HockeyCoachBen

I'm pretty sure the first 8 stays bonus will be received regardless of the promotion offered...that is a standard offer for AmEx Hilton cards.

Also, the 40k is the first spend bonus which you won't get 100% of. You will receive the 40,000 minus whatever first spend bonus you got on the regular HHonor AmEx card.

So, no need to fear "screwing" yourself.

What seems to be the confusion right now as I sit on hold with AmEx Customer Care with wether you are in fact eligible for the first spend bonus and the 50K bonus for $3k spend in 90 days or if the two cancel each other out.

How I read the T&C the two look stackable. AmEx CC is saying not so much...you are only entitled to 50,000 points TOTAL.

I'll update as I get answers.

HockeyCoachBen

Latest update is that the 50k with $3k spend in 90 days was supposed to supercede the first spend bonus.

However, you are still eligible for the 2500 points for each of the first 8 stays which equals an additional 20k HHonors points. CS rep confirmed by checking my account and seeing that my two recent stays posted the 2500 point bonus no problem.

You also still receive the 500 point bonus for booking online using Hilton AmEx card.

So, the potential bonus for upgrading to the Surpass card is 74,000... 50,000 spend + 20,000 first 8 stays + 4,000 online booking.

srodr

I hope you're right, but the phone agent was very clear. She made no mention that the 40k would be reduced by what I already received. She assured me that I would get 40k pkus 20k. Had I taken her offer and then gotten nothing (I think I already got 50k for the original card) I would have blown a gasket.


Additionally, there was no mention of the 2500 per stay on the webpage with the 50k offer, so again I hope you're right.

yoyo

That is what's on the T&C but YMMV. I applied for both Hilton regular and Surpass on the same day and received the full spend bonus on both. Unfortunately due to the severe devaluation of the HH points I have cancelled all my hilton credit cards and I am looking to burn all HH points.

See Premium Room Reward only scam

fumbalah

I got an email yesterday saying I could upgrade my AMEX Hilton to the Surpass and receive 50,000 bonus points. Is this worthwhile do you think with the $75 annual fee.

Droch

If your gonna travel quite a bit to hiltons with the executive club and especially if you are going international, the gold gets you free internet, upgrades to executive club rooms and the lounge. Also gold point saver rewards.
I stayed 10 nights in europe and got upgraded everywhere free internet at 25 eur a night and so on. Plus bonus points and 9x points for stays at hilton.

If your gonna stay at hilton then its well worth it.

Darrell

emax48

Worth it. I've been waiting for this one myself since, as I understand it, I won't be able to get a surpass sign-up bonus having received the regular sign-up bonus already.

BOShappyflyer

I think it's worth it. But I'm working on some other spend for family members so I won't upgrade yet (required 3k in spending, which I could easily meet, but since there's other spend...) This is 50,000 for "upgrading" the card to Surpass, so contrary to what emax48 indicated, it seems to me (based on the offer) that you can get this upgrade bonus.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. If someone else has done it, I'd love to hear that experience.

emax48

I think that's correct. I wasn't contradicting that... what I mean to say above is that I already got the non-surpass sign-up bonus, so I don't think I can get the Surpass sign-up bonus (correct me if I'm wrong!), so it'd be really nice to get targeted for this upgrade offer

BOShappyflyer

Sorry, then I think I had misunderstood you. Thanks for the clarification - I thought you'd never had the Surpass before. My mistake.

mia

Moved to HHonors forum which is the preferred section for discussion of this card.

crabbing

for a more precise "worth it or not" calculation, if you are saving HH points for stays, i ballpark 40k for a stay worth $120 on the standard amex. so 50k for an annual fee of $75 works out to a savings of $150. in other words, the bonus basically covers two years of the fee on the card, exclusive of the benefits of surpass over standard HH amex (plat v. gold based on annual spend, 1st year gold automatically, and points bonuses).

jjkpartsman

I think each persons situation is different, I do agree if you stay at Hilton then it is worth the upgrade. I personally will be upgrading when the time comes. Now you can meet the gold status on both cards with the min spend per year, however it will cost with the surpass. Unless your spend is closer to the 40k per year for diamond, then I would upgrade then downgrade in a year when the annual fee comes due. That way you get the bonus and status for a year.

lkar

I did not get this offer via e-mail, but when I'm logged into my account, I can see it.

Seems to be a pretty good deal for $75.

MJLouise

Can you downgrade midyear and get a prorated refund? Say after a big trip staying at Hiltons.