Delta eliminated their award charts 2 years ago.
They still have award charts, but they don’t publish them. That way they can devalue them without having to let their customers know.
I do have to give credit where it is due. Delta miles have actually become more valuable since then due to availability that is markedly better than American’s. But it’s very tough to get good value from Delta miles close-in and they don’t allow any international first class award redemptions.
For the most part I wrote off Hilton back in 2013 when they raised the costs of awards by more than 100%.
Today they announced that they will rebrand “HHonors” to “Honors.”
They’re adding a few new “benefits” starting in late February.
1. They will add flexible points and cash so that you can choose how many points and cash you want to use. Unfortunately it will only value your points at about 0.45 cents each, so there’s no special value there. Most points+cash options are valuable because they offer an outsized value for your points. This will not.
2. You’ll be able to transfer 500K points/year to up to 10 other members and receive 2MM points/ year from other members. That’s a nice additional to the program. They claim that’s unique in the industry, but it’s not. Hyatt, Marriott, and Starwood all offer that ability in one form or another.
3. You can use points for Amazon. This is sure to be a dreadful use of points.
4. Diamond members who have had status for 3 years and 250 qualifying nights can get a free one-time extension of their status. Hilton gives away Diamond status rather easily and it doesn’t offer benefits like those offered by Hyatt and Starwood.
They’re not advertising this part, but Lucky reports that they will also eliminate their award charts. Currently Hilton has a 10 category award chart. They won’t charge more than 95K points/night for any hotels, at least for now. And it’s likely that they’ll maintain internal unpublished categories as Delta does. But this way they’ll be able to charge more points for hotels without having to notify their customers that they are going to require more points in the future.
At least with the other hotel chains there is advance notice provided when hotels are going to change cateogries and there is an opportunity to make reservations before that happens. Collecting points in a program that doesn’t care to maintain a public award chart and let their customers know about devaluations is well, pointless.
Here’s hoping other programs don’t follow their lead. Luckily today’s “Hybrid cards” safeguard AMEX and Chase points from airline and hotel devaluations.
The only reason I even pay attention to the Hilton program at this point is because the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem is by far my favorite hotel in Israel.
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17 Comments On "Hilton Joining Delta In A Brave New Chartless Award World"
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When does this officially begin?
How would you be able to use a ‘hybrid card’ for hotels?!
Reminds me of Apple’s “Courage” removing the headphone jack.
@runnergirl:
Late February.
@Mendy:
You can use Chase points for hotels at 1.5x with CSR, though you’re correct about AMEX.
@Davidmal:
Apple Plugs FTW!!!
http://appleplugs.com/
Is that why you don’t see any availability at the WAJ for months and months at a time?
How can I “rather easily” get diamond status?
@PRR60: Last year, Hilton matched me to Diamond for having IHG Spire Elite that I got for having the IHG credit card.
Funny how you and Lucky have such different takes. I guess that’s what happens when you’re in bed with the programs
Dan, how many points for the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem?
@runnergirl:
I don’t see any empty months.
@PRR60:
Status match, credit card spend, etc.
@Ergel:
Gotta keep the PR connections I suppose.
But I couldn’t disagree more with him.
@sam:
80K-95K per night depending on the season.
Plus 5th night free for cardholders/elites.
Hilton often asks more than 95k per night. I just tried Sydney, Australia for 4/3/17. It begins at 100,527 and goes up from there.
I’m confused. Hilton never had a fixed point redemption chart. They always had flexible redemption based on demand contrary to Marriott’s program which has fixed redemption rates based on Category of Hotel. I have had great redemptions with Hilton and also been quoted aweful ones but when they quote me required points they stipulate that the amount of points required varies based on time of year, supply/demand….etc. I’m not sure what you are suggesting is changing. From my experience the program never had fixed rates and I’ve redeemed Hhonors points in the past few years.
@Sam N:
It’s 95K for a standard room.
@CUBS FAN:
Incorrect. They have 10 categories with rates for standard rooms.
The much higher flex rates are for premium rooms.
If you have an Amex platinum, and spend $350 at any WA, or Conrad you get a $70 statement credit. You just have to add the offer on your card. I did it thru the app. It’s valid until the end of march. I don’t know if it’s offered to all card holders. It was offered to me, but not my wife. I had booked at the WA in Amsterdam thru Amex, and then saw the offer a few weeks later. This is an extra bonus, aside for the allowance they give you to spend at the hotel, and upgrades.
Hey dan! I just went in the honors app for fun to see how much the waj would be…looks like they are opening a hilton dead sea!!! Can I get a hat tip?!
Ebfonehome, unfortunately it will be on the other side of the sea.
Does delta offer an option to upgrade your seat using points on a paid economy seat ? And what about other airlines