American Express Platinum Card® and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card are two credit cards designed for frequent travelers but offer different advantages.
The Amex Platinum Card offers the most comprehensive airport lounge network available, giving you access to premium Centurion Lounges plus thousands of other lounges worldwide. You can easily offset the card’s large annual fee through generous credits for Uber, hotels, digital entertainment, Resy dining, and lifestyle brands like lululemon.
On the other hand, the Hilton Honors 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 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 Platinum Card® and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
Overview: Amex Platinum vs. Hilton Surpass
Welcome Bonuses
Amex Platinum:
The American Express Platinum currently offers the following welcome bonus:
bonus_miles_full
Hilton Surpass:
The Hilton Surpass Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards
Amex Platinum:
- 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel®, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com.
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Hilton 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:
Hilton Surpass Amex since its offers more extra bonus categories than the Amex Platinum.
Card Benefits and Perks
Amex Platinum:
The Amex Platinum offers the most benefits of any credit card, including the following:
Lounge Access: Eligible Card members get access to the extensive American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, SWISS, or Austrian) and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta. Platinum members receive 10 Delta Sky Club visits annually per eligible card (unless you spend $75,000 in a calendar year) when traveling on same-day Delta flights.
Airline Fee Credit: You’ll receive up to $200 in statement credits annually for incidental fees charged by one qualifying airline of your choice.*
Hotel Credits: You’ll receive up to $600 in hotel credits annually with this card, split into two convenient semi-annual periods. The credit structure gives you up to $300 from January through June and another $300 from July through December.*
Uber Cash: Your card provides up to $200 annually in Uber Cash, distributed as up to $15 monthly credits, plus a bonus of up to $20 in December. These credits can be used for both Uber rides and Uber Eats orders within the United States when you add your Platinum Card as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.*
Uber One Credit: You’ll receive up to $120 annually in statement credits after purchasing an auto-renewing Uber One membership with your card, which is separate from the existing $200 annual Uber Cash benefit.*
CLEAR Plus Credit: You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with this card.*
Digital Entertainment Credit: You’ll receive up to $25 monthly (up to $300 annually) in credits toward popular streaming services like Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, and digital subscriptions to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. *
Resy Dining Credit: You’ll receive up to $100 quarterly (up to $400 annually) in statement credits when you use your card for eligible dining purchases at over 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants.*
Lululemon Shopping Credit: You’ll receive up to $75 quarterly (up to $300 annually) in statement credits when you use your card for eligible purchases with Lululemon in the U.S.*
Oura Ring Credit: You’ll receive up to $200 annually in credits when you use your card to purchase an Oura Ring through ouraring.com.*
Equinox Credit: Enjoy up to $300 in annual statement credits toward Equinox gym memberships or the Equinox+ fitness app (subject to auto-renewal).*
SoulCycle Benefit: You can receive up to $300 in statement credits toward the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike (up to 15 bikes per calendar year). To qualify, you must be enrolled in an Equinox+ membership when making your purchase.*
Walmart+ Credit: Receive up to $155 in statement credits annually (up to $12.95 monthly plus applicable taxes) covering a Walmart+ membership when paying with your Platinum Card.
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: You’ll get a $120 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 credit for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years.
Saks Fifth Avenue Credit: Enjoy up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue statement credits annually, divided into two $50 credits (January-June and July-December).*
Hotel Elite Status: Enjoy complimentary Gold status with both Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and Leaders Club hotel programs.*
Car Rental Status: Enjoy complimentary elite status with multiple car rental agencies: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle, Avis Preferred Plus, and National Emerald Club Executive.
Premium Hotel Programs: You’ll have access to exclusive Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection booking programs. These provide valuable perks like room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, guaranteed late checkout, and unique property amenities during your stays.
Travel Protections: Your Platinum Card covers trip delays over six hours (up to $500), cancellations/interruptions (up to $10,000), secondary rental car insurance when declining the rental company’s waiver, and baggage insurance for lost, damaged, or stolen items when purchasing tickets with your card.**
Shopping Protections: Your Platinum Card safeguards purchases with extended warranty coverage adding up to one year to eligible manufacturer’s warranties, protection against theft, damage, or loss for 90 days, potential reimbursement when merchants refuse returns within 90 days, and cell phone protection when you pay your monthly bill with your card.**
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
** Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Hilton 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 Platinum is the king of card benefits with so many statement credits, elite status, and airport lounge access.
Value of the Annual Fees
Amex Platinum:
The Amex Platinum comes with a hefty annual fee of $895 (rates & fees), which can be offset if you take advantage of the numerous credits and great airport lounge access.
There is also a $195 annual fee for each additional authorized user Platinum Card, who also receive airport lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, and hotel and rental car elite status.
For example, if you had three authorized users with Amex Platinum cards, your additional fee would be $585.
Alternatively, you can add for free up to 99 Companion Cards for free, which allows you to earn points for spending on the Companion Card, but there are no perks like airport lounge access.
Hilton 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. The Hilton Surpass Amex‘s annual fee can be a good deal with the Hilton credit and Hilton Gold status. But if you already have those two things, the Amex Platinum‘s benefits can offset the large annual fee with some work to take advantage of all of the statement credits and airport lounge access.
Redeeming Rewards
Amex Platinum:
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]
|
|
|---|---|
Aer Lingus Avios
|
AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
|
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
|
ANA
|
Avianca LifeMiles
|
British Airways Avios
|
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
|
Delta SkyMiles
|
El Al [1,000 to 20]
|
Emirates
|
Etihad Guest
|
Hawaiian Airlines
|
Iberia Avios
|
JetBlue [250 to 200]
|
Qantas
|
Qatar Airways
|
Singapore KrisFlyer
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
Choice
|
Marriott Bonvoy
|
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
|
Hilton 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 Platinum since Membership Rewards points are more flexible than Hilton Honors points with the ability to transfer to 20+ airline and hotel partners.
The Verdict
Both the Amex Platinum and Hilton Surpass are good choices.
The Amex Platinum is great if you fly at least several times per year to take advantage of the airport lounge access and other perks.
The Hilton Surpass Amex is a good option if you want Hilton benefits and don’t have airport lounge access from another card.
Which card are you going to choose?
