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)
Aug 4, 2017, 6:41 am
#331
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
"We have sent request to HIlton to update account number [redacted] on the account on 07/22 and it will be updated within 6-8 weeks at maximum from the date of request or sooner once Hilton confirms."
I replied I thought it was supposed to be 7-10 business days (today is business day 10), and they replied:
"I totally understand and many times the request is completed in 7-10 days. Please be assured, you won't lose any Hilton points due to this and the account number should be updated soon."
Amex is not off to a good start here.
Aug 4, 2017, 7:10 am
#332
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Navy A-4 Skyhawk, B727 FE/FO, S80 FO, B757/767 FO, B737 CA
Posts: 1,342
Still blank. Another chat with Amex and the agent tells me:
"We have sent request to HIlton to update account number [redacted] on the account on 07/22 and it will be updated within 6-8 weeks at maximum from the date of request or sooner once Hilton confirms."
I replied I thought it was supposed to be 7-10 business days (today is business day 10), and they replied:
"I totally understand and many times the request is completed in 7-10 days. Please be assured, you won't lose any Hilton points due to this and the account number should be updated soon."
Amex is not off to a good start here.
"We have sent request to HIlton to update account number [redacted] on the account on 07/22 and it will be updated within 6-8 weeks at maximum from the date of request or sooner once Hilton confirms."
I replied I thought it was supposed to be 7-10 business days (today is business day 10), and they replied:
"I totally understand and many times the request is completed in 7-10 days. Please be assured, you won't lose any Hilton points due to this and the account number should be updated soon."
Amex is not off to a good start here.
Aug 4, 2017, 8:20 am
#333
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
I've made several requests to have the faux number made right. And even with Lauren's efforts, it has yet to happen. (Any updates, Lauren?)
All that said, points have posted as expected and it's time to move on. Some things are apparently beyond Hilton's capability to pull off and this must be one of them.
Aug 4, 2017, 8:26 am
#334
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
You missed my post from two months ago.
I've made several requests to have the faux number made right. And even with Lauren's efforts, it has yet to happen. (Any updates, Lauren?)
All that said, points have posted as expected and it's time to move on. Some things are apparently beyond Hilton's capability to pull off and this must be one of them.
I've made several requests to have the faux number made right. And even with Lauren's efforts, it has yet to happen. (Any updates, Lauren?)
All that said, points have posted as expected and it's time to move on. Some things are apparently beyond Hilton's capability to pull off and this must be one of them.
Aug 4, 2017, 10:51 am
#335
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Navy A-4 Skyhawk, B727 FE/FO, S80 FO, B757/767 FO, B737 CA
Posts: 1,342
I'm not 100% on why Hilton even needs to be involved in this. It seems like it's Amex that needs to update on their end what Hilton account # to send points to. Especially frustrating because if someone enters their # in the application, as I did, I don't know why you are creating a new account anyway.
Aug 5, 2017, 10:46 am
#336
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
After having dealt extensively with both Hilton and Amex on this issue and having them point fingers at one another, I conclude that "the truth is out there somewhere". On to the next challenge.
Aug 6, 2017, 2:51 pm
#337
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
Well for what it's worth, the number shows updated on the Amex website now (took two weeks) so luckily I'm not going to have the constant back and forth that you did.
Aug 18, 2017, 6:29 am
#340
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,138
I had a 75k offer but even that is gone now. It does infuriate me that the 100k upgrade offer went away the day before AMEX announced the exclusive relationship. I would have upgraded if I knew my Citi Reserve card was going away.
Aug 28, 2017, 8:15 am
#341
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: Priority Club Platinum & Ambassdor, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 505
Have a question about the sign-up bonus. I spent the 3K to get the bonus approximately 1 month ago, and almost immediately the 100,000 Hilton points were deposited into my account. One of the charges on the card was a flight that was supposed to happen yesterday through Houston. I had to cancel the flight because of the hurricane and the charge will be credited back against my Surpass card.
Will AMEX try to claw back the bonus because of the charges got reversed? I re-booked a flight with American Airlines but used the wrong AMEX card, I meant to use the Surpass card but put in on the blue no annual fee Hilton Honors card.
Will AMEX try to claw back the bonus because of the charges got reversed? I re-booked a flight with American Airlines but used the wrong AMEX card, I meant to use the Surpass card but put in on the blue no annual fee Hilton Honors card.
Sep 1, 2017, 11:47 am
#342
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: AA, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 501
Have a question about the sign-up bonus. I spent the 3K to get the bonus approximately 1 month ago, and almost immediately the 100,000 Hilton points were deposited into my account. One of the charges on the card was a flight that was supposed to happen yesterday through Houston. I had to cancel the flight because of the hurricane and the charge will be credited back against my Surpass card.
Will AMEX try to claw back the bonus because of the charges got reversed? I re-booked a flight with American Airlines but used the wrong AMEX card, I meant to use the Surpass card but put in on the blue no annual fee Hilton Honors card.
Will AMEX try to claw back the bonus because of the charges got reversed? I re-booked a flight with American Airlines but used the wrong AMEX card, I meant to use the Surpass card but put in on the blue no annual fee Hilton Honors card.
Sep 1, 2017, 1:51 pm
#343
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,949
I have had the no-fee AmEx Honors card for several years, and see that the 100k/free night after a year promotion is back. I also saw that there is an offer in my AmEx Honors account to upgrade my existing Honors card to Surpass, including the 100k, but not free night.
Would I be able to apply for a new card to earn the 100k/free night, and then turn around and upgrade my existing Honors card to the Surpass in order to earn an additional 100k? I'm confused as to if I would receive both bonuses, or just the one. I've never had a Surpass previously.
Would I be able to apply for a new card to earn the 100k/free night, and then turn around and upgrade my existing Honors card to the Surpass in order to earn an additional 100k? I'm confused as to if I would receive both bonuses, or just the one. I've never had a Surpass previously.
Sep 1, 2017, 6:35 pm
#344
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Since the BoSox and ChiSox won it, now it is the Cubs turn to take the Series. Go Cubs Go!
Posts: 3,685
I have had the no-fee AmEx Honors card for several years, and see that the 100k/free night after a year promotion is back. I also saw that there is an offer in my AmEx Honors account to upgrade my existing Honors card to Surpass, including the 100k, but not free night.
Would I be able to apply for a new card to earn the 100k/free night, and then turn around and upgrade my existing Honors card to the Surpass in order to earn an additional 100k? I'm confused as to if I would receive both bonuses, or just the one. I've never had a Surpass previously.
Would I be able to apply for a new card to earn the 100k/free night, and then turn around and upgrade my existing Honors card to the Surpass in order to earn an additional 100k? I'm confused as to if I would receive both bonuses, or just the one. I've never had a Surpass previously.
Sep 2, 2017, 6:01 am
#345
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,949
You can only receive the bonus offer for Surpass once(whether via upgrade or direct application) in 7 years. Perhaps it would be better to apply for the Surpass card separately, earn the 100K bonus, and receive the 1st free night anniversary bonus as a new applicant.