I love credit cards so much!

[1st*toright]

Hey everybody, I know I'm coming out of nowhere here but I've been lurking awhile, reading and enjoying the friendly tone of this thread. I was a pretty frequent poster to the DIS about 10 years ago when my kids were little but less so now that they're all grown up. I mostly pop in now to catch up on a few things and lately, to visit you. This particular thread is incredibly informative and helpful to those new to the game. I wish I would have found you 3 years ago, when I first started. If I knew then... what I know now!

Today the travel blogs are buzzing a bit about the increased Hilton offers and I really just felt like I wanted to throw this into the ring. Maybe because I missed the increased Aspire bonus by 1 week (ouch!) and because I hope it will help someone put together a dream trip they might have otherwise felt was out of reach. I know Hilton tends to get a bad rap but they are really valuable to me because a)They are super easy to earn and b)I can use them quite easily at home and at my two favorite places to visit; Hawaii and Orlando.

If I wrote out everything I'm thinking, this post would be an entire page long so I will try to keep it to the outline of my thoughts and let you mull it over and run with it if it helps you. If you have never considered the Amex suite of Hilton cards, let me tell you why you might want to, especially if you are in two player mode.

For a total minimum spend of $10,000 and annual fees of $640 this is what you would end up with:

475,000 points + at minimum another 24,000 points for making your minimum spends for a total nearly 500K
Two free weekend nights after completion of minimum spend (One for the Ascend card and one for the Aspire) . This is great for those who own DVC and tend to book Sunday to Friday for the lower points costs. Could extend the trip by a couple days!
Automatic Diamond Status (via the Aspire)
$250 in Hilton resort credit that can be used toward room rates so may also equal a free night depending on property
$250 in Airline fee reimbursement (and another $250 on January 1, 2019)
$100 in Waldorf Astoria credit (if you book a package through Amex)
Unlimited Complimentary Priority Pass

*If you happen to have the Amex Blue Business Plus Card, and can transfer MR points to Hilton 2:1, then all spend up to 50K is 4x instead of 3. I never get less than 4x Hilton an ALL spend as a result.

If you refer P2 to each card, you will net an additional 80k points for a total of 580k+ (category spends on each card will bring that total up well over 600k for most people - gas, groceries, dining, etc, all come with higher points bonuses)

If P2 does exactly the same you'd end up with well over a million Hilton points and a boatload of free weekend night certificates that are good at some of my favorite properties - Hilton Garden Inn on Kauai (friendliest staff and amazing full breakfast in the morning included for only 36,000 points a night with 5th night free), Grand Wailea on Maui (76,000 points with 5th night free), several hotels in Waikiki, Doubletree Suites Disney Springs, Hilton Buena Vista Palace, HGV Parc Soleil and Tuscany Village, etc... We can also use them in Niagara Falls, near my son's college campus in the boondocks of New York State, and at the Saratoga Hilton in Saratoga Springs, NY. So far, we've had no resort fees, no parking fees and free breakfast at every property except HGV (and nice ones at that).

Anyway, just something to think about in the Amex camp. I'm not really much of an aspirational travel person... I'm happy in coach most of the time and I don't mind a basic room if it's clean. These points go a loooooooooong way as a result.

Doc did a great comparison of the four cards awhile back: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/four-american-express-hilton-cards-compared/ . Just be aware that the offers have changed a bit. You can find the new ones here: https://apply.americanexpress.com/hilton-card/ . Active now if you are a Hilton Honors member. Sept. 11 if not.
As always YMMV. But I'd be SO happy if someone was able to nab that 150,000k bonus that I just missed.;-)

This is not at all helpful. I was just narrowing down my next move to either one of the Chase United Cards or the SPG Lux Amex (leaning towards the Chase ones bc my last several cards are Amex and I'm at 2/24 with chase) and here you come with a very good explanation of why the Hilton cards might be a good idea. Not helping my decision making at all.
(but thanks for the write up anyway )

 

[1st*toright]

CSR is such a great card, but the hilton diamond status gets you breakfast, which will save you alot of money. Tough decision. I'd probably do both and space them out if I were you.

Isn't the answer always both ?

 

[amalone1013]

Does anyone get much use out of the dining programs with airlines, etc? I thought @calypso726 mentioned it before? They finally started adding places we go to the SW RR program.

 

[wendow]

I’m at the Denver airport without my P2 (and all the little p’s). Gonna miss them all terribly while I’m gone. Also realized no PP lounge for me since P2 is the one with the membership

Thanks @hulagirl for the Hilton rundown. Going to read through it again and look more at the Hilton cards after my trip. I’ve been meaning to read up more on them. And welcome to the thread!

 

[Judique]

I think that depends on which one you logged into first. You want to login to the account you wish to keep first (I think...)

That's what I figured, but when I go to each account, the same information is in both accounts. When I was looking for a room through Marriott and it showed an SPG hotel and I selected it, the website rerouted me to SPG to book it. And, of course you have same password for both accounts.

I thought one account would go bye bye. But, with my 3 SPG credit cards, even though I submitted the Marriott account number, 2 accounts are showing the Marriott number and 1 account is showing the 'new' assigned number - that would be the Biz card. Perhaps that card is keeping the SPG account live in some altered state.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Does anyone get much use out of the dining programs with airlines, etc? I thought @calypso726 mentioned it before? They finally started adding places we go to the SW RR program.

Sw only has 1 place we go listed. It is lame.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Hmmmm.... we get a good rate on the rooms at the Grand Floridian...

This statement is most certainly an oxymoron...

 

[tink1970]

this doesn't make the worry list. It's definitely alarming but it's too rare to be worried abou

I'm not worried about it, either. Of course, I did ask DD (who has flown to Europe several times without me) what she would do if a fellow passenger became inappropriate. "Well, I'd ask him to stop. Then I'd raise my voice and shame him. If that didn't stop it, I'd ask the flight attendant to move me. If that didn't happen I'd throw up a fuss about being attacked. Don't worry mom, I'm fine." So maybe I'm not the most negligent parent

Gonna miss them all terribly while I’m gone.

Have a great trip! Don't feel bad...I forgot DEN had a PP lounge when I was there for 5 hours (!) waiting for my hotel room. It would have been nice to use ...smh...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I did it!

Wait...did what? lol

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Hey everybody, I know I'm coming out of nowhere here but I've been lurking awhile, reading and enjoying the friendly tone of this thread. I was a pretty frequent poster to the DIS about 10 years ago when my kids were little but less so now that they're all grown up. I mostly pop in now to catch up on a few things and lately, to visit you. This particular thread is incredibly informative and helpful to those new to the game. I wish I would have found you 3 years ago, when I first started. If I knew then... what I know now!

Today the travel blogs are buzzing a bit about the increased Hilton offers and I really just felt like I wanted to throw this into the ring. Maybe because I missed the increased Aspire bonus by 1 week (ouch!) and because I hope it will help someone put together a dream trip they might have otherwise felt was out of reach. I know Hilton tends to get a bad rap but they are really valuable to me because a)They are super easy to earn and b)I can use them quite easily at home and at my two favorite places to visit; Hawaii and Orlando.

If I wrote out everything I'm thinking, this post would be an entire page long so I will try to keep it to the outline of my thoughts and let you mull it over and run with it if it helps you. If you have never considered the Amex suite of Hilton cards, let me tell you why you might want to, especially if you are in two player mode.

For a total minimum spend of $10,000 and annual fees of $640 this is what you would end up with:

475,000 points + at minimum another 30,000 points for making your minimum spends for a total over 500K
Two free weekend nights after completion of minimum spend (One for the Ascend card and one for the Aspire) . This is great for those who own DVC and tend to book Sunday to Friday for the lower points costs. Could extend the trip by a couple days!
Automatic Diamond Status (via the Aspire)
$250 in Hilton resort credit that can be used toward room rates so may also equal a free night depending on property
$250 in Airline fee reimbursement (and another $250 on January 1, 2019)
$100 in Waldorf Astoria credit (if you book a package through Amex)
Unlimited Complimentary Priority Pass

*If you happen to have the Amex Blue Business Plus Card, and can transfer MR points to Hilton 2:1, then all spend up to 50K is 4x instead of 3. I never get less than 4x Hilton an ALL spend as a result.

If you refer P2 to each card, you will net an additional 80k points for a total of 580k+ (category spends on each card will bring that total up well over 600k for most people - gas, groceries, dining, etc, all come with higher points bonuses)

If P2 does exactly the same you'd end up with well over a million Hilton points and a boatload of free weekend night certificates that are good at some of my favorite properties - Hilton Garden Inn on Kauai (friendliest staff and amazing full breakfast in the morning included for only 36,000 points a night with 5th night free), Grand Wailea on Maui (76,000 points with 5th night free), several hotels in Waikiki, Doubletree Suites Disney Springs, Hilton Buena Vista Palace, HGV Parc Soleil and Tuscany Village, Hilton Bonnet Creek, etc... We can also use them in Niagara Falls, near my son's college campus in the boondocks of New York State, and at the Saratoga Hilton in Saratoga Springs, NY. So far, we've had no resort fees, no parking fees and free breakfast at every property except HGV (and nice ones at that).

Anyway, just something to think about in the Amex camp. I'm not really much of an aspirational travel person... I'm happy in coach most of the time and I don't mind a basic room if it's clean. These points go a loooooooooong way as a result.

Doc did a great comparison of the four cards awhile back: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/four-american-express-hilton-cards-compared/ . Just be aware that the offers have changed a bit. You can find the new ones here: https://apply.americanexpress.com/hilton-card/ . Active now if you are a Hilton Honors member. Sept. 11 if not.
As always YMMV. But I'd be SO happy if someone was able to nab that 150,000k bonus that I just missed.;-)

Holy Crap...if you have this kind of insight to bring the table WHY YOU BEEN LURKING SO LONG??? LOL!

Speak up more

 

[Judique]

Can someone please point me to the new info regarding CSP/CSR bonuses needing to be 48 months apart? I am assuming something changed while we were traveling and I did not see it. TIA




My understanding is that if you have time to order them through MDE you get to pick the color. If you don't do that and need to pick them up at the resort without getting to order a specific color online you will get the gray bands.

They had all colors at BWV last November and again in January.

 

[wendow]

Wait...did what? lol

I was thinking she got caught up on the thread lol!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was thinking she got caught up on the thread lol!

Ahh - yes I get it now, LOL! For a minute I thought @amalone1013 finally cracked and just up and quit her job, LOL!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Does anyone get much use out of the dining programs with airlines, etc? I thought @calypso726 mentioned it before? They finally started adding places we go to the SW RR program.

Unfortunately the places we go to don’t participate

 

[elgerber]

I am flying out to WDW tomorrow and won't be back on here most likely, until the 17th! I can only imagine how much I am going to miss while I am gone, someone take good notes LOL.

 

[mmmears]

Just checked the dates - they are doing it one of the nights I'm in town for a conference! Last year my DD flew down and joined me and we had so much fun at DAH. I've been toying with the idea of flying DH and the LO down during the same conference (the teen could hang in the hotel room and do homework while I was in conference sessions, the LO, not so much, so her dad would have to come too). Mostly just so we could do DAH... although, I'm not sure my little one would last until 11pm.

Hmmmm.... we get a good rate on the rooms at the Grand Floridian, and we probably have enough SW points to cover the flights (DH could change his SW "companion" from me to her...) I probably can't use URs for a conference rate, I'm guessing, since it is done under a room block by the conference sponsor (so I get the good rate for the extra night or 2 we stay). But I could probably get park tickets for URs...

Y'all are such a bunch of enablers...

#goals. Getting to go to WDW and stay at the GF on someone else's dime. I think it's great you can add a couple of nights and make a fun family trip out of it!

They had all colors at BWV last November and again in January.

Wow! My friends went and all they got were the gray ones. Good to know!

 

[hulagirl]

Holy Crap...if you have this kind of insight to bring the table WHY YOU BEEN LURKING SO LONG??? LOL!

Speak up more

You got it.;-) I've learned a lot from you guys lately and would love to contribute more. I can't tell you how I chuckled at the group ribbing of @amalone1013 . Oh how I relate. (Don't ask me how. It's still too fresh. lol)

 

[hulagirl]

When I heard "I did it!" all I could think of was this video by the totally adorable Bucket List Family. Fast forward to minute 7 and watch. If you're not smiling when you're done, then you need to watch more Bucket List Family videos.

 

[1st*toright]

This statement is most certainly an oxymoron...

Yes, its definitely all relative

#goals. Getting to go to WDW and stay at the GF on someone else's dime. I think it's great you can add a couple of nights and make a fun family trip out of it!

Seriously! The conference has really good content and speakers, so I don't even feel guilty asking to go!

You got it.;-) I've learned a lot from you guys lately and would love to contribute more. I can't tell you how I chuckled at the group ribbing of @amalone1013 . Oh how I relate. (Don't ask me how. It's still too fresh. lol)

Stories! War Stories! Churning fails make all of us feel better.

 

[wendow]

Ahh - yes I get it now, LOL! For a minute I thought @amalone1013 finally cracked and just up and quit her job, LOL!

Ooh another good thought! Especially in light of recent posts!