180,000 Hilton Honors Points Richer

Thanks to the two American Express credit cards. Here is an update from my June 2nd blog.

It’s amazing how those bills come around like auto insurance(s), home insurance, electricity (we pay ahead), vacation expenses, rental car, gasoline, meals, etc. Yes, every monthly statement is paid off.

We used the Hilton Surpass Card for the first $3K in purchases within 3 months. The second Hilton Honors card does not have an annual fee or other perks and only required $2K in purchases within 3 months.

Biggest surprise... Foreign Transaction Fees! In the past my AmEx card waived Foreign Currency Charges. I assumed it was a universal policy throughout the company. I had not done my homework. After the first Login I found all those Canadian dollars converted to USD for a 2.7% fee.

Reviewing the small print terms, my favorite clause, ˜The conversion rate we (AmEx) use is no more than the highest official rate published by a government agency or the highest interbank rate we identify from customary banking sources on the conversion date or the prior business day.’

While my fees did not exceed $12, would have been nice to know...

In the August issue of Travel and Leisure Magazine I read a sidebar on Hilton Setting a New Standard. Apparently the author didn’t check with IHG MasterCard. Many of the same benefits, first year free, then $49 afterward, no foreign transaction fees, but they missed the best perk, no category restrictions on the anniversary night unlike Hilton and Marriott.  

Yesterday I attempted to use my Hilton Points to book multiple hotel stays for next spring. What a challenge, not only were they twice the points of an IHG Crown Plaza or Holiday Inn Express I could not find one of the 50 properties to work with Points and Money as the article boasted.

Curious I pulled up IHG for the same dates and locations. As little as 10K points I found multiple places to sleep. My sidebar, always sign up for the Accelerated Programs. Once I qualified for 50K bonus points above the basics. Hubby still talks about the free IHG anniversary night at the Crown Plaza Kensington UK, a value of 499 BPS as mentioned in my May 8th blog.

Now I am pondering if it will be difficult to use the Hilton anniversary night next June. Hopefully we’ll be pleasantly surprised and enjoy a delightful room in the perfect location.