AMEX Delta Gold Biz Card Welcome Offer "Reversed"

EightBall

Level 2 Member
Wondering if I stacked up upgrade offers a bit too close together so that the 3 month spend window in the 1st somehow is impacting the second...
I stacked mine pretty close and things still panned out as normal. For reference:
Day 1: upgrade no-fee Hilton to Surpass
Day 36: complete 3k spend, 150k bonus posted within ~3 days
Day 40: upgraded again to Aspire the day after the first 150k posted
Day 90: completed 4k spend, 150k bonus posted within a few days again
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I stacked mine pretty close and things still panned out as normal. For reference:
Day 1: upgrade no-fee Hilton to Surpass
Day 36: complete 3k spend, 150k bonus posted within ~3 days
Day 40: upgraded again to Aspire the day after the first 150k posted
Day 90: completed 4k spend, 150k bonus posted within a few days again
I've always been hesitant in upgrading to the high-fee card. I guess I'll see what I might get for that. My $95 fee for the Ascend (? middle card) just posted so I'll assume I could get credit for that towards the higher fee.

I can justify spending $95 for 150k (although I was tempted to cancel NOW, posts upstream say it's a bad idea and I believe it) ... but the next level is One Large Step.
 

EightBall

Level 2 Member
... but the next level is One Large Step.
While I'm certainly leery of taking on too much in annual fees (or over-valuing the benefits that come with them), I think this is a unique situation. First, by upgrading to the Surpass offer you are explicitly agreeing that it's worthwhile to pay a $95 fee for 150k Hilton points. Second, while the Aspire comes with an annual fee of $450, if you have already committed to the Surpass upgrade, the increase in annual fee is only $355 at that point. And since we've already agreed that it's worthwhile to pay $95 for 150k Hilton points once, if you're willing to do it again that's just $260 of additional annual fee that needs to be justified on the Aspire. The Aspire then comes with $250 air credit (per calendar year), $250 Hilton resort credit (per cardmember year), and a free weekend night about 8 weeks after the upgrade. Assuming you can make some use of these benefits, I think that remaining $260 fee I mentioned can be worthwhile.

I think this was a slam dunk a few months ago when you could cash out the air credit for gift cards to be sold. But even still, there's a lot of ways to get good value out of it.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
While I'm certainly leery of taking on too much in annual fees (or over-valuing the benefits that come with them), I think this is a unique situation. First, by upgrading to the Surpass offer you are explicitly agreeing that it's worthwhile to pay a $95 fee for 150k Hilton points. Second, while the Aspire comes with an annual fee of $450, if you have already committed to the Surpass upgrade, the increase in annual fee is only $355 at that point. And since we've already agreed that it's worthwhile to pay $95 for 150k Hilton points once, if you're willing to do it again that's just $260 of additional annual fee that needs to be justified on the Aspire. The Aspire then comes with $250 air credit (per calendar year), $250 Hilton resort credit (per cardmember year), and a free weekend night about 8 weeks after the upgrade. Assuming you can make some use of these benefits, I think that remaining $260 fee I mentioned can be worthwhile.

I think this was a slam dunk a few months ago when you could cash out the air credit for gift cards to be sold. But even still, there's a lot of ways to get good value out of it.
Thanks. I actually read up on this a bit earlier in the evening. At that time I still decided to pass, but I'll let it roll around in the back of my mind for awhile. I do see that the offer is still listed for my card, so that's good.

The resort credit seems iffy and too much anxiety ... it is yet-another thing I would have to try to "fit in" per year. Or maybe just the first year (as that's as far as I would go I think ... make less sense to me after). I'd have to find a Hilton Resort in one of the places I have on my list. Possible, but a stretch to think I can do this without altering my plans. I crossed that off as a positive; at least it's not an immediate no-brainer. For me.

I DID see the AFC(?) last on their benefits list. That has more of a possibility. I'll have to read up on how that can be used. Worried about finding a way to use the PRG $100 fee next year. As you mention, it's been easy in the past to buy GCs. I hear that isn't working anymore. So finding $250 of eligible spend for this year ... hmmm. I do have a couple of low-cost flights to charge, but likely on New Zealand Air and ... well, I'll read up to see if that might allow a credit and the question remains if the ticket prices I'm looking at would trigger a credit (as of today .. $98 x 2 and something less expensive x 2). Plus the free night, so if that would work it would prove to be worth it.

I didn't catch the spend requirement but I'm sure it's 3k? Usually a no-brainer except I'm focusing on maximizing another area and using all my capacity there. I'll read up more. Thanks for the feedback.

Ah, wait. Are the credits per calendar year?
 

EightBall

Level 2 Member
My upgrade offer had a 4k spend requirement, so keep an eye on that to be sure.

The airline credit is calendar year. But the resort credit is cardmember year. This is interesting because I think it may be possible to get two sets of resorts credits in the first year of your Aspire upgrade. I believe that cardmember year is actually tied to your original approval date for the base card (in my case this was a no-fee Hilton). Not 100% sure about this though. I've used my first resort credit already, but it'll be a few months before I know if this theory is correct and potentially land a second credit.
 
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