Understanding Hilton HHonors [Axon] and [Glon] Awards.

Posted by on Aug 6, 2012 in Axon and Glon, Citi Bank, Hilton Honors, Uncategorized | 6 comments

Pay attention to this, because I’m about to throw down some truth. And it’s going to change your life. I take that back. I don’t know if it’s going to change your life your life, but it will add incredible punch to your rewards travel portfolio.

It’s true that Hilton HHonors has devalued their program a gazzillion times in the last couple of years. That’s a lot, if you don’t know. Standard rooms can be harder to come by and are being priced as premium rooms. BUT, there are 2 ways in to find redonkulous value in Hilton HHonors. Axon and Glon awards.

And we already know from my Hilton Destination post last week that Hilton has some killer destinations.

Hilton HHonors properties include:

  • Waldorf Astoria® Hotels & Resorts
  • Conrad® Hotels & Resorts
  • Hilton Hotels & Resorts
  • DoubleTree by Hilton™
  • Embassy Suites Hotels™
  • Hilton Garden Inn®
  • Hampton Inn®
  • Homewood Suites by Hilton®
  • Home2 Suites by Hilton®
  • Hilton Grand Vacations®

Here’s the standard award chart for Hilton properties.

 

standard award chart

 

And here’s the award chart for Waldorf Astoria properties.

 

Waldorf Astoria Award Chart.

 

Those are kinda steep prices for an award night, but we know Hilton HHonors points can be earned in bunches (Virgin Atlantic, Hawaiian, Citi Hilton and Amex Hilton cards). But the real value with Hilton HHonors is being able to take advantage of the following discounted rates.

What is “Glon” aka Vip Awards?

Sounds like a Star Trek character to me. You can gain access to Glon awards if you have Silver, Gold, or Diamond status with Hilton. Since you just need to have Silver status to have access to Glon awards- all you have to do is apply for any Hilton branded credit card that gives you status. The standard Hilton Amex gives you Silver and the new Citi Hilton Reserve card gives you GOLD. You can also earn status with Hilton HHonors for stays, too. So as long as you have at least Silver status, the Glon doorways are open for you.

But why should you care? Because these are discounted rates! But there are two rules you need to follow with Glon rewards:

  • you must be staying 4 or more nights
  • you must stay in a 3-7 category hotel. Waldorf Astoria properties are above category 7 (legit) and have their own award chart. But Glon discounts are available with them as well.
The discounts for Glon Award nights are:
  • 4 nights – 15% off
  • 5 nights – 20% off
  • 6 + nights- 25% off
So without using the Glon discounts – 4 nights at a category 5 Hilton property would be 140,000 Hilton HHonors points. But with the 15% Glon discount, it would be 119,000 Hilton HHonors points. Not bad for a killer destination.
Another example: 5 nights at a category 4 Hilton property would typically cost you 150,000 Hilton HHonors points. But with the Glon discount, it would be 120,000 Hilton HHonors points.
You can book Glon awards nights on the Hilton website. Make sure you are signed into your Hilton HHonors account, and they should pop up when searching.
As you can see, there is some real value in staying 4, and especially 5+ nights with Hilton HHonors, using the Glon discount.
But it gets even better in most cases…

Axon Awards

Axon awards or [American Express only awards] are a tremendous way to save when booking Hilton vacations. To be eligible for these awards, you must hold in your wallet 1 of the American Express Hilton branded cards.

American Express Hilton Surpass – American Express Hilton  

Axon awards are good for 4 night stays (or multitude of 4 nights) in category 5-7 Hilton hotels. 

Here are the Axon discounts:

  • Category 5 – 125,000 Hilton HHonors points (not a better discount than Glon)
  • Category 6 – 125,000 Hilton HHonors points (8% better than Glon, and 22% better than Standard)
  • Category 7 – 145,000 Hilton HHonors points (15% better than Glon, and 28% better than Standard)
No, that is not a typo. Category 5 and 6 are priced the same. No one knows the answer why. Maybe Randy Peterson?
As you can see, there are some massive savings for Category 6 and 7 Hilton properties for 4 night stays using Axon discounts. (I’ll be using my 2 free weekend nights from my Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card to tack on to any upcoming Axon award trips, plus I’ll be enjoying free breakfast, and late checkout).
To book Axon awards, you actually have to call the Diamond line at 1-800-920-5649. If you aren’t a Diamond member, don’t fret. Just let them know you are wanting to book an Axon award and go along your merry little way.

Bottom Line

Glon awards, and especially Axon awards, are a great way to get a stellar vacation at a great discount. Glon awards are best for Category 3-5 award properties and at Waldorf Astoria properties 4 nights or more.

And Axon awards are where’s its at for 4 night stays at Category 6-7 properties. 

You can also combine these award options and add standard night stays or certificate night stays on either side of a reservation. So when booking a Hilton vaca, it’s imperative you do your research so you can book the cheapest award rate possible.

I will definitely be adding the new  Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card to my next app party to maximize my Hilton stays. I can add the free weekend nights on either side of the reservation, get free breakfast, internet, and late check out with the Gold Status. Plus, it doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees (chip and pin too), and I’ll earn 10 Hilton HHonors points per $1 at Hiltons worldwide. Boom Boom. I will also being adding some more cards that earn Hilton points as well, so keep an eye out for that post.

Have questions? Don’t hesitate to email or comment below.

— Noob Master

  • http://www.caseyfriday.com/ Casey Friday

    Great post – thanks for the info! I’m planning a churn/booking soon, and it’s good to see exactly how these percent off deals work.

    • http://www.NoobTraveler.com/ Noob Traveler

      Thanks! Don’t hesitate to email or chat if you have any questions.

  • sb

    I don’t see any reference any more to Categ7 awards for the surpass award on Amex’s website for the Hilton Surpass Card (http://www304.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/Hilton-HHonors-Surpass). did it disappear, or just a hidden perk? thanks

    • http://www.NoobTraveler.com/ Noob Traveler

      When using points it’s based on availability, since they aren’t weekend certificates like the Hilton Reserve card.

  • Toni

    Hi! Thanks so much for the great post! I have a question, and I’m pretty sure the answer is no, but I’l figure I would ask anyway. Can you receive the GLON discount if you use free night stay certificates along with your points. We want to stay at a Waldorf Astoria in Puerto Rico for 5 nights. We have two free night certificates from a credit card sign-up bonus, plus a plethora of hhonors points. Thanks for the help!

    • http://www.NoobTraveler.com/ Noob Traveler

      Unfortunately you won’t be able to use your certs for an Axon award. Remember you only have until March 28th to book your Axon/Glon awards. I hope this helps!

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