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American Express has increased the welcome offers on the card_name and the card_name and while the bonus points on offer haven’t changed much, the inclusion of a Free Night Reward in both new welcome offers makes them valuable and makes now a very good time to consider if one of these cards would work well in your wallet.
card_name
Annual fee:
- annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)
Welcome bonus (terms apply):
- bonus_miles_full (find out more)
Note: Per the offer terms, the welcome offer is not available to applicants who have or have had the card_name or the Hilton Honors Amex Ascend Card.
Earning rates (terms apply)
- 12 points/dollar at Hilton properties worldwide
- 6 points/dollar at U.S. restaurants
- 6 points/dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 6 points/dollar at U.S. gas stations
- 4 points/dollar on U.S. online retail purchases
- 3 points/dollar on eligible spending in all other categories
Key benefits (terms apply and registration may be required)
- Receive Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as you hold the card.
- Get up to $200 back in annual statement credits when you use your card to pay for eligible purchases made with Hilton (paid as quarterly $50 credits).
- Earn Hilton Honors Diamond status after spending $40,000 in a calendar year.
- Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after spending $15,000 in a calendar. year
- Receive National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status for as long as you hold the card.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Key reasons to love the card_name
1. The Welcome offer (terms apply)
I value Hilton Honors points at 0.4 cents each (based on how I use them and how easy I find them to use) and that values the points element of the welcome offer at a welcome $520.
The Free Night Reward that can be earned through the new welcome offer is uncapped (unlike a lot of other hotel free night certificates that you’ll find) and that means that it can be used at almost all Hilton Honors properties around the world regardless of how much an award night costs.
Personally, I would probably get between $400 and $500 worth of value out of this Free Night Reward, but even more conservative readers should be able to get at least $300 of value out of it, and that add significant value to the welcome offer.
2. Hilton Gold status (terms apply)
The status that comes with the card_name gives cardholders complimentary breakfast for the status holder + 1 guest sharing the same room (or a cash credit towards the cost of breakfast), space-available room upgrades, late check-out (subject to availability), and access To Hilton’s 5th night free benefit.
3. Good earning rates (terms apply)
The 12 points/dollar that the card_name earns at Hilton properties worldwide equates to a 4.8% rebate on all Hilton stays (based on my valuation of 0.4 cents/point) and, when you factor in the bonus points that cardholders earn thanks to the Gold elite status the card bestows, the total effective rebate this card offers jumps to an impressive 8%.
In summary
The card_name is one of the better value hotel credit cards available today. It costs annual_fees per year to hold (terms) and, for that, it offers cardholders the best mid-tier elite status that any hotel loyalty program offers, good earnings at Hilton properties worldwide, and bonus points for spending in key categories.
Combine all of that with the excellent new welcome bonus that this card currently offers and the fact that it doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and you have a compelling case for why this card should be in a lot of people’s wallets – link to a full review of this credit card
card_name
Annual fee:
- annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)
Welcome bonus (terms apply):
- bonus_miles_full (find out more)
Note: The welcome offer is not available to applicants who have or have had this card in the past.
Earning rates (terms apply)
- 7 points/dollar at all properties in the Hilton portfolio
- 5 points/dollar at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
- 3 points/dollar on all other eligible purchases
Key benefits (terms apply and registration may be required)
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status
- Cardholders can earn Hilton Honors Gold status after spending $20,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
Key reasons to love the card_name
1. The Annual fee
It costs annual_fees to hold! (See Rates and Fees)
2. The Welcome offer (terms apply)
I value Hilton Honors points at 0.4 cents each (based on how I use them and how easy I find them to use) and that values the points element of the welcome offer at $280. That’s not bad for a card with a annual_fees annual fee (See Rates and Fees).
As with the Free Night Reward that comes with the new welcome bonus on the card_name, the Free Night Reward on offer here is uncapped and can be used at almost all Hilton Honors properties around the world regardless of how much an award night costs.
What this means is that for no financial outlay whatsoever (assuming a balance isn’t carried and fees aren’t incurred), a new cardholder who earns the current welcome bonus can book a night in a standard room for free at some of the best Hilton properties on the planet.
3. Access to Hilton’s 5th Night Free benefit (terms apply)
The Silver status that comes with the card_name ensures that cardholders have access to a key Hilton benefit – the 5th night of all award stays is free (see how the 5th night free is calculated). Even if you ignore all the other aspects to this card, this benefit alone makes it a card that’s worth having – it’s a money saver.
4. No foreign transaction fees
Not only does the card_name cost annual_fees to hold (See Rates and Fees) but it also doesn’t punish cardholders when they use the card outside of the United States. There aren’t very many cards that don’t charge an annual fee and that waive foreign transaction fees, but this card is one of them and it’s a great benefit to have.
5. Effective every day rebates (terms apply)
The card_name earns cardholders 5 points/dollar at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations and those are spending categories that most people use in their everyday lives.
Based on my earlier valuation of Hilton Honors points (0.4 cents each) this card offers a 2.0 cent/$ (or 2%) rebate in all three of those categories. That’s not bad for a card that costs nothing to hold.
In summary
I really like this card and it’s a card I currently hold. If you’re a frequent visitor to Hilton properties this isn’t the most efficient card to use to collect Hilton Honors points (a card like the card_name will be better), but if you’re an infrequent Hilton guest (as I am) or new to the miles and point world, this is a great card to hold – link to a full review of this credit card
Bottom line
American Express has boosted its welcome offers on the card_name and the entry-level card_name. While the changes to the points element of the welcome offers are not hugely significant, the value that they both offer has been boosted significantly by the inclusion of Free Night Certificates.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, see See Rates and Fees; terms apply
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please visit this page
Can you not get the Hilton Card bonus if you have ever had the card before at all or just if you have already had the bonus? I have downgraded to the No AF Hilton card in the past but I have never gotten the bonus on that card.
That’s an interesting question. The terms say this:
“Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.”
However, I suspect that this assumes that the applicant recieved a welcome offer when they last held the card which, in your case, would not be true.
If you’re interested in getting the card, my suggestion would be to use the “Chat” facility on the Amex website and get clarification around the welcome bonus (and take a screenshot of the conversation if you’re told that you’ll get the bonus). If you don’t have much luck with the Chat team, try calling and see if you have more luck with a phone agent. let me know how you get on as this would be a good case to see through to the end.