[Dead – Letter Sent Out] American Express Hilton Aspire Upgrade Offer – No AF First Year

Update 5/3/21: Another letter has been sent out apologizing for the confusion and saying that the AF won’t be charged until 2022. Hat tip to nytrojans.

Update 1/29/21: Accounts now showing the AF won’t be charged until 2022. Hat tip to /r/churning

Update 1/6/21: Multiple AmEx reps are stating that the no annual fee for the first year will be honored. If you signed up for this offer it might be worth contacting them to get it on the record that no AF will be charged first year. Hat tip to drbao

Update 12/17/20: Letter has been sent out stating that the annual fee will be prorated starting January 30th, 2021. Looks like AmEx will not be honoring this deal. You can reverse the upgrade if you call in by that date. Up to you if you want to try and fight this or not.

Update 12/14/20: American Express has now pulled the Aspire card from the American Express website entirely. I wouldn’t use the link below to apply and it seems like getting the no annual fee might be a fight despite what the terms clearly stated.

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• American Express is offering some Hilton cardholders the ability to upgrade to the Hilton Aspire. The terms state that: “When you upgrade, your new Card will have a promotional annual fee of $0 for one year. In the first billing period on or after the end of the promotional year, you will be charged a prorated amount of the $95 annual fee for your new Card based on the time remaining until your next account anniversary date. On each account anniversary date thereafter, you will be charged the annual fee for your new Card. If you cancel your Card account or switch to another Card during the one year promotional period, you may no longer remain eligible for this promotion.“

Card Details

• Annual fee of $450 (waived first year)
• Sign up bonus of 100,000 points after $4,000 in spend within the first four months
• Card earns at the following rates:
  • 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 for as long as you hold the card
• One weekend night at any hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio (on account opening and on every account anniversary)
• A second weekend night at any hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $60,000 on the card within a calendar year
• Priority Pass membership (unlimited access for you and up to two guests)
• $250 airline incidental fee statement credit (to work the same as the credits provided on Platinum & Gold cards)
• $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
• Authorized users can be added for no additional charge but don’t receive any of the benefits the primary cardholder does (they can use the $250 credits, but it’s a total of $250 in credits across all cards. They can also get access to the Waldorf Astoria/Conrad $100 benefit).

Our Verdict

We’ve seen 150,000 point upgrade offers in the past, but saving $450 is a significantly better offer and you can do this upgrade offer even if you’ve held this card in the past as well. I’d recommend reading this detailed Milenomics post to better understand how this upgrade offer works.

Hat tip to Milenomics