| Last updated on October 23rd, 2023
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
Hilton Honors Surpass Card Review
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is an average credit card option for those who stay at Hilton properties often and are looking for rewards potential, coupled with a moderate annual fee. Rewards points can be redeemed towards one (or more) night stays at a Hilton property, room upgrades, and other perks at Hilton hotels. There are no foreign transaction fees, either, so you’ll save when you use your hotel card abroad.
How to Earn Rewards
With the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, you can earn a huge welcome offer of bonus Hilton Honors Points after meeting the required spending threshold on the card within your first three months of membership. With proper planning before a family vacation or romantic getaway, those bonus points are as good as yours.
You’ll also earn enhanced Hilton Honors points on the following categories:
- 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, and U.S. gas stations
- 3X Hilton Honors points on all eligible purchases
Simply put, going about your regular day will likely earn you a hefty haul of points with this credit card.
Travel Card Comparison
Here;s how the Surpass fares when compared to two popular competitors:
 Hilton Honors Surpass® |
 Mastercard® Titanium Card™ |
 Chase Sapphire Preferred |
|
| Annual fee | $150 | $195 | $95 |
| Rewards | 12X points at participating Hilton hotels or resorts; 6X points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, U.S. groceries, U.S. online retail purchases, and U.S. gas stations; and 3X points on all other eligible purchases | 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. 1% value for cash back redemptions. Earn one point for every one dollar spent | Earn 5X points on Chase-booked travel and Lyft rides, 3X on dining, online groceries, and streaming services, and 1X on everything else |
How to Redeem Hilton Points
The Hilton Honors program offers several lucrative redemption options. The easiest way to redeem points is by booking free night stays with participating Hilton properties. To book rewards nights, you’ll need to book the stay via the Hilton website or through the mobile app, and check the box labeled “Use Hilton Honors Points.”
Hilton Honors points also transfer to the frequent flyer rewards programs of over 40 different airlines. Eligible airlines and partners include the following:
| AeroMexico | Air New Zealand | China Eastern Airlines | Ethiopian Airlines |
| AirAsia Big | All Nippon Airways | Delta Airlines | Eurowings |
| Air Canada | British Airways | Emirates | Eva Air |
| Air France | Cathay Pacific | Etihad | Hainan Airlines |
| Iberia | KLM | Qatar Airlines | Turkish Airlines |
| Japan Airlines | Korean Air | Saudi Airlines | United Airlines |
| Jet Airways | Malaysia Airlines | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | Virgin Atlantic |
| JetBlue | Qantas | Singapore Airlines | Virgin Australia |
Other redemption options include:
- Shopping: Honors points are redeemable towards merchandise through the dedicated Hilton Honors Shopping Mall, for gift certificates with some of the largest merchants in the world, or shopping with Amazon.
- Share or Pool Points: Hilton also allows members to either share their points with loved ones through gifting or pooling points with friends or family to help reach expensive redemption goals.
Related Article: The Ultimate Hilton Honors Program Guide
Other Travel Benefits
Other notable features of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card include a free weekend night annual bonus for cardholders who spend $30,000 on purchases using the card in a calendar year. The card previously provided complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, which permits access to over 1,000 airport lounges. That feature, however, has since been removed. Before, during, and after your Hilton stays, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card can show you the way to serious savings.
Hilton Credit Card Comparison
Hilton issued four co-branded credit cards with American Express – three personal cards and one small business credit card. Here’s how the three personal credit card offers compare:
 Hilton Honors Card |
Hilton Honors Surpass® |
 Hilton Honors Aspire® |
|
| Annual fee | $0 | $150 | $550 |
| Rewards | 7X points at participating Hilton hotels and resorts; 5X points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations; and 3X points on all other eligible purchases | 12X points at participating Hilton hotels or resorts; 6X points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations; and 3X points on all other eligible purchases | 14X points on eligible purchases within the Hilton portfolio, 7X points on qualifying travel purchases made directly with airlines or eligible rental car companies or Amextravel.com, 7X points at U.S. restaurants, and 3X points on all other eligible purchases |
| Elire status | Silver | Gold | Diamond |
| Free nights | N/A | Spend $30k in a calendar year | Account anniversary and/or after spending $60k in a calendar year |
American Express Ratings
Here is what people are saying about American Express as a bank and credit card issuer:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
1.5/5 |
Should You Apply for the Hilton Honors Surpass Card?
Overall, the Hilton Honors Surpass card from Amex offers decent value for money. Cardholders can earn up to 12X points for every dollar spent with Hilton – all for the less-than-reasonable $150 annual fee. That fee is unreasonable because the benefits don’t match the annual fee. Gold status is great, but it’s not worth $150 per year – nor is Emerald Club status for National Car Rental. The card even lacks free nights before reaching high spending thresholds; this was previously a nit-pick that should be overlooked by all except the most discerning travelers, but now is the ultimate failing of a formerly solid hotel card.
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