The American Express® Gold Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card are two popular credit card options.
The Amex Gold is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections.
The Hilton Surpass offers nice rewards at Hilton properties while providing automatic Gold status that includes valuable perks like room upgrades and breakfast benefits. This mid-tier Hilton card hits a sweet spot for occasional Hilton guests who want elite perks without premium card costs.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.
Full Reviews: American Express® Gold Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
Overview: Amex Gold vs. Hilton Surpass
- bonus_miles_full
- 12X Points at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
- 6X Points at U.S. Restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and U.S. Gas Stations
- Up to $200 Hilton Credit Each Year
- Hilton Honors Gold Status
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $150 Annual Fee (rates & fees)
Welcome Bonuses
Amex Gold:
The Amex Gold currently offers the following welcome bonus:
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Welcome Bonus Eligibility
You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer on the American Express Gold card if you have or have had:
- American Express Gold
- American Express Platinum Card®
- The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley
- Platinum Card® from American Express for Charles Schwab
- Previous versions of the above cards.
Hilton Honors Surpass:
The Hilton Surpass Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards
Amex Gold:
The Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points and offers some very nice points multipliers to help you earn a lot of points:
- 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points).
- 4 points per dollar U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x points).
- 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly from the airline or booked on AmexTravel.com.
- 2 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Hilton Honors Surpass:
With the Hilton Surpass Amex, you can earn Hilton Honors points at the following rates:
- 12 points per dollar at Hilton Hotels and Resorts;
- 6 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery);
- 6 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets;
- 6 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations;
- 4 points per dollar on U.S. Online retail purchases; and
- 3 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
I value Hilton Honors points at 0.51 cents per point based on my review of the award and cash prices at over 40 hotels.
These earning rates make the Hilton Surpass Amex one of the most rewarding hotel credit cards for Hilton loyalists. The 12 points per dollar at Hilton properties equates to a 6.1% return on spending. The 6 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations provide a 3.1% return, while the 4 points per dollar on U.S. online retail purchases offer a 2% return.
Winner:
It depends. The Hilton Surpass wins for spending at Hilton Hotels and Resorts, but for non-Hilton spending, the Amex Gold is a better option since Membership Rewards points are worth much more than Hilton Honors points.
Card Benefits and Perks
Amex Gold:
The American Express Gold card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you pay with the Amex Gold Card at participating dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required.
$120 in Uber Cash: Get up to $10 monthly Uber Cash for U.S. Uber Eats orders and rides when you add your American Express Gold Card as a payment method. Your Uber Cash can be redeemed using any American Express card.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $50 semi-annually in statement credits after you pay with the Amex Gold to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required.
$84 Dunkin’ Credit: You can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
Up to $100 in Hotel Credits: Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees (rates & fees): The Amex Gold’s lack of foreign transaction fees makes it an ideal choice for international purchases, especially considering you can earn 4 points per dollar at global restaurants (on the first $50,000 spent per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.*
Baggage Insurance Plan covers your baggage if it is lost, damaged, or stolen and you purchase your ticket with this card.*
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans*
Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.*
ShopRunner Membership: As a cardholder, you’ll enjoy a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 participating online retailers. This benefit can help frequent online shoppers save on shipping costs and streamline the return process.
Amex Offers: As an American Express cardholder, you can access Amex Offers. These targeted, limited-time promotions provide discounts or bonus points on purchases with select merchants. Offers are added to your card, and you’ll receive either a percentage or dollar amount back as a statement credit when you meet the offer terms. While offers vary and may not always align with your spending habits, this perk can be valuable when an offer matches your preferences.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Hilton Honors Surpass:
The Hilton Surpass Amex offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
Hilton Gold Status: Receive automatic Hilton Honors Gold elite status, which offers benefits of 80% points bonus on eligible rates, food and beverage credit or breakfast, room upgrades (if available), two complimentary bottles of water, and fifth night free on reward stays.
Upgrade to Diamond: You can upgrade to top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond elite status when you spend $40,000 in a calendar year. Diamond status offers additional benefits like guaranteed executive lounge access, suite upgrades, and a 100% points bonus. However, it’s worth noting that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card automatically grants Diamond status without a spending requirement, although with a higher annual fee.
$200 Hilton Credit: Receive an annual credit of up to $200 Hilton Credit earned in $50 increments per quarter, which can be used for eligible purchases made directly with Hilton properties, such as room rates, dining, and incidentals. For frequent Hilton guests, these credits can quickly add up and offset a significant portion of the card’s annual fee.
Free Hotel Night: You can earn a free hotel night after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. This free night can be redeemed at almost any Hilton property worldwide, including luxury resorts that might otherwise cost hundreds of dollars per night. Maximizing this benefit can lead to substantial savings and memorable experiences.
National Executive Status: Receive National Car Rental Executive status, which offers benefits of Executive area access allowing you to choose any full size and above in the Executive Area and only pay the midsize rate, guaranteed upgrades when you reserve a full-size through luxury vehicle, and one free car rental day for every six car rentals
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Amex Offers: As an American Express cardholder, you can access Amex Offers. These targeted, limited-time promotions provide discounts or bonus points on purchases with select merchants. Offers are added to your card, and you’ll receive either a percentage or dollar amount back as a statement credit when you meet the offer terms. While offers vary and may not always align with your spending habits, this perk can be valuable when an offer matches your preferences.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.*
90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.*
Extended Warranty Protection: Your purchases gain an extra year of warranty protection when bought with this card, extending manufacturer warranties of three years or less without the inflated prices of store warranty plans.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Winner:
The Amex Gold offers a better value overall with all of its credits that help offset its annual fee.
Value of the Annual Fees
American Express Gold:
The American Express Gold has a $325 annual fee (rates and fees), which is offset by up to $424 in annual credits, trip and purchase protections, and extra points on dining, flights, and U.S. supermarkets.
Hilton Honors Surpass:
The Hilton Surpass Amex has a $150 annual fee (rates & fees) that can be easily offset each year through benefits. You’ll get up to $200 in annual Hilton statement credits ($50 per quarter), which alone exceeds the annual fee if you maximize this perk.
Winner:
It depends on whether you can take advantage of the credits on the Hilton Surpass Amex or the Amex Gold.
Redeeming Rewards
American Express Gold:
American Express Membership Rewards points are a versatile and valuable currency for travelers. The program offers numerous redemption options, with transfers to airline partners being the most lucrative way to use your points.
Amex partners with 18 airlines and 3 hotel chains, allowing you to access a wide range of travel possibilities. Some of the best redemptions include booking business class flights to Europe through Air France-KLM Flying Blue for as low as 50,000 miles one-way. Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club offers excellent value for Delta One flights to Europe at 50,000 points, significantly less than booking directly through Delta.
For those planning a trip to Asia, transferring to ANA Mileage Club can yield incredible value. Round-trip business class flights from the West Coast to Tokyo can be booked for just 90,000 miles. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is another great option, especially for their renowned long-haul flights like New York to Singapore.
Domestic travelers can benefit from transferring to British Airways Executive Club for short-haul American and Alaska Airlines flights, with awards starting at just 8,250 Avios for distances up to 650 miles.
While transferring to airline partners typically offers the best value, Amex also allows direct redemptions for flights through their travel portal. However, this option generally provides lower value at 1 cent per point.
To maximize your Membership Rewards, focus on high-value airline transfers for premium cabin international flights. With strategic planning, you can unlock extraordinary travel experiences and significant savings on your next adventure.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
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|---|---|
Aer Lingus Avios
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AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
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Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air France/KLM Flying Blue
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ANA
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Avianca LifeMiles
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British Airways Avios
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Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
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Delta SkyMiles
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El Al [1,000 to 20]
|
Emirates
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Etihad Guest
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Hawaiian Airlines
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Iberia Avios
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JetBlue [250 to 200]
|
Qantas
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Qatar Airways
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Singapore KrisFlyer
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
Choice
|
Marriott Bonvoy
|
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
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Hilton Honors Surpass:
Hilton Honors points offer flexibility and value for travelers, with over 7,500 properties worldwide available for redemption. While the program uses dynamic pricing instead of a fixed award chart, members can still find excellent deals, especially during peak travel periods. The best way to use Hilton points is typically for hotel stays, where we found during our data study that you should get, on average, about 0.51 cents per point in value.
To maximize your redemptions, search for properties within your point budget during your desired travel dates. Elite members benefit from a fifth night free on award stays, stretching points even further. For those short on points, the Points & Money option allows for customizable combinations of cash and points.
Hilton also offers premium room awards, letting you book suites or rooms with better amenities using points. This can be particularly useful for families or those desiring extra space. Beyond hotel stays, Hilton points can be redeemed for unique experiences through Hilton Honors Experiences, including exclusive events and activities.
While other redemption options exist, such as transferring to airlines, using points for Amazon purchases, or booking car rentals, these typically offer lower value. Focus on hotel stays and experiences to get the most from your Hilton Honors points. With strategic planning, you can turn your points into memorable stays at properties ranging from budget-friendly options to luxury resorts worldwide.
Winner:
Amex Gold. Membership Rewards points offers more value and flexibility than Hilton Honors points.
The Verdict
Both the Amex Gold and Hilton Surpass are great options.
The Hilton Surpass Amex is a good option if you frequently stay at Hilton Hotels for the elite status and Hilton credit.
The Amex Gold is one of the best cards for earning Membership Rewards points and offers several credits to offset its annual fee.
Which card are you going to choose?
- bonus_miles_full
- 12X Points at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
- 6X Points at U.S. Restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and U.S. Gas Stations
- Up to $200 Hilton Credit Each Year
- Hilton Honors Gold Status
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $150 Annual Fee (rates & fees)
