The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a solid hotel credit card offering Hilton Gold elite status, extra points at Hilton Hotels, airport lounge access, and the ability to earn a free night with spending.
The Hilton Surpass is Hilton’s mid-tier card, between the ultra-premium Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and the budget Hilton Honors American Express Card.
- 130,000 Hilton Points Plus a Free Night Award After $2,000 in Eligible Purchases in the First 3 Months
- 12X Points at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
- 6X Points at U.S. Restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and U.S. Gas Stations
- Hilton Honors Gold Status
- 10 Complimentary Priority Pass Lounge Visits
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $95 Annual Fee (rates & fees)
Welcome Bonus
The Hilton Surpass Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn 130,000 Hilton Points Plus a Free Night Award After $2,000 in Eligible Purchases in the First 3 Months.
Earning Points
The Hilton Surpass Amex allows cardholders to earn 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; and
- 3 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Card Benefits
The Hilton Surpass Amex has the following card benefits:
Hilton Gold Status
Cardmembers automatically get Hilton Gold elite status, which gets you an upgrade, an 80% points bonus on stays, breakfast, and a welcome gift.
Path to Hilton Diamond Status
If you spend $40,000 in a calendar year on the Surpass card, you can get upgraded to Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
Free Night Reward with Spending
If you spend $15,000 in a calendar year, you can earn a free weekend night certificate.
10 Complimentary Priority Pass Visits
Cardmembers get 10 free visits to the 1,300+ airport lounges in the Priority Pass network.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card has no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S., which is helpful if you travel internationally to help you avoid paying a 3% fee on those international purchases.
Complimentary ShopRunner Membership
This card offers a complimentary membership to ShopRunner, giving you free two-day shipping and free returns at 100+ online retailers.
Eligible stores include Bloomingdales, Under Armour, American Eagle, Saks Off 5th, Cole Hann, Fanatics, Vera Bradley, Jockey, Kate Spade, NFL Shop, NBA Store, MLB Shop, and Coach.
Access to Amex Offers
This card has access to Amex Offers, which are deals that are linked to your card, allowing you to save money or earn extra points on shopping, dining, and travel.
For example, there could be an offer such as spending $200+ at Marriott Hotels and Resorts and receiving $50 cash back as a statement credit.
You can find all of your Amex Offers by signing into your American Express account. You will need to “Add to Card” each offer to be eligible for the special offer.
Travel and Purchase Protections
The Hilton Surpass Amex also offers the following travel and purchase protections:
Secondary Rental Car Insurance*
Secondary rental car insurance covers any damage to a rental car not covered by your primary insurance when you pay for the rental using this card.
Other credit cards offer primary rental car insurance, which pays before your insurance and saves you the hassle of filing multiple insurance claims.
You still need to maintain liability car insurance to cover damage to another person or property.
Purchase Protection*
Purchase protection could save you a lot of money if you bought an eligible item that is damaged or stolen within 90-days.
For example, if you accidentally dropped your new phone or laptop and broke the screen, you could file a claim to get it replaced if the item was purchased within the last 90 days.
Extended Warranty*
Credit card extended warranty protection adds up to an additional year of coverage for eligible purchases on manufacturer’s warranties up to 5 years.
For example, if you bought a TV with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years, this card would extend the warranty for free to the fourth year.
*(Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
- Hilton Gold Status.
- Priority Pass lounge access.
- 12 points per dollar at Hilton.
Cons:
- No automatic free hotel night.
- Locked into earning Hilton points, instead of flexible points like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards.
Alternatives to Hilton Surpass
Now that you know about the pros and cons of this card and its benefits, it’s time to review the alternatives.
Or, if you are like me, who loves to maximize my rewards, here are other cards you should add to your wallet in addition to this card:
Hilton Honors American Express
- bonus_miles_full
- 7X Points at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
- 5X Points at U.S. Restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and U.S. Gas Stations
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status
- No Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
The Hilton Honors American Express is a great no-annual-fee card that earns 7x Hilton Honors points at Hilton properties and 5x points at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations in the U.S.
This practical card also gets you complimentary Silver status, which comes with standard perks like a fifth night free on award stays and a 15% points bonus on Hilton stays.
Plus, you have the opportunity to reach Gold status by spending $20,000 per year.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- bonus_miles_full
- 5x Points on Travel Booked Via Chase
- 3x Points on Dining and Eligible Delivery Services
- 2x Points on All Other Travel Purchases
- 10% Anniversary Points Boost
- Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- $95 Annual Fee
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the best rewards cards for travelers who want solid earning rates for travel and dining expenses.
For only $95 per year, this card earns 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 3x points on dining, online groceries, and streaming services, and 2x on all other travel purchases.
Cardholders will also get a 10% anniversary points bonus, a 12-month DoorDash DashPass subscription when activated by December 31, 2024, and a $50 anniversary hotel statement credit.
Plus, it provides extensive travel protections, including trip delay, primary rental car, baggage, and purchase protection plans.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire is a premier card packed with top-notch hotel benefits and earns 14x Hilton Honors points at Hilton hotels and resorts, and 7x points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines.
This premium hotel rewards card has a $450 annual fee, but it comes with an automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status, which gets you a 100% points bonus, milestone bonuses, suite upgrades, free breakfast, and other top-tier hotel perks.
Plus, you receive up to $250 Hilton resort statement credits, $250 airline fee credits, and $100 Hilton on-property credit, which easily offset the card’s yearly fee.
Cardholders also enjoy unlimited Priority Pass lounge access with two guests and one free weekend night award at any Hilton hotel.
Is the Hilton Surpass Worth It?
The Hilton Surpass Amex is a great option for people who stay at Hilton Hotels between 3-10 times per year.
If you stay more than that, I recommend the more elite Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (review).
If you stay less than that, you should get a general travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review).
- 130,000 Hilton Points Plus a Free Night Award After $2,000 in Eligible Purchases in the First 3 Months
- 12X Points at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
- 6X Points at U.S. Restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and U.S. Gas Stations
- Hilton Honors Gold Status
- 10 Complimentary Priority Pass Lounge Visits
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $95 Annual Fee (rates & fees)
