American Express Targets The Aspire Credits Next – Adds New Terms
Travel with Grant was digging through his Aspire card’s terms today and noticed an interesting change. American Express added new terms in reference to the $250 resort credit. If you remember Amex has been cracking down on airline incidental credits the last few weeks. I even wrote an article on why I think they were in the wrong for doing it. It appears they have moved their focus to the resort credit now. This isn’t really surprising and I expected something along these lines. At least they are putting the horse before the cart this time around.
New Terms
Here are the new terms that Grant laid out:
Effective May 1, 2020, American Express may reverse statement credits earned if your eligible purchase is returned / cancelled. American Express may also reverse the statement credit for “abuse” or “misuse” of the benefit and if you do not maintain the eligible card for the entire year.
This is essentially saying that if you book a refundable rate that triggers the credit and cancel the hotel you will be charged back. It also sounds like downgrades to a the Surpass or no fee version would count the same as a closure after using the perks. I also doubt that anything that happens before May 1st will be overlooked so I wouldn’t try to take that angle either.
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this rolled out to the Bonvoy Brilliant’s $300 annual credit as well. I am sure it has already actually. As we have said for a while now, American Express is not messing around anymore. I do find it annoying that the credit only works at resorts instead of all Hilton Hotels but that goes along with Amex’s MO to make their credits as difficult to use as possible to cause breakage. Then they can prop up massive credits in their ads when they know a fraction of that will be actually used.
I personally have not had an issue using mine since so many Orlando properties are on the list. But if you had been counting on booking a refundable rate to trigger it that will not work any longer. Prepaying a hotel stay that you complete should still work fine. American Express just does not want to see a double credit on the purchase, one from Amex and one from the hotel.
Be sure to check out Grant’s post to see a picture of the new terms.
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If I book a no refundable rate wasn’t it normal for the credit to post within a few days if not instant like other Amex offers?
I booked a hotel that’s is included as eligible (on the map but not on the list, Hilton northolme) and still have not seen my credit on the card.
Also I booked this atleast a month a go so before these terms appeared.
Prepaying the resort does not trigger the credit. I know from experience. Using the card at the hotel is the only way to trigger the credit
It does work for certain properties(well refundable deposits do), not all of them though – why Amex added the terms.
It does for the Hilton Moorea. Used it to upgrade to the OWB’s.
[As posted already on Travel with Grant:] I inadvertently received the $250 Resort credit. Made a speculative (and cancel-able) reservation back in January for one night (in August) at the Waldorf Astoria in Vegas. To my surprise, the Waldorf charged my Aspire card the FULL amount of the stay. Wasn’t happy about that, so cancelled the reservation to get my money back. But shortly after the charge posted, I received the $250 credit. Called Amex to explain what happened so that they could reverse the credit I received, but was told that once issued, they couldn’t reverse it. So I’m in an odd spot right now, having received the credit but not having actually stayed at a Hilton Resort yet. Am planning to do so later this year, but we’ll see if Amex claws it back first.
Does prepay rates trigger resort credits? I was in the impression that they dont. You have to present your card at checkout to be eligible
Some resorts charge a refundable deposit. Others will let you prepay incidentals etc. like the article linked to above discusses as well.
Hey Mark, thanks for linking to my post. AMEX is closing up all the loopholes and I’m sure the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant $300 credit is next on the list. We will see…
100% – can’t see them updating the Aspire and not do that. I don’t have the card otherwise I would skim my emails for it.
Excellent find Grant – you almost make me wanna read the term updates from now on….almost haha 🙂
Haha, nah, you don’t need to do that. This is my one and only niche left as a blogger 🙂
First they stole Amex Offers from you and next it is reading the boring terms! 🙂
It’s already there – 3rd paragraph under Benefits Terms
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card-application/apply/supplementary/terms/marriott-bonvoy-brilliant-card/36182-9-0
Thanks UA
Looks like they’ve already done it: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/american-express-updates-terms-on-hilton-aspire-250-resort-credit-to-prevent-abuse/#comment-928113