Hilton Honors Surpass Card
Welcome Offer: 170,000 Hilton Points ~ Worth $850
[For spending $3,000 in the first 6 months of having the AMEX Hilton Honors Surpass Card]
Annual Fee: $150
The Best Way to Earn Hilton Status
Benefits: Hilton Gold Status & Hilton Credits
Earning Per $ Spent: (Hilton Points: Worth ~0.5¢ each)
30x to 40x Hilton points on Hilton purchases (worth ~15% to 20% back)
6x Hilton points on Dining, Groceries, Gas (worth ~3% back)
4x Online Shopping in the U.S. (worth ~2% back)
3x Hilton points on Everything Else (worth ~1.5% back)
Get it if: You stay at Hilton properties between 4 and 12 times per year
Recommended Credit: 720+ credit score & 1.5+ years of credit history
Points Nerds Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Key Annual Benefits
Benefits Details
$200 Hilton Resort Credit — Redeemable at any property in Hilton's portfolio
Get $50 each quarter (Jan to Mar / Apr to Jun / Jul to Sep / Oct to Dec)
Applies to room or incidental (ie dining, activities, spa) purchases at Hilton.com or at the property
Eligible purchases must be charged to the Surpass card and unused credit does not roll over
Complimentary Hilton Gold Status — Hilton's Mid-Tier Loyalty Elite Status
Free Full Continental Breakfast outside the US and dining credit (~$15-$30) within the US
Free room or suite upgrades if available, Welcome amenity at check-in, and more
Earn a Free Night Certificate — By spending on your Surpass Card
After spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, a Free Night is added to your Hilton account
Redeemable at almost any property in the Hilton Portfolio
Other Benefits: National Car Rental Executive status, No Foreign Transaction Fee, Car Rental & Bag Insurance
Use your Hilton Gold benefits at any Hilton Portfolio Property worldwide
Is the Hilton Surpass Card Worth it?
Does the Surpass Card make up for its $150 Annual Fee?
As long as you use the $50 Hilton each quarter, you will get at least $200 in value for a Surpass card's $150 annual fee.
How do I get the most value out of the Hilton Surpass?
Prepay for stays to use the quarterly credit:
As long as you make an eligible charge in a given quarter, the $50 credit will apply, regardless of when the actual stay is.
Use the Hilton 5th night free benefit:
Hilton points are very easy to use and, when booking fully with Hilton points, every 5th night is free.
For example, a night at Conrad Bali, one of the top-10 Hiltons worldwide, costs 43,000 points. As a result, 5 nights would cost just 172,000 points ... covered by the welcome bonus.
Register for Hilton's Points Multiplier Promotions:
You can also enroll in Hilton promotions to supercharge your earnings.
The Surpass Card earns 30 Hilton points per dollar spent at Hilton properties, but that can
be boosted to 40x or 50x by registering for routine Hilton promotions here.
Scroll down & click "Register" to multiply your rewards. There's nearly always an offer.
Bottom Line:
Overall, the Surpass card is a good option for those who stay at Hiltons at least once a quarter but less than once a month. Hilton loyalists who stay more frequently may want to consider the Hilton Honors Aspire Card, which confers even more benefits such as Diamond status, more credits, and more.
Use your Welcome Offer points or free night certificate to get away to an ultra-luxurious Waldorf Astoria resort!