Best in Class
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Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
The Hilton Honors Surpass Card is ideal for the casual Hilton loyalist. The regular 130,000 (current special 130,000)-point sign-up bonus offers excellent value if you're looking for a Hilton-specific card. While the $150 annual fee is notable, staying at Hilton properties a few times per year makes the perks worthwhile. These benefits include $200 in Hilton statement credits (distributed as $50 quarterly) and complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. The card also offers valuable spending bonuses, such as earning 6x points on restaurants, groceries, and gas stations, helping you accumulate Hilton Honors points quickly.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
The 130,000 (current special 130,000)-point sign-up bonus provides great value for the Hilton Honors Surpass Card. It offers a balanced set of benefits for those who enjoy Hilton stays without traveling frequently enough to justify the more expensive Hilton Honors Aspire Card. The $150 annual fee can be offset by perks like complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and the $200 Hilton statement credit. Remember that this credit comes as $50 quarterly increments, which is important to consider when deciding whether to keep the card long-term.
The earning structure is impressive. The Surpass Card offers:
- 12x points for spending directly with Hilton
- 6x points on restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations
- 4x points on online retail purchases
- 3x points on everything else
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
Here are a few scenarios where this card might not be ideal:
- You don’t value Hilton Gold status or stay at Hilton properties often enough to use the statement credits, especially since they are spread throughout the year.
- You travel frequently and prefer Hilton properties, so the higher-fee Hilton Honors Aspire Card ($550 annual fee) could offer more substantial benefits.
What to Know About Hilton Honors
Quality hotels but points go fast with high per night point cost.
- Amex’s one-card-per-lifetime rule makes it difficult to accrue Hilton points using Hilton cards exclusively.
- Hilton is part of the Amex partner reward system and at 1:2 is a decent transfer value.
- Hilton has high quality hotels and excellent coverage both in the US and internationally.
- We recommend this system as more of a filler. Either as a specific destination or an upscale IHG when no Hyatt stays are available.
How The Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card Fits In The Hilton Honors Ecosystem
The Hilton Honors Surpass Card occupies a strategic middle position in Hilton's credit card lineup with its $150 annual fee. This placement makes it an attractive option for regular Hilton guests who want valuable benefits without paying premium prices.
Hilton's credit card hierarchy offers clear choices for different traveler profiles:
- Entry Level: Hilton Honors American Express ($0 annual fee)
- Offers an 80,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $1,000 in six months
- Provides basic benefits but lacks the premium perks of higher-tier cards
- Best for infrequent Hilton guests who want to earn points with no ongoing cost
- Mid-Tier: Hilton Honors Surpass Card ($150 annual fee)
- Balances cost with meaningful benefits for regular Hilton guests
- Features quarterly $50 statement credits that can offset the annual fee
- Includes automatic Gold status, enhancing the value of each Hilton stay
- Premium: Hilton Honors Aspire Card ($550 annual fee)
- Provides luxury benefits justified only for frequent Hilton travelers
- Significantly more expensive but offers correspondingly greater perks
For business travelers, the Hilton Honors American Express Business card ($195 annual fee) presents an alternative to the Surpass with similar benefits. Its key advantage is that it doesn't count against Chase's 5/24 rule, making it worth considering if you're approaching this limit but still want access to the Hilton ecosystem.
The Surpass card's position makes it particularly valuable for those who might start with the no-fee card but want more benefits as their Hilton stays increase. It also serves as an excellent entry point if you're planning even a single Hilton stay, as the sign-up bonus alone can justify the first year's fee, with the option to downgrade before the second year if needed.
My Experience, No Filter
You may be surprised that I really liked this card because, as previously mentioned, I’m not a huge fan of Amex and I’m not loyal to Hilton. But I had a specific destination in mind, Japan, and after doing a little research, I realized that Hilton had more options for us than other brands. Since we were staying in Hiltons and traveling abroad, the Gold status with free breakfast, room upgrades, the fifth night free, and no foreign transaction fees were all useful.
You’ll want to wait for a sign up offer that includes one free night, since that will completely offset the annual fee. I’m also the kind of hobbyist who doesn’t want to keep track of which quarter I’m in to get the most from my cards, which is why the $50 quarterly credits feel tiresome to remember. On the flip side, I love that this card earns 6x points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants, and 4x on U.S. online purchases. Those are my biggest spend categories, so for me it made sense.
Card Information
Bonus Points
130,000
Minimum Spend
$3,000 / 6mo
Point Value
0.5 ¢
Annual Value
Annual Fee
$150
1st Year Value
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Differentiating Perks
Hilton Honors Gold Status
Quarterly $50 Hilton Credits
National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status
12X on Hilton Hotels & Resorts
6X on Restaurants
6X on Grocery Stores
6X on Gas Stations
4X on U.S. Online Retail
3X on All Purchases
Potential Boosts
1 Free Night Reward
Card Extras
Extra
Worth/Fit
Est. Value
Total Annual Value
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No extras to display for this card.
Card Benefits
No benefits are available for this card.
Historical Card Offers
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Average Frequency
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Average Offer Length
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Estimated Next Offer
Start Date
Offer Length
Bonus
Minimum Spend
Spend Categories
6¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
3¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
3¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
3¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
2¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
2¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
U.S Online
1.5¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
Hilton Honors Surpass Application Rules
You'll be declined if you apply for a third Amex card in 90 days
Amex will decline your application if you already have 5 credit cards (not charge) and apply for a sixth
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
Amex allows only 1 bonus per specific card every 7 years (yours or that version of the card)
After you apply, Amex may show a pop-up saying you're ineligible for the welcome bonus
Point Transfer Options
+16 Lower Value Transfers Show
Malaysia Airlines Enrich
Value: 1¢
24% Value Retained
10:1.2
Best for Series
Below is a snapshot of where this card performs best compared to the other cards in our database:
Rank
3rd
Rank
3rd
Honorable Mention
Rank
2nd
Honorable Mention
Rank
3rd
Honorable Mention
Rank
4th
Honorable Mention
Rank
7th
Honorable Mention
Ranking of Cards Offering Hilton Honors
Downgrade Options
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors