# AMEX Hilton HHonors hotel discounts



## bradleym2 (Aug 6, 2009)

Has anyone applied for the AMEX Hilton HHonors Surpass Card?

Is it worth it?

Clipped this from their website:

With your Hilton HHonors Surpass Card, you can redeem for less. Receive 4 HHonors reward nights at categories 5 or 6 Hilton Family hotels worldwide at a special rate exclusively for Cardmembers.

A four night stay:

Category 5 hotels — 125,000 HHonors bonus points (normally 140,000). Mention promo code AXON5. (125,000/4 = 31250 pts/night)


Category 6 hotels — 145,000 HHonors bonus points (normally 160,000). Mention promo code AXON6. (145,000/4 = 36250 pts/night)


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## Talent312 (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm not sure that the expense of the Surpass card is worth it.  While value of benefits could exceed the annual fee, I can't be sure that I would make effective use of them.  I'm sure that neither Hilton nor Am-Ex plan to lose money on the deal, and I don't want to be one of those on the wrong side of that equation.


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## Benjy (Aug 6, 2009)

These benefits are also available with the no fee AMEX HHonors card.

No need to pay fee for Surpass for Axon benefits.


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## jin (Aug 6, 2009)

I LOVE this card.  My favorite benefit is HH Gold status spending 20k per year and Diamond status for 40k per year.  I use it for everything and in addition to a ton of HH points, Diamond status is not too hard to get, esp if use for business.  Worth every penny they charge imo!


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## annenp (Aug 7, 2009)

jin said:


> I LOVE this card.  My favorite benefit is HH Gold status spending 20k per year and Diamond status for 40k per year.  I use it for everything and in addition to a ton of HH points, Diamond status is not too hard to get, esp if use for business.  Worth every penny they charge imo!



I completely agree -- I too use HH Amex for everthing and rapidly moved to gold status -- its great!!!


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## Elster (Aug 7, 2009)

might be great in the US this but in the UK Amex is something most retailers avoid like the plague


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## falmouth3 (Aug 7, 2009)

Is the possibility to earn gold status with $20000 only with this card?  I've been using my free Amex card hoping to keep my gold status, but it sounds like I may have had wishful thinking.

Sue


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## Talent312 (Aug 7, 2009)

Elster said:


> might be great in the US this but in the UK Amex is something most retailers avoid like the plague.



Except naturally, UK Hilton Hotels, where you get nice bonuses for using their card.  
But it is why, even in the US, its best to carry a Visa or MC, as well.


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## alwysonvac (Aug 7, 2009)

falmouth3 said:


> Is the possibility to earn gold status with $20000 only with this card?  I've been using my free Amex card hoping to keep my gold status, but it sounds like I may have had wishful thinking.
> 
> Sue



Gold VIP status can be achieve with both cards.

Here's the link to the Hilton HHonors Amex card (w/no annual fee) - https://www217.americanexpress.com/cards/home.do?pmccode=117#CARDS/117/1/0/1
Here's the link to the Hilton HHonors Surpass Card (w/annual fee) - http://www201.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/Hilton-HHonors-Surpass 

NOTE: The Surpass card also states that you can get Diamond status when your total eligible spend reaches $40,000 or more during a calendar year


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## alwysonvac (Aug 7, 2009)

*Surpass TIP*

From a Flyertalk Surpass thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...hhonors-surpass-sm-card-american-express.html



> _First time posting to FT, just wanted to pass on a gem of a tidbit I discovered. I tried browsing through the rest of this thread to see if someone else posted this yet but couldnt find anything so I apologize if this indeed a repeat.
> 
> I recently called amex to switch my Delta Skymiles card to a Hilton Surpass card (instead of applying for a new card) to try to achieve Diamond and I discovered a very useful "perk"- by switching the card as opposed to applying for a new card the year to date spending on the card continued where i left off so that if i spent i.e. $35K on the Delta YTD and then switched over, all i needed to spend was another $5K and they made me Hilton Diamond.
> I can see this being useful for anyone who has an Amex CC (not charge card) i.e. the Delta, SPG etc... that they already spent close to $40K, they can call up to switch to the Surpass card achieve Diamond by spending the difference to $40K (my Diamond status is valid through 03/2011) and then change the CC back to whatever affiliate you want.
> ...


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## falmouth3 (Aug 7, 2009)

alwysonvac said:


> Gold VIP status can be achieve with both cards.
> 
> Here's the link to the Hilton HHonors Amex card (w/no annual fee) - https://www217.americanexpress.com/cards/home.do?pmccode=117#CARDS/117/1/0/1



Fantastic!!  Thanks.  I had earned Diamond with stays at Hilton hotels.  Then I barely made silver the following year, but they downgraded me only to gold, which made me happy.  I'll certainly make the $20,000 this year, especially because I can charge some work expenses on my card but I doubt I'd ever get to the $40,000 for diamond so as long as they let me keep my gold level  with $20K, I'll keep using my free card.

Sue


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## arc918 (Aug 7, 2009)

I run my business with on my HH Amex - I've been gold for years.  Not sure whether or not I can spend my way to diamond.


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## pianodinosaur (Aug 7, 2009)

I have had a HHonors AmEx since 2004.  We first made Gold when HHonors created Elite Status.  However, we have been HHonors Diamond for the past 3-4 years on the basis of going to meetings at Hilton Hotels.  The HHonors points really accumulate fast at that pace and have enabled us to take some nice hotel vacations.  However, some of my meetings these past  2 years have been at Starwood and Marriott facilities so I obtained Starwood AmEx and a Marriott VISA.  It is quite clear to me that the meaningful rewards accumulate much faster with HHonors than with the other programs but Starwood and Marriott have resorts in some places that Hilton does not.  I will most likely drop back to HHonors Gold at the end of this year.

We have used the GLON codes for six day vacations at the Embassy Suites in Lake Tahoe and the Caribe Hilton in San Juan.  I sent my wife along with her mother and sister for a 6 day trip to the Embassy Suites in San Diego. (I had to stay home and work.  )  I also used redemptions so my wife and her sister could visit relatives in Budapest, visit Vienna, and spend the night in Amsterdam. ( I had to stay home and work. )  We used redemptions for 4 night stays at the Hilton Los Cabos and a 5 night stay at the Embassy Suites in Chicago by Navy Pier.  We used redemptions this year to stay at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona the day before our cruise and the day after our cruise which was covered by HGVC redemptions. However, I think you get the most bang for the point Going Global.  This brings up a very interesting point.  It is much easier to Go Global and stay at the Hilton in Barbados than to get a TS in Barbados through RCI for a 1st quarter vacation.  It is much easier to Go Global and stay at the Embassy Suites in Lake Tahoe than to get a good TS through RCI during ski season. Hilton now has numerous resorts in Puerto Rico and in French Polynesia.   

I think HHonors is one of the best perks associated with HGVC.  HHonors points will be treated exactly the same if you purchase direct from Hilton or resale.    In fact, HHonors points will be treated exactly the same even if you don't even own a Hilton TS.  However, the points accumulate much more quickly at silver, gold and diamond status.


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## robertr55 (Aug 7, 2009)

pianodinosaur said:


> I think HHonors is one of the best perks associated with HGVC.  HHonors points will be treated exactly the same if you purchase direct from Hilton or resale.



I agree - in fact this was one of the major things that "tipped" me towards Hilton when comparing them to Hyatt, Marriott, Starwood, etc....I wish they all treated resale owners that same way that Hilton does.


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## hvacrsteve (Aug 11, 2009)

I just went for it, I think the Diamond level offers enough bennies to offset the annual fee.
Thanks everyone for the information!
What about Elite?


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## bosco0633 (Aug 12, 2009)

you can get an amex card in Canada but why dont they let you get the hh one here??  only american, doesnt seem fair.


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