MICHAEL MCHUGH

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card Review: The Ultimate Weapon for Earning Rewards

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card 2024

The card_name is a hotel travel credit card structured for travelers who don’t mind exchanging a mid-tier annual fee cost for card perks and benefits as well as respectable bonus-point earning categories. In this Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card Review, we’ll delve into the various facets of this credit card, exploring its features, benefits, application process, and more to help you determine if the Amex Hilton Surpass Card is right for you. You can also check out my other credit card reviews as a point of comparison. Let’s dig into the card details.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card Review

The card_name comes with a ton of features to like – a consistently higher welcome offer, interesting bonus point earning categories, the opportunity to earn a free night award, National Car Rental elite status, the ability to upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond elite status, and no foreign transaction fees.

In return for these card benefits, card members pay a $150 annual fee. Generally speaking, annual fees for travel credit cards like this one range from $95 to $695 per year. At $150 annually, the annual fee is close to the mid-point in terms of travel credit card annual fees.

Hilton Honors Surpass Card Pros and Cons

  • Generous Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card_name in your first six months of card membership.
  • Elite Status: Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, offering perks like an 80% points earning bonus on stays, space-available room upgrades, a daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast (varies by brand and region), and milestone bonuses.
  • Bonus Categories: Earn 12x points on Hilton stays, 6x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 4x points on U.S. online retail purchases.
  • Annual Statement Credits: Up to $200 in Hilton statement credits for eligible purchases made directly with Hilton each year, effectively offsetting the annual fee and then some. Cardmembers receive $50 statement credits each quarter or $200 in annual credits.
  • Free Night Reward: Earn one Free Night Reward after spending $15,000 on purchases on your card in a calendar year. The Free Night Reward will be issued in the form of a redeemable code emailed to the card member. Your free night reward can be redeemed for one standard accommodation, double occupancy, subject to availability at properties in the Hilton portfolio, excluding certain Hilton properties.
  • Annual Fee: The card comes with a $150 annual fee, which is typically the mid-point when it comes to annual fees for travel credit cards.

Hilton Honors Surpass Card Application Process

  1. Starting the Application: Click through card_name to begin your application.
  2. Fill in Your Details: Provide the necessary personal and financial information in the credit card application.
  3. Submit Your Application: Once completed, submit your application and await a decision, which is either an instant approval, denial, or a message stating American Express needs more time to review your application.

Earning Hilton Points

  • Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card_name. in the first six months of card membership.
  • Bonus Categories: Earn 12x points on Hilton stays, 6x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 4x points on U.S. online retail purchases.

Redeeming Hilton Points

  • Free Night Reward: Spend $15,000 in a calendar year to receive a Hilton free night reward. Your free night reward can be redeemed for one standard accommodation, double occupancy, subject to availability at properties in the Hilton portfolio, excluding certain Hilton properties.
  • Versatile Redemption: Hilton points typically receive the most value by redeeming your points for stays at properties in the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Conrad Hotels portfolio. While the number of points required to book a free night at these hotels is generally high, the cash cost to stay at these hotels is correspondingly high.

Is the Hilton AmEx Surpass Card Worth Its Annual Fee?

While the card carries a $150 annual fee, its benefits can more than compensate, especially for travelers regularly staying at Hilton hotels. If you don’t find yourself consistently staying at Hilton or making Hilton purchases, the annual fee may be hard to justify.

  • Up to $200 Hilton Credits: Receive up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for Hilton purchases, totaling $200 annually.
  • Free Night Reward: The annual free night reward, coupled with other perks, contributes significantly to justify the fee.

Hilton Honors Surpass Card Benefits

  1. Hilton Honors Gold Status:
    • Enjoy complimentary Gold status with the card_name, offering benefits of 80% points earning bonus on stays, space-available room upgrades, a daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast (varies by brand and region), and milestone bonuses.
  2. Statement Credits and Free Night:
    • Up to $200 in Hilton statement credits annually.
    • Free night reward upon spending $15,000 in a calendar year.
  3. National Emerald Club Executive Status:
    • Elevate your car rental experience with Executive status from National Emerald Club.
  4. Bonus Categories:
    • Earn 12x points on Hilton stays, 6x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 4x points on U.S. online retail purchases.
  5. Amex Offers Program:
    • Unlock additional savings with the Amex Offers program, potentially enhancing the overall value of the card.
  6. Hilton Honors™ Upgrade to Diamond Status
    • Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.

The Verdict: Hilton Honors Surpass Card

In conclusion, the card_name can be an ideal product for travelers regularly staying at Hilton hotels. The card’s combination of useful bonus-point earning categories, annual statement credits, the opportunity to earn a free award night, elite car rental status, the ability to earn top-tier Hilton elite status, and no foreign transaction makes it a contender to have in your wallet.


Disclaimer: If you click and/or sign up for a credit card through certain links on this site or any of my related social media platforms, I may make a commission from that click-through.  The editorial content on this page and the user comments are not provided by any of the companies mentioned and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.

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