Tag Archives: Hilton Hotels

Virgin Atlantic Transfers to Hilton HHonors Ratio Changing from 1:2 to 2:3, use AMEX Membership Reward Points to Liquidate Balance

UPDATE 3/1/14 @ 5:30PM PST: my transfer from Virgin Atlantic to Hilton HHonors took 22 days to complete (see photo below).

HH Honors

Virgin Atlantic Transfers to Hilton HHonors Ratio Changing from 1:2 to 2:3, use AMEX Membership Reward Points to Liquidate Balance

(Hat Tip to Mommy Points for breaking the story)

Good morning from Rome! That title is a mouthful, I know, but here is the breaking news of the morning:

  • Please note from 6 February 2014 the exchange miles to points rate is changing. Flying Club members will be able to exchange miles at the following rate: 2 Flying Club miles for 3 Hilton HHonors points.
  • You can currently exchange miles at a rate of (up until 5 February 2014): 1 Flying Club mile for 2 HHonors point.
  • Minimum Level: 10,000 miles and then in increments of 5,000. Just call the Flying Club Helpline (1-800-365-9500) with your HHonors account number.

Now that the cat (news) is out of the bag, it pays to be proactive. I have a small balance of Virgin Atlantic miles (only 11,260).  I want to get my balance up to 15,000 so I can transfer them out to my Hilton HHonors account.

Virgin Atlantic Balances

Here is my Virgin Atlantic account.  Copy your account number and head over to your American Express Membership Rewards Account.  I’m skipping a lot of steps below, but you can see the entire step-by-step guide here.  The guide shows you how to transfer to British Airways, but the process is exactly the same.   Continue reading

(Hotel Review) Hilton Vienna and Executive Lounge (Great Breakfast and Appetizers)

Hilton Vienna Hotel Sign

(Hotel Review) Hilton Vienna and Executive Lounge (Great Breakfast and Appetizers)

Good morning/evening from Vienna, Austria!  I am finally glad to be here since these 2 nights are my 2 free weekend nights from my Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve credit card.  I got the 2 certificates last year and they were going to expire in a few weeks.  I’m not staying at some high end tropical beach-front paradise hotel (Vienna is quite the opposite), but a free night is a free night. Here is what each night would have cost.

The Hilton HHonors Points rates are very good.  The Hilton HHonors Points + Money rate results in 1.325 cents per point and the 40,000 Hilton HHonors Points rate results in 0.7 cents per point.

The twin room with city facing windows would result in even higher cent per point returns.  Ideally, I would have used the Points + Money rate, but these certificates were going to expire, so you gotta do what you gotta do.  I’m not a very good planner, obviously. Hilton Vienna Nightly Price HH Points

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a red cross with black text

PSA: Don’t use your Priority Pass Select Card from your American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Credit Card

This parent teacher association transportation security administration public service announcement is important if you have one or more Priority Pass Select cards.  Can you tell the difference between these two cards?

2 Priority Pass Cards

These cards may look almost the same, but one of them will charge you a $27 fee every time you (yes, the cardholder) enter a Priority Pass lounge.  Here is the email I received a few minutes ago.  If you do not get emails from American Express about “card not present” transactions, you can turn on the alerts from your American Express account.

AMEX Card Not Present Email

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(Hotel Review) Hilton Bayfront San Francisco Airport and Executive Lounge

Hilton SFO Home Page Image

(Hotel Review) Hilton Bayfront San Francisco Airport and Executive Lounge

Good evening everyone, happy Friday from the elite lounge at the Hilton Bayfront San Francisco Airport Hotel.  (I am on the top floor, waving, can you see me?)  Ok, I am not a fan of hotel reviews for basic hotels, but I am trying to get in a flow for my upcoming trip to Europe (SFO to AMS tomorrow morning).

I want everyone to lower their expectations before going any farther.  There is nothing special about my room and I apologize for the bad lighting of the iPhone pics.

Hilton SFO Bed

My 2014 Resolution: Travel Somewhere Every Month!

Happy New Years 2014

My 2014 Resolution: Travel Somewhere Every Month!

Good morning 2014!  I hope you all had a fun and safe New Years Eve, from wherever you are.  It’s January 1st and time to make your New Year’s resolution.  This should be something fun and exciting, not something boring like losing weight or cleaning out the garage.  Which is why (for the second year in a row), I have decided my 2014 New Years Resolution is to travel somewhere every month.  Here is how I did in 2013:

  • January – 2 weeks in Europe (Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Paris, Munich, Cologne, and Brussels).
  • February – Albuquerque, New Mexico for 4 days by myself, such a strange city.
  • March – Honolulu for a week (First Class via IcelandAir/Alaska Airlines deal) for my brother’s Spring Break (you’re welcome Davis!).
  • April – Delaware to visit a friend and drove to FTU DC / Tyson’s Corner.
  • May – nothing :(, well, I started Travel with Grant on May 1.
  • June – nothing :(
  • July – Vancouver and Whistler for 2 weeks with my parents and brother.
  • August – nothing :(
  • September – FTU Tampa for the weekend with my friend Jim.
  • October – Galápagos Islands for a week with Jim (great deal from Miami for $380 round trip).
  • November – Las Vegas Hilton Timeshare for the weekend and Carmel / Monterrey Bay for Thanksgiving week.
  • December – Does driving to Six Flags Magic Mountain count?  I got a season pass!

This  photo should sum up my travel for 2013.  Any questions?

GC Map for 2013

What is your New Years resolution for 2014?