Is the $100 property credit for select Hilton cardmembers worth using?

1 month ago 12

Hilton Honors offers several cobranded American Express cards. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a solid midlevel card, but I believe the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is one of the most undervalued hotel credit cards.

It's easy to get more than the Hilton Aspire's $550 annual fee in value each year. After all, the Hilton Aspire offers many perks, including an up to $200 airline fee credit each calendar year (up to $50 each quarter), an up to $400 Hilton resort credit each calendar year (up to $200 semi-annually), a Hilton Honors free night reward each account anniversary year and complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status.

One additional benefit of the Hilton Aspire card that you might have seen but not investigated is the up to $100 property credit for eligible charges at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties (minimum two-night stay required). Let's take a closer look at this perk.

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

What is the Hilton Aspire property credit?

The Hilton Aspire property credit gives you a credit of up to $100 per booking. However, to get the credit, you must:

Use your Hilton Aspire card to book through a special landing page or by calling Hilton Honors at 855-292-5757.
Book a two-night minimum stay at a Waldorf Astoria or Conrad property.
Book a room package eligible for the up to $100 property credit (reference ZZAAP1 when booking by phone or look for the "Aspire Card Benefit" rate when booking online).

If you satisfy these three requirements, you'll get a property credit of up to $100 per booking for use on qualifying charges. Qualifying charges may include dining, spa treatments and golf, but don't include "property fees, taxes, gratuities and the cost of the room." Check with the hotel front desk for details about what types of charges qualify for the credit.

The hotel will apply the up to $100 property credit to your bill at checkout. You can get the property credit on multiple stays each year. But, if you book multiple rooms on a single stay, you'll only get one property credit.

Additionally, back-to-back stays within 24 hours at the same property are considered one stay and, hence, will only be eligible for one property credit.

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How to book Hilton stays with the property credit

To book a Hilton stay with the up to $100 property credit, go to a special landing page here or call Hilton Honors at 855-292-5757 and reference ZZAAP1. I recommend searching online through the special landing page, as then you can quickly and easily check prices for multiple properties and dates.

Start by entering your Hilton Aspire card number on the landing page.

Once you enter a valid Hilton Aspire card number, you'll reach a page where you'll need to select your hotel and stay dates. Remember that this credit is only available for stays at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties.

Once you click "Book Now," you'll see results. Note that you'll see all of Hilton's brands in these results. To see eligible Conrad and Waldorf Astoria properties, look for the words "Aspire Card Benefit" above the "View Rates" button.

Click on "View Rates" for an eligible Conrad or Waldorf Astoria property. You'll see room types at that property, with the Aspire card benefit rate listed in the "Quick Book" spot for each room type.

Click the "Quick Book" button for one of the Aspire card benefit rates and then complete your booking as usual.

The benefit terms note you must "use your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card to book." Since the Hilton Aspire earns 14 Hilton points per dollar spent directly with participating Hilton hotels and resorts, it is a great card to use when booking Hilton stays.

Is the Aspire card benefit rate worth booking?

So, now you know what the up to $100 Hilton Aspire property credit is and how to book it. But is the Aspire card benefit rate competitive?

To find out, let's consider a few sample bookings with Hilton for a two-night stay from Sept. 9 to Sept. 11. Although you can book Conrad and Waldorf Astoria stays via other methods, booking directly with Hilton ensures that you'll get elite benefits and earnings.

Conrad Bengaluru

Let's start with the Conrad Bengaluru example shown above. A two-night stay would cost $474 using the Aspire card benefit rate.

Meanwhile, the same two-night stay at the Conrad Bengaluru would cost $527 using the Honors discount rate:

As you can see, the two-night stay with the Hilton Honors rate is only $53 more. So, I'd happily book the Aspire card benefit rate for this stay.

Conrad New York Downtown

You could book the Aspire card benefit rate at the Conrad New York Downtown for this two-night stay for $1,868:

The Honors discount rate at the Conrad New York Downtown would run you $2,027 for the same stay:

As you can see, booking the Aspire card benefit rate still makes sense, as the rate is not only cheaper, but you'll be getting the Aspire benefit as well.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

If you want to stay at the newly renovated Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, the two-night stay would cost $1,716 using the Aspire card benefit rate:

Meanwhile, the Honors discount member rate that includes breakfast would cost $1,883 for the same two-night stay at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island:

The Aspire card benefit rate is about $167 cheaper. Since both rates are flexible, booking the Aspire rate is a no-brainer.

Other ways to book Conrad and Waldorf Astoria stays

Of course, there are many other ways to book aspirational Hilton Honors hotels. For example, you can book select Conrad and Waldorf Astoria hotels through programs like American Express' Fine Hotels + Resorts and Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, which offer extra elitelike perks.

Doing so will sometimes provide better value than using the Aspire card benefit rate. For example, I could book a two-night stay at the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas for $1,038 through Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts program, which includes daily breakfast for two and a $125 property credit.

But elite benefits and earnings aren't guaranteed when you book through Fine Hotels + Resorts, so Hilton elite members might prefer to book directly with Hilton.

You can also book Hilton hotels through credit card travel portals and online travel agencies. However, you may not get elite benefits and earnings when you don't book directly with Hilton. Plus, rates that aren't booked through the special landing page or by calling Hilton Honors won't be eligible for the up to $100 Hilton Aspire property credit.

Finally, you could also consider redeeming Hilton Honors points for your stay. In short, consider your overall earnings, perks and rates when deciding how to book. Be sure to check any extra rates you may have access to, including AAA rates.

Bottom line

The Aspire card benefit rate is certainly worth checking for Conrad or Waldorf Astoria stays if you have the Hilton Aspire. At less expensive properties, such as the Conrad Bengaluru, the Aspire card benefit rate can be an easy choice.

But at other properties, especially ones bookable through programs like Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts and Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, the decision may be less obvious.

Finally, the Aspire card benefit rate will usually make the most sense for two-night stays. After all, you'll only get one up-to-$100 property credit regardless of whether you stay for two nights or 10 nights.

Learn more: Hilton American Express Aspire

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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