Hilton Debit Card UK

[BBbetter]

Getting my tiny violin out, for those who planned MS on this card.

[robkeane]

I assume hilton, like avios, is at pains to point out in the T&C that Hhonor points have no monetary value.

I’d be interested to hear the justification and argument that the card issue put up in defending a categorisation of “payment in relation to financial products” for a purchase from the sole reseller authorised by the card co-brander, of a commodity soley issued by the card co-brander, and declared by the card co-brander as having no monetary value.

It’s at the very least a rather awkward position.

[JDB]

robkeane wrote:

I assume hilton, like avios, is at pains to point out in the T&C that Hhonor points have no monetary value.

I’d be interested to hear the justification and argument that the card issue put up in defending a categorisation of “payment in relation to financial products” for a purchase from the sole reseller authorised by the card co-brander, of a commodity soley issued by the card co-brander, and declared by the card co-brander as having no monetary value.

It’s at the very least a rather awkward position.

There’s a difference between saying something has monetary value and it not having value, but in any event, your assumption that the HH terms say reward points have no value is incorrect so the argument rather falls apart.

The term ‘blue rinse’ used to refer to something totally different, but now with the new blue HH debit card, complaints about the bizarre unwillingness of the issuer to play MS is truly bringing out the blue rinse brigade.

[HK]

Their latest reply:

“As per my last message, we did not change our policy on October 9th. It’s also important to note the distinction between the two different sections of our Terms and Conditions; Non-permitted payments and payments that are not eligible for earning Hilton Honors Points.

Financial products (including prepaid cards, loans, virtual currencies, stocks and bonds, currency and commodity exchanges) are examples of non-permitted payments which will be declined by us at the point of making the transaction.

Payments in relation to financial products are simply transactions that are not eligible for earning Points and have a much wider definition. Buying Hilton Honors Points, and earning additional Points on that transaction, is a way of gaining a financial advantage by allowing you to earn extra Points.

Please also note that our Terms and Conditions state that ineligible spending categories for earning Points are not limited to the examples given in the bullet points.

You can still buy Hilton Honors Points with your card, but you will not earn additional Points from us for making that transaction.”

[Harrier25]

This card should only be treated as a cheap route to Gold tier. Shred the card and move on.

[robkeane]

JDB wrote:

There’s a difference between saying something has monetary value and it not having value, but in any event, your assumption that the HH terms say reward points have no value is incorrect so the argument rather falls apart.

Ah, if they don’t specifically state a point has no monetary value, that does negate the argument.

The term ‘blue rinse’ used to refer to something totally different, but now with the new blue HH debit card, complaints about the bizarre unwillingness of the issuer to play MS is truly bringing out the blue rinse brigade.

Which part of the transaction of purchasing points do you consider to be manufactured spend ? It’s real spend, it was simply the non-payment of points for the spend that was being queried.

[NorthernLass]

Points are a kind of currency, though, so I would think that the same rationale applies as to foreign currency purchases. I’m guessing you wouldn’t get points on that, I haven’t checked the Ts and Cs as I have very little interest in the card. As and when the HH Barclaycard is withdrawn my next port of call would be the Amex Platinum route.

[Harrier25]

I don’t know if the HH Barclaycard will be withdrawn in the near future and will probably outlive this shambles of a card.

[JDB]

@robkeane – I love the rinsing dinosaur comments, but it’s now November 2024.

Isn’t the card really just a breakfast season ticket if you happen to wish to stay and eat breakfast in a Hilton branded hotel without the misery of forty nights or whatever without the said delightful benefit?

[Harrier25]

JDB wrote:

Isn’t the card really just a breakfast season ticket

Exactly this. It’s been very poorly thought out.

[kHinzHal]

HK wrote:

Just recently purchased Hilton Points using the card and charged USD on it, hoping to earn points and fulfilling the forex spend for welcome offer.

Just got notified that <These are classed as a “payment in relation to financial products” which, as per our Terms and Conditions, are not eligible for earning Hilton Honors Points via your Personal Hilton Honors Debit Card. Any transactions made with these types of merchants after October 9th 2024 will not be eligible for earning Points.>

I was completely unaware of this and I wonder if there is any way around this? Thanks!

I think they changed things exactly after a few of us bought via the double points offer that came through on the 9th of October. I was lucky to get points following my purchase on that day.

In the US, for less ($150), Hilton Surpass gets you Free Night Credit, $200 free hotel credit, 12x on Hilton stays, 6x on groceries, gas and dining etc in addition to all the perks/protections of a credit card.

Are we that undeserving to be treated this differently in the UK?

[JDB]

kHinzHal wrote:

HK wrote:

Just recently purchased Hilton Points using the card and charged USD on it, hoping to earn points and fulfilling the forex spend for welcome offer.

Just got notified that <These are classed as a “payment in relation to financial products” which, as per our Terms and Conditions, are not eligible for earning Hilton Honors Points via your Personal Hilton Honors Debit Card. Any transactions made with these types of merchants after October 9th 2024 will not be eligible for earning Points.>

I was completely unaware of this and I wonder if there is any way around this? Thanks!

I think they changed things exactly after a few of us bought via the double points offer that came through on the 9th of October. I was lucky to get points following my purchase on that day.

In the US, for less ($150), Hilton Surpass gets you Free Night Credit, $200 free hotel credit, 12x on Hilton stays, 6x on groceries, gas and dining etc in addition to all the perks/protections of a credit card.

Are we that undeserving to be treated this differently in the UK?

Do you seriously not understand the difference between the credit/debit card markets in the US and the UK and why the incentives card providers can offer bear no resemblance??

[TGLoyalty]

Harrier25 wrote:

This card should only be treated as a cheap route to Gold tier. Shred the card and move on.

Getting Platinum for 1 month would be far cheaper and last for far long

[John]

NorthernLass wrote:

Points are a kind of currency, though, so I would think that the same rationale applies as to foreign currency purchases.

Points are effectively like buying a Hilton gift card / prepaying for Hilton stays except not necessarily at a fixed rate.

If you spend £500 directly at the hotel you earn 3 points per £ in the UK and 4.5 points per £ outside the UK.

If you spend £500 on 130000 points and then spend the 130k points on a stay (which could cost more or less than £500 for cash), why shouldn’t you have earned points on spending that £500 at points.com?

OK you can convert Hilton points to other points at poor rates, but you can also spend at Hiltons without actually spending at Hiltons e.g. that Costa in London which works with Amex Hilton offers

[Harrier25]

TGLoyalty wrote:

Getting Platinum for 1 month would be far cheaper and last for far long

True, but he or she’s already paid for this card now.

[kHinzHal]

Do you seriously not understand the difference between the credit/debit card markets in the US and the UK and why the incentives card providers can offer bear no resemblance??[/quote]

No I don’t, kindly enlighten.

[The Urbanite]

The points generating game changed when most reward card issuers stopped paying out on most financial transactions 2+ years ago. At that point, the game evolved. We are no longer in the world of emptying the Barclaycard Hilton debit card into NS&I every 8 days, different methods are required to keep the momentum going.

The card is still good to generate at least one decent free night a month, bearing in mind they do allow business spend. It’s not useless for everyone!

[Ian]

kHinzHal wrote:

No I don’t, kindly enlighten.

In the USA you could well be charged for using your card.

At a gas station for example you will see one price for cash and another for using a card.

Their merchant fees are far higher – you have the EU to thank for far lower credit card fees and the inability for companies to charge you a premium. The downside is that the market isn’t as attractive to card companies.

[John]

Ian wrote:

At a gas station for example you will see one price for cash and another for using a card.

In the US do you get different fees for debit or credit cards, or foreign cards?

[kHinzHal]

Ian wrote:

kHinzHal wrote:

No I don’t, kindly enlighten.

In the USA you could well be charged for using your card.

At a gas station for example you will see one price for cash and another for using a card.

Their merchant fees are far higher – you have the EU to thank for far lower credit card fees and the inability for companies to charge you a premium. The downside is that the market isn’t as attractive to card companies.

Thanks

[Lady London]

I think Currensea’s position has nothing wrong with it especially as they are distinguishing between transactions they will decline and transactons they have decided are of a financial type so they will do them and earn on them but refuse to give the consumer points in them.

But if points buying is going to be refused benefits promised by the provider of a financial service for transactions with them, and this is a position being taken by other financial industry providers, then I would expect products like hotel points and airline points ro enjoy the fairness protections that also apply to financial products.

Such as no devalution / revaluation without notice, no confiscation, no unfair rule changes applying to amounts already saved etc.

These products (points) are either financial products with due restrictions and normal financial protections or they’re not. Financial providers shouldn’t be able to pick and choose and decide points are a financial product if financial regulations don’t give the usual protections to holders of that ptoduct.

[JDB]

@Lady London – I understand what you are saying, but frequently the provider of the rewards and operator of the schemes are third parties over which the card company has no control. Currensea simply can’t impose these sorts of terms on Hilton any more than Clydesdale Bank (now Nationwide) could do anything about Virgin’s move to dynamic rewards pricing. Virgin the airline is legally very separate from Virgin the credit card, even if they share a brand name.

Even more powerful financial services companies like Amex can’t influence the terms of schemes operated by Avios airlines. As a customer you have no choice but to accept the terms the terms of both products or not play.

[Ian]

John wrote:

Ian wrote:

At a gas station for example you will see one price for cash and another for using a card.

In the US do you get different fees for debit or credit cards, or foreign cards?

Not that I have ever seen.

[Avant]

I made a small purchase of points on IHG points dot com on 10 November and a larger one after the points tracked on 15 November. But oddly the USD6.50 transaction shows the points pending while the USD260 one doesn’t.

I’m not that bothered either way but I do want to understand what my running total is for the purpose of the 12,000 bonus welcome points and if these two transactions are going to be included in that or not. Perhaps I’ll contact customer service to get them to give me my running total.