Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is almost done! The last two weeks Greg, Nick, and Stephen competed to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines. But who completed the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
The offers in this post were accurate at the time of publication but have long since expired. See our Best Offers page for current offer information.
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Earlier this year, American Express refreshed its portfolio of Hilton Honors credit cards, introducing a new ultra-premium card in the Aspire and a Business card while turning the Surpass into the Ascend and keeping the no-fee American Express card. The welcome offers on those cards are increasing. According to the news release we received, these offers are available today and will be available for everyone next week, starting on September 11th. The new offers are:
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 75,000 Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
- Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card: Earn 125,000 Points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 150,000 Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
- Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 125,000 Points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Supposedly these enhanced offers are only available to Hilton Honors members, but I can see these offers now without logging into my Hilton account.
A better offer for the no-fee card
I logged into my Hilton account to see if I would see these offers available. I do not see them available in my Hilton.com account. However, when I went to make a dummy booking, I did receive the offer for the no-fee Hilton card:
Clicking through brought me to a page with the offer information and a button to apply:
Note that the terms of the offer state:
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.
In other words, it carries typical Amex one-bonus-per-lifetime language. I expect the rest will also carry that language. Note that Amex recently updated the language on the Ascend card to exclude previous Surpass cardholders from earning the bonus. I expect the terms will be the same here (though it’s worth checking when links go live):
Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card or the Hilton Honors Surpass 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.
One thing that makes offers like these especially valuable is the points pooling feature that Hilton debuted earlier this year. Hilton now allows you to pool points with up to ten people. You don’t even need to be in the same household. That means these offers could be especially attractive for those with friends or family who are not interested in travel but may be willing to sign up for a new credit card and combine their points with yours. See: Pool your points with up to 10 other people with Hilton for more on that.
If you’ve never had one of these cards, these offers are quite strong. The Aspire offer is the best we’ve seen yet, and I’ve previously covered what great value this card offers year after year not even considering the welcome bonus. In my recent post on evaluating my personal collection of ultra-premium cards, I conservatively valued the card’s benefits at a $150 win every year. The truth is it could be even better for some folks (though it isn’t for everyone). For a more objective and complete analysis, see: A new ultra-premium card, in-depth review: Amex Hilton Aspire. The Ascend card can also be a keeper for its automatic Gold (free breakfast) status and its annual free weekend night at $15K spend if you can maximize its use (it is valid at nearly any property on a weekend night) and/or for its return at US grocery stores (6x). With a $95 annual fee, it can be a keeper.
Overall, it’s great to see an enhanced offer on these cards. Hilton pionts certainly aren’t the most valuable (only worth about 0.45 cents each according to our Reasonable Redemption Values), but that still makes a 100K signup bonus worth around $450 and a 150K bonus worth around $675, not including other benefits you may value. Keep in mind that going through the steps of making a booking may yield the best offers as these new offers roll out (like the one seen in this post that includes a $50 statement credit).
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I want to refer a friend (spouse) to get the Ascend card so they can get 125k pts and I can get the 20k referral bonus (I have the Ascend card currently). But when I login to my Amex online account and to the refer a friend, it only shows they’ll get 100k pts and I’ll get the 20k referral bonus.
Any way to refer someone and they get the 125k and I get the 20k referral bonus? If not, then of course having them apply without a referral is better since its 125k pts
If you applied Aspire recently, HUCA to get someone listening to you.
Someone got extra 50k when he called third time without opening a case.
If you can’t get Aspire card number and credit limit right after submitted, their system will give you $315 statement credits to apologize.
Can I apply for an Ascend card if I already have an Aspire card? I can’t remember the rules on this stuff since it seems to constantly change. I’m sure I could get the business card but I’d prefer the smaller spend requirement.
Yes, you can. Just can’t have had an Ascend or Surpass before.
@ Nick，do you have more insights on how Amex restrict on welcome bonus? I know someone applied and received all four Hilton cards within a year and yet my dad had the Hilton no fee and surpass converted ascend, now when applying for the aspire, he got the window of ineligible for welcome bonus. Are there any data points of successful challenges with call ins?
waiting the upgrade offer would eventually match the new card offer.
There is the 75K upgrade to Ascend offer all year long popping up ever so often in the AMEX Offer section under your plain card, when the new card offer is 100K. So hopefully the upgrade offer would be to 100K and with the reduced spend required on the coming up new card offer.
I applied the Hilton Aspire in July and is still within the initial 3 months spending period. Do you know if Amex will match to the new offer?
I know they definitely won’t if you don’t ask. In other words, it’s worth calling / chatting to ask.
I just applied like 2 hours ago. I am kicking myself now. Do you think i should call now or wait until Sept 11?
I just asked and they flat out said no. Seriously disappointing as I just received this card one week ago.
I would try asking next week when these offers become available to everyone (September 11th on)
Worth a try, Nick, thanks. That extra 50k is worth another night on Kauai or 2/3 of the way to a night on Maui I’m shooting for this winter. Man, my timing on this one really stinks.
I spoke to two different reps and they don’t seem to know this offer of 150k at all. One did filed a some sort of complaint for me. I’m going to call again next week to try my luck.
Right — it’s said to be available to Hilton members today according to the press release we received. However, as it says in the post, we haven’t found links to the Ascend, Aspire, and Business cards yet. I would hold off on making a stink until you find an actual link to the offer as I doubt you’ll be successful when the rep dealing with it can’t find the offer. Sorry — I should have said that when I first replied. If you’re looking to match, try it once the links are publicly available on the 11th. If we find working links between now and then, we’ll let you know — but I still think you’re more likely to be successful after the 11th.
Note that Amex typically will not match offers with statement credits. You’ll want to try to match to the offer that just shows the increased points.
I think it’s live now, Nick. At least for members… https://apply.americanexpress.com/hilton-card/
Thanks Roni! We’ve updated the post accordingly
Do you know if the free night certificate can by any cardholder? In other words if my parents got the aspire card could I use the free weekend night certificate?
I’ve never seen AMEX match an offer.
I applied for the card TODAY. Was told no by the first rep but they opened a case because I don’t even have the card yet. Depending on the response, I may end my relationship with Amex.
I hear you andI hope you’ll post their decision, Eric. And I sure hope it lands in your favor. That would make me REALLY crazy. A week too early is making me crazy enough. For the redemption I’m after, it would have given me an extra night, worth about $300.
I heard Amex is not known for matching offer. Some reported getting courtesy points in the past. YMMV