# HIlton Honors AmEx Surpass Card



## Piper (Oct 3, 2010)

I just got an offer for a HIlton Honors American Express SURPASS card. The annual fee is $75 -- and they are saying you'll get up to 40,000 HH points initially -- and up to another 20,000 with purchases. You'll also get automatic GOLD status.

I already have GOLD status because of my ownership at The HIlton Club. I wonder if it is worth paying the annual fee for the bonus points.

Does anybody have experience with this?


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## HatTrick (Oct 3, 2010)

I've received the offer, too. One caveat in the fine print is that the 40K points are reduced by the number of bonus points you may have received in the past from another Hilton Honors AMEX card. Pretty lame.


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## dmbrand (Oct 3, 2010)

I'm still happy with our current Hilton Honors Amex card; did not see anything more to gain with the Surpass option.


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## MichaelColey (Oct 3, 2010)

For the FIRST YEAR, it's well worth getting the Hilton Surpass AmEx instead of the regular (no annual fee) Hilton AmEx. You get more bonus points, more points for spend at Hilton family hotels, free Gold status (for the first year), etc.  Plus, isn't the annual fee waived the first year?

AFTER the first year, these are the benefits that make or break it compared to just getting the regular Hilton AmEx:

1. If you can spend more than $40k per calendar year on it, you can get Diamond status. If Diamond status is worth something to you (it has been to me and this is how I get it), this is a tremendous perk.

2. If you spend enough at Hilton family properties, the extra 3 points per dollar might come into play. If you value points at 0.5 cents each, you would need to spend $5,000 to offset the $75 annual fee.

I think that's IT when it comes to differences between the Hilton Surpass AmEx and the regular Hilton AmEx. If you're not going to spend $40k on it (or already have Diamond status or don't value it) and if you don't spend $5k on Hilton family hotels, the regular Hilton AmEx is just as good and doesn't have an annual fee.


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## falmouth3 (Oct 3, 2010)

I was thinking about getting the new card, but although we buy as much as we can on our current Hilton card, some places don't accept AmEx.  Also, I just switched jobs and I can't charge anything to my private card, like I did in my 2 previous jobs.  I guess it's not worth the fees.  Too bad.  I can't even use my Hilton card at Hiltons.


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## dmbrand (Oct 3, 2010)

I'm glad you did the math, Michael, and found the break even point.  I knew that it must have some benefit, but with our spending level, it isn't worth the fee.

We really do enjoy the hotel reward certificates, though, so I think we will remain loyal to this card


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## Piper (Oct 4, 2010)

Thanks so much for all the responses.


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## smokyhill (Oct 5, 2010)

MichaelColey said:


> AFTER the first year, these are the benefits that make or break it compared to just getting the regular Hilton AmEx:
> 1. If you can spend more than $40k per calendar year on it, you can get Diamond status. If Diamond status is worth something to you (it has been to me and this is how I get it), this is a tremendous perk.



I have to totally agree, Diamond status alone is worth the 75.00 to me. (50% bonus points sure are nice!)


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## MichaelColey (Oct 6, 2010)

Diamond status has been very worthwhile for me, but I'm staying in hotels MUCH less often now that I've discovered timesharing.  I'll have to see if it's worthwhile going forward, or if I'm better off putting my credit card spend elsewhere.


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## hvacrsteve (Oct 6, 2010)

MichaelColey said:


> Diamond status has been very worthwhile for me, but I'm staying in hotels MUCH less often now that I've discovered timesharing.  I'll have to see if it's worthwhile going forward, or if I'm better off putting my credit card spend elsewhere.



I sprang for it!  I don't think they even charged me the $75.00 to this point.  I did get Diamond, they gave it to me for 2 years!

Diamond is great, we spent 15 days at Va Beach, 6 different trips, got oceanfront rooms every time with only a few days notice even though the hotels were booked when I called!

Depends on what you are looking for, I love it and would do it again!


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