Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card Assessment 2023

American Specific lately up to date a few of its Hilton co-branded bank cards, together with the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card. A few of the modifications—amongst them, Hilton credit and a brand new bonus spending class—add extra worth for cardholders. The latest replace additionally included a big improve to the cardboard’s annual payment and the lack of one in every of its greatest perks—airport lounge entry. 

TIME’s Take

Latest updates to the Hilton Honors Surpass Card, together with an annual payment improve from $95 to $150, have put the cardboard in a clumsy center floor. American Specific and Hilton provide a luxurious card and a no-fee card possibility for loyal Hilton vacationers. With the elevated payment and lack of advantages like airport lounge entry and free night time reward, it is exhausting to know if the Hilton Honors Surpass Card presents sufficient worth to warrant getting over the opposite card choices. There’s nonetheless a substantial hole between the annual charges of the Surpass card and the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Specific, however the Aspire card additionally comes with extra beneficial advantages and perks. 

Professionals and  Cons

Who’s the cardboard for? 

The Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card is for vacationers who incessantly keep at Hilton motels and resorts, and wish entry to extra model and journey advantages. It is also a very good possibility for Hilton followers who aren’t able to decide to the premium Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card and its $550 annual payment however nonetheless need to get pleasure from some Hilton advantages not discovered with the no-fee card_name.

Rewards construction

Incomes Hilton factors

The Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card comes with a beneficiant sign-up bonus, which American Specific lately elevated: 

Earn 170,000 Hilton Honors bonus factors after spending $3,000 in purchases throughout the first six  months of card membership.

The Surpass card additionally earns factors on card purchases on the following charges: 

• 12 factors per greenback on eligible purchases at collaborating motels or resorts throughout the Hilton portfolio.
• 6 factors per greenback at U.S. eating places, together with takeout and supply.
• 6 factors per greenback at U.S. supermarkets.
• 6 factors per greenback at U.S. gasoline stations.
• 4 factors per greenback on U.S. on-line retail purchases.
• 3 factors per greenback on different eligible purchases.

With a number of bonus classes out there for points-earning, together with the latest addition of U.S. on-line retail purchases, the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card presents some ways to shortly enhance your factors steadiness relying in your spending habits. Like most lodge playing cards, the Surpass card reserves its highest bonus charge for purchases with the model. 

Redeeming Hilton factors

Award nights at Hilton properties typically begin at 5,000 factors per night time and might run upwards of 95,000 factors for the standard room at most properties. An award night time at a few of Hilton’s extra unique properties goes for 120,000 factors per night time. Hilton makes use of dynamic pricing for its rooms, which means the variety of factors wanted to e book an award night time is determined by the property and the timing of your keep. You too can e book stays at Hilton properties utilizing a mixture of factors and cash. 

Reserving award stays is one of the best ways to get essentially the most worth out of your Hilton factors. Hilton Honors presents different redemption choices, which typically provide much less worth. Listed below are different methods you possibly can redeem Hilton factors:

• Switch your factors to twenty+ airline companions.
• Store with factors at Amazon.com.
• Store for merchandise by Hilton Honors’ on-line mall. 
• Use factors to pay for Lyft rides.
• Redeem factors for automotive leases with Alamo, Nationwide, and Enterprise.
• Redeem factors for VIP experiences like live shows, sporting occasions, and eating. 
• Pool factors with one other Hilton Honors member.
• Give factors to a different particular person.
• Share your factors with household or mates. 

Level values range amongst redemptions. At all times verify the worth earlier than redeeming Hilton Honors factors. 

Options

Whereas the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card would not provide the luxurious advantages discovered with the Aspire card, it nonetheless comes with beneficial options and perks that may offset the annual payment if used. They embody:

Hilton Honors Gold standing

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Gold standing, which presents advantages like a reduced charge, no resort charges on award stays, an 80% factors bonus on stays, a day by day meals and beverage credit score or continental breakfast, and a fifth night time free on award stays. 

You too can earn Hilton Honors Diamond standing by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases utilizing your card in a calendar 12 months. 

$200 Hilton credit score

One of many new perks of the Surpass card is the addition of $200 in Hilton assertion credit. You may rise up to $50 in assertion credit per quarter for purchases at Hilton properties when utilizing your card. 

Free night time reward

Earlier card presents included a free night time reward, however that perk is gone. You may nonetheless earn a free night time reward, nevertheless it requires $15,000 in spending in your card in a calendar 12 months. 

Nationwide Automotive Rental standing

One other new perk included with the Hilton Honors Surpass Card is complimentary Emerald Membership Govt standing with Nationwide Automotive Rental (enrollment required). Govt standing comes with perks like Govt Space entry and assured upgrades on choose rental reservations.

No international transaction charges

The cardboard doesn’t cost international transaction charges on purchases made outdoors of the U.S. That makes it good for touring internationally. 

Journey protections

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card comes with a number of journey advantages to guard you when touring. Cardholders obtain secondary automotive rental loss and injury insurance coverage once they use their card to e book a rental automobile and decline the rental firm’s optionally available collision insurance coverage. Different journey protections embody baggage insurance coverage and 24/7 emergency help by the International Help Hotline. 

Purchasing protections

Cardholders additionally obtain shopper protections on eligible card purchases. Buy safety supplies protection for brand new card purchases in opposition to theft or injury for as much as 90 days from the acquisition date. Prolonged guarantee safety provides an extra 12 months of guarantee protection on eligible card purchases with an unique producer’s guarantee of 5 years or much less. 

The advantageous print

Curiosity Charges

• Common annual proportion charge (APR): 20.99% to 29.99% (variable)
• Buy intro APR: N/A
• Steadiness switch intro APR: N/A

Charges

• Annual payment: $150
• Steadiness switch payment: N/A
• Money advance: Both $10 or 5% of the quantity of every money advance, whichever is bigger

What might be improved? 

With the elevated annual payment, you may count on the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card to return with extra elite model advantages as an alternative of eradicating these perks. At $150, the annual payment is tough to justify until you intend to spend appreciable cash in your card to earn rewards or a free night time reward.

Card options

Backside line 

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card is a mid-range co-branded card sandwiched between two Hilton playing cards with clear goal audiences. One presents an introduction to Hilton Honors perks with out the price of an annual payment. The opposite presents elite Hilton and journey advantages with an elite-sized price ticket. Observe, although, that holders of that elite Hilton Honors Aspire card are additionally dropping their airline lounge privileges.

Due to its distinctive positioning, the Hilton Honors Surpass Card is barely proper for Hilton loyalists who fall between these two teams. A few of the card’s higher advantages include excessive spending necessities to unlock. If you happen to plan to spend appreciable cash on the cardboard, although, it would make extra sense to go for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card regardless of the $550 payment, particularly in the event you primarily keep at Hilton properties whenever you journey. 

Continuously requested questions (FAQs)

Is the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass price it?

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card is well worth the $150 annual payment, offered you spend sufficient cash on the cardboard to earn the sign-up bonus and also you make the most of a lot of the card’s Hilton, journey, and buying advantages. 

Do you get a free night time with a Hilton Surpass card?

The Hilton Surpass Card doesn’t mechanically embody a free award night time for cardholders. You may earn a free Hilton Honors award night time after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases along with your card in a calendar 12 months. 

What credit score rating is required for the Hilton Honors Surpass card?

American Specific doesn’t disclose credit score necessities for its bank cards. You’ll seemingly want good to wonderful credit score to qualify for the Hilton Honors Surpass card, which is a FICO rating of not less than 670. 

Does the Hilton Surpass card have lounge entry?

The Hilton American Specific Surpass Credit score Card doesn’t include airport lounge entry.