Updated: This method can indeed still earn a new weekend night certificate.

This post comes from the author's KUKU actual test. The well-known "upgrade/downgrade loop" for AMEX cards in the same family is familiar to everyone. Hilton Aspire has not been around for very long, so there is still no DP on whether "Aspire → no annual fee → Aspire" can again earn an upgrade bonus. This post is the test.

Situation Overview

The author has long held three Hilton Aspire credit cards: one was applied for directly, and the other two were upgraded from the no-annual-fee version and the $95 annual-fee version. Each upgrade was done from a link with a 150,000 upgrade bonus, and all of them received the corresponding points.

Because of its outstanding benefits, this Hilton Aspire credit card is, in my view, a real keeper right now. Used well, it can absolutely have a negative effective annual fee each year. I have even seen readers holding 5-6 Aspire credit cards at the same time (not recommended). Personally, for the three AMEX Hilton card types, I think holding 3 Aspire cards at the same time is more reasonable: two obtained through upgrades and one obtained through application. The remaining 2-3 non-charge-card slots can be left for other credit cards.

But there are simply too many good AMEX cards, and holding too many Aspires is not necessarily a good thing in the future. So after enjoying it for a year, and after using the second year's FN and reimbursements, I decided to downgrade first and then close the card, getting some of the annual fee back pro rata. However, after the author downgraded the Aspire to the no-annual-fee version, I immediately found that the then-current Public Aspire upgrade link could still "upgrade" it.

Upgrade Bonus

After much hesitation, and considering that readers might be interested in a similar case, I decided to test it. Here are the details of this test:

  • 2018.04: Opened the Hilton Aspire credit card; the welcome bonus at the time was only 100,000, and the airline selection was Southwest Airlines
  • 2019.04: $450 annual fee charged
  • 2019.05: After renewal was completed, the $250 Resort credit was reimbursed, and the $250 airline credit had already been used earlier in the year
  • 2019.08: Received the weekend night certificate for the new membership year
  • 2019.08: Requested a downgrade through online chat
  • 2019.09: Annual fee partially refunded pro rata, about $305 Adjust membership fee
  • 2019.09: Found that the downgraded card could be upgraded through the Public Aspire upgrade link, which showed a 150,000 bonus
  • 2019.10: After waiting (hesitating) for a month, I officially upgraded from the link
  • 2019.10: After upgrading to the new Aspire card design, I tried the airline reimbursement. I had to reselect the airline and chose Southwest again. Both the airline credit and Resort credit failed, showing that the limits had already been used up. I suspect they were overwritten by the previous Aspire, and I could not get a new airline credit for this year.
  • 2019.11: The new Aspire annual fee was charged pro rata, about $207 Renewal membership fee
  • 2019.12: After stubbornly paying several rent payments via Plastiq, I successfully received the 150,000 AMEX Card Bonus Points upgrade bonus
  • Waiting for the weekend night certificate information; if it is sent, I will update this post immediately.Supplement: The Hilton weekend night certificate has been received.

Summary

To summarize this "Aspire → no annual fee → Aspire" upgrade/downgrade loop, YMMV:

  • Upgrading from the Public link after a downgrade can earn the 150,000 upgrade bonus
  • The airline and Resort credits will be covered by the original Aspire, and there will be no new credits for that year
  • The PP card number will change
  • The annual fee will be charged or refunded pro rata. After going back and forth, there will usually be some net savings; this test effectively saved $100 in annual fees
  • Supplement: A new weekend night certificate can be earned

Is there any risk?

  • Strictly speaking, this is not the same as applying for a brand-new Aspire credit card directly.
  • At the moment, RAT seems to target only repeated applications for the same card, and not upgraded cards. Holding multiple identical cards through upgrades does not appear to be under RAT scrutiny for now, YMMV.
  • The Public link may show a bonus, but it usually also says that if you have ever held Aspire, the bonus will not be issued. However, the current upgrade links do ultimately give the bonus, YMMV. It has already been posted to the Hilton account, so the points, status, and FN naturally will not be clawed back.
  • If you have already upgraded once, then even if you upgrade again from the link, there may very well be no bonus. For example, "no annual fee → Aspire → no annual fee" or "$95 → Aspire" is much harder; ymlulu has already had a failed attempt before. Basically, you can understand this as upgrading the same card number to the same card product: you can only get the upgrade bonus once.
  • It is not impossible that if many people do this in the future, it could attract RAT attention. Risk is on you.

Hilton Family "Upgrade/Downgrade" Scenarios

Based on this test and the DPs shared by many 101 readers before, here is a summary of the upgrade/downgrade paths that can earn an upgrade bonus:

Disclaimer: This blog is only listing several currently tested-successful "upgrade/downgrade" scenarios. Please take the risk yourself, YMMV.

For cards that start as the no annual fee version:

  • No annual fee version → Ascend/Surpass version (must hold the card for one year before upgrading)
  • No annual fee version → Aspire (must hold the card for one year before upgrading)
  • No annual fee version → Ascend/Surpass version (must hold the card for one year before upgrading) → Aspire (must hold the card for one year before upgrading)

For cards that start as the $95 annual-fee version:

  • Ascend/Surpass version → Aspire (must hold the card for one year before upgrading)
  • Ascend/Surpass version → no annual fee version → Aspire (must hold the card for one year before downgrading; no time requirement for upgrading again)
  • Ascend/Surpass version → no annual fee version → Ascend/Surpass version (must hold the card for one year before downgrading; no time requirement for upgrading again)

For cards that start as AMEX Aspire [within the same calendar year, you may very likely not be able to get the various credits]:

  • Aspire → no annual fee version → Aspire (must hold the card for one year before downgrading; no time requirement for upgrading again)
  • Aspire → Ascend/Surpass version → Aspire (must hold the card for one year before downgrading; no time requirement for upgrading again)

Note 1: Often AMEX will proactively send you an upgrade invitation. If it is an official invitation, you should definitely go for it. But I recommend upgrading only after you have already received the corresponding welcome bonus.

Note 2: In theory, a downgrade does not require holding the card for one year. However, downgrading too early can make AMEX pop up a warning in the future, so it is recommended to hold the card for one year before downgrading.

Note 3: Getting rewards through an "upgrade/downgrade" has nothing to do, for now, with whether you hold the relevant card or how many identical cards you hold.

Special reminder: AMEX credit card welcome bonuses have a lifetime restriction (holding or having held the card both count). If you have not yet held the relevant card type, it is recommended that you first apply for the lifetime-restricted welcome bonus before trying any upgrade/downgrade strategy.

Forcing a "downgrade and then upgrade" loop carries the risk of not getting the bonus. Using your cards responsibly and maintaining a good relationship with the bank is the best approach.