Update 3/5/20: They’ve added similar terms to the Marriott Brilliant $300 Marriott credit as well. (ht to reader Vic)
Original Post:
American Express has added new terms to the Hilton Aspire card that go into effect on May 1st, 2020 as first point out by Travel With Grant. The new terms state:
- The benefit terms for the $250 Hilton Resort Credit benefit are being updated to add clarifying language that statement credit(s) received during the reward year may be reversed if the eligible purchase is returned/cancelled, or if you engage in abuse or misuse in connection with the benefit (for example, if you do not maintain an eligible card account for the duration of the reward year).
New terms have also been added for when Hilton points are transferred:
- Updated language notes that Hilton Honors Bonus points you earn with your Card will be posted to your Hilton Honors account up to 12 weeks after the end of your billing period
I’m actually surprised that the resort credit terms didn’t already include that type of language. Even without that language I wouldn’t risk doing a cancellation anyway with how often American Express seems to clawback credits these days.
did anyone test this theory out? I wanted to use resort credit for food but it is for upcoming reward year what if we downgrade card
Has anyone been able to buy Hilton GCs at the listed hotel resorts for the 250 credit? If so, which of these Hilton resorts sell GCs?
Has anyone actually gotten a Notice of Important changes on their Bonvoy Brillant card regarding the $300 credit?
So, can they claw back annual award hotel certs? Unless they have an arrangement with Hilton or Marriott, I don’t think they have the ability to do so.
That is a great question. I downgraded from the Brilliant after the 50,000 point cert showed up in my account, and immediately booked a reservation in my account with the certificate. Now, the reservation is completely missing from my account, and there is no free night certificate, either. I just noticed it now, so I will have to contact Marriott to see if they can find the reservation in their system
did they ended up finding it
I used the $100 global entry credit a few months ago. I live in New York and they stopped the trusted travel program for us and refunded the $100. Will Amex claw this back?
Hey DOC, I’m not seeing any language in the Marriott Brilliant terms linked that address or allow the clawbacks of the $300 credit on a partial year downgrade. It does have the standard warning not to cancel/downgrade within the first 12 months.
“If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with the welcome offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain a welcome offer(s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit points to your account. We may also cancel this Card account and other Card accounts you may have with us.”
One difference between the Brilliant and Aspire is that the regular (old SPG) card is not open for new applications. Has anyone actually downgraded the Brilliant to the regular card and gotten the pro-rated fee refund? Lots of people speculated that would be possible, but I haven’t seen a single post from anyone who has done it. If it’s not possible, there is no downgrade path…
I had the old SPG card. Got an upgrade offer to Brilliant. Kept it for a year and then told Amex I wanted my original card back (downgraded). Now I have the old spg (now Marriott) card again. Fees were prorated and got to keep the free Brilliant night to boot.
It’s still possible to downgrade to the old spg with the old Points earning rate?
No, SPG and it’s rewards structure are long gone. He means the standard Marriott card that the SPG card was converted to in 2018, which you can no longer apply for directly.
TL;DR: Amex had been issuing the credit for deposits on reservations that were later canceled/changed.
DP: I made a reservation in for a Hilton resort in FL, got the Aspire credit (for the deposit), and later canceled in order to book a different size room at the same hotel. Amex never took back the original credit even though the exact deposit amount was refunded. I completed the stay (in Nov 2019) and spent well over $250 there, so I’ll just have to watch to make sure they don’t claw it back.
Our verdict: anyone who was making reservations then cancelling for the purpose of collecting the credit is a numbnuts and deserves a clawback- and a “noogie” on the head as well.
That’s a mighty small high horse you’re on.
Room for two, all I’m saying is “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” Before reading this article I had no idea people were gaming the resort credit. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.
Most people cancel their reservation due to COVID-19.
That’s understandable, and I’m sure they don’t mind if their resort credit is taken back.
I think the issue with “legit” cancellation is that: a) Amex doesn’t immediately (or timely) re-issue the credit so that if you travel again this year, it gets re-applied. Rather, they wait a year later and THEN claw it back when you have no chance to have used it.
In other words, if you booked something this year, got the credit, cancelled now, if Amex were to say, “hey you have that $250 we took it back, but now you can use it again THIS YEAR”, then you have like 9 more months to book something and re-use it again.
I’m not even sure if manually calling in and seeing if they can “clawback” the credit so you can re-use it again is even an option (ie: I don’t know if the phone reps can even do that).
had eligible spend on Aspire posted on Jan 3rd, still waiting for reimbursement. chatted with amex 3 times and consistently was told to wait 12 weeks.
Amex is weird, this happens sometimes with the “Amex offers” too. Sometimes the credit arrives that week, sometimes two months later. Rest assured you’ll get it eventually!
It’s funny, aren’t they implying,by clarifying the terms now, that before they had no right to claw back?
They have been doing clawbacks for years and only now they put it in writing
What clawbacks have ever been done before simply because the user cancelled/downgraded the card at some point afterwards? Seems like this is new.
the marriott’s $300 cr may still be easier to get its full value than the hilton’s $250
What’s the point of getting GCs though if Amex takes back the credit when you downgrade or cancel.