Jun 12, 2013, 11:05 am
Last edit by: vah4883
Limited-time offers
Hilton HHonors American Express card. 80,000 points for spending $2,000 in 3 months; no annual fee. Ends May 31, 2017
Hilton HHonors American Express Ascend card. 100,000 points for spending $3,000 ; $95 annual fee.
Hilton HHonors American Express card application page. 75,000 points for spending $1,000 in 3 months; no annual fee.
Public offer expired Feb 1, 2017 (this link brings up a page: "This campaign has expired. Thank you for your interest."), but Refer a Friend links still active. This one has the referral ID stripped out.
Citi HH Visa 40K application page (spend $1K/4 mos.)
Ongoing offersPublic offer expired Feb 1, 2017 (this link brings up a page: "This campaign has expired. Thank you for your interest."), but Refer a Friend links still active. This one has the referral ID stripped out.
Citi HH Visa 40K application page (spend $1K/4 mos.)
- This offer does not contain an explicit 24-month restriction.
If you apply using this link & are not instantly approved, DO NOT CALL CITI.
Calling in risks alerting Citi to the offer and having it withdrawn.
Amex HH Surpass Card
FlyerTalk discussion thread: The Hilton HHonors® Surpass(SM) Card from American Express Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card Citi HH Visa 60K application page. You can also apply by calling 1-866-615-2274.
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose] Basic Amex HH Card
FAQ- Annual fee: $75, no first-year waiver.
- Signup bonus: 75K points for spending $3K in the first 3 months.
- Earning: 12 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 6 points/$ at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets & gas stations; and 3 points/$ on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Gold status for as long as you have the card and Diamond status after $40,000 in annual spend.
- Booking bonus: 500 bonus points for every stay (including award stays) booked directly with Hilton & guaranteed with the card
- Important limitation on this offer: "Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product."
FlyerTalk discussion thread: The Hilton HHonors® Surpass(SM) Card from American Express
- Annual fee: $95, no first-year waiver.
- Signup bonus: 2 free weekend nights after $2500 in spend within four months. These free nights are valid at all Hilton redemption categories, including Waldorf Astoria properties.
- Anniversary bonus: 1 free weekend night each year after $10,000 in spend.
- Earning: 10 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend, 5 points per dollar on air and car rental, and 3 on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Gold status for as long as you have the card and Diamond status after $40,000 in annual spend.
- No foreign currency transaction fees.
- Important limitation on this offer: "Weekend Night Certificates offer is not available if you have had a Citi Hilton HHonors Card account that was opened or closed in the past 24 months.."
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card
- No annual fee.
- Signup bonus: 60K points for spending $1K in the first 4 months
- Earning: 6 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 3 points/$ at U.S. supermarkets, drugstores & gas stations; and 2 points/$ on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Silver status for as long as you have the card.
- Fast track To Gold status: After four qualifying stays within your first 91 days of cardmembership, receive Gold status through the end of the following calendar year.
- Important limitation on this offer: "Hilton HHonors Bonus Points offer not available if you have had a Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card account that was opened or closed in the past 24 months."
Flyertalk discussion thread: Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose]
Offer for 50K points (spend $750/3mos.) + $50 credit for first purchase: Make a dummy reservation on Hilton site. Offer will appear on page before final booking. (Cannot be linked to directly.)
Offer for 50K points (spend $750/3mos.)
Offer for 50K points (spend $750/3mos.)
- No annual fee.
- Earning: 7 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 5 points/$ at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets & gas stations; and 3 on everything else.
- Elite status: Hilton Silver status for as long as you have the card and Gold status after $20,000 in annual spend.
- Booking bonus: 500 bonus points for every stay (including award stays) booked directly with Hilton & guaranteed with the card
1. Are these cards churnable?
As of May 1, 2014, Amex will not give a signup bonus to card applicants who have held the card in the past ~7 years, even if the applicant has never earned a previous signup bonus for it. However, it is still possible to upgrade an existing Hilton Amex to the Surpass card to earn a bonus (and reportedly to do this more than once by later downgrading & then upgrading again). The best strategy is to earn a Surpass signup bonus first, and only afterward pursue the upgrade bonus(es).
In August 2016, Citi began inserting language into applications and landing pages requiring a 24-month wait from the date of the opening or closure of any Citi Hilton card. Previously, the Citi Hilton Signature Visa and Reserve cards were on separate clocks for each applicant. Now there is a single 24-month clock reset by open/close of either type of card. For more info, see the wiki at Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose].
2. I have met the spending. When will my bonus post?
For Amex cards, the bonus will post a few days after meeting the spend. The points from the actual spend will post after statement is generated. For Citi products, bonus points post only at statement close.
3. What happened to the Amex drugstore category spending bonus?
Changes to Hilton Amex cards as of May 2013 are explained here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...at-we-thought/
4. What is the link to upgrade from no fee card to Surpass card for 50,000 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months?
This link redirects to this landing page. Application page.
You need to be logged into your Amex account first, then click on the link above, then click Upgrade. (This does not work for all people. It is suspected that only people that have had the no-fee card for at least one year are able to upgrade to the Surpass card.) There is generally no hard pull on your credit report for upgrading.
5. Does having one of these Hilton cards preclude me from successfully earning the signup bonus on a different one?
No. All four cards are separate products. Having (or having previously had) one of them has no effect on your bonus eligibility for the others--but note, as discussed in FAQ #1, that opening or closing any Citi Hilton card will affect your eligibility for any new Citi Hilton card bonus.
As of May 1, 2014, Amex will not give a signup bonus to card applicants who have held the card in the past ~7 years, even if the applicant has never earned a previous signup bonus for it. However, it is still possible to upgrade an existing Hilton Amex to the Surpass card to earn a bonus (and reportedly to do this more than once by later downgrading & then upgrading again). The best strategy is to earn a Surpass signup bonus first, and only afterward pursue the upgrade bonus(es).
In August 2016, Citi began inserting language into applications and landing pages requiring a 24-month wait from the date of the opening or closure of any Citi Hilton card. Previously, the Citi Hilton Signature Visa and Reserve cards were on separate clocks for each applicant. Now there is a single 24-month clock reset by open/close of either type of card. For more info, see the wiki at Citi Hilton HHonors VISA [60k-75k, read Wiki to choose].
2. I have met the spending. When will my bonus post?
For Amex cards, the bonus will post a few days after meeting the spend. The points from the actual spend will post after statement is generated. For Citi products, bonus points post only at statement close.
3. What happened to the Amex drugstore category spending bonus?
Changes to Hilton Amex cards as of May 2013 are explained here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...at-we-thought/
4. What is the link to upgrade from no fee card to Surpass card for 50,000 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months?
This link redirects to this landing page. Application page.
You need to be logged into your Amex account first, then click on the link above, then click Upgrade. (This does not work for all people. It is suspected that only people that have had the no-fee card for at least one year are able to upgrade to the Surpass card.) There is generally no hard pull on your credit report for upgrading.
5. Does having one of these Hilton cards preclude me from successfully earning the signup bonus on a different one?
No. All four cards are separate products. Having (or having previously had) one of them has no effect on your bonus eligibility for the others--but note, as discussed in FAQ #1, that opening or closing any Citi Hilton card will affect your eligibility for any new Citi Hilton card bonus.
Ongoing offers for Hilton cards issued by Amex or Citi
Mar 26, 2017, 8:50 am
#1156
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
A letter from Amex, I presume. But you threw in Citi AA in your explanation:
and that muddies the waters, because Citi uses MC for AA cards and does indeed support chip + PIN on their MC cards (including their AA cards of recent years).
If you hadn't mentioned Citi AA, I wouldn't have brought this up at all.
If you hadn't mentioned Citi AA, I wouldn't have brought this up at all.
Mar 27, 2017, 3:27 pm
#1157
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 71
I applied for Amex Surpass card, and for the first time I receive a message saying they couldn't approve me. I call in, and after quite a bit of hold, the rep says I am denied because I currently have a card in same Hilton family (I have regular Amex HHonors card, never had Surpass before). She said I will also receive a letter stating same thing.
Is this correct? I thought I could apply for Surpass card while currently holding regular Amex HHonors card. Should I cancel my regular no-AF version and apply again?
If it matters, I currently have 4 Amex credit cards and 1 Amex charge card. However, I was approved for personal Amex Delta in January, and approved for Amex Blue for Business in February. I didn't think business app would count against me so I applied for the Surpass.
Thanks in advance.
Is this correct? I thought I could apply for Surpass card while currently holding regular Amex HHonors card. Should I cancel my regular no-AF version and apply again?
If it matters, I currently have 4 Amex credit cards and 1 Amex charge card. However, I was approved for personal Amex Delta in January, and approved for Amex Blue for Business in February. I didn't think business app would count against me so I applied for the Surpass.
Thanks in advance.
Mar 27, 2017, 4:09 pm
#1158
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
I applied for Amex Surpass card, and for the first time I receive a message saying they couldn't approve me. I call in, and after quite a bit of hold, the rep says I am denied because I currently have a card in same Hilton family (I have regular Amex HHonors card, never had Surpass before). She said I will also receive a letter stating same thing.
Is this correct? I thought I could apply for Surpass card while currently holding regular Amex HHonors card. Should I cancel my regular no-AF version and apply again?
Is this correct? I thought I could apply for Surpass card while currently holding regular Amex HHonors card. Should I cancel my regular no-AF version and apply again?
Mar 27, 2017, 4:33 pm
#1159
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Navy A-4 Skyhawk, B727 FE/FO, S80 FO, B757/767 FO, B737 CA
Posts: 1,342
Is there the possibility that he has too many Amex cards? Limit used to be 4 but recently I've seen people can now get 5, though that might not be universal. Maybe he was ineligible for another card so they offered him an upgrade?
Mar 27, 2017, 4:43 pm
#1160
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 71
I will wait for the letter, call in, and verify before canceling my no-AF version. I do have an upgrade offer to Surpass for 100k bonus when I log into my no-AF version, however I would like to apply separately for the 100k + 1 FN after 1st year, which I really would like to use. I would hate to cancel my no-AF version and be left with no options whatsoever.
Thanks.
Mar 27, 2017, 5:38 pm
#1161
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,956
How long has it been open? Some posters have reported similar rejections if applying for Everyday Preferred while holding Everyday, but others have been approved if they have held Everyday for (say) more than a year.
Mar 30, 2017, 8:24 am
#1162
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,956
Moderator action
Tangential discussion of the utility of the ATM PIN provided by American Express has been exported to the American Express forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...liability.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...liability.html
Apr 11, 2017, 3:37 pm
#1163
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
I had a HHonors Surpass a couple of years ago (which I cancelled) and I still have a regular HHonors Amex (no fee). Last night, I had a targeted offer in my online account for 100k Hilton points to upgrade to a Surpass. I scoured the T&C but could not find anything about not getting the bonus if you've had a Surpass previously. Doesn't mean it isn't there somewhere - I just couldn't find anything. Any risk to taking their upgrade offer?
Apr 12, 2017, 2:13 pm
#1164
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
I had a HHonors Surpass a couple of years ago (which I cancelled) and I still have a regular HHonors Amex (no fee). Last night, I had a targeted offer in my online account for 100k Hilton points to upgrade to a Surpass. I scoured the T&C but could not find anything about not getting the bonus if you've had a Surpass previously. Doesn't mean it isn't there somewhere - I just couldn't find anything. Any risk to taking their upgrade offer?
Apr 12, 2017, 3:21 pm
#1165
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
I'm going to give it a try. There is nothing in the T&C's on the offer that says anthing about not being eligible by having a Surpass previously. I'll report back once I make the spend.
Apr 12, 2017, 6:17 pm
#1166
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
I have done this for myself, my wife and my dad.
I am upgrading my dad again this month via the new 100K Surpass offer.
Apr 13, 2017, 12:11 pm
#1167
Join Date: May 2003
Location: CA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,879
If you go to the "Rates and Fees" page: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...it-card/36205? It has the once in a lifetime exclusion.
Apr 13, 2017, 4:12 pm
#1168
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
There have been many upgrade links that have the once in a lifetime language. For example: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...dit-card/36205
If you go to the "Rates and Fees" page: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...it-card/36205? It has the once in a lifetime exclusion.
If you go to the "Rates and Fees" page: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...it-card/36205? It has the once in a lifetime exclusion.
With the AXON benefit also now eliminated there is no need for us to have any Hilton Amex cards.
Last edited by flyer4512; Apr 13, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Apr 13, 2017, 6:48 pm
#1169
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
Interesting. I tried to open the T&C on the offer several times today but it wouldn't load. As recently as 10 minutes ago. Now, the offer has completely disappeared from my account. It was good until May 31 so they have obviously taken it down. Did they read this thread perhaps? Does anyone still have it showing?
Apr 13, 2017, 7:45 pm
#1170
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
Interesting. I tried to open the T&C on the offer several times today but it wouldn't load. As recently as 10 minutes ago. Now, the offer has completely disappeared from my account. It was good until May 31 so they have obviously taken it down. Did they read this thread perhaps? Does anyone still have it showing?
I still see the offer, good until 5/31. Since I have upgraded via this route several times ( as recently as April 2016) and always received the bonus I would have never even looked for the new wording.
Instead of upgrading my dad to a surpass I got him another Arrival.