MoneyGeek’s Take
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Review
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a good option for avid travelers and frequent guests at Hilton hotels and resorts. The card comes with a robust rewards system and a great sign-up bonus.

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The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is ideal for earning and redeeming Hilton points. It has an annual fee of $95. However, it's pretty easy to offset the fee through its various valuable bonus categories. It has no foreign transaction fee, which is something we always like to see on travel cards.

Card Details to Know Up Front
- Bonus, Fee or FeatureHas or Not
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card at a Glance
If you regularly stay at Hilton properties, the American Hilton Honors Surpass Card can go a long way for you. Take a look at some of its key features before we take a deeper dive.
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
An excellent credit card for earning Hilton Honors points.
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $95Annual Fee
- 3–12 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
- 12xRewards Rate at Hotels
- 6xRewards Rate on Groceries
Pros & Cons Explained
While the American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Card benefits are enticing, it's important to take a closer look at what this card excels at and what would make it a better travel card.
Pros
- BenefitsDescription
- Free weekend award nightWhen you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you get a complimentary weekend reward night which you can use at any Hilton property worldwide.
- Hilton elite statusYou earn complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status with this card after enrolling in the Hilton Honors program. The benefits of Gold Status include free wifi, the option to select your room, room upgrades (when available) and free bottled water.
- Complimentary Priority Pass SelectThis membership features 10 free airport lounge passes each year. You get access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the globe.
Cons
- DrawbacksDescription
- Limited reward redemptionsHilton points have low redemption value when used at non-Hilton properties. Therefore, you have to redeem your points through Hilton to get their full value.
- High spending requirement for elite statusWhile the card comes with Gold status, you’ll have to make $40,000 in purchases each year to upgrade to Diamond status.
MoneyGeek selects the best credit cards for our readers every year by analyzing the ins and outs of every card in our database. Take a look at our picks for the best travel credit cards.
Bonuses & Rewards Explained
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns 12 points per dollar for eligible purchases at Hilton properties worldwide. You earn six points per dollar spent on eligible purchases in U.S. supermarkets, restaurants and gas stations. Any other eligible purchases will yield points at a rate of three points per dollar.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has an impressive welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton points if you spend $2,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening an account. Further, you earn an additional 50,000 points after purchases of $10,000 in your first six months.
You can redeem the rewards by logging in to your Hilton Honors account. The lowest amount you can redeem is 5,000 points if you’re paying using both cash and points. However, the rate of redemption for Hilton bonus points is dynamic and changes depending on demand and seasons.
Luckily, there are no blackout dates for points redemption, which increases the hotel availability. Hilton offers an option to combine cash and points, with a value-per-point of around 0.5 cents each.
Hilton also offers a points pooling option that allows Hilton Honors members to combine points with other cardholders to make a meaningful redemption.
Other Features Explained
There are many Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card benefits. Here are other valuable perks that could make your next stay much more relaxed.
- Card FeatureDescription
- Purchase protectionThe card covers damage or theft for purchases up to $1,000 within the first 90 days after buying the item.
- Baggage insuranceThe Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card covers lost, stolen or damaged checked and carry-on baggage if the tickets are purchased using the card.
- Car rental loss and damage insuranceThis credit card provides secondary compensation for qualified rental vehicles.
As Hilton uses dynamic pricing for rewards redemptions, the best way you can maximize your redemptions through the Hilton Honors program is by targeting properties that cost relatively few points per booking compared to other Hilton hotels.
Understanding the Fine Print
- Card FeatureAmount or Rate
- APR19.99% – 28.99% Variable
- Annual Fee$95
- Cash Back Rewards
- Rewards Rate3–12 Points per $1*
- Airline Benefits
Cash Advance Fee
If you take a cash advance against your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card credit limit, you’ll pay a fee of 5% or $10.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has a high variable APR of 19.99% – 28.99% .
You may compare this card with cards you already have by checking their fees and features in your last billing statement. Alternatively, you can find this information through the credit card agreement database maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card?
Other Considerations for Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Before completing the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card application, you need to know how you’ll use the card. Using this card alone or pairing it with other cards might have an influence on your experience.
Things to Consider if This Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card
To make this card your first or only credit card, you should consider the high APR when making purchases or transferring balances. Additionally, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card credit score range is 670–850. You need at least a good credit score to be approved for this card.
Things to Consider if This Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet
A card with no foreign transaction fees can be ideal when used as an additional card. You won't have to pay for any purchases made abroad during your travels. Other benefits include free stays and ten free Priority Pass Lounge visits every year.
The card's high annual fee may be something you want to consider. The good thing is, the card has rewards that easily outweigh its fees if you regularly pay off your balance.
At MoneyGeek, we use a systematic methodology and review process when determining the best credit cards. The well-planned process involves collecting details from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s database, updating data points to provide for easy comparisons, determining average spending profiles, considering the annual and introductory bonuses, establishing the long-term value of the credit card and carrying out a regular review and re-ranking procedure.
How Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Compares to Other Cards
The card has no foreign transaction fees. Its rewards are lucrative and have excellent sign-up bonuses. However, the factors you’d consider when comparing it with other cards will largely depend on what you want from the card.
Quick Comparison of Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- Annual fee: $95
- Purchase APR: 19.99% – 28.99% variable
- International transaction fee: 0%
- Cash back: N/A
- Best for: Travelers who regularly stay at Hilton properties
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Annual fee: $95
- Purchase APR: 20.24% – 27.24% variable
- International transaction fee: 0%
- Cash back: N/A
- Best for: Frequent travelers looking for elite status and superb travel rewards
Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card that might help you make a well-informed decision.
Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.
If you’re still not convinced whether this card may be the best option for you, you can check out other travel credit cards and compare their perks. If you’re looking for other credit categories, you might want to consider some of the best cash back credit cards.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
American Express Cash Magnet® Card
American Express® Gold Card
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Chase Freedom® Student Credit Card
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Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
Mastercard® Black Card™
Mastercard® Titanium Card™
Simmons Rewards Visa Signature®
Simmons Visa®
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
American Express® Business Gold Card
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Assent Platinum 0% Intro Rate Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Capital One Spark Cash Select - $500 Cash Bonus
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Aer Lingus Visa Signature®
British Airways Visa Signature® Card
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Iberia Visa Signature® Card
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Citi® Double Cash Card
United℠ Business Card
United Club℠ Infinite Card
United℠ Explorer Card
United Gateway℠ Card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Citi Premier® Card
Citi Rewards+® Card
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa®
Destiny® Mastercard®
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
The Plum Card® from American Express
Learn more about credit cards in general
sources
- American Express. "Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card." Accessed September 15, 2021.
- Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit Card Agreement Database." Accessed September 9, 2021.
- J.D. Power. "U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study." Accessed September 9, 2021.
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