NJA Hilton Honors

[Diesel]

No i wouldn't take the money.

Usually when i go over to europe the hotel is on average 200 or more a night. That would only give me 12 nights at the most basic european hotels.

I usually spend at least a month in hotels over in europe a year on vacation and hanging with family.

For my situation it works out the best to get as many points as possible with hilton.

But i think the difference is you are looking at 10k a month in charges. I get 10,000 honors points on about 3,500.00 a month.

 

[IH8UserNames]

Alright which card has it?

Well I'll be starting soon with NJ, so all this advice has been educational. I plan on traveling twice a year on Delta...international. As for hotels, I would like to have the opportunity to spend a week or so per year at some exotic resort. What type of rewards program should I sign up for? What kind of travel rewards would the company CC give me? Thanks for the advice.

 

[AirBear8]

For 2 International flights you're going to need lots of miles. It'll be close on hotels if you don't use the Hilton Amex card but you really need all the miles you can get. I'd use the company Credit Card since they put your airline tickets on it. You'll get 40k points/miles per year with no problem that can be used on Delta or any other airline. When you join the Hilton HHonors program select 500 miles on Delta per stay as your option AFTER you're out of training. This is because 30 days in the CMH Embassy Suites counts as 1 stay. Use the double points option while in training then change to 500 airline miles before IOE starts. FYI, I've gotten around 20,000 miles on US Airways in 6 months just from the 500 miles per stay at a Hilton (100 miles at Hampton Inns). I also have my Holiday Inn/Crown Plaza rewards program putting miles into US Airways rather than free rooms. The amount varies depending on what you paid for the room.

Between the Company Card, actual miles on Delta (11,000 for me in 6 months and I'm CLT based) and the hotel miles you should get enough for what you want to do. Hilton points will be close, you might wind up having to buy a few nights but's that's better than paying for an International ticket. Another way to get Delta miles is get their Visa/MC Credit Card and put all your personal charges on that. Also, keep in mind any flying on NorthWest can be added to your Delta FF program. I did that a couple of months ago and got 1000 miles. Didn't even know I could do that until my Captain told me. The NWA ticket agent changed it for me. I almost never fly NWA so those would have been wasted miles.

AirBear

Well I'll be starting soon with NJ, so all this advice has been educational. I plan on traveling twice a year on Delta...international. As for hotels, I would like to have the opportunity to spend a week or so per year at some exotic resort. What type of rewards program should I sign up for? What kind of travel rewards would the company CC give me? Thanks for the advice.

 

[jtf]

Does the 40,000 points/ dollars on the company card count per year as a max or does it go up and down (with 40,000 as the max at any one time) when you are redeaming miles for free airline tickets? I've heard both and don't know what to believe. Also- can you only put your company airline tickets on your company card and not on the Honors card or can you put your company travel tickets onto any card you want?

 

[Guitar Guy]

Also- can you only put your company airline tickets on your company card and not on the Honors card or can you put your company travel tickets onto any card you want?

The company books and pays for airline tickets on their own account, so you won't pay on your own card. I suppose it's possible that someone could have to purchase a last-minute ticket on their own card, but I've not experienced that.

 

[widespreadpanic]

Ok, I am a little confused. In the application it says to get a credit card or you can use a company card. From the posts on this thread it seems that some people use both. Is that the case or what?

WP

 

[Diesel]

some people use their personal card.... me included... i can float the nut for month

some people use the company cc.

It's a whole different game now that both are direct deposited.

 

[Nixon]

What expenses are paid with the company card (or out of pocket, and reimbursed)?

 

[Diesel]

all. As long as you have a receipt.

 

[Nixon]

So, when you stay at a hotel, is that direct-billed to the company, or do you pay with a credit card?

 

[Majik]

you pay with a credit card (either yours or the company credit card). On a very rare occasion or two, the company has a direct billed room. You get more Hilton hotel points by using your own Hilton Honors AMEX plus you get 500 airline miles per stay (of the airline of your choosing). I earn about 3500 - 5000 points per stay at a Hilton, about 1500 - 2500 points per stay at an Embassy, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton or lower tier Hilton property, plus the airline miles.

I have redeemed the points for 6 night stays at the Bahamas or downtown SFO for 125,000 points (for the 6 nights).

 

[Mach92]

So, when you stay at a hotel, is that direct-billed to the company, or do you pay with a credit card?

You can use your own card or use the company credit card. I use the AMEX Starwood card. Starwood allows you to transfer your hotels points (earned from the AMEX) to airline miles 1 to 1. For every 20,000 points you tranfer starwood gives you another 5,000 miles for a total of 25,000 miles to XYZ airline. I would say we stay at 80% Hilton's and Marriotts anyway so I get enough points from there.

 

[jtf]

Can anyone say if the 40000 point limit on the company card is per year or just the limit at any one time if you are taking the flights as soon as you earn them?

 

[Ultra Grump]

I have redeemed the points for 6 night stays at the Bahamas or downtown SFO for 125,000 points (for the 6 nights).

I redeemed points for a stay in downtown SFO - 80,000 for 2 nights - not such a great deal.

 

[ashaman]

Can anyone say if the 40000 point limit on the company card is per year or just the limit at any one time if you are taking the flights as soon as you earn them?

40,000 per year is the limit. You can save for 3 years and accumulate a maximum of 120,000 points.

 

[Diesel]

I spent a month and a half traveling around europe staying at the finest hiltons all for 500,000. Basically a years worth of nights.

 

[niteflyr]

Co Card

I personally use the co card, and what suprises me is the misconception many have on the road. They will see my card and say they can't believe I gave up all my Hilton points. They actually think that by using the company MC you give up any hilton points for your stays. They don't understand that you are still an HHonors member, and still get points for the stay. What you don't get is the extra 5 points per dollar from Amex. I was tired of loaning around 36,000 per year interest free, not a very solid investment, especially since Hilton points get more and more worthless every year. JMHO.

 

[ashaman]

I personally use the co card, and what suprises me is the misconception many have on the road. They will see my card and say they can't believe I gave up all my Hilton points. They actually think that by using the company MC you give up any hilton points for your stays. They don't understand that you are still an HHonors member, and still get points for the stay. What you don't get is the extra 5 points per dollar from Amex. I was tired of loaning around 36,000 per year interest free, not a very solid investment, especially since Hilton points get more and more worthless every year. JMHO.

Actually, you're not loaning the company any money, even on your personal card. The bank behind your credit card is fronting the money, you're just a middle man. Of course, if there were some kind of foul-up and your expenses were to be reimbursed after your credit card 'grace period', that would be different. Some people, understandably, don't like that (little) liability.
Of course, the choice of whether or not to use the company card is a personal one and no choice is more valid or smarter than any other choice.

 

[AirBear8]

You pay with a credit card, either your own or the company card. Then you file an expense report, either online for the company card or a paper expense report you mail in if you use your own card.

AirBear

 

[CA1900]

Just curious, who does most of the purchasing for fuel, catering, etc? Captain, FO, or whoever gets to the counter first?

 

[Majik]

Majority of fuel is direct billed or put on the aircraft Multi Service card. Food is almost always direct billed.

 

[Semore Butts]

I'm doin both

There is alot of speculation right now about the company card.

The airline goes on the company card.

I'm waiting around to see what gives,

Therefore, I put one hotel on the company card, and the rest on my Citibank. (until it gets unraveled) (there was recently a post saying that the company card (GE) was f54king us over)

I have American Airlines citibank.

All Netjets pilots are also Hilton Platinum as soon as they are hired (or shortly there after) (Thanks to our travel commitee)

So I get Hilton at Hilton and at most of the others I have them give me American Airlines points.

Thats the way I'm doing it. There are 10 other guys who can tell you their plan. If you keep up with it, you can reap some good $hit!

Good luck.... and welcome aboard.

Semore

 

[jtf]

So you are allowed to get the company card and use it for some things and your own card for others? I was told earlier that this wasn't allowed. I would like to do that myself since NJ will put the airline tickets on the company card (but they won't be put onto a personal card) and then I'd want to do everything else on a personal card to get all the other points on that one without losing out on the points I could collect with the company card for the airline tickets. I guess I'll have to push harder to see if I can make that happen.

 

[Diesel]

nope either the company card for everything or your card for everything. No sharing.

 

[psysicx]

Sorry for bringing back an old post. If you want free airline tickets look at the United Visa. They are matching $1 for 1 mile on any purchases. Plus you get 17,000 miles just for signing up.

 

[jtf]

If you sign up for the top United platinum visa or whatever it is, you can get 20,000 points to start and a free companion ticket every year after year one, however all the United visa cards have yearly fees- up to about $140 a year. I've been looking for the best way to get airline miles at NJ and what I think might end up working will be to use the company card until I get to 40000 points since the company puts airline ticket expenses on that card if you have it (it should build the 40000 fairly quickly). Then give up the company card and use either an airline card or get the Hilton Honors Amex to use the rest of the year- then switch back to the company card the next year until 40000 points and continually switch back and forth. The T & E department has said you are allowed to switch cards, just not use them simultaneously for company expenses.

 

[psysicx]

Yeah all of the airline credit cards have yearly fees.

 

[208starcheck]

I use the Hilton amex card and put all hotel points toward SWA. I calculated a couple weeks ago I earn 1 round trip every month. Sometimes it takes 5 weeks. I started with all miles going to Delta and only earned one ticket in 6 months. SWA points are so easy to burn too. My wife and mother have never traveled so much. Hilton amex card has no fees.

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

 

[psysicx]

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

 

[SAEflyer]

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!