The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (review) is one of the most valuable hotel credit cards out there, thanks to all the great perks the card offers.
Continue reading: Hilton Aspire Card $400 Resort Credit: How It Works
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Just got burned on a stay recently at a qualified Hilton Buena Vista palace in Orlando for a stay from June 29th to June 30th expecting to earn the unused credit for first half of the year where it would reset to new $200 credit from July 1st for 2nd half.
After checking out from our stay on June 30th they actually processed the credit card charge on July 1st so the credit came through for the 2nd half of year thereby losing out on the first half year credit. Tried calling Amex as well as the hotel to try to fix this neither will budge on anything. Lesson learned is for such a borderline stay either book in advance (I didnt, only booked it on day of checkin) and go for non refundable rate so credit card immediately charged.
“ Second of all, if you don’t stay at an eligible Hilton resort at least once every six months, some Hilton resorts will let you complete a credit card authorization form in advance to authorize a certain credit to your room.”
Insert my usual comment about how this is unnecessarily complicated. Just purchase a room rate where the first night is pre-charged. Make reservation during Jan-June, stay at hotel July-Dec, boom. Full credit utilized.
“ go for non refundable rate so credit card immediately charged.”
Yep. That’s EZ mode right there.
$200 annual airline fee ($50 each quarter): buy a $50 airline (any airline works) gift card each three months.
$400 annual Hilton resort ($200 each six months). Visit Vegas twice a year. Almost any Hilton hotel in Vegas qualifies for the resort credit.
Just finished a stay at the Rome Cavalieri. Wasn't sure if the local city tax counted, and I needed a few more bucks to use up the credit (not staying at any other qualified hotel this year), so ended up getting a bottle of wine from the bar and added it to my room. Enjoying the bottle now in my hotel in Tuscany. 🙂
I had to write in to Amex to get the credit this 1st half of the year. My hotel was on the list for the 200 credit and Amex rep informed me it's not their problem the hotel charged me incorrectly through a different business name associated with the property. It took 30 days but a letter with my hotel folio and their website screenshot with the hotel got them to issue the credit.
I was hoping to read about making yourself an AU on P2's card just in case you're going solo. Then you can max them both out without both of you having to be there.
sometimes hotels bill under a corporate or alternate business name, which can cause Amex's automated systems to miss qualifying charges. Persisting with documentation—like your folio and a screenshot—can help resolve it.
I dont see how Aspire is "easy to justify" with all the hoops, hurdles, and GOTCHAs!
Advanced purchase and non refundable rates do not trigger the credit. Reading is fun.
The Hilton Aspire card is far too much work to justify the fee. Give us credits good at any Hilton, restore Priority Pass and increase the multiplier if they want cardholders to use the card to buy airfare.
The biggest problem is ongoing devaluation of Hilton points.