Hotel cobranded credit cards serve a very specific audience. After all, if you aren’t a regular visitor to the hotel chain in question, there probably isn’t much reason to get its credit card.
But on the flip side, some hotel cards are better than others, especially when it comes to extra benefits that come in handy during stays at the chain’s properties.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, with an annual fee of $150 (see rates and fees), is an excellent example of a cobranded hotel credit card that truly offers value to a regular Hilton guest. It comes with solid earning potential and provides a level of elite status that can greatly enhance your stays at Hilton properties.
These are the top five reasons to consider getting the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass card.
Valuable welcome offer
New Hilton Honors Surpass cardmembers can earn 130,000 points plus a free night reward after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first six months of cardmembership. This offer ends on April 29.
Based on TPG’s March 2025 valuations, those bonus points are worth $780. That’s not taking into account the value of the free night reward.
Since Hilton has more than 8,000 properties worldwide, these bonus points can be used for many purchases, such as a stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Universal Orlando in Florida or at an all-inclusive in Mexico.
Related: 7 great ways to use 100,000 Hilton Honors points and a free night reward
Bonus points for Hilton stays
If you stay at Hilton hotels regularly — or even on a semi-regular basis — there are very few cards with a return as good as the Hilton Honors Surpass.
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You’ll earn 12 points per dollar spent on all eligible Hilton purchases (including eligible charges made to your room during your stay). As of March 2025, TPG values Hilton Honors points at 0.6 cents each, so you’re effectively getting an over 7% return on Hilton stays when using this card.
You’ll also get:
Related: Is the Hilton Surpass Amex card worth the annual fee?
Complimentary elite status
Many hotel chains offer only so-so mid-tier elite status benefits, but Hilton is an exception. The Hilton Surpass offers cardmembers complimentary Hilton Gold status (terms apply).
Hilton Gold elite status is very valuable, providing:
- An 80% bonus on points earned for Hilton stays
- Room upgrades at most brands (excluding suites)
- A daily food and beverage credit (at U.S. hotels only) or continental breakfast (at non-U.S. hotels)
- Elite rollover nights
The Hilton Surpass also comes with the ability to upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status if you spend $40,000 on it in a calendar year (terms apply). That said, if you’re really in the market for Diamond status, you may be better off with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card since it offers complimentary Diamond status (terms apply).
Additionally, cardmembers get complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status. This gets you Executive Area Access for full-size reservations and above in the U.S. and Canada, guaranteed upgrades and no second-driver fees. (Enrollment is required in the Emerald Club Program; terms apply.)
The information for the Hilton Amex Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The award traveler’s guide to Hilton Honors
Fifth night free on award stays
You can make your points go a lot further if you have the Hilton Honors Surpass.
Since the card gives you complimentary Hilton Gold elite status, you can take advantage of one of the key benefits of status: a fifth night free on award redemptions. That means you’ll effectively save 20% of your points on all award stays of five nights.
Hilton clearly states in its terms and conditions that this benefit only applies to standard rooms, so premium room redemptions are not eligible. Nevertheless, this can be a great option to save some points on longer stays. Additional terms may apply.
Related: Get your fourth or fifth night free on hotel award stays
Hilton statement credit
The Hilton Surpass comes with a quarterly statement credit of up to $50 (up to $200 per calendar year) when using your card for Hilton purchases.
Eligible purchases include those made directly with a Hilton property, including room rates and incidental charges (such as room or spa service), so this can be a great way to treat yourself to a nice dinner or get a massage.
If you normally pay out of pocket for extras, this can be a good way to offset the Hilton Surpass card’s annual fee.
Related: The best hotel credit cards
Bottom line
The Hilton Surpass card is valuable for both frequent and occasional Hilton travelers. With healthy earning rates and automatic Hilton Gold elite status, this card could be an excellent addition to your wallet.
To learn more, read our full review of the Hilton Honors Surpass.
Apply here: Hilton Honors Surpass Card
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass card, click here.