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Priority Club raises price of Any Hotel Anywhere Cards

Any Hotel Anywhere American Express gift cards have increased in Priority Club points cost. For cards at the $200 and $250 level the price increase is 20% more points.

Priority Club is unique in letting members redeem points for hotels in other chains. One of the high value offers from Priority Club is the ability to redeem points for prepaid American Express hotel gift cards that can be used worldwide at hotels accepting American Express. This is not a credit card, so you can’t use these cards to hold a room requiring a credit card on file.

Any Hotel, Anywhere prepaid American Express cards come in five denominations for US members.

New Price for Any Hotel, Anywhere Cards

  • $100 = 33,000 points (1,000 points = $3.03 cash)
  • $125 = 39,000 points (1,000 points = $3.20 cash)
  • $150 = 45,000 points (1,000 points = $3.33 cash)
  • $200 = 60,000 points (1,000 points = $3.33 cash)
  • $250 = 72,000 points (1,000 points = $3.47 cash)

Old Price for Any Hotel, Anywhere Cards

  • $100 = 29,000 points (1,000 points = $3.45 cash)
  • $125 = 34,000 points (1,000 points = $3.67 cash)
  • $150 = 39,000 points (1,000 points = $3.85 cash)
  • $200 = 49,000 points (1,000 points = $4.08 cash)
  • $250 = 59,000 points (1,000 points = $4.24 cash)

One of the big advantages of these gift cards is the ability to earn loyalty member benefits and credit with another hotel chain by making reservations through the competing hotel’s normal reservations, then paying for the stay with your Priority Club purchased AmEx gift card.

Gift cards expire one year after issuance.

Link: FlyerTalk thread gives anecdotal evidence for value of these cards.

Related Loyalty Traveler Post:

Priority Club’s New Hotels Anywhere Rate Analysis (May 20, 2010)

Hotels Anywhere is a different Priority Club program allowing hotels in other chains to be booked online using Priority Club points. There are some hotels, particularly Hilton brands that are available for fewer Priority Club points than points HHonors charges members.

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5 Comments

  • Oliver January 25, 2011

    I read through the T&C’s yesterday and found it I treating how they stress that the card stores points, not dollars. A way to circumvent the California (and other states) law that disallows expiration of gift cards?

    Do you know if these cards are transferrable? I.e., can I use a card issued with points from my wife’s account?

  • sc January 25, 2011

    i wonder…with these changes…if it still would be cheaper to use PC points to book hilton, as you described in your previous analysis.

  • Ric Garrido January 25, 2011

    sc- I do not think this change would impact the Hotels Anywhere program, but I should probably check the rates and see if I can detect a change.

    It is a little more difficult to see changes with Hotels Anywhere since a hotel night is simply a points requirement for a specific hotel and there is no fixed exchange rate for Priority Club points.

    For example one hotel, say Kimpton, might be 35,000 points and have a published rate of $150 for the night, whereas another hotel, say Hilton Garden Inn, might also be 35,000 points and only be a $120 published rate.

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  • Anne August 24, 2011

    Don’t get these cards I have tried to use twice now. The first time we went to use the card at check out and were told by the hotel who does accept American Express that they don’t accept the prepaid cards. I am travelling again in November and called the hotel in Fargo only to be told that they will take them but I have to pay an additonal 20%?????????? Had I knows I would never have ordered this card.

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