over a year now 💔
Just Hilton ?
Try calling into a rep to see if there are offers on Hilton cards you can take advantage of. Allowed me to bypass pop up jail on two cards this year by calling
Wow that's wild 👀
Hilton cards just got ruined 🤦🏽♂️
No-Fee version = no change
Surpass = worse for many
Aspire = better & worse
Business = no change
@@MarkReese I’m quite surprised they took out priority pass for the surpass and aspire. The quarterly/semiannually credits will be hard for some to cash in on too. But yeah for avid Hilton guests it shouldn’t be a big deal.
@@anandr1385 - I was surprised by the drop of Priority Pass, too.
You are paying a helluva lot of annual fees, bro.
Across all my cards, yes, though the ones shown in this video have all been canceled except for the 1 business Hilton card ($95 annual fee).
👍🏻
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I never get that many because I use them every year 😂
A good reason! ✈
I’ve decided to remain out of the game until further notice.
Most suffering comes from the failure to adapt and a resistance to change.
You got denied didn't you?
Awaiting further notice...😬
@@911eVoX back when I was in the game, I was approved for every card I applied for.
And vote trump!!’
Please keep comments focused credit cards. Thanks.
Me encanta el programa Hilton! He tenido las 4 tarjetas Hilton y he recibido varias ofertas para upgrade y he logrado muchos puntos y noches gratis! Excelente vide! 🫡👍
Yo también! Ser socio del programa ofrece muchos beneficios (entre ellos...noches gratis!) 💯