[ARCHIVE to 2015] The Hilton Honors® Surpass(SM) Card from American Express
Feb 15, 2009, 8:35 pm
#181
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 783
sharklover,
I got $50 credit right away, no need for a stay. It truely depends on whom you talk, what approach you take and how long you been with them (for me it has been 11 years). Good luck.
I got $50 credit right away, no need for a stay. It truely depends on whom you talk, what approach you take and how long you been with them (for me it has been 11 years). Good luck.
Feb 16, 2009, 9:13 am
#182
Suspended
Join Date: May 2003
Location: NYC
Programs: United 1K, HHonors Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 1,628
Feb 16, 2009, 9:41 am
#183
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near ORD
Programs: AA LT Gold, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, SPG Gold, PC Plat Ambassador
Posts: 739
I called today to inquire about upgrading my existing card. By the way, don't select "apply for a new card" when given that option in the phone menu. I did and ended spending about 20 minutes on hold while a very, very nice and pro-active new accounts person tried to figure out what to do and then tried to find someone to help me. Eventually, I got to the right person, who was also very nice and helpful. She collected my questions, put me on hold or a few minutes and came back with answers, which are fairly consistent with what others have said.
- I'll get a sign up bonus equal to 40,000 minus the sign-up bonus I got for the original Hilton Amex. Initially, she said I'd only get 20,000 points, but then I pointed out to her that I'd only received 10,000 points as a true sign-up bonus and the other 10,000 came from 4x 2,500 per stay. I asked her to note in the file that I'm entitled to 30,000 points.
- Calculation of aggregate spend dates back to Jan 1 of this year.
- The card will have the same number as my old one (useful since I'll need that number when I fly in a couple of months on a ticket booked with the old card).
- No credit inquiry - as this is just an upgrade.
- I couldn't persuade them to waive the fee, but they did give me a $50 statement credit (so I'm only paying $25 this year). I figured that was a good deal for the points and the Priority Pass membership, which may come in handy a few times this year, even if I have to pay $27 per visit.
- I doubt we'll make it to $40,000 this year, since we're spreading our charges around a little (especially to the SPG Amex to accumulate some points that will be useful for an upcoming trip to Egypt) and spending a lot less (because we're temporarily down to one income). Next year, we'll revisit whether or not the fee is worth it, or whether we should downgrade to the regular card.
- I'll get a sign up bonus equal to 40,000 minus the sign-up bonus I got for the original Hilton Amex. Initially, she said I'd only get 20,000 points, but then I pointed out to her that I'd only received 10,000 points as a true sign-up bonus and the other 10,000 came from 4x 2,500 per stay. I asked her to note in the file that I'm entitled to 30,000 points.
- Calculation of aggregate spend dates back to Jan 1 of this year.
- The card will have the same number as my old one (useful since I'll need that number when I fly in a couple of months on a ticket booked with the old card).
- No credit inquiry - as this is just an upgrade.
- I couldn't persuade them to waive the fee, but they did give me a $50 statement credit (so I'm only paying $25 this year). I figured that was a good deal for the points and the Priority Pass membership, which may come in handy a few times this year, even if I have to pay $27 per visit.
- I doubt we'll make it to $40,000 this year, since we're spreading our charges around a little (especially to the SPG Amex to accumulate some points that will be useful for an upcoming trip to Egypt) and spending a lot less (because we're temporarily down to one income). Next year, we'll revisit whether or not the fee is worth it, or whether we should downgrade to the regular card.
All the same stuff I was told, except I didn't get any statement credit, or discounted first year fee. I didn't think to ask!!
My guy Matthew was really nice too; I bet he would have given it to me if I'd asked.
Feb 16, 2009, 9:48 am
#184
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
Second try I got the $50 credit. Thank you. This site is so great.
Feb 16, 2009, 7:05 pm
#185
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 1,935
The agent I got told me that:
- He could upgrade me in minutes but that since I have a card, I wouldn't
get any of the welcome bonuses. Unless I applied for a new card
- No automatic statement credit only $50 off next stay
- No offers unless I was sent an offer
- The longer I stayed on the call, the worse the offer got....
This doesn't seem to match what others are getting...very disappointed.
- He could upgrade me in minutes but that since I have a card, I wouldn't
get any of the welcome bonuses. Unless I applied for a new card
- No automatic statement credit only $50 off next stay
- No offers unless I was sent an offer
- The longer I stayed on the call, the worse the offer got....
This doesn't seem to match what others are getting...very disappointed.
Feb 16, 2009, 7:22 pm
#186
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
I was told I would be getting 30K bonus plus the stay bonuses. The new card is making me stay at Hiltons more often. I just booked 2 reservations today because of it.
Feb 16, 2009, 8:07 pm
#187
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 2.2MM LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 1,572
Feb 16, 2009, 8:14 pm
#188
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,093
For what's worth, the agent told me I'll get 40K bonus points. I am sure our call was recorded and I also noted the time of my call. If anything, I will ask them to listen to that conversation and award me 40K points if the 40K points do not post.
Feb 16, 2009, 11:16 pm
#189
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 18
Called in to AmEx on the 10th to inquire about switching my Starwood AmEx over to the Hilton Surpass. Agent had to look up some details, but was able to confirm the conversion (no change to card #s) and said I should expect new cards in the mail around the 19th.
A couple of hours later (still on the 10th), the front desk at the DoubleTree welcomed me and to my surprise informed me of my HHonors Gold status!
A couple of hours later (still on the 10th), the front desk at the DoubleTree welcomed me and to my surprise informed me of my HHonors Gold status!
Feb 17, 2009, 7:35 am
#190
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
I find it hard to believe that the card number from your Starwood Amex would be carried over to the Hilton Amex Surpass card. Are you sure about this or did you mean to say that your old Hilton Amex card number would be carried over to your Hilton Amex Surpass card.
Feb 17, 2009, 9:28 am
#191
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,587
Am I missing something? I toss the card into my pile of random travel-related cards but have never used it. Is there any value to this membership? (In general, I'm not a huge fan of airline lounges. Even though my UA 1K status gets me into various Star Alliance lounges, I usually don't bother going to them.)
Feb 17, 2009, 3:09 pm
#192
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Las Vegas,NV
Programs: AA Plat HH Diamond
Posts: 99
AMEX says I can only have two of their cards
I applied for the Surpass HH card on the internet. My application was declined. I call them and was told the only reason for the refusal was that I already had two AMEX cards: SPG and HH. They would not reduce the spending limits on these and give me a 3rd card. They would happily convert my present HH card to Surpass. I decided to wait and some time in the future cancel the old HH card and then get the Surpass.
Feb 17, 2009, 4:02 pm
#193
Join Date: Jan 2002
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott lifetime Plt, UA 1MM
Posts: 919
I seems like I get one of these every year from someone: a black Priority Pass membership card. The visit rates don't seem all that different from the standard day-rates you could simply pay at the door of your favorite airline club.
Am I missing something? I toss the card into my pile of random travel-related cards but have never used it. Is there any value to this membership? (In general, I'm not a huge fan of airline lounges. Even though my UA 1K status gets me into various Star Alliance lounges, I usually don't bother going to them.)
Am I missing something? I toss the card into my pile of random travel-related cards but have never used it. Is there any value to this membership? (In general, I'm not a huge fan of airline lounges. Even though my UA 1K status gets me into various Star Alliance lounges, I usually don't bother going to them.)
Feb 17, 2009, 9:41 pm
#194
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: WI
Programs: HHonors Gold, UAMP
Posts: 895
So if I know im prob not gonna hit the 40k for Diamond and might not use priority pass, is it even worth the upgrade now?
Feb 17, 2009, 10:11 pm
#195
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
I applied for the Surpass HH card on the internet. My application was declined. I call them and was told the only reason for the refusal was that I already had two AMEX cards: SPG and HH. They would not reduce the spending limits on these and give me a 3rd card. They would happily convert my present HH card to Surpass. I decided to wait and some time in the future cancel the old HH card and then get the Surpass.