Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold status with your Card. Plus, spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. That’s up to $200 in statement credits annually.
• As a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you’re enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, Global Assist® Hotline is available for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Other terms and conditions apply.
• Points don’t expire while your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is active and in good standing.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.‍
• See Rates & Fees

When it comes to Hilton Honors Bonus Points, the best way to maximize your miles is to redeem them with travel.

[.dontreco] We don’t recommend: Redeeming points for Amazon purchases [.dontreco]

While it's possible to use your points for purchases on Amazon, the value per point is quite low. You’ll get much more value by using your points for hotel stays.

[.sometimesreco] We sometimes recommend: Booking through the Hilton Honors website [.sometimesreco]

Booking directly through the Hilton Honors website can offer decent value, especially during sales or promotions. However, you might not always get the highest value per point.

[.alwaysreco] We always recommend: Using points for stays at high-end properties [.alwaysreco]

The best value often comes from redeeming points for stays at high-end Hilton properties, such as Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels. These redemptions can provide significant savings, especially during peak travel times.

While the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card does have certain airline and hotel transfer partners, those ratios do not provide the best value for your points...or really any value for that matter.

1. The Hilton Enthusiast

If you find yourself consistently booking stays at Hilton properties such as Hilton, DoubleTree, or Waldorf Astoria, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is perfect for you. With automatic Gold status, you’ll get perks like daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast, room upgrades, and late check-out, enhancing your hotel stays. Um, yes please! The card’s generous earning rates allow you to accumulate points quickly, leading to free nights faster than many other hotel cards. Plus, the annual free night after spending $15,000 makes this card a valuable addition to any Hilton loyalist’s wallet.

1. The Frequent Flyer

For those who travel often, the Hilton Honors Surpass offers excellent benefits. The card provides strong earning rates at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations, making it a great choice for everyday spending. Plus, the $100 Hilton on-property credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties adds a little extra something-something. If you’re a frequent flyer who enjoys staying at Hilton hotels, this card could be a solid addition to your wallet.

1. The Twice-a-Year Traveler

This is one of those cards to hold if you’re only rolling up to the airport a few times each year. Why, you ask? You’re working with a pretty small annual fee and pretty huge earnings rates. With the welcome offer alone, you’ll be eligible for at least a few free nights. Plus, you can rack up points pretty quickly on dining and retail purchases. If you prefer to stay at hotels when you travel (particularly Hilton hotels), then this is a great card for those who travel more sporadically.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: You probably shouldn’t own a credit card if you: (1) have a bad credit score, (2) are a non-U.S. resident (for this particular card), and (3) cannot control your spending. If your credit score is low, you'll need to improve it before applying for travel credit cards, as approval for the best ones, like the Surpass Card, is unlikely. Be honest with yourself: if a new credit card will tempt you to overspend, it's best to avoid it. Credit cards are crucial for earning miles and points, but they require responsible use.

A decent credit score of good to excellent is recommended for the Hilton Honors Surpass. But again, if you’re in a solid place with your credit and feel you are ready for a new card, don’t let the fear of being rejected keep you from applying. We’ve known several people to be rejected on their first application, use the reconsideration line, and be granted the Hilton Honors Surpass. The worst they can say is “no,” and more often than not, we’ve found these people want to help!