The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card 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 credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus
The Hilton Surpass Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full
Remember that American Express has a “once per lifetime” rule for welcome bonuses, meaning you may not be eligible if you have previously held the Hilton Surpass or the Hilton Honors Ascend Card (a former version of the Surpass). However, you can still qualify for the bonus if you hold or have held other Hilton cards, such as the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card or the premium Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
Earning Points
With the Hilton Surpass Amex, you can earn Hilton Honors points at the following rates: 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.
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.
Annual Fee
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.
When you add in Gold status perks like free breakfast/food credits, space-available room upgrades, and an 80% bonus on points earned during stays, you’re looking at significant value beyond the fee cost.
Think of the $150 annual fee this way – if you stay at Hilton properties a few times per year, the free breakfast benefit alone could cover much of the fee. Factor in the $200 in statement credits, and you’re essentially being paid to hold the card if you use these key benefits.
Hilton Surpass Benefits
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 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.
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Pros and Cons
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this card:
Pros:
Complimentary Elite Status: Cardholders receive automatic Hilton Honors Gold status, which provides valuable perks like room upgrades, bonus points, and breakfast or food credits at Hilton properties.
Strong Earning Potential: The card offers 12x points at Hilton properties, 6x points in select categories (U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations), and 4x points on U.S. online retail purchases, providing good opportunities to accumulate Hilton points quickly.
Annual Hilton Credit: Cardholders can earn up to $200 in statement credits annually for Hilton purchases (up to $50 per quarter), which can help offset the annual fee.
Free Night Reward Opportunity: Spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year earns a free night reward, potentially offering significant value at higher-end Hilton properties.
Cons:
Annual Fee: The card has a $150 annual fee, which may not be worthwhile for infrequent Hilton guests or those who can’t maximize the card’s benefits.
Limited Point Value: Hilton Honors points are generally valued lower than some other hotel loyalty programs, potentially reducing the overall value of points earned.
Spending Requirement for Top Status: While the card offers a path to Diamond status, it requires $40,000 in annual spending, which may be challenging for many cardholders to achieve.
Dynamic Pricing: Hilton’s lack of a published award chart and use of dynamic pricing can make it difficult to predict how many points will be needed for a redemption, potentially requiring more points during peak times.
Alternatives to the Hilton Surpass Amex
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Card (review) is an entry-level card featuring 7 points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases and complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus 5 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning Rewards: 7x points on eligible purchases directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio; 5x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations; 3x points on all other eligible purchases. Main Benefits: Hilton Honors Silver Elite Status, secondary rental car insurance, and purchase protection.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (review) offers top-tier Hilton Diamond status and valuable travel credits. This premium card provides excellent rewards for Hilton stays and nice perks that can easily offset the annual fee for frequent Hilton guests.
(All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Deals Points and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.) Welcome Bonus: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases within your first 6 months. Earning Rewards: 14x points at eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio; 7x points on at U.S. restaurants, flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com, and car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies; 3x points on all other eligible purchases. Main Benefits: Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond elite status, $400 Hilton Resort credit (up to $200 semi-annually), free night award at any Hilton Hotel and Resort; $200 flight credit ($50 each each quarter), $199 CLEAR Plus Credit, $100 Hilton On-Property Credit, National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status, and Trip Delay Insurance.
Is the Hilton Surpass Worth It?
The Hilton Surpass Amex is an excellent choice for frequent Hilton guests seeking valuable perks without a premium annual fee. The card offers automatic Hilton Gold status, which provides benefits like complimentary breakfast and room upgrades at Hilton properties.
With up to $200 in annual Hilton statement credits, the $150 annual fee is easily offset for those who stay at Hilton hotels even occasionally. The card’s earning structure is generous, especially for Hilton stays and everyday spending categories like U.S. restaurants and supermarkets.
While Hilton points aren’t as valuable as some other hotel currencies, the ability to earn a free night certificate with $15,000 in annual spending adds significant potential value.
Learn How to Apply: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
