If you have either a Hilton Aspire or a Hilton Surpass card from American Express, you are probably aware of the big benefit and fee changes they announced on 10/19/23. Our Hilton cards were my favorite credit cards because they have high points bonus categories and come with a plethora of useful benefits. I won’t go into too many details about the recent revamp, but overall I don’t love the changes or the increased annual fees.
My husband and I each have a Hilton card and are about to lose our Priority Pass Memberships. I am disappointed since this perk was one of my favorite benefits. We are moderate travelers who take a few big trips a year. Our current memberships each came with 10 visits per year which was more than enough to cover our travel needs.
We have appreciated having this perk when we have encountered flight delays or had long layovers. I am also a budget traveler and often fly with Southwest Airlines. That usually means a longer travel day with a stop midway and no meals during flights. Airport food is grossly overpriced so a quick bite at an airport restaurant or bar can easily set 2 people back $50 or more.
Having Lounge Access is a great option. Priority Pass Lounge membership doesn’t require you to be flying on a specific air carrier. It provides a comfortable place to pass your time, charge your device, and usually includes some level of food and beverages.
What Now?
When I first read that we would be losing this benefit, I was sad and a little angry. Then I went to work figuring out another way to obtain a membership.
First I looked into what other credit cards (like Sapphire Reserve) include a membership and found most have high annual fees. Switching from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve would mean an additional $450 in annual fees.
Next, I checked into purchasing a membership directly from Priority Pass. They offer 3 different levels of membership, Standard, Standard Plus, and Prestige.
I felt like Goldilocks as I reviewed their plans trying to find the right fit.
- The Standard membership was very affordable but it has a $35 per visit fee in addition to the membership cost.
- The Prestige has unlimited Free visits but comes with a $469 price tag. Ouch!
- The Standard Plus has 10 free visits which is just right and a more affordable membership cost.
My Plan
Since I am leaning towards buying a direct membership, I am now working out how to get the most bang for my buck. Having one Standard Plus membership that includes 10 no-charge visits per year seems like it should handle our current travel needs. But the cost is still a little steep for me.
After visiting their website they e-mailed me an even better offer.
I also discovered that Rakuten and Capital One shopping portals (probably others too) offer additional rebates. To get the best value, I will most likely stack a sale price with a shopping portal rebate and pay with whichever credit card earns the highest points return.
I may also downgrade our Surpass card to the no-annual-fee Hilton card in order to save $150 on the annual fee. Then simply apply those savings toward the cost of a direct Priority Pass membership.
Final Thoughts
I feel that Priority Pass Membership is a benefit that I will miss having included on our credit cards. That’s why I am willing to seek out another way to obtain a membership.
These changes are all super new so I am glad that I have time to let the dust settle a bit before having to make any sudden decisions. Since our current membership is good through the end of January 2024, it makes sense for us to wait until then to purchase a direct membership. But I will be sure to work out a plan before our 2 big trips that are already on the books for early next year.
The World According to Dev 