May 26, 2014, 3:09 pm
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.
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:
Check your application status
Linking AmexAscend 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 AmexAscend 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
- 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
Is the Amex
For information on other Hilton-branded credit cards, see the wiki at Ongoing offers for Hilton cards issued by Amex or Citi
The Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express (formerly called Ascend)
Dec 15, 2016, 3:01 pm
#151
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
Yes. When you check into the hotel and they pull up your reservation tied to your HH account, they will see your current status in the HH program.
Jan 18, 2017, 6:17 pm
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,089
20K referral bonus extended thru Feb & applicant gets 100K. See doctorofcredit blog for link. Now I have a good incentive to refer my wife. 
Last edited by philemer; Jan 18, 2017 at 6:38 pm
Jan 22, 2017, 10:52 am
#153
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: US/TYO/LON
Programs: Marriott Titanium; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 411
I have a question, hoping someone can help. Have a no-fee Hilton Amex right now. Will be coming up to a year and am expecting to see the upgrade option to Surpass. Never have had Surpass before.
What is the better route?
1) Apply for a new Surpass for the sign-up bonus. Have it at the same time as the no-fee. Close it at AF time and then upgrade the existing no-fee later?
2) Apply for a new Surpass, close my no-fee, downgrade my Surpass at the annual fee time and rinse and repeat?
3) Simply upgrade to the Surpass and not submit a new application.
(The credit hit from a new application is not a factor for me).
Thanks.
What is the better route?
1) Apply for a new Surpass for the sign-up bonus. Have it at the same time as the no-fee. Close it at AF time and then upgrade the existing no-fee later?
2) Apply for a new Surpass, close my no-fee, downgrade my Surpass at the annual fee time and rinse and repeat?
3) Simply upgrade to the Surpass and not submit a new application.
(The credit hit from a new application is not a factor for me).
Thanks.
Feb 15, 2017, 10:30 pm
#157
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: US/TYO/LON
Programs: Marriott Titanium; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 411
How so?
My main question still is unanswered. I already have the no-fee Amex.
I am wondering if its better to apply for Surpass and close the no-fee, and then later downgrade the surpass.
Or apply for Surpass, cancel at AF, and upgrade the existing no-fee.
The benefit of the latter is the no-fee has a longer time on the credit file, so canceling it will hurt the credit file more than canceling the Surpass, one year on.
My main question still is unanswered. I already have the no-fee Amex.
I am wondering if its better to apply for Surpass and close the no-fee, and then later downgrade the surpass.
Or apply for Surpass, cancel at AF, and upgrade the existing no-fee.
The benefit of the latter is the no-fee has a longer time on the credit file, so canceling it will hurt the credit file more than canceling the Surpass, one year on.
Feb 16, 2017, 8:13 am
#158
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,536
How so?
My main question still is unanswered. I already have the no-fee Amex.
I am wondering if its better to apply for Surpass and close the no-fee, and then later downgrade the surpass.
Or apply for Surpass, cancel at AF, and upgrade the existing no-fee.
The benefit of the latter is the no-fee has a longer time on the credit file, so canceling it will hurt the credit file more than canceling the Surpass, one year on.
My main question still is unanswered. I already have the no-fee Amex.
I am wondering if its better to apply for Surpass and close the no-fee, and then later downgrade the surpass.
Or apply for Surpass, cancel at AF, and upgrade the existing no-fee.
The benefit of the latter is the no-fee has a longer time on the credit file, so canceling it will hurt the credit file more than canceling the Surpass, one year on.
Although, depending on your credit, there may be no impact (or negligible) for cancelling a card you've held long term. If you don't mind paying the $30 fee for the "subscription" to myfico.com (cancel before the next monthly fee hits), you can run a simulator of what it'll do to your score if you cancel a long term card.
In my case it did nothing to my FICO score.
Mar 11, 2017, 10:29 am
#159
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG, IHG, AA, SWA
Posts: 84
I've read that this appears to be a good method to maximize the bonus points. And, the most common category for spending bonus for me is the gas/groceries/restaurants, which is 5x on no AF and 6x on Surpass, the difference of which will negated by the upgrade bonus I'll get after a year.
Mar 11, 2017, 4:32 pm
#160
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, UA Million Miler Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,142
I recently received my Lifetime Diamond status with Hilton. My travel is going to slow down considerably over the next few years. One of the benefits of the Surpass card was earning Diamond at $40k in annual spend.
We do love staying at Hilton properties, specifically the Grand Wailea and The Biltmore so using points is never an issue.
I currently run around $90,000 annually on my Surpass and I never carry a balance. Last year $28k was on restaurants and $15k was on Travel.
I plan to keep the card for my Hilton stays in particular as the 12 points per $1 are pretty solid.
My question is would I be better to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve or another card for the remaining spend.
We do love staying at Hilton properties, specifically the Grand Wailea and The Biltmore so using points is never an issue.
I currently run around $90,000 annually on my Surpass and I never carry a balance. Last year $28k was on restaurants and $15k was on Travel.
I plan to keep the card for my Hilton stays in particular as the 12 points per $1 are pretty solid.
My question is would I be better to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve or another card for the remaining spend.
Mar 12, 2017, 6:34 pm
#161
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: US/TYO/LON
Programs: Marriott Titanium; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 411
I recently received my Lifetime Diamond status with Hilton. My travel is going to slow down considerably over the next few years. One of the benefits of the Surpass card was earning Diamond at $40k in annual spend.
We do love staying at Hilton properties, specifically the Grand Wailea and The Biltmore so using points is never an issue.
I currently run around $90,000 annually on my Surpass and I never carry a balance. Last year $28k was on restaurants and $15k was on Travel.
I plan to keep the card for my Hilton stays in particular as the 12 points per $1 are pretty solid.
My question is would I be better to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve or another card for the remaining spend.
We do love staying at Hilton properties, specifically the Grand Wailea and The Biltmore so using points is never an issue.
I currently run around $90,000 annually on my Surpass and I never carry a balance. Last year $28k was on restaurants and $15k was on Travel.
I plan to keep the card for my Hilton stays in particular as the 12 points per $1 are pretty solid.
My question is would I be better to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve or another card for the remaining spend.
Honestly, unless you spend a lot at Hilton, even holding the surpass with the $75 may not be worth it, despite the 12 points. The regular no-fee version might be good to keep around for the smaller multiplier (but at no fees). Given how useless Hilton points have become, I'd look elsewhere for making most of points.
Also, given your spend patterns, you may want to look at the Ritz-Carlton Infinite Visa card (you will get Platinum with $75,000 spend). However, given that it is a premium card with a similar fees as CSR, not sure if you'd want to hold onto both cards at one time. However, the lounge upgrades at RC properties are nice. It also comes with the same Priority Pass benefits as the CSR.
Mar 16, 2017, 11:01 am
#163
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, UA Million Miler Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,142
Based on just your travel and restaurant spending ($43K), that is worth 129,000 points (at 3x). That has a value of $1600 and change (based on 1.25 cent valuation for travel on the Chase portal). Potentially higher, when transferring to partners. I would definitely maximize spending on the CSR, given the flexibility of the points (given that you already have the lifetime diamond, and don't need to worry about it).
Honestly, unless you spend a lot at Hilton, even holding the surpass with the $75 may not be worth it, despite the 12 points. The regular no-fee version might be good to keep around for the smaller multiplier (but at no fees). Given how useless Hilton points have become, I'd look elsewhere for making most of points.
Also, given your spend patterns, you may want to look at the Ritz-Carlton Infinite Visa card (you will get Platinum with $75,000 spend). However, given that it is a premium card with a similar fees as CSR, not sure if you'd want to hold onto both cards at one time. However, the lounge upgrades at RC properties are nice. It also comes with the same Priority Pass benefits as the CSR.
Honestly, unless you spend a lot at Hilton, even holding the surpass with the $75 may not be worth it, despite the 12 points. The regular no-fee version might be good to keep around for the smaller multiplier (but at no fees). Given how useless Hilton points have become, I'd look elsewhere for making most of points.
Also, given your spend patterns, you may want to look at the Ritz-Carlton Infinite Visa card (you will get Platinum with $75,000 spend). However, given that it is a premium card with a similar fees as CSR, not sure if you'd want to hold onto both cards at one time. However, the lounge upgrades at RC properties are nice. It also comes with the same Priority Pass benefits as the CSR.
Mar 16, 2017, 1:55 pm
#164
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
Mar 16, 2017, 3:31 pm
#165
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135