American Express has announced that starting July 18th, the American Express Hilton Ascend card will become known as the American Express Hilton Surpass card. This was the name of the Surpass card before they changed it to Ascend. In addition on August 1st, 2019 changes will be made to the $250 resort credit. This resort credit will no longer be usable when booking an advance purchase rate (official statement below).
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On August 1, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Members can continue to use their $250 Resort Statement Credit benefit for purchases made with participating resort properties for all rates, except when booking an Advanced Purchase rate.
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All other Hilton rates remain eligible for the $250 Resort Credit benefit for purchases made with participating resort properties.
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Our Thoughts
Having two cards named Ascend & Aspire before was a mistake, even though I blog about credit cards constantly I still often got them confused. American Express obviously realizes that was a mistake in hindsight. American Express are claiming that the advance purchase rate change will only affect a very small number of customers, but in my experiences those rates are almost always the cheapest so this will devalue that benefit significantly. If American Express/Hilton are not properly compensating properties for that resort credit then I’d expect to see the differences between those rates actually increase as well.
Anyone know if advance purchase rate works after August 1 on international properties in Asia? Thanks.
did you find out about your question?
Received today in the mail a special offer for the old?new Hilton surpass card.
William Charles
Earn 130K points + a free weekend night after spending $4k in the first 4 months.
offer came in a nice red envelope…
12X on Hilton
6X On US supermarkets, US gas, US restaurants
3X Everything else
AF $95
Gold Status
Same! I was totally confused when I saw the name of the card… Did you find lifetime language on yours?
I just applied for the Hilton Aspire card and was received my card in the mail today. I have an advance purchase rate that I want to book internationally and wanted to make sure that I do it before August 1st. But I noticed that under card benefits in my Amex online account it already has the following:
Eligible Hilton Resort purchases must be made directly with the participating Hilton Resort and charged to your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card account for the benefit to apply. Advance Purchase Rates/Non-Refundable Rates are not eligible for the resort credit.
Do you think my prepaid rate will still trigger the $250 resort credit?
did you try? and did it work?
This is a real nerf. Recently went to Thailand, and used the 35% off Asia sale to book a 135 sq meter suite for 3 nights – total charge $825 – $250 Aspire statement credit. While $200/night is a lot “In Thailand” it was a real TREAT to have the top executive suite of the Hilton Arcadia Phuket. A suite like that in Hawaii would be 10x the cost. Sad that the cridit won’t stack with advance rates like that.
Does anyone know if it’s possible to collect the Aspire Resort Credit with a GC purchase (e.g. at a resort front desk)?
I wish AMEX will just issue a second weekend cert instead of the resort credit 😛
I was hoping the same. I know I said that in the survey a few months back. Still my keeper premium card though.
“If American Express/Hilton are not properly compensating properties for that resort credit then I’d expect to see the differences between those rates actually increase as well.”
-> Individual properties likely do not “see” the resort credit. It is a deal between Amex and Hilton at corporate level. I don’t think we will see any impact on the actual rates.
Speaking of the confusing card names, how about the Bonvoyed Brilliant card, Business card and Boundless card… lots of Mariott BB cards lol
Waiting for the Bonvoy BOHICA
I thought advance purchase (pre payment) didn’t work for the $250 credit before. Did anyone get credit for using advance purchase?
I assumed the same about prepayment. I always thought the purchase had to be run by the hotel not the Hilton website.
There is a requirement for this credit that it needs to be run by the hotel; for non-US resorts, the advance payment is run by the hotel. For US resorts, it is run by the website and not triggering the credit.
If don’t actually think this is a devaluation, “just” closing a loophole. Still sucks.
I didn’t book advanced purchase, but I had to pay one nights’ deposit a few months before staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek and that triggered the credit.
August 1 – using 250 for advance purchase- dead, eating at PP restaurants-dead. Amex has been busy…