Hilton Surpass: Earn 130,000 Hilton Points, a Weekend Night and Automatic Elite Status (Limited-Time Offer Through August 28, 2019)

INSIDER SECRET: This card’s name may have changed, but it still comes with outstanding benefits like automatic Hilton Gold elite status and Priority Pass lounge visits, plus an improved welcome offer.

Hilton is a favorite among Million Mile Secrets readers and staff because it’s so easy to earn Hilton Honors points and use points at Hilton hotels. Depending on your travel destination, you can choose from luxury brand hotels, like Waldorf Astoria, or book a family-friendly option like Hampton Inn, which offers free hot breakfast for all hotel guests.

The refreshed Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (previously the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card) is an excellent option for travelers who book Hilton hotels. For a limited time through August 28, 2019, the Hilton Surpass card is offering an increased welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors points plus a weekend night certificate at nearly any Hilton after you meet minimum spending requirements.

You can replenish points quickly by earning lots of bonus points on paid Hilton stays and other useful bonus spending categories, including US restaurants and US supermarkets.

Here’s our Amex Hilton Surpass review:

Use points or the weekend night certificate from the increased welcome offer on the Hilton Surpass for a stay at the Waldorf Astoria, Grand Wailea in Maui. (Photo by Jasmin Baron/Million Mile Secrets)

Amex Hilton Surpass Bonus

Apply Here: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card

For a limited time, when you apply for the Hilton Honors Surpass card, you’ll earn 130,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first four months of account opening. Plus, you’ll earn a weekend night certificate valid at almost any Hilton hotel after meeting the same minimum spending requirement. This offer is only good until August 28, 2019.

A free standard night at Hilton hotels generally costs 10,000-95,000 Hilton points per night, so the bonus points are more than enough for a night at any top Hilton hotel or multiple nights at less expensive locations. Plus, you can make the most of your weekend night certificate by booking a high-end Hilton property (like a Conrad or Waldorf Astoria), which can sometimes cost $800 or more (here’s a list of exclusions).

Hilton is one of the biggest hotel chains, so there’s likely a Hilton hotel nearby, no matter where you’re traveling. Hilton hotel brands include:

Hilton points are generally worth at least 0.5 cents each. So for most people, the 130,000-point Amex Hilton Surpass bonus is worth, at minimum, $650 in stays (130,000 Hilton points x 0.5 cents). However, it’s possible to get even more value from your Hilton points, depending on where you use them.

Unlike other hotel chains, Hilton does not have an award chart, and the number of points required to book an award stay can vary depending on your travel dates. Travel during peak periods will generally cost more points than off-season awards. The Hilton Points Explorer tool can give you an idea of the minimum and maximum number of points you’ll pay at a specific property.

Most folks prefer to pay cash for lower-cost stays (less than $125 per night), and instead use points to book free nights or a weekend night certificate at top-tier hotels that are otherwise very expensive when you pay cash. For example, during peak travel dates, you could pay more than $1,000 for a night at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, but you could book an award stay instead either for 95,000 Hilton points per night or by redeeming your certificate.

The Amex Hilton Surpass bonus can get you amazing value if you redeem for a night like this.

If the Maldives is on your bucket list, using Hilton points or the weekend night certificate for a stay at the Conrad Maldives is an excellent deal. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

If a trip to the Maldives isn’t in your future, you can still use the Amex Hilton Surpass to save big on other types of hotel stays. Planning to ski this winter? You can use 95,000 Hilton points or a weekend night certificate instead of paying over $900 to stay at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Park City, which has direct access to the mountains.

If you prefer more moderate accommodations, you can stretch your Amex Hilton Surpass bonus points and still get terrific value at brands like DoubleTree and Hilton Garden Inn.

Benefits and Perks of the Hilton Surpass

Complimentary Hilton Gold Elite Status

You’ll receive complimentary Gold Hilton status just for having the Amex Hilton Surpass, which gets you an 80% bonus on points you earn at Hilton hotels. That’s on top of the 10 Hilton points per dollar you get as a Hilton Honors member by booking your room directly with the hotel (5 points per dollar at Home2 Suites and Tru), and 12 points per dollar you earn by using this card for the reservation. So altogether, you can expect to earn 30 Hilton points per dollar at most Hilton hotels.

You’ll also receive free breakfast at Hilton hotels, and room upgrades when available.

You can even earn Hilton Diamond status if you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases with your card in a calendar year (valid through the end of the next calendar year after it’s earned). That comes with all the Gold Status benefits plus things like executive lounge access, an elite status gift and a 100% bonus on points earned at Hilton hotels.

Enjoy free breakfast when you have Hilton Gold (or Diamond) elite status. (Photo by Jasmin Baron/Million Mile Secrets)

Weekend Night Certificate When You Hit a Spending Threshold

You’ll earn an additional weekend night after you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year with your Amex Hilton Surpass card. You can use this weekend night at nearly any Hilton hotel, including expensive resorts like the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa, where rates can exceed $600 per night.

Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access

This card gives you 10 free airport lounge visits each year once enrolled in a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Priority Pass has over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, so it shouldn’t be hard to use these annual passes.

These visits do not come with guest privileges, so if you’re traveling with a friend, you’ll have to use two visits to get you both in.

Access to Amex Offers

You can add Amex Offers to the card, which are statement credits or bonus points you’ll receive when you enroll your card for targeted offers at merchants including Hilton hotels. I recently got $550 back by stacking Amex Offers in Hawaii at the Grand Wailea resort, and have saved hundreds of dollars over the years at other merchants.

Car Rental Insurance

The Hilton Surpass comes with secondary rental car insurance that covers damage due to theft or collision on eligible rentals of 30 days or less. Check out these important restrictions because some types of vehicles and countries aren’t covered.

Global Assist Hotline

When you travel 100 miles or more from home, you can call a 24-hour hotline to assist with urgent needs including translation services, passport replacement, missing luggage, doctor clinics or services and more. You’ll be responsible for any costs incurred. Here’s more about the Global Assist Hotline.

Travel Accident Insurance

If the worst happens while you’re traveling, you and your immediate family on an eligible trip may be covered for accidental death or dismemberment.

To be eligible for this insurance you’ll need to pay for your entire fare (cruise, ticket, etc.) with your Hilton Surpass card. You can find the full travel accident insurance coverage terms here.

Extended Warranty

When you make an eligible purchase with the Hilton Surpass card, Amex will extend the original manufacturer’s warranty up to two additional years on eligible warranties of five years or less. Here’s more about limitations and exclusions with the card’s extended warranty coverage.

Purchase Protection

When you use your Amex Hilton Honors Surpass for an eligible purchase, you’re covered for 120 days if the item is accidentally damaged or stolen. Coverage is limited up to $1,000 per occurence or $50,000 per account per calendar year. Check out the terms for purchase protection here.

Return Protection

If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days of the date of purchase and the merchant will not take it back, you may be refunded the full purchase price, up to $300 per item and a maximum of $1,000 per year. The item must have been purchased in the US or its territories and paid for in full with your Hilton Surpass card. You can read about other important restrictions here.

Roadside Assistance Hotline

The Amex Hilton Honors Surpass comes with access to a 24-hour Roadside Assistance Hotline. There’s no cost to call and arrange for help, but you will be charged for any services you use. They can assist you with the following:

  • Towing
  • Winching
  • Jump starts
  • Flat tires (when you’ve got a working spare)
  • Delivery of up to two gallons of fuel
  • Lockout service when the key is in your vehicle

Here’s what you’ll need to know about the Amex Roadside Assistance Hotline.

Is the Hilton Surpass Worth the Annual Fee?

I don’t recommend applying for the Amex Hilton Surpass (or any of the best travel credit cards) unless your credit score is at least 700.

Because Amex limits welcome bonuses to once per person per lifetime on a particular card, if you’ve had the Amex Hilton Surpass (even under it’s previous name, the Amex Hilton Ascend), you’re not eligible for the bonus.

The Amex Hilton Surpass‘s $95 annual fee is not waived the first year (See Rates & Fees), but the card’s benefits and perks can easily offset the annual fee.

For a limited time through August 28, 2019, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card has an intro bonus of 130,000 Hilton points and a weekend night certificate after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first four months of opening the account. For most folks, it should be relatively easy to get at least $650 worth of hotel stays from the welcome bonus (not including the weekend night certificate, which is valid at almost any Hilton hotel).

Spending $15,000 in a calendar year to earn the weekend night certificate could be worth $1,000 or more depending on where you redeem it (here’s a list of exclusions).

For instance, during peak travel season at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, you could get a night worth over $1,000 by booking with 95,000 Hilton points or a weekend certificate. Similarly, you could also use 95,000 Hilton points or a certificate to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Park City, where paid nights often exceed $900.

And if you use it to book an expensive hotel, and the 10 free Priority Pass lounge visits can help you avoid paying for overpriced airport food.

With complimentary Priority Pass visits, accessing lounges like the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Paris can save you money and make your airport time more comfortable. (Photo by Jasmin Baron/Million Mile Secrets)

Plus, if you frequently stay at Hilton hotels, the Gold elite status perks like free breakfast, upgrades when available and bonus points can offer huge value.

Team member Jasmin stayed at the Conrad Tokyo and was able to get a $140 breakfast for free thanks to her Hilton Honors Gold status.

If you put a lot of charges on your credit card and stay at Hilton hotels even a handful of times throughout the year, you could also get great value from the Hilton Surpass card because you’ll earn Hilton Honors Diamond status if you spend $40,000 or more in a calendar year.

Hilton Honors Diamond status comes with all of the same perks as Hilton Gold plus a 48-hour room guarantee, executive floor lounge access and a welcome amenity unique to each hotel.

How to Earn Points With the Hilton Surpass

With the Amex Hilton Surpass, you’ll earn:

  • 12 Hilton points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts
  • 6 Hilton points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations
  • 3 Hilton points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

For example, if your monthly grocery bill is $500, you can earn 36,000 Hilton points per year ($500 x 12 months x 6 points per dollar) just by using the Amex Hilton Surpass card for those purchases.

Earn 6 Hilton points per dollar at US supermarkets with the Amex Hilton Surpass card. (Photo by George Rudy/Shutterstock)

How to Use Hilton Honors Points From the Hilton Surpass Card

Read our post on how to use Hilton points

It’s relatively easy to search the Hilton website to figure out the number of Hilton points you’ll need for a free stay on your travel dates.

Step 1. Enter Search Criteria (Log In Not Required)

Suppose you want to stay in New York City using your Hilton points. Here’s how you’d check the number of points you’d need per night.

To begin, navigate to Hilton’s homepage and click “Sign In“. (You don’t need to log in to see points values, but you’ll need to be signed in to book). Enter your destination, travel dates, number of rooms and number of guests.

Choose “Use Points” to search for award nights. There’s also an option to select flexible dates if your travel plans aren’t firm.

Then click “Find It” to get the search going.

Step 2. Pick Your Hotel

From there, you’ll see a list of Hilton hotels at your destination, along with the nightly points rate of each hotel (unless it’s sold out).

To choose a hotel, click the “Select” button under the nightly rate.

Step 3. Choose Your Room Type

Next, select the room you want. Standard rooms will cost the fewest points compared to upgraded rooms, like those with better views or more space.

For example, standard room nights (one king or queen) on a sample date in December at the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Times Square Central go for 70,000 Hilton points per night.

But “premium” rooms with views of the New York City skyline cost 217,000-222,000 Hilton points per night. Ouch – definitely not a good deal.

If you see an asterisk next to the nightly rate, it means the rate changes during your stay.

Once you’ve decided on the room you want, click the “Selectbutton.

Step 4. Book Your Room

If you aren’t yet logged into your account, you’ll be prompted to do so. From there you can continue booking as usual, including having the opportunity to add additional guest names and any special requests. You’ll then see your reservation details and your Hilton loyalty account information.

You can also customize your payment with a combination of points and money by moving the slider on the booking screen.

Remember, the rate could change depending on the day of the week or season. Here’s more about how to use Hilton Honors points in general and the best uses of Hilton points.

Does the Hilton Surpass Have a Foreign Transaction Fee?

No. (see rates & fees)

Cards Similar to the Hilton Surpass

If the Hilton Surpass doesn’t sound like the perfect fit for you, there are other Hilton cards to choose from:

These are all considered different card products, which means it’s possible to earn the welcome bonus on more than one version. I’m a big fan of the Hilton Aspire card because it comes with incredible benefits that make it worth much more than the annual fee for frequent Hilton guests. (Here’s our review of the Hilton Aspire for more.)

Bottom Line

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express (formerly called the Hilton Honors Ascend Card from American Express) is offering an increased welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors points plus a weekend night certificate at almost any Hilton hotel after meeting minimum spending requirements. You’ll want to get in on this deal soon, because it expires August 28, 2019.

You’ll also receive money-saving perks like complimentary Gold Hilton elite status (free breakfast) and Priority Pass airport lounge passes.

At a minimum, you should be able to use 130,000 Hilton points to get $650 worth of free hotel stays, but you can potentially get even more value from your Hilton points depending on where you redeem them. For example, the welcome bonus is enough for an award night at hotels that can cost over $1,000 per night, like the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island or Waldorf Astoria Park City.

The Hilton Surpass card makes it easy to earn lots of Hilton points because you can earn 12 points per dollar at Hilton hotels, 6 points per dollar at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations and 3 points per dollar everywhere else. Plus, as an Amex cardholder, you’ll get access to Amex Offers, which you can use to save money on purchases you’re already planning.

For more about all things Hilton, check out our guides:

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For rates and fees of the Hilton Surpass Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Business Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Amex Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, click here.