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At a glance

	Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
Annual Fee	– $150
Sign up bonus	– Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Ongoing rewards	– 3x-12x Points
Foreign transaction fee	– None
APR	– 20.99% to 29.99% based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
Value of points redeemed	– 0.5 to 1 cent per point
Additional benefits	– $200 annual statement credit for eligible Hilton purchases on your card (doled out in $50 statement credits per quarter). Terms apply. – Automatic Gold Status and a path to Diamond Status. Terms apply. – Potential to earn a weekend night reward with spending. Earn a weekend night reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your card in a calendar year. Terms apply. – Complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status. Terms apply.

Detailed overview

When considering hotel credit cards, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card holds up well but falls short of exceptional. Unlike other, more affordable options, it lacks the valuable benefit of an automatic annual free night after each cardmember anniversary. However, its credits can compensate for the $150 annual fee if utilized effectively. Moreover, it boasts compelling ongoing rewards, a generous welcome offer, rewards for substantial spending, and automatic elite status. For avid Hilton enthusiasts capable of capitalizing on these advantages, it may prove to be a valuable card.

Card type: Hotel.

Welcome offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card within 6 months. Terms Apply.

Annual fee: $150.

Ongoing rewards:

• 12 points per dollar spent at eligible Hilton portfolio properties.
• 6 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations.
• 4 points per dollar on U.S. online retail purchases.
• 3 points per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.

Points value varies. Generally, aim for award redemptions offering at least 0.5 cent value.

Points can be transferred to Hilton’s airline partners or used for car rentals and Amazon.com credit. Hotel stays typically offer the best value.

Foreign transaction fee: None.

Other benefits:

• $200 annual statement credit for eligible Hilton purchases (dispersed quarterly).
• Automatic Gold Status with a path to Diamond Status.
• Opportunity to earn a weekend night reward with spending.
• Complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status.
• Lounge passes: 10 free visits to Priority Pass Select lounges per calendar year. (NOTE: Priority Pass Select membership terms may change.)

Benefits and perks

Hilton Surpass welcome offer

New applicants for the Surpass can earn 130,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $3,000 on the card within the initial six months of card membership.

Previously, the highest offer was 180,000 bonus points, requiring $10,000 spending within six months. The current bonus, needing less than a third of the spend for nearly the same points, makes now an opportune time to apply.

Automatic elite status

This card includes Gold Status, Hilton’s intermediate elite tier between Silver and Diamond. With this status, you gain access to numerous perks typically reserved for loyal customers, such as:

• An 80% bonus on all Hilton Honors base points earned.
• Complimentary breakfast at select hotels.
• Room upgrades, subject to availability, at select hotels.
• Fifth night free when booking a stay of five or more nights using only points.
• Other benefits like free internet access, complimentary water, and more for lower-tier elite members. Terms apply.

The 80% bonus makes it easy to accumulate rewards on Hilton stays. For instance, a $200 eligible Hilton stay could earn you 6,000 Hilton points, combining points earned through the card and the loyalty program, boosted by Gold Status.

Drawbacks and consideration

Annual fee

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card carries a $150 annual fee, yet offers ample hotel credits. However, compared to similar cards, it remains relatively expensive. Notably, credits are distributed in $50 increments per quarter, limiting the ability to offset a $200 Hilton expense at once.

For those concerned about the annual fee but still seeking rewards for Hilton stays, the $0-annual-fee alternative, the Hilton Honors American Express Card, may be worth considering. Although it lacks some Surpass® Card perks, it provides elevated rewards on Hilton stays, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations, without any associated cost.

Is this card right for you?

Although the Surpass lacks the versatility of the Amex EveryDay Preferred card or the luxurious perks of the Amex Hilton Aspire card, it could still enhance your Hilton Honors program experience. With Gold status benefits and $200 statement credits towards Hilton purchases, it offers value. However, keep in mind the requirement to spend $15,000 in a calendar year to earn a free night award.