Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card Evaluate 2023

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

TIME’s Take

Latest updates to the Hilton Honors Surpass Card, together with an annual charge improve from $95 to $150, have put the cardboard in a clumsy center floor. American Specific and Hilton supply a luxurious card and a no-fee card possibility for loyal Hilton vacationers. With the elevated charge and lack of advantages like airport lounge entry and free evening reward, it is onerous to know if the Hilton Honors Surpass Card gives 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 invaluable advantages and perks. 

Professionals and  Cons

Who’s the cardboard for? 

The Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card is for vacationers who ceaselessly keep at Hilton motels and resorts, and need entry to further model and journey advantages. It is also possibility for Hilton followers who aren’t able to decide to the premium Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card and its $550 annual charge 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 just lately elevated: 

Earn 170,000 Hilton Honors bonus factors after spending $3,000 in purchases inside 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 taking part motels or resorts inside 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. fuel 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 accessible for points-earning, together with the current addition of U.S. on-line retail purchases, the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card gives some ways to rapidly increase 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 evening and may run upwards of 95,000 factors for the standard room at most properties. An award evening at a few of Hilton’s extra unique properties goes for 120,000 factors per evening. Hilton makes use of dynamic pricing for its rooms, that means the variety of factors wanted to e book an award evening depends upon the property and the timing of your keep. You may also e book stays at Hilton properties utilizing a mix of factors and cash. 

Reserving award stays is one of the simplest ways to get essentially the most worth out of your Hilton factors. Hilton Honors gives different redemption choices, which typically supply much less worth. Listed here are different methods you may redeem Hilton factors:

• Switch your factors to twenty+ airline companions.
• Store with factors at Amazon.com.
• Store for merchandise via 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 associates. 

Level values fluctuate amongst redemptions. All the time test the worth earlier than redeeming Hilton Honors factors. 

Options

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

Hilton Honors Gold standing

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

You may also 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 stand up to $50 in assertion credit per quarter for purchases at Hilton properties when utilizing your card. 

Free evening reward

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

Nationwide Automobile Rental standing

One other new perk included with the Hilton Honors Surpass Card is complimentary Emerald Membership Govt standing with Nationwide Automobile 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 couple of journey advantages to guard you when touring. Cardholders obtain secondary automotive rental loss and injury insurance coverage after they use their card to e book a rental automobile and decline the rental firm’s non-obligatory collision insurance coverage. Different journey protections embrace baggage insurance coverage and 24/7 emergency help via the International Help Hotline. 

Procuring protections

Cardholders additionally obtain client 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 authentic producer’s guarantee of 5 years or much less. 

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

What could possibly be improved? 

With the elevated annual charge, you would possibly anticipate the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass Card to come back with extra elite model advantages as a substitute of eradicating these perks. At $150, the annual charge is tough to justify until you propose to spend appreciable cash in your card to earn rewards or a free evening reward.

Card alternate 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 gives an introduction to Hilton Honors perks with out the price of an annual charge. The opposite gives 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 just proper for Hilton loyalists who fall between these two teams. Among the card’s higher advantages include excessive spending necessities to unlock. When you 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 charge, particularly when you primarily keep at Hilton properties once you journey. 

Steadily requested questions (FAQs)

Is the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass price it?

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card is definitely worth the $150 annual charge, supplied you spend sufficient cash on the cardboard to earn the sign-up bonus and also you benefit from a lot of the card’s Hilton, journey, and purchasing advantages. 

Do you get a free evening with a Hilton Surpass card?

The Hilton Surpass Card doesn’t mechanically embrace a free award evening for cardholders. You may earn a free Hilton Honors award evening 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 possible want good to wonderful credit score to qualify for the Hilton Honors Surpass card, which is a FICO rating of a minimum of 670. 

Does the Hilton Surpass card have lounge entry?

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