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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer. If you're looking for ways to save on your next Hilton hotel stay and don't mind paying an annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is one of the best Hilton credit cards to consider.
The card offers high earning rates, travel perks, and a high welcome bonus. Earn 12X points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 6X points for purchases at U.
S. restaurants, at U.S.
supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
Earn 4X points on U.S. online retail purchases.
Earn 3X points for all other eligible purchases. $150 N/A 20.99% - 29.
99% Variable Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward Good to Excellent Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High welcome bonus Check mark icon A check mark.
It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Complimentary Hilton Gold status Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
Generous bonus categories for earning points con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Weekend night reward requires spending $15,000 on the card in a year con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not much in the way of complimentary benefits beyond Hilton Gold status This card is a terrific choice if you stay with Hilton, even occasionally.
It balances excellent benefits, including Gold status and 10 airport lounge visits per year, with a modest annual fee. And while it doesn't come with an automatic free night certificate on your account anniversary, you can earn one by spending $15,000 on the card in a year. Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Offer Ends 7/31/2024. Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.
S. supermarkets, and at U.S.
gas stations. Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S.
Online Retail Purchases. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card. Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors TM Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton HonorsTM Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year. Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status.
Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club® program is required. Terms apply. No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad. $150 annual fee. Terms Apply.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns terrific rewards rates in multiple categories like Hilton hotel bookings, restaurants, gas stations, and more. Plus, it has excellent benefits like Hilton Gold status and 10 annual free Priority Pass airport lounge visits for a modest $150 annual fee. Hilton Surpass Card Review: Is It the Best Credit Card for You? The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass is offering a welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024).
The points alone are worth around $650 in stays, according to Business Insider's valuations. This is enough points to cover a splurge at luxurious Hilton brands like Waldorf Astoria and Conrad — or you can stretch your points for longer stays at budget-friendly favorites like Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is best suited for Hilton loyalists and frequent travelers who spend big on travel bookings and on-the-road expenses like gas and dining.
With that, if you're looking to boost your Hilton balance quickly, using this card on everyday expenses is a great way to earn a ton of points. But if you don't want to be restricted to only earning points at Hilton hotels, you should look for a different travel credit card that earns points without being tied to a specific hotel chain. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth an average of $1,080 in travel based on our valuation of Chase points ).
You can transfer points to Marriott, IHG, or Hyatt, or redeem them for just about any hotel through the Chase Travel SM Portal at 1.25 cents each. On the other hand, if you're looking for even more perks and don't mind a higher annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card can be an even better choice for frequent travelers, because it comes with top-tier Diamond status, airline fee and Hilton resort credits, and unlimited Priority Pass visits**.
Or, for flexibility, consider a card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points like The Platinum Card® from American Express (which also offers Hilton Gold status**) or the American Express® Gold Card . You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points from these cards to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, and occasionally there are transfer bonuses. See our picks for the best credit cards » Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Wells Fargo AutographSM Card Hilton Surpass Card Welcome Bonus Offer The Hilton Surpass is offering a welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024).
The points alone are worth around $650 in stays, according to Business Insider's valuations. This is enough points to cover a splurge at luxurious Hilton brands like Waldorf Astoria and Conrad — or you can stretch your points for longer stays at budget-friendly favorites like Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn. How to Earn Points With the Hilton Surpass Card The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns the most points at Hilton hotels, but it's also good for earning bonus points in useful everyday spending categories.
Cardholders earn: 12x points on eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio 6x points at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery) 6x points on groceries at U.
S. supermarkets 6x points on gas at U.S.
gas stations 4x points on U.S. online retail purchases 3x points on all other eligible purchases Because Business Insider's points and miles valuations peg Hilton points value at 0.
5 cents each, on average, this means you'll get a minimum of 1.5% back on spending. How to Use Points From the Hilton Surpass Card Again, Business Insider values Hilton points at 0.
5 cents apiece — so if you're receiving that rate or better when you redeem your points, you're getting a good deal. Of course, it's possible to get significantly more value from your points, especially when you use them for stays at expensive luxury hotels. Redeem on Hilton Hotel stays The Hilton Honors program includes over 7,000 hotels in 123 countries and territories, so it's easy to redeem your points just about anywhere you go.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts Canopy by Hilton Curio Collection by Hilton DoubleTree by Hilton Embassy Suites by Hilton Hampton Inn by Hilton Hilton Hotels Hilton Garden Inn Hilton Grand Vacations Home2 Suites by Hilton Homewood Suites by Hilton LXR Motto by Hilton Signia by Hilton Spark by Hilton Tapestry Collection by Hilton Tempo by Hilton Tru by Hilton Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts Typically, the most valuable way to redeem your Hilton points is on award nights, either for a completely free stay or by combining points and cash. It's important to note, Hilton doesn't have a standard award chart; instead, the price of an award night at a particular hotel fluctuates based on demand, cash price, and season. Standard award nights start at 5,000 Hilton points up to 95,000 points (with a couple of exceptions that go up to 150,000 points), but premium awards — for better rooms, suites, or high-demand dates — can cost much more.
Keep in mind the lowest-priced Hilton hotels are usually budget-friendly brands (like Tru by Hilton or Hampton Inn) located off the beaten path; upscale hotels in big cities or luxury resorts will cost more points. For example, you can book an overwater villa at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island for 120,000 points a night instead of paying over $1,300 with cash. Or, you can stretch your points at hotels like the Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown/N Loop/Michigan Avenue, where low-season rates are as little as 25,000 points per night.
Always be sure to compare the cash price to the award rate, because sometimes the paid rate is so low it's better to save your points for a higher-value redemption. The Gold elite status you automatically receive with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card qualifies you for the fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more. This is another great way to stretch your points if you want to make them last.
Transfer Hilton points to airlines Hilton Honors partners with over 20 airlines, and you can transfer points at varying ratios depending on the program. This typically won't result in the best value, but if you won't be using points for stays it's an option for other types of travel. Redeem Hilton points for experiences, events, merchandise, and more Other options for redeeming Hilton points also won't get you the highest value, but they could be helpful in certain circumstances: Hilton experiences — Use points for exclusive events, dining, and tours Use Hilton points for event credits — Starting at 25,000 points for up to $50 credit Redeem Hilton points at Amazon — A poor value; you'll get just 0.
2 cents per point Donate Hilton points to charity — For every 10,000 points you donate, Hilton will send $25 to a charity of your choice Use Hilton points toward Lyft rides — Again, not the best value; you'll typically get around 0.2 cents per point Pool or transfer Hilton points to a friend — Send up to 2 million points per year to friends or family with no fee, or pool your points with up to 11 people to save for a redemption Hilton points expire if there's no activity in your account for 24 months. Spending on a Hilton credit card like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an easy way to keep your points from expiring until you're ready to travel.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card comes with a lot of useful perks that can improve your travel experience and save you money. Free night award certificate When you spend $15,000 or more on eligible purchases in a calendar year with your card, you can receive a free night certificate which can be redeemed at almost any Hilton property in existence — even the ones that cost 150,000 points per night. Automatic Hilton Gold elite status Cardholders receive Hilton Gold status as long as their card is open and in good standing.
Free continental breakfast (currently awarded as a food and beverage credit at US properties) Room upgrades when available Fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more 80% points bonus on paid stays Free bottled water Elite rollover nights Keep in mind that if you spend $40,000 or more on eligible purchases in a calendar year with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you'll get upgraded to Hilton Diamond elite status through the end of the following calendar year. Hilton Diamond status is even more valuable as it comes with all the benefits of Gold status, plus a 100% points bonus on paid stays, better upgrades, executive lounge access, and premium Wi-Fi. Priority Pass airport lounge access When you have the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you can enroll in a complimentary Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership**, with 10 free visits included per year.
While other, more premium cards offer a membership with unlimited visits, you'll usually have to pay a much higher annual fee — so this is a good option if you only travel a few times a year. Car rental loss and damage insurance When you pay for your car rental with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter, you can get secondary coverage for damage to or theft of the vehicle. Some countries and vehicle types are excluded, so be sure to read the terms and conditions before you rent and note that liability insurance isn't included.
Secondary car rental insurance will only cover amounts left over after your primary (personal) car insurance pays out. Some credit cards, like the Sapphire Preferred Card , offer primary car rental insurance, which doesn't require you to file a claim with your personal policy to get reimbursed. Baggage insurance plan If you pay for a covered trip with Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you can be covered for baggage loss or damage, up to $500 per person for checked bags, and $1,250 per person for carry-on luggage.
There are exclusions for high-risk items and some states have different limits, so check the terms and conditions for specific details. Purchase protection When you pay for an eligible item with Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, purchase protection can cover theft or damage that occurs within 90 days of purchase, up to a maximum of $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per account per calendar year. Extended warranty The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card comes with up to one additional year of extended warranty coverage for eligible new purchases in the US or its territories, on manufacturer's warranties of five years or less.
Global Assist Hotline Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card members can access Amex's Global Assist Hotline when they're traveling 100 or more miles from home. This service can provide help with issues like translation services, missing luggage, emergency legal and medical referrals, and lost passports, but you'll be responsible for any third-party costs. Earn 12X points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
Earn 6X points for purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.
S. supermarkets, and at U.S.
gas stations. Earn 4X points on U.S.
online retail purchases. Earn 3X points for all other eligible purchases. $150 N/A 20.
99% - 29.99% Variable Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward Good to Excellent Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
High welcome bonus Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Complimentary Hilton Gold status Check mark icon A check mark.
It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous bonus categories for earning points con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Weekend night reward requires spending $15,000 on the card in a year con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'.
Not much in the way of complimentary benefits beyond Hilton Gold status This card is a terrific choice if you stay with Hilton, even occasionally. It balances excellent benefits, including Gold status and 10 airport lounge visits per year, with a modest annual fee. And while it doesn't come with an automatic free night certificate on your account anniversary, you can earn one by spending $15,000 on the card in a year.
Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 7/31/2024. Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S.
restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.
S. gas stations. Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.
S. Online Retail Purchases. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors TM Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton HonorsTM Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club® program is required. Terms apply.
No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad. $150 annual fee.
Terms Apply. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has a $150 annual fee, but it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees , so it's a good choice for international purchases. You'll want to avoid carrying a balance on the card, because if you do, a 20.
99% - 29.99% Variable APR applies You'll also pay fees in other situations, including: Cash advance fee Late payment fee Returned payment fee Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card Annual fee $150 $95 $99 Rewards rate 12x points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels 6x points per dollar spent at eligible U.S.
restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.
S. gas stations 4x points on U.S.
online retail purchases 3x points per dollar on all other eligible purchases 17x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels 2x points on everything else 10x points on purchases at IHG Hotels and Resorts (up to 26x)* 10x points with this card* Up to 10x points for being an IHG Rewards Member* Up to 6x points with Platinum Elite Status* 5x points on eligible purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants 3 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases Welcome bonus offer 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024) three Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from your account opening 5 free nights, each valued at up to 60,000 points, after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening Travel benefits Hilton Gold elite status Upgrade to Diamond status after you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year Free night certificate after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership with 10 free visits per year Secondary car rental insurance Baggage insurance plan Global Assist Hotline Purchase protection Extended warranty Access to discounts and bonus points through Amex Offers No foreign transaction fees Marriott Silver elite status Upgrade to Gold status after you spend $35,000 on eligible purchases in an account anniversary year Free night certificate each card anniversary, valid at Marriott hotels that cost 35,000 points or less 15 elite night credits each calendar year Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary car rental insurance otherwise) Lost luggage reimbursement Trip delay reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Purchase protection Extended warranty Travel and emergency assistance services Visa Signature concierge No foreign transaction fees IHG Platinum elite status Free night certificate each card anniversary, valid at IHG hotels that cost 40,000 points or less Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit Fourth reward night free on standard award stays of three nights or longer 10,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases and make one additional purchase each account anniversary year 20% discount on points purchases Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Cell phone protection Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Travel accident insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Travel and emergency assistance services Purchase protection Extended warranty No foreign transaction fees Review Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card review IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card review Even if you only stay with Hilton occasionally, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is worth it for the perks it offers. In the first year, the welcome bonus offer alone is worth many times more than the fee, and benefits like Hilton Gold status and Priority Pass airport lounge access can save you money and make your travels more comfortable. That said, if you're completely opposed to paying an annual fee, you still have options.
The no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card also offers a welcome bonus (70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024)) — and although it doesn't come with as many benefits, it's still a good choice for infrequent Hilton travelers. Most people who are approved for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card have a good to excellent credit score , which means a FICO score of at least 670. If you're still working on your credit, read our guides on improving your credit score and how to build credit with a credit card .
It's free to add authorized users to your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, as long as they're at least 13 years old. Any points earned from their spending will be credited to the primary cardholder's Hilton account and count toward meeting spending thresholds for higher elite status and free night certificates. Keep in mind you'll be responsible for any purchases made by your authorized users.
Authorized users do not receive additional benefits like Hilton Gold status or Priority Pass Select membership. If you already have a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card open, you won't be able to open another one. Amex also has a one bonus, per person, per lifetime rule, so if you've already received the bonus on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the past (even when it was previously called the Hilton Honors Amex Ascend Card), you aren't eligible to receive it again.
However, it is possible to have more than one type of Hilton card open at a time. So, for example, if you already have The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card , Hilton Honors American Express Card, or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you could still qualify for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Our team of experts on Business Insider's credit cards team reviewed the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass in comparison to other co-branded Hilton credit cards and to competing hotel credit cards with similar annual fees from chains like Marriott, IHG, Hyatt, Wyndham, and Choice.
We looked at several factors that included: Ease of use — Does the card have a straightforward rewards program? Do you have to jump through hoops or memorize complicated award rules to redeem your points? Rewards earning — How does the welcome bonus compare to offers on similar cards. Are there generous bonus categories that are useful to a broad range of customers, and are any limited to a maximum amount of spending? Fees — Is the annual fee easy to justify by the card's benefits, like elite status or annual free nights? Can you get stung by other charges, like foreign transaction fees or a high APR? Benefits — Do the card's benefits make travel easier or cheaper? Are any unique or unusual? Here's more about how we rate credit cards at Business Insider for a closer look at our methodology..
