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finder.com’s rating: 4.5 / 5
★★★★★
150,000
Points as welcome offer
Up to 12x
Points
$95
Annual fee
15.74% to 24.74%
Purchase APR (variable)
Annual fee | $95 |
---|---|
Welcome Offer | 150,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, plus $150 after making a purchase in the first 3 months |
Rewards | 12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases |
Purchase APR | 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Balance transfer APR | N/A |
Recommended minimum credit score | 670 |
Issuer | American Express |
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
The $95-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is the mid-tier product among the three Hilton personal cards. It offers 12x points at Hilton properties, as well as 150,000 points after you make $2,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus a $150 statement credit when you make a purchase during the same period.
If you’re willing to pay the annual fee, you’ll find the card is a step up from Hilton’s entry-level card. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers benefits like a larger welcome offer, more points on eligible spending, a better status upgrade in the Hilton Honors program and limited complimentary access to Priority Pass airport lounges.
Because conditional credit card approval is automated on the website, you may get a decision on your application within 30 seconds. If there are issues with your application, it may take a few business days to a few weeks to hear back.
After you’re approved, you’ll typically receive your card within 7 to 10 business days.
After you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of your account opening, you’ll earn 150,000 Hilton Honors™ Bonus Points. Redeem points for hotel stays and rewards in travel, dining, shopping and more. Plus, earn a $150 statement credit when you make your first purchase during the same time frame.
Hilton Honors™ Bonus Points tend to be worth around 0.5 cents a point on average according to our valuation based on the provider site. Given that rate, 150,000 points are worth around $750 — still an excellent welcome offer.
For an idea of how far your points will go, here are a few Hilton properties and their point equivalents, based on the Hilton Honors Member Benefits site at the time of writing:
Earn 12x points on eligible purchases within Hilton Portfolio hotels and resorts.
Earn 6x points when you spend at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations. You’ll also earn 3x points on all other eligible purchases.
Each calendar year, you’ll receive 10 complimentary visits to Priority Pass™ airport lounges. There are over 1,200 lounges around the world in the Priority Pass™ collection.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has a $95 annual fee. To see whether that’s worth paying, consider the value you’ll receive from the card.
To break even on the annual fee with rewards alone, you’ll need 19,000 points. That sounds like a lot, but you could get there relatively quickly with the card’s generous point multiples.
Here’s how much you’d need to spend in various categories:
According to our valuation, 150,000 Hilton Honors points are worth $625. That’s a great value, although it’s less than what you could earn from the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
You can get more value out of the card depending on your spending and travel frequency:
Put all these features to good use, and your card could be much more valuable than its cost.
When you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you’ll earn a Weekend Night Reward. This is a certificate valid for one weekend night standard accommodation at a property in the Hilton Portfolio.
If you’re willing to search for the right property, this certificate could be valuable. Consider a property like the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, which might cost $725 on a weekend night. If you use your Weekend Night Reward there, you’ve essentially spent $15,000 for a $725 reward. That’s a 4.8% rewards rate.
Normally, you’d need to accrue 20 stays, 40 nights or 75,000 Hilton Honors Base Points in a calendar year to achieve Hilton Honors™ Gold status. With the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you’ll reach Gold without having to meet those requirements.
The Hilton Honors™ program offers robust perks even for basic members, such as digital check-in, complimentary in-room Wi-Fi and late checkout. Still, there are benefits to earning Gold. You’ll receive an 80% bonus on the Hilton Honors™ Base Points you earn, as well as a complimentary fifth night when you book a reward stay of five nights or more with all points. You’ll also receive gifts at select properties, such as complimentary refreshments and room upgrades.
If you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, you’ll earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
You won’t incur fees when you use your card abroad or on foreign websites. Typically, providers charge a 3% fee each time you use your card for an international transaction. It doesn’t sound like much, but it can add up over a trip spanning several days.
Access the Global Assist Hotline when you’re more than 100 miles from home. This provides medical, financial, legal and other emergency assistance.
And when you pay for a car rental with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and decline the collision damage waiver, the vehicle is covered against damage or theft.
On eligible items you buy with your card, you’ll receive extended warranties. You may receive Purchase Protection, which covers your items against damage or theft. And if you return an eligible item within 90 days and the merchant won’t accept it, you may qualify for a refund through Return Protection.
Get a complimentary ShopRunner membership and enjoy free two-day shipping and returns on purchases from more than 140 online stores in ShopRunner’s network, including Eddie Bauer, Express, Harry & David, Kay Jewelers, NBA Store and Neiman Marcus.
As a cardholder, you’ll have access to select events and ticket presales.
Of the two kinds of Hilton Honors™ points, Base Points are what you earn when staying at Hilton properties. They help you reach higher tiers in the Hilton Honors™ program. For example, to reach Gold, you need 75,000 Hilton Honors™ Base Points.
Currently, you’ll earn 10 Base Points per dollar you spend on Hilton Portfolio rooms and eligible room charges, like room service.
On the other hand, you earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points through promotions and by using your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card from American Express. Redeem your Hilton Honors Bonus Points for nights at Hilton Portfolio properties and rewards with Hilton’s travel, dining, shopping and entertainment partners.
Unlike other travel cards, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card doesn’t offer a $0 intro annual fee for the first year. A $95 annual fee is standard for a mid-tiered travel card.
Because the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an American Express card, you might not have as many opportunities to use it overseas as you would with a Visa or Mastercard.
If you make a late or returned payment, American Express may apply a 29.24% variable APR to all of your balances. This is known as a penalty APR, and it could apply to your account for six months or more.
For a closer look at the performance of the Amex Hilton Honors Surpass, we’ve broken down a comparison with two similar cards to help you make your choice at a glance.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
★★★★★
Rates & feesGo to site |
---|
Minimum credit score 670 |
Annual fee $95 |
Purchase APR 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Rewards 12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases |
Welcome offer 150,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, plus $150 after making a purchase in the first 3 months |
Hilton Honors American Express Card
★★★★★
Rates & feesGo to site |
---|
Minimum credit score 670 |
Annual fee $0 |
Purchase APR 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Rewards 7x points on Hilton Honors purchases, 5x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases |
Welcome offer 100,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, plus $100 after your first purchase in the first 3 months |
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
★★★★★
Rates & feesGo to site |
---|
Minimum credit score 740 |
Annual fee $550 |
Purchase APR 16.99% to 23.99% variable |
Balance transfer APR 16.99% to 23.99% variable |
Rewards 10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases |
Welcome offer 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months |
Compare even more credit cards
To apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you must be:
To complete the application, you’ll need to provide information that includes:
You’ll have a better chance of being approved for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card if you apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher. If you have a high income and excellent credit, your likelihood of approval is strong.
Here are a few other factors that might affect your odds of approval:
American Express Company has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1948 and earns an overall A+ rating as of October 2020. Despite the rating, 90% of its reviews are negative with nearly 3,500 customer complaints. Amex cardholders in general complain of rude customer service reps, missing statement credit and issues disputing charges.
The company earns a Trustpilot score of 3 out of 10. Many negative reviews cite unhelpful customer service and inflexible company policies. Positive reviews say the company employs pleasant customer service representatives. Overall, your mileage may vary with American Express customer support.
Log in to the Hilton Honors rewards portal to redeem your points.
Your rewards are good for a variety of redemption options, including:
Hotel stays often give you the best value. According to our valuations, hotel redemptions give you a 0.5-cent-per-point value on average.
If you’re willing to pay a $95 annual fee, you’ll find the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers solid rewards not offered by the Hilton Honors American Express Card. It’s a good choice whether you’re a Hilton regular or simply want to save for a few reward nights a year.
You’re not limited to just Hilton rewards when it comes to travel credit cards. Take your time and compare other options to find the right fit for your travel lifestyle.
Images: AmericanExpress.com
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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