UPDATE: ALL LINKS ARE DEAD
Last week, Hilton announced that starting January 1st 2018, American Express would be the exclusive issuer of Hilton’s co-branded credit cards. So, what happens with Citibank’s two Hilton cards? Can we still sign up for those cards for the sign-up bonuses until the end of December? It’s unclear, but my guess is no.
At some point today, Citi’s Hilton application links have stopped working on some browsers. For example, the current link for the Hilton Reserve card doesn’t work for me in Chrome, but it does work (at the time of this writing) in Firefox Private Mode. On Reddit people have reported that links work through mobile browsers too.
This could all be a temporary glitch. Similar issues have happened before. But, my guess is that today, or maybe the next few days will be our last chance to sign up for these cards.
I’m still thinking about it, but my wife and I will probably try to sign up for the Reserve card before it’s too late. The 2 free weekend night offer is excellent if you can find a good use for those weekend nights.
Here are the links that currently work (we will update these as things change)
UPDATE: ALL LINKS ARE DEAD
Citi® Hilton Honors™ Reserve Card
Offer: 2 Free Nights: 2 Weekend Nights after 2.5K spend in 4 months. $95 annual fee is not waived.
Working application link: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=hilton-honors-reserve-card
You may have to try different browsers, phone browsers, etc. to get the link to work.
Note the 24 month language: Weekend Night Certificates offer associated with a new card opening is not available if you have opened or closed any Citi Hilton Honors cards in the past 24 months.
Citi® Hilton Honors™ Visa Signature® Card
Offer: Earn 40,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after making $1,000 in purchases within 4 months of account opening
Working application link: https://www.citicards.com/cards/credit/application/flow.action?app=UNSOL&sc=FPSP4HE6&m=23X3111111W&B=S&ID=3004&uc
Note that this link does not have the 24 month language.
However, if you have not opened or closed any Citi Hilton card in the past 24 months, you can get a better offer:
Citi® Hilton Honors™ Visa Signature® Card
Offer: Earn 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after making $1,000 in purchases within 4 months of account opening
Working application linkhttps://www.citicards.com/cards/credit/application/flow.action?app=UNSOL&ProspectID=F599FD22B84B47E188E0F968BC3877C7&sc=FPHZ17L6&m=13WC111111W&B=S&ID=3004&uc:
Hat Tip: IAD Gr8 via Twitter and Doctor of Credit
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
[…] you may recall, it was announced a few months ago that Amex will be the sole issuer of Hilton cards beginning in January 2018. As of now, it’s been unclear what that would mean for current Citi […]
[…] Last call for Citi Hilton cards? […]
Applied 13th, letter arrived today saying
“Unfortunately, we can’t approve your application … because … We are no longer offering this product”.
I have a screen shot of the offer and the resulting wait a week for response page … but I guess I’ll let this one go.
I recommend that everyone who was approved before the Hilton links went dead to send a secure message to Citi to confirm the bonus.
My approval letter did not mention anything about the 2 free nights, and neither did the welcome kit that came with the card.
I sent a message to Citi to confirm the bonus and they responded that I was not eligible. After much back and forth, they informed me that I had recently closed a card that used to be a Hilton card. The card had not been a Hilton card for several years so it should not have been a factor and I argued as such. Eventually they agreed to manually honor the bonus once I hit the spend requirement.
Good point.
Great suggestion. My wife and I just checked and both of our accounts were verified for the signup bonus, but it’s good to be certain.
Applied on 13th, email came saying to wait … still waiting.
Strangely, FireFox standard mode worked just fine.
Hi Alex, USB shut down my Altitude account for “excessive purchases of cash equivalents” (i.e. gift cards), which I didn’t think was excessive at all, in relative terms. Lost $700 in points which include 50k signup bonus. Is this something worth legally pursuing in your opinion?
Probably not. The terms & conditions of the Card Member Agreement prohibit the purchase of GCs or cash equivalents.
Was the shutdown letter from Keith or Kristi?
Applied and was instantly approved for the reserve card on 6th, got the approval letter with no mention of the 2 night offer, any other data point for the approval letter with/without the offer mentioned??
Yes, this is normal. You can simply online chat or call Citi to get them to confirm your signup bonus details.
instant approval for me and wife using firefox private window (Chrome did not work) – thanks Greg!
Similar datapoint to @Joeheg. Had to call in for approval (move credit). Received the approval letter via UPS Next Day Air on Thursday. Received a call today (Friday). Didn’t answer it because I didn’t recognize the number. They left a voicemail saying they were calling from Citi Fraud Prevention and were calling about unusual activity on my Citi Hilton Reserve. I called the number they requested only to have an automated system repeatedly ask for my card number (which I do not have yet!). Finally reached a live person who then asked me many questions including my address a couple of times, my social, if I applied for the card, did I apply online or in a branch, what was my security word, what other Citi cards I had, and then they called me back on my work number. Kind of crazy!
OK, just a strange DP. As I wrote above, my wife I applied for the Hilton Citi Reserve and was approved instantly. Today she received a UPS letter saying that she was approved her card would arrive shortly.
Today, she also received a call from Citi Fraud department about her card (that she hasn’t received yet). They confirmed her personal info and then asked her if she was the one who “personally applied” for the card. After she said that she was, they thanked her for that information and that was the end of the call.
Anyone else have this happen? We did apply using the link for the reserve in the post using Incognito mode with Chrome browser (but that just looks like a direct link to the page for the Hilton Citi Reserve).
It just seemed to be a strange question to ask.
[…] we reported yesterday, it seems that this may be a last call for Citi’s Hilton cards. With Amex set to become the sole issuer of Hilton’s credit […]
I have the Citi Hilton Reserve and am working on the 10,000 spend to earn the free night by the one year anniversary mark in September, wondering if I should continue..will it be honored? I will have to pay the 95$ renewal, wouldnt mind if I get a pro-rated refund 1/1 2018 and the free night. Any thoughts?
I’m sure the free night from spend will be honored since it is a written benefit of the card.
Applied and approved instantly. Screenshot taken just in case. This is as of 6/7 at 12:15 pm EST.
I just applied and got the 1 week message. Called the reconsideration line from one of the comments above – gave them application ID and she couldn’t find it. Gave her my SSN and she still couldn’t find it. She said they’ve been having issues with this particular card and that they’ll need to look into it further can call me in a couple days. Not a good sign.
How long after meeting MinSpend do they send the certs?
I cancelled the Reserve within the past 24 months. Does this mean that’s a no-go for this final round?
I did apply for the regular card and got instantly approved. Meh, 40k is better than nothing for one last round.
No go all-around.
The 24 month clock reset when you cancelled the Reserve and reset again when you applied for the regular card.
I’m stilling getting the 40k for the regular card which I had cancelled many years ago, right?
Approved for Citi Reserve – never had it before so figured might as well get it now. The 2 weekend nights will be put to use. Any idea if resort charges still charged while using these certs? Would make a difference in where we use them.
According to the Hilton rep on Flyertalk, an award stay shouldn’t incur a resort fee.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26882744-post17.html
I believe these certificates are treated like an award stay. Not 100% sure as I didn’t use mine at a resort, but I’d expect no resort fee.
OK, so I closed my last Hilton Reserve more than 2 years ago but the other Citi Hilton card I closed on 6/12/2015 – just a week short of 24 months ago. I can bring up the offer with Foxfire private window. Do you think I can chance it or should I wait another week and maybe lose it?
The exclusion list is pretty slim compared to the thousands of properties where you can use them. Here it is:
https://www.hiltonhhonors.com/processlanding/processlanding/?lp=citiparticipatingproperties
On the other end, you *can* use them at some very nice places like the Conrad Tokyo (used mine there), the Conrad Ringali Maldives, Conrad New York, etc.
Sorry, replied to the wrong person 🙂
The Reserve T&C say this: “Earn 2 weekend night certificates each good for 1 weekend night (standard room, double occupancy) at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio.” Can anybody clarify what is meant by “select” hotels? How restrictive is it to use the certificates?
See my response below.
Thanks!
Do the 2 free weekend night remain valid if you get them and then cancel the credit card, or do they get revoked if you cancel the card after getting them?
I think they do based on a post from milecards, but I’m not sure.
http://milecards.com/13713/hilton-free-night-certificate-restrictions-explained/
Can this be used at the Grand Wailea in Maui?
All signs point to Yes.
I was hesitant about this card (wanting to stay below 5/24) but you convinced me. Both of us were approved through Firefox private window. Any non-5/24 offers that I should look at today, while I already have a hard pull?
Citi won’t approve you for a second card in the same day and a hard pull from another bank won’t be combined — and really, it doesn’t much matter as 5/24 counts new personal accounts, not pulls. You could of course apply for a business card that doesn’t appear on your report, but it won’t really make a difference whether you do that today or tomorrow or next week — no special rush on doing that today.
Similar to Carl P, if I get the Reserve now, I’m wondering if they will refund a prorated portion of AF in December. I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t, really. Even if they PC to a new product with the same AF, the terms and benefits would be drastically changing. If so that would be ideal: 2 free nights for only ~$50.
My guess is that if they change you to a new product, they will prorate a refund of your AF and then charge the AF of the new product. In other words, they’ll give you $47.50 back and then charge you the $95 AF of the new product. Or they’ll PC you to something with no AF (and still give you your $47.50 or whatever it is.
Wife approved in Firefox Incognito. Thanks FM!
Two questions:
1. Any way to expedite? Leaving on a trip Saturday morning.
2. I heard it was possible to convert the nights into points at a pretty good rate. Any info on this?
1) Call Citi and ask.
2) I think you’re confusing this with the fact that people with elite status have historically been able to exchange the sign up bonus nights from the Hyatt card for points. I’m not even sure if you can do that anymore. I’ve never read about people converting these Hilton certificates into points. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I haven’t heard of it.
I had to download Safari for PC and then it worked. Approved for Reserve! Thank you
So what will they do when my anniversary and annual fee would hit in August? Pro-rate, cancel or what?
Do you have to still have the card to keep the nights? I have two award nights that at are good until December.
Don’t know the answer to either question.
My guess is that they will charge you the AF in August and then do a partial refund if and when they PC you to something else.
I don’t have any direct experience or data points on cancelling the card and keeping the certs, but this post at milecards confidently asserts that you keep the certs even if you cancel the card:
http://milecards.com/13713/hilton-free-night-certificate-restrictions-explained/
also see them with ie
False Alarm?
I can see and open the apps without any tricks by just going to the credit card page on the hilton site using chrome
Is this only good for weekend? Can I apply for myself and wife and go on 4 night vacation?
It’s only good for weekend nights. I don’t believe you could make it work for 4 consecutive nights anywhere.
Hilton defines “weekend nights” as Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. So technically only 3 in a row. You can always add a paid night or award night at the beginning or end to make it 4.
Ugh…
Still working on the minimum spends on the Surpass cards.
Submitted 2 apps for the Reserve using Firefox private window. Both said further processing is required and we will contact you within a week. Immediately received emails asking us to call in and provide a reference number. Then a phone call about a half hour later. Just needed to move credit and then approved!
Been meaning to apply for this one for a few months. Nothing like it probably disappearing to find the motivation. Kind of like that Fairmont card…
My wife and I were approved today for the Reserve even though we both have had another Citi Hilton card in the last 24 mos.
Being approved is easy. They won’t deny you the card, just the bonus even if you hit the spend. I’d check the letters when they come and make sure they mention the bonus and then perhaps call or SM to confirm?
I suspect you may still get the bonus even with the language given it is Citi…. I’d love to hear what the letter says when it arrives.
Able to apply with Firefox in private window, spouse approved immediately. I went to pending and called in. Had to move some credit around and got approved, so still working for now.
Did you get the “contact within a week” pending message?
I’m wondering if I should call in.
Yes
Instant denial for the Reserve. Is it worth having my wife call in to recon? Do you have a number to call? Thanks.
1-866-606-2787 just called in 5 minutes ago to this number
Subscribe
I hope they honor the terms of the card as it stands now with a free night with $10,000 spend on the anniversary date. That’s the whole reason I spend $$$ on that this year.
Still working using Firefox in Private mode. Applied for the wife and got instantly approved!
I applied and got the “Please call 1-866-606-2787 now to receive an immediate decision.” After about 10 minutes on the phone, was approved. Wife was instantly approved.
I got the “we will contact you in a week” message.
Is that denied?
I applied Citi Reserve on 6/6/15, is it safe to re-apply today?? or should I wait until tomorrow?? or give a few more days??
Wow, that’s cutting the 24 month thing close! Seems to me that you are just past the 24 month window, but I don’t know for sure that Citi will see it that way. I think I’d chance it if I was in your situation since we don’t know if the links will be alive tomorrow
I also chatted with Citi Rep to confirm my open/approved date. Rep said exactly 2 years. But isn’t 24 months from 6/6/15 = 6/5/17?? Am I safe??
I just checked, 2016 has 366 days cuz it is a leap year….so means I need to wait until 6/7/17 to apply?
Also, if I applied today and got pending and call 6/7 or 6/8 for reconsideration, then I should be safe if I applied today correct? since the approval date is not 6/6/17??
Reserve link not working on any of my computer browsers. I was able to get the link to work on my phone (safari) filled out the whole application, checked the box for agreeing to terms and conditions, but the submit button is grayed out, can’t submit. Anyone else having this problem?
I think you missed the electronic disclosure check-box. That happened to me too until I found it.
Greg…You are the MAN! Absolutely right, that’s what it was…went through just now and approved! Bingo…big ups to you my man!
Thanks Greg! I couldn’t get the app up on my droid phone nor my home computer. I quickly tried it through Safari on my girlfriends I-phone and it worked!
Thanks for this.
So come next year could we apply for the AMEX version and get the free nights again, or no?
Not necessarily. Amex currently offers two Hilton cards, but neither currently offers free nights as a signup bonus (they offer points instead). It’s possible that Amex will either change the Surpass bonus to offer free nights, or introduce a new product, but I don’t know if it’s likely.
Applied myself and hubs. Hubs got approved, mine went pending.
Thanks Greg!
I see the citi att card app when attempting to use the above Reserve link…I thought that was dead?
That’s the no-fee AT&T card. The $95 AT&T Access More card is still dead for new applicants (as far as I know)
Gotcha.
Do the weeked nights expire?
Yes, after 1 year
Is it worth the credit hit for 2 nights for a card that will most likely be product changed?
I like to look at card acquisitions as also carrying some long lasting benefits, especially in light of 5/24.
I think I may pass and see what AMEX has to offer come next year.
I think its worth it if you have a good use in mind for the weekend nights.
Reserve link looks dead
Edit to add just Firefox where it wasn’t working. Was able to pull up on Safari.
Strange. Still works for me in Firefox private window