REWARDS POINTS UPDATE

It’s been a little while since I’ve let y’all know where I stood with my rewards points programs so I thought now that I have a little time to catch my breath I would fill everybody in. There’s good news and bad news, and I’ll start with the good news.

National Rental Car Emerald Club

I’ve made it to the Executive Club! You need to have at least 40 rental days for the year to make Executive and wit my Vegas trip I have 46. When you’re a member of the Emerald Club (National’s Rewards Points club) you typically just walk out to the lot, select a car from the aisle and roll. You show your ID and the paperwork in the car at a booth & then you’re free. The exciting thing about the Executive Club is that they have a separate aisle with automobiles more befitting an executive’s stature, like the Chevy Impala or Pontiac Grand Prix. This is really exciting, not only because driving executive level cars will make my business trips that much more productive, but also because I have been intensely jealous watching other business men & women who walk by me & my “regular” car aisle to their executive aisle. In anticipation of my move to the Executive Club I’ve been practicing my sneer in the mirror & visualizing exactly when I will drop it on the chumps using the “regular” car aisle. It will be a sweet, sweet day indeed.

Hilton Honors

I’m Gold baby – Gold VIP with Hilton Honors, that is. The Gold VIP level starts once you’ve had either 16 qualifying stays at any Hilton property, 36 qualifying nights, or accrued 60,000 base points – all during a 12 month period (it’s a rolling qualification instead of the usual calendar year period). I made it on qualifying nights with 41. As a gold VIP member I earn more points per stay (which can be used for free hotel nights and bragging to your friends), free snacks and fruit in your room, and the satisfaction that you’re special.

US Airways Preferred Status

Here’s the bad news – I am still not at a Preferred Status with US Airways. I need another 4 flights (connections count as 2 flights) or a little over 5,000 miles to make Silver preferred. If I had not worked for Pittsburgh clients in April and May I would be there. What Silver would get me is a free upgrade to First Class if any seats are open 2 days before my flight (Gold gets you into seats 5 days before your flight, and Platinum is 7 days before your flight). I might have to figure out how to do a “mileage run”, a multi-stop round trip flight intended to rack up maximum miles for the cheapest ticket. Mileage run masters can rack 20,000 miles in a single weekend.

The Future

I only need 2 more trips to get to Platinum with Hilton and Silver with US Air. I don’t think I’ll have the 39 rental days in the next 5 months necessary to get to Executive Plus with National, but that’s not such a big deal because you don’t get much extra from that. While Silver with US Air is a given, it will be interesting to see if I can get to Gold. I have an outside chance because I need 30,000 miles or 29 segments (each stop along your trip to your destination is a segment). While this sounds redonkulous I do have an ace in the hole – my credit card will be giving me 10,000 bonus miles before the end of the year, meaning I really only need 20,000 miles. I probably would have to do some crazy 37 hour straight, round-trip cross-country flight in order to get there (maybe more than once), but it might be worth it.



Executive Club benefits with National Rental car

All the benefits of Emerald Club, PLUS Executive Selection:
Counter bypass area with Fullsize or larger vehicles.
Requires a fullsize reservation, but you pay the Midsize rate.

Executive Upgrade:
For non-Executive Selection rentals, reserve a Fullsize, Premium or Luxury car and pay one car class less every time.

Hilton Honors Gold VIP membership benefits

Point Bonuses
Earn a 25% bonus on all HHonors Base points credited while you are a Gold VIP.
Enjoy HHonors Hotel Rewards without Blackout Dates
Effective May 1, 2006, Gold VIP members may redeem points for HHonors hotel rewards nearly any time, with the only exception being during specified Extraordinary Demand Dates at certain hotels. To make reservations for your reward stays, please contact 1-800-HHONORS (1-800-446-6677).
Upgraded Accommodations/Amenities
HHonors Gold VIP members are offered upgraded accommodations or amenities at Hilton Family hotels. The type of upgraded accommodation or amenity varies by type of hotel, as follows:


Hotels Choose Points or Choose In-Hotel Benefits
Hilton® Hotels in North America: 1,000 Points or Upgrade to Executive Floor (if available), OR Executive Floor Lounge access (if the hotel has a Lounge), OR High Speed Internet Access (available in the US and select locations in Mexico and Canada), OR complimentary continental breakfast for the member and one guest each day of the stay. If the rate already includes breakfast, a special food and beverage amenity will be presented.


Embassy Suites® New Benefits 500 Points or Complimentary Internet Access or a variety of snacks and fruit.

HHonors Gold VIPs may choose either HHonors bonus points, High Speed Internet Access or two (2) snacks/beverages.
Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®: 250 Points or One (1) bottle of water and 1 snack item.

Hilton Garden Inn®: 750 Points or Complimentary Full American Breakfast for you and one guest throughout your stay and upgraded room accommodations (subject to availability upon check-in).

Hilton Grand Vacations Club®: n/a n/a $10.00 coupon for use during a qualified stay*. Coupons are valid for purchases within select on-property retail shops, excluding alcohol.

*Qualified stay refers to those reservations booked at a rack rental rate.


Additional Gold VIP Benefits:
Complimentary Health Club Privileges: Enjoy complimentary access to the health club or fitness center during your stay, at hotel owned and operated facilities.

VIP Only Rewards: HHonors Gold VIPs may choose from an exclusive selection of rewards at special VIP-only points levels.