Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs > American Express | Membership Rewards
Reload this Page >

Will the new Hilton Surpass -> Ascend be a new product?

Will the new Hilton Surpass -> Ascend be a new product?

Old Nov 14, 2017, 6:44 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,051
Will the new Hilton Surpass -> Ascend be a new product?

As above, does anyone know if the new Hilton AMEX cards, specifically the successor to the Surpass, count as new product, and hence everyone will be eligible for the signup bonuses?
Rommie2k6 is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2017, 7:00 am
  #2  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,886
Some people who applied for Surpass have received correspondence mentioning Ascend. I think this indicates it is a name change, rather than a new product, but for new account bonus eligibility purposes we will not know until we see the wording of an Ascend offer.
mia is online now  
Old Nov 15, 2017, 1:44 pm
  #3  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,927
Originally Posted by Rommie2k6
As above, does anyone know if the new Hilton AMEX cards, specifically the successor to the Surpass, count as new product, and hence everyone will be eligible for the signup bonuses?
We can only guess now. We will only know for sure once (if) we get some datapoints from people who assumed it would be a new product and apply for an Ascend bonus (if there is one*). And such datapoints won't be possible until the Ascend officially succeeds the Surpass, but which time it will be too late to cancel a Surpass.

* You're assuming there will be a signup bonus for the Ascend. That mey be a reasonable assumption, but lately Amex has been putting out some cards without always having a signup bonus. Plus, keep in mind that the signup bonus on the Citi Reserve, which is much of the inspiration for the Amex Ascend, was a free weekend night certificate, rather than any bonus points. So I don't know that it's safe to assume that the signup bonus on the Ascend (assuming there is one) will definitely be a points bonus.
sdsearch is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2017, 5:12 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,187
Originally Posted by mia
Some people who applied for Surpass have received correspondence mentioning Ascend. I think this indicates it is a name change, rather than a new product, but for new account bonus eligibility purposes we will not know until we see the wording of an Ascend offer.
I received notification on my November HHonors Surpass statement that my annual fee would be increasing to $95 upon my annual account renewal in Feb 2018. Leads one to believe that the Surpass card account will simply be replaced with the Ascend card account and thus no new bonuses for existing Surpass cardholders. (Admittedly, speculation.)

Edit: What the flummox happened to the format of these forums today? It doesn't get much uglier than this.
Diplomatico is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2017, 8:54 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Hilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,760
Speculation seems to be that they'll be treated as the same product. That's why I'm conflicted because the 125k offer that's out right now is pretty good for what it is, but I worry that Amex might have better offers when they launch their own cards so I'm holding off.

Originally Posted by Diplomatico
Edit: What the flummox happened to the format of these forums today? It doesn't get much uglier than this.
But our overlords at Internet Brands keep telling us it's an upgrade! Please join us in venting at them in the Technical Support sub-forum.
Diplomatico likes this.
krazykanuck is online now  
Old Nov 16, 2017, 12:23 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 333
Originally Posted by sdsearch
We can only guess now. We will only know for sure once (if) we get some datapoints from people who assumed it would be a new product and apply for an Ascend bonus (if there is one*). And such datapoints won't be possible until the Ascend officially succeeds the Surpass, but which time it will be too late to cancel a Surpass.
I am going to be one of the guinea pigs here. I plan on canceling my Surpass in mid December and seeing what comes of the Ascend. I am banking that it will be treated as a new product with bonus eligibility. If I am wrong I will only be out a couple months of my annual fee. I will be sure to share what I learn.
AugustWest is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 10:12 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 879
My lengthy letter from American Express two days ago stating my surpass card would be replaced with the Ascend card. My AF and CL would stay the same.
elkhornne is offline  
Old Jan 13, 2018, 5:18 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
new amex Hilton ascend card.

The card itself looks pretty neat.

https://imgur.com/a/yqzaE
hiima is offline  
Old Jan 13, 2018, 9:06 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: LON and NYC
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 22
Hilton is throwing an "exclusive" kickoff party for this card in NYC on 1/30. I received a voicemail today from Hilton inviting me and a guest to the event, which will include food and drinks and a private concert by the Chainsmokers and Charlie Puth. The caller also thanked me for being an HHonors gold member and for my many stays over the years, which is actually very few as my status is through Amex Plat.
ajm883 is offline  
Old Jan 15, 2018, 12:14 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 151
Originally Posted by AugustWest
I am going to be one of the guinea pigs here. I plan on canceling my Surpass in mid December and seeing what comes of the Ascend. I am banking that it will be treated as a new product with bonus eligibility. If I am wrong I will only be out a couple months of my annual fee. I will be sure to share what I learn.
I plan on doing the same.
LF72 is offline  
Old Jan 15, 2018, 4:39 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 156
Originally Posted by LF72
I plan on doing the same.
the points guys had a post over the weekend about the new cards and the surpass->ascend will be a product change, not a new product.
cplush is offline  
Old Jan 15, 2018, 9:20 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, UA Million Miler Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,142
Originally Posted by LF72
I plan on doing the same.
You are a bit late to cancel your card in December
HawkeyeFlyer is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2018, 2:18 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 42
I have been told flat out that since I had the surpass I do not qualify for the ascend - I argued about what is (or isn't in this case) in the footnotes and they don't seem to care
sagsal is offline  
Old Jan 20, 2018, 4:50 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Originally Posted by sagsal
I have been told flat out that since I had the surpass I do not qualify for the ascend - I argued about what is (or isn't in this case) in the footnotes and they don't seem to care
By whom? A phone rep? CSRs usually aren't reliable when it comes to the sort of rules and loopholes the Flyertalk crowd navigates through. Frequent Miler had a post surmising that people who had the Surpass and cancelled in time will get the bonus. He reasoned that if Amex intended to prevent those cardholders from getting a bonus on Ascend that the T&C would have (or should have) explicitly referred to prior holders of the Ascend or the Surpass cards. Instead they just reference prior holders of "this product". That vagueness means they can interpret the two cards as either the same product or as different products, but if the average Joe sees a signup bonus offer and applies, he's going to think he's entitled to it, and Amex will be pissing a lot of unsuspecting customers (not FT types) off by telling them they aren't.
LWT3 is offline  
Old Jan 20, 2018, 7:53 pm
  #15  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,300
Originally Posted by LWT3
Frequent Miler had a post surmising that people who had the Surpass and cancelled in time will get the bonus.
When someone who had Surpass actually gets a sign-up bonus for Ascend, that would actually be meaningful information.

Considering how tight AMEX has gotten on bonuses, I would be surprised if people's wishful thinking on this point proves true. IMO AMEX has no intent to bonus prior Ascend card holders, and that seems reasonable to me. It is the same basic product.
Kacee is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.