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Over the past couple of days, many blogs have covered the recent bonus for adding authorized users to Amex Hilton Honors and Surpass credit cards. Since I hadn’t received an email, I assumed I hadn’t been targeted. I was wrong. Despite not having been targeted for any of the SPG spending offers over the past year, I finally clicked the link in the post at One Mile at a Time about the Hilton AU bonus today and found that despite not having received an email, I was targeted.
The Deal
- Earn 10,000 Hilton Honors points for adding an authorized user to your
Hilton Honors Surpassand making $1,000 in purchases within 3 months of adding the user. (Note that AmexHilton Honorsusers have been receiving a bonus of 5,000 points per user) - Earn up to 40,000 points through this promotion (4 bonus offers per account)
- Direct link to see if you’re targeted (you will be prompted to log in)
Key Details
- The promotion appears to be targeted, but I did not receive an email and the link still worked
- Authorized users must be 13 years of age or older and never had a defaulted account with Amex
Quick Thoughts
Hilton points are worth about 0.4 cents per point (under half a cent per point) according to our Reasonable Redemption Values. That makes 10,000 points worth about $40. While that’s not as good as the bonus for adding AUs on some other cards on the market, it is enhanced by the ability to add up to four authorized users and receive the bonus. Since you earn 3X on everyday spend with the Hilton Surpass, you will earn a total of 13,000 Hilton points based on $1,000 spend on the AU card. That’s a return of about $52 in points on $1,000 spend — or a bit better than 5%. That’s certainly not bad. The ability to do it four times is even better. Holders of the no-fee Hilton Honors card only receive half the bonus, but it’s still a haul of easy points. Just make sure you check their math on your award stays.
However, keep in mind that anyone added as an AU will have a new account on their report that will count against their Chase 5/24 status, so I wouldn’t add anyone who is under 5/24.
At any rate, it is worth clicking the link and checking to see if you are targeted if you hold one of these cards as you may be targeted without knowing it.
H/T: One Mile at a Time
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I have the free Hilton Honors card and got 4 AU cards and have spent $500 on each. Is the offer saying I need to spend $1K on each to get the bonus? My Hilton account shows three 10K bonus for the time frame I used the AU cards, not four of them so I can’t tell for sure what those are for. Thanks.
It should be $1K spend on each AU card to trigger the bonus. Not sure how you’ve gotten 3 of the 10K bonuses based on that spending $500 on each…..you could try calling Amex to ask them which each bonus is for. That might be easier than spending an extra $500 on all four cards….
[…] Surprise: No email, still targeted for 10K per AU:(Expires 9/30/17) […]
[…] Surprise: No email, still targeted for 10K per AU […]
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Hi Nick, if the AU card is not activated, will it count against Chase 5/24 status? Thanks.
If the AU card is not activated, you wouldn’t get a bonus. The bonus requires $1,000 and spend on that AU card.
However, if you’re asking if you can add someone right now and hold off on activating the card and doing the spend so you can get in your last app under 5/24, I imagine that would work. But you are going to eventually have to activate this card and use it to get the bonus. And that will end up coming again somebody’s 5/24 status
Nick, what is the minimum age for authorized users? I’d love to get this for my 15 yo daughter.
13. If you zoom in, you can see it in the screenshot towards the bottom right. I also listed it in the “Key Details” section. Sounds like it should work for you.
I’m seeing offers on my Plat, Surpass and regular Hilton cards, however all 3 are failing after I fill out 4 names and enter 4 digit code from front of card. Possibly web issues, but I’m wondering if there is a check to see if you’re really targeted still at the end. Did you actually get all the way through the process of adding successfully?
Never mind. Logged out of Amex website and closed browser. Tried again and it worked, but they couldn’t give me an immediate answer. Weird.
I added two authorized users on my account (two separate times) – one AU got an immediate message about it being approved while the other didn’t give me any info, but I received both AU cards a week later in the mail. I wouldn’t be too worried 🙂
Without adding a social security number couldn’t you just add 4 fake names?
Yes, but Amex will close the cards if you don’t provide SSN’s within 60 days (and I believe you’ll need them to activate the cards). Furthermore, there is greater risk of an Amex shutdown for that than I would be comfortable accepting.
Just a data point, AX will ask you for card verification information from your existing card. If you’re away from home, you can’t provide this information unless you have the card with you or have a photo of the card. Any idea how long this will last?
Not sure, but I doubt it’s so time sensitive that you can’t wait a few days/week to get it done.