People who travel frequently will want to have access to good credit cards. If you find yourself on the road a lot, then you likely stay at hotels often. It makes sense that you should want to be able to be rewarded for your hotel visits. If Hilton Hotels is one of your preferred options when seeking accommodations on the road, then you may wish to consider the Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card from American Express.
This credit card is going to offer you a very good experience while staying at Hilton Hotels. You are going to be able to earn rewards for using this credit card somewhat frequently. To add to this, there are also various benefits of being a cardholder. It makes it a worthwhile experience for many different people.
In order to determine whether or not this credit card is going to be right for you, it is important to get all of the information straight. We are going to look into every aspect of the Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card from American Express. This review will seek to shed light on what it has to offer so that you can make an informed decision. Continue reading to dig into the rewards potential of this card and the various benefits that it offers cardholders.
Hilton Honors Surpass  |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn 130,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $4,000 in the first 4 months. Earn a free weekend night rewards after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 12X points Hilton properties. You'll also earn 6X at US supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations. 3X on all other purchases. |
| BENEFITS Earn diamond status when you spend $40,000 in a calendar year. Get Priority Pass with 10 free visits per calendar year. |
| FEES $95 annual fee. Terms Apply |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS If you regularly stay at Hilton properties this card could be right for you. If you don't stay at Hilton often, it's probably not the best option. |
| [earnist_link ref="american-express-hilton-ascend" id="10816"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Amex Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card Fees
You do need to know that there is an annual fee associated with this credit card. You will have to pay out $95.00 per year in order to keep this credit card in your wallet. This is not too high when you consider other credit cards that offer similar rewards experiences. The annual fee is definitely not overly high, but it will still act as a deterrent for some people.
Luckily, there is no foreign transaction fee that you will have to deal with. If you need to use this hotel rewards card at one of the foreign locations, then you will be able to do so without having any problems. Not having to put up with foreign transaction fees is always going to make your experience that much nicer. It is perfect for anyone who has to travel outside of the US on occasion.
The other fees that you will have to pay are not too unusual either. Balance transfer fees are set at 3% with a $5.00 minimum. Cash advance fees are also set at 3% with a $5.00 minimum. Both late payment and returned payment fees are set at $38.00.
You can expect a standard APR when you sign up for this credit card, too. It does not come with any type of special introductory APR offer, either. This card will be pretty inoffensive in the APR department, and it does not stand out in any way in this category. It makes it a fine option for those who want to keep fees fairly low while having an average APR.
Features of the Hilton Honors Surpass Card
One of the best features of the Hilton Honors Surpass credit card is that it has a good welcome bonus. You can potentially earn a lot of points for spending a certain amount of money in the first three months of being a cardholder. The point total is so good that it will be able to make the annual fee a moot point if you can obtain it. This welcome bonus is very attainable and should not be too tough for most people to get, so long as they are planning on staying at hotels during the first three months.
Aside from this, most of the other features that stand out for this credit card have to do with the rewards program. If you want a good rewards credit card that will benefit you while staying at hotels, then this one will work nicely. We will go over all of the rewards categories and offerings for this credit card later on. There are also several important benefits to being a cardholder that need to be discussed.
Benefits of the Hilton Honors Surpass Card
Being a cardholder is going to give you access to a Priority Pass Select Membership. What this will do for you is give you 10 lounge visits that you can use throughout the year. If you want to purchase additional lounge passes after using up your allotted 10 visits, then they can be purchased for $27.00. Having access to the lounge is a nice benefit that will make your traveling experience that much nicer.
You will also be able to enjoy a complimentary weekend night reward once you have spent $15,000 on your card through purchases during the calendar year. This is something that many people will love being able to take advantage of. You can redeem these certificates very easily, and they can certainly help to alleviate some of your hotel expenses. As long as you spend enough during the calendar year, you should be able to count on this perk being available once a year.
Perhaps the most important benefit of becoming a cardholder is that you will receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status. This status is going to get you access to some pretty incredible perks when you are staying at the Hilton. You will be able to enjoy room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, and increased bonus points. If Hilton is your hotel of choice then this card may be worthwhile simply due to giving you access to Gold status.
There are also many standard benefits that will come in handy during your travels. You will be able to enjoy travel protections and purchase protections that will keep you safe. If you want a card that offers various good benefits, then this one definitely stands out. You will be able to make good use of this card in order to create the perfect hotel experience.
Rewards Program Info
The rewards program for this credit card has the potential to be very lucrative. You will be able to earn 12X rewards points for every $1.00 spent on eligible purchases at hotels or resorts that are in the Hilton family. This is a huge rewards number, and it can help you to earn points quite fast. If you stay at hotels often enough, then you will wind up with a mountain of points before you know it.
You will be able to earn an increased rewards rate for several other types of purchases, too. For instance, you can earn 6X rewards points for every $1.00 spent at US restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. If you are going to be doing a lot of normal shopping with this credit card, then it can pay off by earning you rewards points. These bonus categories are very easy to hit and you can enjoy redeeming these rewards for free hotel stays without it being a hassle.
It is also important to know that all other purchases can earn you 3X points per $1.00 spent. This type of rewards potential is normally relegated to bonus categories, but 3X points is actually the base rate of this credit card. It makes it so easy to keep earning points, even when you are purchasing something outside of the normal bonus categories. It is another good reason to consider signing up for this card.
Redeeming points will always be a simple process with this credit card. There are options for redeeming your rewards points such as transferring the points to airlines and redeeming points for merchandise. Generally, this is not going to be the best way to use your points. You will get more bang for your buck if you redeem the points for hotel stays.
You are also given some interesting options to customize how you are redeeming your points. It is possible to choose to use only some points towards a hotel stay and to pay for the rest in cash. This gives you greater control over how you are using your earned rewards points. Points can also be used for on-site rewards such as golf tee times and associated spas. You will always be able to choose how to best use your points.
The Pros
- High rewards rate
- Several bonus categories
- Flexible redemption options
- No foreign transaction fees
The high rewards rate of this card is the biggest reason to sign up for it. It is going to allow you to earn rewards consistently. Being able to earn 12x rewards points on Hilton Hotel purchases is fantastic overall. This can make it so that you will have plenty of rewards points to use to help alleviate some of your travel costs over the year.
Several bonus categories are available to make earning points as simple as possible. You will be able to earn increased rewards at not only Hilton Hotels, but you will also earn 6X bonus rewards at US restaurants, gas stations, and supermarkets. This makes it very practical to earn rewards by just buying normal everyday items. It increases the appeal of the credit card substantially and makes it so that more people will be able to earn rewards that can be used toward paying for hotel stays.
The flexible redemption options of this credit card make it really easy to use. You will be able to redeem rewards for hotel stays, but you will also have options for redeeming points for merchandise and transferring the points to travel partners. Aside from this, you can also decide to use only some of the points to pay for a hotel room, and you will be able to pay the rest with cash. You are very much in charge of how you redeem these rewards points.
A lack of foreign transaction fees is a helpful addition to this credit card, too. You will never have to worry about being charged extra fees for using your credit card when you are out of the country. It makes life a lot easier for people who travel abroad somewhat frequently. This card will be available to use outside of the US without you having to put up with pesky foreign transaction fees.
The Cons
- Has an annual fee
- Works best for people who stay at the Hilton Hotels a lot
- American Express is not accepted everywhere
The fact that the Hilton Honors Surpass credit card has that $95.00 annual fee is going to hold it back just a little bit in some people’s eyes. When you take the high rewards potential into account, it should help to alleviate any worries that you have. Even so, some people do not like paying annual fees that are this high. It is simply going to be up to you to decide whether or not this is going to be lucrative enough to justify the fee in your situation.
Also, this credit card really works best for people who stay at Hilton Hotels a lot. It has a lot of ways to let you earn rewards points, but the best redemption options are all related to hotel stays. If you do not travel often enough, then you may find that you are not using the points to their full potential. You just have to make sure that you are in the right demographic for this type of credit card.
One thing that you will need to keep in mind is that American Express is not accepted everywhere. This does not mean that you will not be able to use this card at many places. American Express is simply not as commonly accepted as Visa and MasterCard. It is still accepted at many locations, but you may find some businesses that do not take American Express cards.
That being said, you should know that this will not negatively impact your experience too much. All of the Hilton locations will certainly take the card, and most large businesses will, too. You may run into some smaller supermarkets that will have compatibility issues, though. It may be worth checking into whether your local supermarket accepts American Express ahead of time, especially since supermarket purchases can earn you 6X bonus points per $1.00 spent.
Credit Score Needed for Approval
Getting approved for this credit card will require you to have a very good credit score. The recommended credit score for this card is 690 or higher. If you have a credit score that falls in the excellent range, then your chances will wind up being even greater. You should definitely take the time to check your credit score ahead of time so that you can know what to expect.
Who Does the Hilton Surpass Card Appeal to Most?
This credit card is going to appeal to people who stay at hotels somewhat often. If you like to stay at hotels for fun or if you travel on business fairly often, then this card will be useful. You will be able to earn rewards on your hotel visits and can use those rewards to alleviate some of your costs. It is a very sensible card for many people to keep around.
It is also going to be a credit card that appeals to Hilton Hotel customers specifically. Of course, this hotel is only going to earn that 12X rewards rate when booking stays at Hilton Hotel family locations. If you really like the Hilton Hotels, then you will love being a cardholder. It will give you access to various perks and will make your hotel visits even nicer than before.
Anyone who wants to gain immediate Gold status with Hilton is going to want to sign up for this card, too. Just being a Gold member is going to make staying at the Hilton even better. The value of this status makes the annual fee of the card completely worthwhile. Anyone who stays at the Hilton somewhat often will be able to make good use of this credit card.
An Alternative Card to Consider
The [earnist_link ref=”chase-sapphire-preferred-card” id=”6313″]Chase Sapphire Preferred[/earnist_link] Card is one of the best alternative options to consider. If you want to have a credit card that gives you good rewards potential, but you do not want to be locked into sticking with one hotel brand, then this card will be optimal. It gives you the ability to earn 2X points on all travel and dining purchases. These points can be transferred to various hotel partners, making it a practical card for many people.
See our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
This card has the same annual fee of $95.00 that the Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card from American Express does. It offers a lot of value and is comparable to the Hilton Honors Ascend Card in certain ways. It does not offer all of the same amazing benefits, though. Weigh the benefits of each card to determine which one is going to give you the best experience.
Decision Time: Is the Hilton Honors Surpass Card Right for You?
The Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card from American Express is a very good option for many different people. If you stay at Hilton Hotels often, then this card can be a truly lucrative option. It allows you to earn rewards on hotel stays at a very high rate. This card also has many other bonus categories that make it perfect for everyday purchases.
Earning rewards is so easy when you use this credit card to its full potential. If you use this card often enough, then you will be earning so many rewards points per year. This will make it easy to earn free stays at Hilton Hotels and the points are even able to be used in other flexible ways. A good card like this is highly recommended for anyone who is able to use it properly.
