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)
Jan 15, 2018, 5:47 pm
#511
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,220
My understanding is that the credit card associated with your PP account will be charged if you access the lounge and don’t have free access. No need for the lounge agent to know anything about your account. (not sure if the little card reader would tell them, though?)
Jan 15, 2018, 6:49 pm
#512
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
They swipe your priority pass at the PP lounge. If you are entitled to free access you won't get charged (like with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card). If you aren't entitled to free access then the credit card association with the PP pass gets charged (like with the Hilton Surpass card).
I'm assuming PP pays the lounge for each card swipe and if you are to be charged for entrance PP charges the credit card associated with it.
I have a couple PP's and one of them charges a fee for entrance. What I do is just shred the other ones and keep the Chase Sapphire one. I have that card loaded to the digital app. So far all the lounges I have used accept the digital card but I know some don't. I always have my passport with me in my backpack for a backup ID in case I lose my wallet so I have a government ID and I just put that physical card in the passport case.
Jan 15, 2018, 7:17 pm
#513
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,220
The lounge attendant wouldn't know.
They swipe your priority pass at the PP lounge. If you are entitled to free access you won't get charged (like with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card). If you aren't entitled to free access then the credit card association with the PP pass gets charged (like with the Hilton Surpass card).
I'm assuming PP pays the lounge for each card swipe and if you are to be charged for entrance PP charges the credit card associated with it.
.
They swipe your priority pass at the PP lounge. If you are entitled to free access you won't get charged (like with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card). If you aren't entitled to free access then the credit card association with the PP pass gets charged (like with the Hilton Surpass card).
I'm assuming PP pays the lounge for each card swipe and if you are to be charged for entrance PP charges the credit card associated with it.
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How will "digging the old PP card out of a drawer" that used to be associated with the paid access Surpass card work? No one knows, with that card, that you took the new Ascend card. What if you didn't?
Jan 15, 2018, 8:18 pm
#514
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
But don't you have to have a "new" PP card associated with the free access from your new Ascend card?
How will "digging the old PP card out of a drawer" that used to be associated with the paid access Surpass card work? No one knows, with that card, that you took the new Ascend card. What if you didn't?
How will "digging the old PP card out of a drawer" that used to be associated with the paid access Surpass card work? No one knows, with that card, that you took the new Ascend card. What if you didn't?
Jan 15, 2018, 10:46 pm
#515
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,912
I would guess that they'll also be sending out a physical card as well, but they've changed my account online already.
Jan 16, 2018, 9:00 am
#516
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 540
My wife has the no-fee Amex Hilton and has an upgrade offer to the Surpass for 75K points after $3K spending. The offer appears in the Amex Offers and is good until 1/17. Went ahead and accepted, since I can't see any reason that this wouldn't be a good idea. Her no-fee card would be converted to the new design in a few weeks anyway, and the Surpass card will transition to the Ascend. She's held the Surpass before so there's no Ascend signup bonus to miss out on there.
Jan 16, 2018, 10:39 am
#517
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,855
But don't you have to have a "new" PP card associated with the free access from your new Ascend card?
How will "digging the old PP card out of a drawer" that used to be associated with the paid access Surpass card work? No one knows, with that card, that you took the new Ascend card. What if you didn't?
How will "digging the old PP card out of a drawer" that used to be associated with the paid access Surpass card work? No one knows, with that card, that you took the new Ascend card. What if you didn't?
Jan 16, 2018, 11:45 am
#520
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Suburban NYC
Posts: 76
My wife has the no-fee Amex Hilton and has an upgrade offer to the Surpass for 75K points after $3K spending. The offer appears in the Amex Offers and is good until 1/17. Went ahead and accepted, since I can't see any reason that this wouldn't be a good idea. Her no-fee card would be converted to the new design in a few weeks anyway, and the Surpass card will transition to the Ascend. She's held the Surpass before so there's no Ascend signup bonus to miss out on there.
Jan 16, 2018, 12:24 pm
#521
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
My wife has the no-fee Amex Hilton and has an upgrade offer to the Surpass for 75K points after $3K spending. The offer appears in the Amex Offers and is good until 1/17. Went ahead and accepted, since I can't see any reason that this wouldn't be a good idea. Her no-fee card would be converted to the new design in a few weeks anyway, and the Surpass card will transition to the Ascend. She's held the Surpass before so there's no Ascend signup bonus to miss out on there.
Jan 16, 2018, 2:23 pm
#523
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Huh? 
The Surpass card and the Citi Reserve card are being converted to Ascend, not Aspire.
Aspire is the upcoming (still several days away from debuting) $450 AF card that gives you HH Diamond status.
Meanwhile, you're in the thread about Surpass. Why are you asking questions about Citi Reserve -> Ascend here, when there's a separate thread for that:
Citi Hilton Honors cards going away by end of 2017
The Surpass card and the Citi Reserve card are being converted to Ascend, not Aspire.
Aspire is the upcoming (still several days away from debuting) $450 AF card that gives you HH Diamond status.
Meanwhile, you're in the thread about Surpass. Why are you asking questions about Citi Reserve -> Ascend here, when there's a separate thread for that:
Citi Hilton Honors cards going away by end of 2017
Jan 16, 2018, 2:23 pm
#524
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 540
- I know for sure that the no-fee -> surpass upgrade/downgrade cycle has worked flawlessly before (this would be my 3rd upgrade bonus for the same credit line).
- The usual upgrade bonus was 50K, so 75K is superior.
- Also, no idea whether the no-fee -> ascend upgrade will be as lucrative or even be offered at all, so might as well get one more guaranteed bonus in before 1/18 in case some loophole closes.
Jan 16, 2018, 6:20 pm
#525
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: HH Gold
Posts: 8
Huh?
The Surpass card and the Citi Reserve card are being converted to Ascend, not Aspire.
Aspire is the upcoming (still several days away from debuting) $450 AF card that gives you HH Diamond status.
Meanwhile, you're in the thread about Surpass. Why are you asking questions about Citi Reserve -> Ascend here, when there's a separate thread for that:
Citi Hilton Honors cards going away by end of 2017
The Surpass card and the Citi Reserve card are being converted to Ascend, not Aspire.
Aspire is the upcoming (still several days away from debuting) $450 AF card that gives you HH Diamond status.
Meanwhile, you're in the thread about Surpass. Why are you asking questions about Citi Reserve -> Ascend here, when there's a separate thread for that:
Citi Hilton Honors cards going away by end of 2017
I saw posts from Citi folks so I would check and see if any had been able to upgrade from Ascend to Aspire from their prior card.
I have a stay eligible for resort credit next week and wanted to get my Aspire ASAP.