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The Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express (formerly called Ascend)

Old May 26, 2014, 3:09 pm
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Last edit by: rrgg
Hilton HHonors American Express Surpass card. 155,000 points for spending $3,000 in 3 months; $95 annual fee. Offer Expires Apr. 17, 2024
Hilton HHonors American Express Surpass card. 170,000 points for spending $3,000 in 3 months; $95 annual fee. Expired Jan 17 2024
Hilton HHonors American Express Surpass card. 130,000 points for spending $4,000 in 4 months; $95 annual fee. OFFER EXPIRED AUG 28.
Hilton HHonors American Express Ascend card
. 75,000 points for spending $2,000 in 3 months+ 25,000 points after additional $1000 in 6 months; $95 annual fee.
  • Important limitation on this offer: "Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product."

Note: For existing Surpass card holders, AMEX verbally confirmed that on or after 20 January 2018, card holders can call in and request cards be converted to Aspire - while maintaining the same credit card number, balance limits, PIN, etc.

Card features:
  • Annual fee: $95 $150, no first-year waiver.
  • Earning: 12 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend; 6 points/$ at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets & gas stations; 4 points for online retail purchases (as of 2023); 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

Check your application status

Linking Amex Ascend Surpass to your Hilton Honors account.Many (most?) have reported that a new Hilton Honors number gets assigned by Amex even when they put their existing Hilton Honors number in the application, and it can take several weeks to get this worked out. However, the key to making things go smoothly seems to be an exact match of your name and address between Amex and Hilton, including adding your middle initial to your Hilton Honors account if you use it on your Amex. When everything matches, an Amex rep should be able to update the account number, it should "go through" immediately, and the correct Hilton account number will be reflected on the Amex website in about 2 days.

Is the Amex Ascend Surpass 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 Ascend 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 Ascend Surpass signup bonus first, and only afterward pursue the upgrade bonus(es).

For information on other Hilton-branded credit cards, see the wiki at Ongoing offers for Hilton cards issued by Amex or Citi




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The Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express (formerly called Ascend)

Old May 10, 2016, 6:47 pm
  #91  
V9
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Marriott Pltm, Hyatt Diamond, spg Pltm
Posts: 356
Nice! Is that 100K bonus?

Originally Posted by birdiedouble
As a point of reference:

Applied for the card: 4/10
Approved: 4/26 (Still unsure what the delay was caused by)
Received the card: 4/28
Met Spend: 4/28
Bonus Points Posted: 5/2
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Old May 10, 2016, 7:12 pm
  #92  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,054
Originally Posted by V9
Nice! Is that 100K bonus?
Yep. Also bought a bucket of points on the 2x promo to help meet the spend. Already booked a reward stay in FL for a 5 night stay next Feb. I used 120,000 points for a Homewood Suites that is currently $299/night.

Also used the card at a Hampton last weekend and got my first Gold checkin with it. It was recognized and the guys behind the desk were telling my son what a savvy traveler I was because I put his name on a reservation I made so he could check in before I got to the hotel.

Last edited by birdiedouble; May 10, 2016 at 7:34 pm
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Old May 12, 2016, 9:59 am
  #93  
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
I got my upgrade 100K points today after meeting spend on May 7. That's pretty good.
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Old May 18, 2016, 12:18 am
  #94  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1
I'm new to AMEX and the HHonors Surpass, I signed up when it had the 100k bonus 3 weeks ago and it's been a disaster ever since. I had to call 5 times over 3 days, spoke to 17 customer reps to get my card activated. Now I got a fraud alert email, telling me to call customer service and I do. They told me there's nothing they can do to help me until AMEX CALLS ME to give me a code. Well I've received no call and the customer reps told me to try back later, maybe in about TWELVE HOURS. This is completely unacceptable.

Any ideas of what to do or how to make a complaint with AMEX??
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Old May 22, 2016, 7:11 pm
  #95  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Originally Posted by Nicoleesq
I'm new to AMEX and the HHonors Surpass, I signed up when it had the 100k bonus 3 weeks ago and it's been a disaster ever since. I had to call 5 times over 3 days, spoke to 17 customer reps to get my card activated. Now I got a fraud alert email, telling me to call customer service and I do. They told me there's nothing they can do to help me until AMEX CALLS ME to give me a code. Well I've received no call and the customer reps told me to try back later, maybe in about TWELVE HOURS. This is completely unacceptable.

Any ideas of what to do or how to make a complaint with AMEX??
That's all very strange. I've never heard of problems like this. Can't you activate without ever talking to a human? Is there something unusual about your situation, like being out of the country or something? I would call the number on the back of the card, ask for a supervisor, explain the litany of problems you've had and ask the supervisor to take control of the situation and solve whatever problem is going on.
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Old May 23, 2016, 10:32 am
  #96  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Phoenix area
Programs: AA, SWA, most hotel programs
Posts: 356
Can I cancel Hampton Inn booking and rebook with Surpass?

I just noticed this Amex 100k Surpass deal and I want to sign up. I currently have 4 Hampton Inn stays I just booked yesterday. Can I cancel these and rebook when I get the card to get the 500 bonus per stay? Also, can I book through AA shopping portal and get 2pts per dollar PLUS 500 Hilton bonus, plus 12 per dollar paying with Surpass? I guess this is triple dipping.
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Old May 23, 2016, 1:28 pm
  #97  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,054
Originally Posted by Bohemiana
I just noticed this Amex 100k Surpass deal and I want to sign up. I currently have 4 Hampton Inn stays I just booked yesterday. Can I cancel these and rebook when I get the card to get the 500 bonus per stay? Also, can I book through AA shopping portal and get 2pts per dollar PLUS 500 Hilton bonus, plus 12 per dollar paying with Surpass? I guess this is triple dipping.
I had the same situation about two months ago. It was even a res for a HI. I didn't want to have to rebook because the rate had gone up and availability was looking thin. Once I had the card, I just logged into my account and updated the card on the reservation which I had made originally with a Visa card. The 500 point bonus posted.

Can't help you on the other questions.
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Old May 23, 2016, 2:46 pm
  #98  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Phoenix area
Programs: AA, SWA, most hotel programs
Posts: 356
Originally Posted by birdiedouble
I had the same situation about two months ago. It was even a res for a HI. I didn't want to have to rebook because the rate had gone up and availability was looking thin. Once I had the card, I just logged into my account and updated the card on the reservation which I had made originally with a Visa card. The 500 point bonus posted.

Can't help you on the other questions.
Thanks! You answered the main question. The other question I think I can just cancel and rebook through the AA shopping portal since prices haven't chance since yesterday.
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Old May 23, 2016, 8:01 pm
  #99  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
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Originally Posted by Bohemiana
Thanks! You answered the main question. The other question I think I can just cancel and rebook through the AA shopping portal since prices haven't chance since yesterday.
The txt below is from the T&C's on the Surpass Card. It looks ike you need to book it through the Hilton affiliated website to get the bonus. I think you might be giving up some points (even more than the 500) on your stay by booking through the AA portal. Although whatever benefit you gain by purchasing thru AA might be more than you're giving up.



Online Booking Bonus
You will receive 500 Hilton HHonorsTM Bonus Points from Hilton HHonors for each qualifying stay at any of the participating hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio when the stay is booked online at any Hilton HHonors brand website and paid for with your Hilton HHonorsTM Surpass Credit Card from American
Express.
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Old May 26, 2016, 12:17 pm
  #100  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Phoenix area
Programs: AA, SWA, most hotel programs
Posts: 356
Originally Posted by birdiedouble
The txt below is from the T&C's on the Surpass Card. It looks ike you need to book it through the Hilton affiliated website to get the bonus. I think you might be giving up some points (even more than the 500) on your stay by booking through the AA portal. Although whatever benefit you gain by purchasing thru AA might be more than you're giving up.



Online Booking Bonus
You will receive 500 Hilton HHonorsTM Bonus Points from Hilton HHonors for each qualifying stay at any of the participating hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio when the stay is booked online at any Hilton HHonors brand website and paid for with your Hilton HHonorsTM Surpass Credit Card from American
Express.
Thanks for pointing that out. The AA deal is 2 miles per dollar and each reservation is about $400 so 3200 AA miles is worth more to me than 2000 Hilton Hhonors BUT room prices just went up before I had the chance to change anything so I'll just keep it as is and get the 500 Hilton Hhonors per reservation.
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Old May 26, 2016, 11:25 pm
  #101  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LA
Programs: AA, DL, UA
Posts: 543
Want to book a hotel room for a family member.

Is there any way to ensure that the hotel uses my Amex Surpass credit card at checkout without me staying so I can earn points? Because usually at check out sometimes they ask for another form of payment. When booking, I just have to put my credit card on file but don't actually pay it.

Was thinking about adding them as authorized user but the card might not arrive in time.

Also was wondering if HHonors Gold benefits like breakfast that come with the card extend to them? Can I just book it under my name and add them as an additional guest? Will the front desk care if I don't show up?

Thanks in advance.
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Old May 27, 2016, 10:01 am
  #102  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Originally Posted by supermintyfresh
Want to book a hotel room for a family member.

Is there any way to ensure that the hotel uses my Amex Surpass credit card at checkout without me staying so I can earn points? Because usually at check out sometimes they ask for another form of payment. When booking, I just have to put my credit card on file but don't actually pay it.
You could book a prepaid rate. The hotel would still ask your relative for a card for incidentals, but you'd be guaranteed having the room rate (and the points accruing from it) on your card.
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Old May 28, 2016, 7:36 pm
  #103  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 102
I have had the no-fee Hilton Amex for a while and recently got the Surpass for the 100k bonus. I've had it for about 3 weeks now and the first statement has posted, but it had no HHonors information on the Amex web site for the longest time, and so far no points have shown up for my spend. Now it says 0 points available where it used to say no info available. I guess that's an improvement?

Anyway, I just wanted to see if anyone can tell me if this is normal and it'll work itself out in time or if I need to check with Amex if the right HHonors account is linked. I can't remember what it did when I got the no-fee card.
HBKFan75 is offline  
Old May 29, 2016, 7:21 pm
  #104  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by HBKFan75
I have had the no-fee Hilton Amex for a while and recently got the Surpass for the 100k bonus. I've had it for about 3 weeks now and the first statement has posted, but it had no HHonors information on the Amex web site for the longest time, and so far no points have shown up for my spend. Now it says 0 points available where it used to say no info available. I guess that's an improvement?

Anyway, I just wanted to see if anyone can tell me if this is normal and it'll work itself out in time or if I need to check with Amex if the right HHonors account is linked. I can't remember what it did when I got the no-fee card.
Update on this... I tried on the full web site (I had been using the mobile app) and it had a new HHonors number created for me rather than the one I used on the application. I chatted with Amex and they changed it, but now it says Not Available again, so maybe it will just take a bit to update. Man... Would have been so much simpler if I had known there was going to be a 100k upgrade offer when I applied for this new card, but hopefully it will all work out in the end.
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Old Jun 1, 2016, 11:56 am
  #105  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Programs: SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 699
Has anyone had issues with Hilton referrals not posting? My wife referred 6 people (2 with regular Hilton and 4 with Surpass) in April and beginning of May, and nothing has posted. I referred 3 people about a week ago and my points for referrals already posted.
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