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Continue reading: Hilton Honors Aspire Card Review: Strong Perks, Worth The Fee
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As long as Hilton keeps its FNC as broad as it is currently, it's a keeper card. Diamond, $200/semi-annual resort credit, and $50/quarter airline reimbursement (which I use for United TB), are bonus.
be advised of the small print on the $400 annual resort credit. I forgot about my first $200 last year (Jan 1 - May 31) and made a reservation for May 31 at a resort. The $200 credit was not honored as the Hilton fine print says its the date the property submits the charge - which they have no control over and it was submited June 2nd so I had to pay the ful amount. Never again on the last couple of days of every six months even if the details supposedly say January 1 to May 31 and June 1 to December 31. Someone stay at a resort on an expensive night like New Years Eve will be in for a shock. No one at the property or Hilton would budge citing the fine print in the terms and conditions.
This card used to be a clear winner, but the Diamond benefits are kinda a joke now that everyone is Diamond, and Hilton points have been massively devalued in the past 1-2 years. That makes using the $400 resort credit not so great.
I would say this card is a no brainer for the SUB and if you stay at Hilton resorts anyway (not just going out of your way to use the $400 credits). Otherwise, not worth the annual fee. This card is on my "close when next annual fee due" list.
It's still 'keeper' for me, but I respect your circumstances may be different. To me, for a personal premium hotel card, it does the free night, status, annual fee, and other credits better than it's main competitors (Amex Marriott Brilliant $650 AF, Chase IHG Premier $99 AF, and Chase WOH $95 AF.) Ironically, from my experience, Marriott charges more and you get less for its top tier card.
As long as the Hilton 'free night certificate' remains uncapped (technically, it's up to 'up to 250,000 points' which is the highest 'standard' redemption anyway), it's a winner, so long as you use it for more than the $550 annual fee, which is relatively easy to do, and would use the night anyways. (Of course, if you don't travel much anymore, then obviously, as you say Gene, close all your cards, stay home, etc.) But, let's be clear, as far as free nights go, Hilton's FNC aar better than the 85K + 25K with Amex Marriott Brilliant; the 40K with IHG is 'fair' in my opinion; however, WOH Cat 1-4 is weak, especially since Hyatt keeps removing worthwhile properties from those categories.
Yeah, the Hilton Gold and above breakfast is limited in the US (just $25 credits, etc.), but it is much better overseas (less limitations); yet, Marriott Platinum (included with Brilliant) isn't even honoring breakfast at half its properties (*staring at Ritz-Carltons*); IHG Premier (Platinum) and WOH (Discoverist) cards don't include status that includes any breakfasts (would need Diamond, Globalist, respectively).
The Hilton Aspire resort credit still works pretty well (so long as it's one of those properties on the list.) If you and P2 each have an Aspire, you can use one FNC between Jan-June, the other between July-Dec, burn each free night, and $400 each stay (use both cards to pay, etc.) That's what we've done. Meanwhile, Amex Brilliant has $25/mo dining credit, which is relatively easy to use, but not as lucrative ($300 vs. $400/year). Then again, maybe that $300 is easier to use.
Finally, at least with Aspire, for the airline credit, United Travel Bank still works $50/quarter (unlike the Amex Platinum cards, which apparently nerf'd that benefit). None of the other premium hotel cards have anything like that. Anyway, does this cover most of it, Gene? Missing anything? WFBF?
I've gotten some good value out of the FNC the card gives, and the occasional upgrade with the Diamond status (though I don't include that in the value proposition), including being upgraded to 1-bedroom suites on a couple occasions. Airfare credit is easy to use for me, while the resort credit is very much hit or miss, as I've gotten a couple uses out of it but also don't include it in the value proposition. Airfare credit is also easy to use, and I usually just cover an extra-legroom fee with it (just wish it were $200 all at once, or even $100/6 months).
Overall it's been worth having the card, maybe now more so as I've signed up for the Surpass card to get additional FNCs to make it easier to book a longer trip.
On the additional FNCs, you're onto something with also having the Surpass card, mostly for that $15K spend per calendar year towards another FNC. The irony is that you'd usually want to use Aspire for stays, earning 14x vs. 12x on the card, unless you're working towards the FNC on the Surpass. If you have both cards, you'd already have Diamond from Aspire, but it's more difficult to get the extra FNC on Aspire, since you'd need to spend $30K for each additional one.
On the airfare credit, you can just purchase $50 of United Travel Bank per quarter; it used to be $250/year (until 2023), but technically it was a single airline selection and 'incidentals' only. I liked the old way, but I suppose the new way might work for more people, maybe.
I personally don't fly United enough for me to burn the credits on Travel Bank...but it is a nice option for UA flyers. I've have no trouble myself with the credits, if I don't use it for a seat upgrade (there's a $60 Comfort+ upgrade for JFK-PHX that is screaming "buy me"), I can just buy a cheap ticket on AA or AS and convert it to credit.
UA Travel Bank is good for 5 years, so I feel like it’s fine to let it build up, then burn at a later date. (Where these airline credits are going to get interesting is next calendar year on Amex Platinum since they’ve supposedly cut-off the UA TB route…)
When everyone is a Diamond, no one is a Diamond.
I just think life is too short to keep working on getting back value for something you pay upfront to barely break even in most instances.
It also does not provide any highs from the drug called lounges, which make many people hold on to such high AF cards. Used to provide PP access. But that is long gone.
Probably why Hilton added the new Diamond Reserve tier for those that actually strive to 'earn' status as opposed to 'receive it' after paying a $550 AF. As long as I get the silly breakfast credit, occasionally a better room, earlier checkin or later checkout, and some bottles of water, that'll do.
What's up with some folks worried about Priority Pass all-of-the-sudden. Azamaraal just had the same gripe in the other recent cards post from today. If Priority Pass was the thing that really mattered to you most, so many other cards have a Select membership included already, but I suppose if Aspire was your one and only premium credit card, then sure, that's a bummer.