Rapid Travel Chai

In my Chicago Seminars talk I listed one of my upcoming tasks as to sort out my premium card situation.

I have Amex Business Platinum, Citi Prestige, and City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite.

I have toyed with an Amex Charles Schwab Platinum, the Chase Ritz-Carlton card, heck, even the UBS card.

It’s so easy to rationalize spending all this money on fees by convincing myself the value of benefits and the effort to maximize them are justified.

Here’s comes the Hilton Aspire and suddenly, though I have never stayed at a Hilton resort, I will be rationalizing a $250 stay. Frequent Miler’s analysis hinges on this point (and that the card does not have the spend-friendly category bonuses on the old Surpass/new Ascend).

Then there’s that annual weekend night cert. Single night certs are a recipe for marriage disharmony unless you are marriage to someone equally into miles and points. My wife is not interested in changing hotels the next night. So then we are off on the chase of having 2 cards or me spending $60,000/year on the card without good category bonuses.

Here’s from the press release, let the rationalization begin!

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card:

• 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and at U.S. restaurants
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status
• One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio with your new Card and each year of Card Membership
• A second Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $60,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• Unlimited Priority Pass™Lounge passes to ease the airport experience
• $250 Airline incidental fee statement credit
• $250 Hilton resort statement credit
• $100 on-property credit at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts when booking the exclusive Aspire Card package
• Access to 24/7 American Express concierge
• No foreign transaction fees
• $450 annual fee

The other cards are:

Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card:

• 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. grocery stores, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status; Earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• 10 free Priority Pass™Lounge passes to ease the airport experience
• No foreign transaction fees
• $95 annual fee

Hilton Honors American Express Card:

• 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. grocery stores, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status; Earn Gold status after spending $20,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card:

• 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. purchases for shipping
• 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on U.S. restaurants, flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, and car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status; Earn Diamond status after spending $40,000  in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• A second Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $60,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• 10 free Priority Pass™Lounge passes to ease the airport experience and get work done more easily and comfortably while waiting for a flight
• No foreign transaction fees
• $95 annual fee