Hilton Honors and American Express have made major changes to two popular Hilton Honors credit cards. Both the Hilton Honors Surpass and Hilton Honors Aspire products are getting makeovers, which include more emphasis on statement credits, fewer airport perks, and big increases to the annual fees.
Hilton Makes Big Changes to Hilton Honors Credit Cards
Card issuers and loyalty programs often change rewards and credit card programs to attract new applicants. With American Express and Hilton Hotels, however, the trend appears to be more about replacing tangible benefits with statement credits – and raising the annual fee.
Hilton Honors is refreshing the Surpass® Card and the Aspire Card, two of its most popular premium hotel credit cards. These changes include an annual fee hike (which goes into effect on February 14, 2024, for existing cardholders), increased welcome offers (through January 17, 2024), and the elimination of older statement credits.
Changes to the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- 20.99% to 29.99% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
If you regularly stay at Hilton properties, the accelerated ability to earn bonus points and a sizable introductory bonus offer help the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card really stand out. Card members also receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, which entitles them to guaranteed member discounts, digital check-in, complimentary breakfast, and a host of other perks, all for a competitive annual fee.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X Hilton Honors points per $1 spent on purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, U.S. groceries, U.S. online retail, and U.S. gas stations
- 3X Hilton Honors points on all eligible purchases
- Complimentary Gold status with your card
- Free Weekend Night Reward after spending $30,000 on your card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn 170,000 bonus points and a free night after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership
- Regular Purchase APR: 20.99% to 29.99% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Annual Fee: $150
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- You regularly stay at Hilton properties and want to quickly earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points
- You will spend enough with the card in the first three months of opening an account to earn a very generous welcome offer
- You want the convenient benefits that come with complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, as well as Hilton Honors Diamond status if you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases through the end of the next calendar year
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card was one of the few credit cards that provided lounge access for an annual fee below $100 – but not anymore. The card provided a complimentary ten airport lounge visits via a complementary Priority Pass™ Select membership – a perk valued at over $400. Now, however, Hilton and American Express are removing that benefit.
Effective February 1, 2024, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card will no longer offer a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select program membership. Cardholders who enroll in their Priority Pass Select benefit before that date can continue to use the perk until January 31, 2024.
Addition of Statement Credits
The loss of the lounge benefit from the Surpass Card comes despite a considerable annual fee increase to $150. To compensate for this increase, Amex and Hilton are restructuring the rewards earning potential of the card and stacking statement credits – a move also employed with The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Surpass Amex cardholders get up to $200 in statement credits annually for eligible Hilton purchases made with their Surpass Card directly at participating Hilton properties. This credit offer costs up to $50 in statement credits each quarter. The card also offers complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status.
Changes to Points Earning
The Hilton Honors Surpass Amex now earns the following Hilton Honors bonus points on eligible purchases:
- Earn 12X points on purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X points on purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, U.S. groceries, and U.S. online retail purchases
- 3X points on all other eligible purchases
This new structure adds grocery stores and eligible retail stores as bonus categories, increasing the card’s usability in the United States. However, the card offers limited value when used outside the country (except at Hilton properties).
Changes to the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- 20.99% to 29.99% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a behemoth of a hotel card, offering new cardmembers the ability to earn a hefty Hilton Honors bonus points welcome offer after making $6,000 in eligible purchases on the card within the first three months of the account opening. This card also grants the ability to earn a whopping 14x Hilton Honors points per dollar spent on direct Hilton hotel and resort purchases.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- 14X points for Hilton hotels and resorts
- 7X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com, ca
- 7X points on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
- 7X points at U.S. restaurants
- 3X points on all other purchases
- Complimentary Diamond Status in the Hilton Honors rewards program
- Anniversary bonus of one weekend night
- Earn additional weekend night reward after spending $60,000 within calendar year
- $400 Hilton resort statement credit
- Regular Purchase APR: 20.99% to 29.99% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Annual Fee: $550
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- You're capable and willing to spend $6,000 within the first three months of opening an account to receive the card’s welcome offer of bonus Hilton Honors points
- You wantCLEAR security fast pass
- You book stays at Hilton Resorts at least once per year
- You will make $60,000 in purchases per year
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is one of the best hotel credit cards thanks to its vast points on offer, Hilton perks, and lucrative statement credits. That quality, however, comes at a steep price – and one that American Express and Hilton are also increasing. The Aspire Card is getting a fee increase from $450 to $550, with the same emphasis on statement credits as the Surpass changes.
Changes to Statement Credits
As with the Amex Platinum, the number of new credits with the Aspire Card is large. Previously, there was a $250 Hilton resort statement credit, but that perk has been removed, with many new ones taking its place:
- Hilton credits: Up to $400 in statement credits annually for eligible purchases made with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card directly at participating Hilton Resorts (up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually)
- Flight credits: Up to $200 in statement credits annually on eligible flight purchases (up to $50 in statement credits each quarter) made on the Hilton Honors Aspire Card
- CLEAR credits: $189 in statement credits per calendar year after members sign up and pay for a CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card
Other Additions
Beyond more statement credits, the Aspire Amex Card also features an additional Night Reward after cardmembers spend $30,000 in purchases in a calendar year. There’s also cell phone protection when the Aspire Card is used to pay the prior month’s wireless bill. Cardholders can be reimbursed (the lesser of) the repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen or theft, for a maximum of $800 per device. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of two approved claims per 12-month period. Finally, the Aspire Card offers complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status.
Aspire Card Features Removed
Beyond removing the $250 Hilton Resorts credit, Aspire Cardholders lost the previous $250 airline credit on December 31, 2023. The biggest loss, however, is removing the Priority Pass™ Select membership. The removal of lounge access but the inclusion of CLEAR security fast pass is strange – helping you get through security extra fast so you can sit at your gate – and not in a lounge, despite the fee.
Related Article: The Ultimate Guide to Hotel Rewards Programs and Hotel Credit Cards
Featured image by Hilton
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