Amex Platinum HHonors Gold Analysis & How to Register
Over the years my thoughts about the value of the Amex Platinum card have varied. Any time a bank wants me to pay a $450 annual fee I am skeptical. Of course this year’s crazy bonus offers have enticed me to sign-up, but it will be long term benefits that will ultimately convince me to keep or cancel the card. To that end, American Express has added another elite status benefit to the Platinum Card.
If you have a U.S. issued Amex Platinum card you can now get Hilton HHonors Gold membership. (I’m not sure if this works for Platinum cards issued in other countries.) This new benefit is good for both the primary cardholder and authorized users as well. As a reminder, here are a few key benefits of Hilton HHonors Gold status.
- A 25% bonus on all the HHonors Base Points you earn.
- Receive every 5th night free on Standard Room Reward stays of 5 nights or more.
- Free breakfast at most properties.
- Room upgrades at most properties including club rooms at the hotel’s discretion.
Registering For HHonors Gold
If you are an American Express Platinum primary cardholder, you can register to have your HHonors account upgraded to Gold online. (For additional cardholders you must call the number on the back of the card to register.)
Amex Platinum HHonors Gold Registration Site
The website will ask you to login to your American Express account and you should see the ability to add an HHonors number next to your Platinum card. Once submitted it can take up to 72 hours for the request to be processed.
Analysis & My Gold Experience
It has always been relatively easy to get HHonors gold status with either the Amex HHonors Surpass or Citi HHonors Reserve card. Both of those cards have annual fees, so if you don’t regularly stay at Hilton properties, neither makes much sense to keep for the long term. It is good to have another option.
My wife has had HHonors Gold status for one reason or the other for many years and we have enjoyed the upgrades and free breakfast we get at their properties. On many occasions we have been upgraded to the club level and have generally had decent success with room upgrades. I am glad that I will soon be Gold again (I lost my status last year).
Conclusion
Between lounge access, rental car status and hotel elite status, the American Express Platinum card is trying to deliver premium benefits for frequent travelers. I do like these additional benefits and find they help the Platinum card compete with Citi’s Prestige. Right now I have both cards in my wallet and will ultimately need to decide on one for the long term. This new HHonors Gold benefit is nice, but I’m not sure it changes things all too much.
HT: Doctor of Credit
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Thanks for the link to Hilton gold.
@Kathy I think once you get your status card from Hilton, it should be good until the expiration date.
if a cardholder cancels his/her Platinum Amex after signing up for the gold Hilton benefit on the Plat Amex card, does the elite Hilton status disappear?