NJA Hilton Honors

[LostComm]

The REI Visa card has no annual fee with 1% dividend, and who couldn't use more money at REI?

Great card.

I just need to figure out which is better for non hotel items. The Amex HH card at a point per dollar or the REI at 1% cash per dollar. I'm assuming that the Amex is a point per dollar on things like groceries etc... since I haven't been able to look at the fine print yet.

I did however talk with Hilton and was told that in order to find out how many points a room would cost I would have to deal with each individual hotel knowing exactly which night I wanted in order to do a "conversion" of points to dollars.

That doesn't make it any easier to figure when to use and not to use the Amex vs. any other card.

Anyone have a better read on what Hilton points are worth?

 

[AirBear8]

The company credit card is probably best for airline tickets since they charge the tickets they buy for you to deadhead with on it. If you use anything else they direct bill your airline tickets. You shouldn't have any problem hitting the max of 40,000 miles per year with both airline & hotel charges being put on the card.

AirBear

OK, i just started reading this thread for the first time and i'm a little overwhelmed, so excuse me if i missed something. I am starting at NJA next month, i already have a Hilton Platinum AX of my own, plus i'm a diamond HH guy with about 260000 points on my card right now. I want airline rewards more than anything. What is the best way to get TICKETS, i'm not so concerned with the Hilton points seeing i have a ton right now and i never even use them. Plus i know i still get my 15 points per dollar on my HH card anyways no matter whose card i'm using. Thanks guys!

 

[Twotter76]

Great card.

I just need to figure out which is better for non hotel items. The Amex HH card at a point per dollar or the REI at 1% cash per dollar. I'm assuming that the Amex is a point per dollar on things like groceries etc... since I haven't been able to look at the fine print yet.

I did however talk with Hilton and was told that in order to find out how many points a room would cost I would have to deal with each individual hotel knowing exactly which night I wanted in order to do a "conversion" of points to dollars.

That doesn't make it any easier to figure when to use and not to use the Amex vs. any other card.

Anyone have a better read on what Hilton points are worth?

The Amex HH card is actually 3 points per dollar spent on most things, and 5 per dollar when used for fuel, groceries, restaurants, cell phone bills and few other select categories. I believe you also get 5 points per dollar spent at Hilton properties. I made over 21,000 points last month alone. Without staying at a Hilton.

 

[LostComm]

Twotter,

Thanks for info.

 

[Pervis]

I use my Amex HH card all the time anywhere Amex are accepted. My current statement shows $7700 in charges in the last month (Xmas and stuff). About $2500 of that is company related. With this card alone, I earned 27,600 HH points. That's an average of 3.6 points/dollar spent. I will never use the company card, as I get a lot more bang for my buck with Amex.

 

[puddlejumper]

Good info. How many points does it take for one ticket?

16 SWA Rapid Rewards points get you a free round trip ticket anywhere. They also give you like, 14 friggin' drink vouchers. I guess they want the 5 hour trip to Vegas to go smoothly for you with the kids screaming in the seats behind you. (Just kidding, SWA isn't that bad) The drink vouchers do make it very easy to meet people on a flight though!

Each Hilton stay gets you 1/2 point. So does a Hertz rental, Avis too, I believe, if you set it that way. Full service Marriotts can get you 1 point whereas the Courtyards and smaller Marriotts are 1/2 point. If you purchase a SWA ticket, you also get 1 point.

I just got my third rapid rewards free ticket since I've been a member. It's pretty nice. Now, as long as the government doesn't catch on and start taxing us on this stuff, we'll be doing alright.

 

[psysicx]

How many dollars equals one rapid reward point at SWA? Also is the Hilton Visa card better then Amex, or is it the same?

 

[puddlejumper]

With purchases, you just get the HHonors points. 3 or 5 points per dollar charged. The rapid rewards points only come with stays or rentals. SWA is a partner with Hilton, Marriott, Hertz and Avis. It doesn't really have anything to do with the credit card you use, just the way you have your honors account set up. With Hilton, you can double dip. You get your honors points and airlines miles (or points with SWA). Most places only allow one or the other. You have to go to your Hertz Gold or Avis One account settings to get SWA rewards credit for the rentals.

But to answer your question, I don't think there's any relationship between dollars and rapid rewards points.

 

[psysicx]

Oh I see. So when you set up your account you just ask them to convert it to Swa miles?

 

[puddlejumper]

2 Separate things with HHonors. Points and miles. Most traditional airline programs give out miles. Southwest Airlines, through their Rapid Rewards program, keeps track of ponts instead of miles. Once you have 16 SWA Rapid Rewards points, you get a voucher for a free round trip ticket on Southwest, along with a bunch of drink tickets.

If you select the option to double dip with Hilton Honors, you get your honors points for the stay and you get credit on the frequent flier program of your choice. If you choose Southwest, with each Hilton stay, you get 0.5 point. Marriott has a similar deal along with Hertz and Avis. You just have to make sure your reward program for Hilton or Marriott or Hertz has your Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards number in your profile.

Now, if you have a Hilton Honors Amex, you get 5 Hilton Honors points for each dollar you spend at a Hilton property. They also give you 5 points per dollar if you pay your cell phone, cable bill and gas stations with your card. Everywhere else you get 3 points per dollar spent. These points get transferred to you Hilton Honors account once a month and can be used for merchandise, hotel stays and vacation packages. Most hotels are around 20,000 points per night, some are 10,000, some are 40,000.

I think you may be able to use your Honors points to get airline tickets too, but the honors points have nothing to do with the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points. Hopefully that answers your question.

Looking at the Hilton Honors website, you can exchange 10,000 honors points for 1 Southwest Rapid Rewards point. That means for 160,000 honors points will get you 16 SWA points and a free roundtrip ticket. (Doesn't seem like much of a deal to me) Go here for more airline ticket details: hiltonhhonors.com/airline