Hilton Honors Surpass and Aspire Cards Revamped
Today, Hilton and American Express introduced new and refreshed benefits for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Cards.
As part of the changes, the annual fees are increasing for both cards and there are new limited time welcome bonuses for 170,000 and 180,000 points respectively.
The revamped cards offer new ways to earn points on everyday spending, including online retail purchases, and generous credits for Hilton stays and essential travel services, like car rentals and flights. But some benefits are also going away, such as Priority Pass membership.
The Hilton Honors American Express Cards will also feature new designs – the Hilton Honors American Express Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card will be made of 70% reclaimed plastic and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card will be made of metal.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®
For travelers looking for more ways to accumulate Honors Bonus Points on their everyday purchases, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card now offers:
- 4X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on U.S online retail purchases
- Up to $200 back in statement credits annually for eligible Hilton purchases made with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card directly at participating Hilton properties (up to $50 in statement credits each quarter)
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status
In addition to these new benefits, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card continues to offer 12X Points on eligible Hilton purchases; 6X Points on spending at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations; 3X Points on all other eligible purchases; and complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has now has an annual fee of $150. That’s an increase of $55 compared to the old fee of $95. As of February 1, 2024, the card will no longer offer 10 free Priority Passes per year.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
For frequent travelers looking for more exceptional stays and premium travel experiences, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card now offers:
- Up to $400 in statement credits annually for eligible purchases made with your Hilton Honors Aspire Card directly at participating Hilton Resorts (up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually). This kicks in on January 1, 2024 and replaces the $250 annual credit that is still in effect until the end of the year.
- Up to $200 in statement credits annually on eligible flight purchases (up to $50 in statement credits each quarter) made on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card. You don’t need to pick an airline like you used to before, and it applies to flights as well. But you need to use $50 quarterly instead of $250 annually.
- $189 in statement credits per calendar year after you sign up and pay for a CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Hilton Honors Aspire Card
- One Free Night Reward after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status
- Cell phone protection: You can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply.
As of February 1, 2024, the card will no longer offer 10 free Priority Passes per year.
In addition to these new benefits, the Card continues to offer 14X Points on eligible Hilton purchases; 7X Points on purchases of eligible flights, eligible car rentals, and purchases at U.S. restaurants; 3X Points on all other eligible purchases; complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status; an Annual Free Night Reward each membership year, an additional Free Night Reward after spending $30,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within a calendar year, and a third Free Night Reward after spending an additional $30,000 on eligible purchases (for a total $60,000) on your Card within the same calendar year; and up to $100 statement credit towards qualifying charges at participating Waldorf Astoria® Hotels & Resorts and Conrad® Hotels & Resorts during stays of two or more nights.
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card will now have an annual fee of $550. That’s an increase of $100 compared to the old fee of $450. As of February 1, 2024, the card will no longer offer complimentary Priority Passes.
Limited Time Offers
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: Card Members can earn 100K Bonus Points after spending $2K in purchases on their new Card in their first six months of Card Membership, which can be redeemed for three nights at participating Hilton properties. As part of Hilton Honors Membership, Card Members will receive complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status and can turn their everyday into a stay with accelerated Points earning. (Terms apply).
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Card Members can earn 170K Bonus Points after spending $3K in purchases on their new Card in their first six months of Card Membership, which can be redeemed for four nights at participating Hilton properties. As part of Hilton Honors Membership, Card Members will receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and can earn even more Points on everyday spend. (Terms apply).
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Card Members can earn 180K Bonus Points after spending $6K in purchases on their new Card in their first six months of Card Membership, which can be redeemed for four nights at participating Hilton properties. As part of Hilton Honors Membership, Card Members will receive complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status for an elevated stay experience and can maximize their Points earning on everyday spend. (Terms apply).
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the old king of travel rewards cards. Right now
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Learn more about this card and its features!
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
(Correction)
I love Aspire – diamond Status and 5th night free has gotten me two amazing trips to Hawaii. Plus no resort fees, daily food credit, plus $200 general credit!
I love Surpass – diamond Status and 5th night free has gotten me two amazing trips to Hawaii. Plus no resort fees, daily food credit, plus $200 general credit!
I actually see it as an upgrade. I never use their PP anyway. The $200 credit I can use. I never used anything they cut from the program, so useful to me.
When does the quarterly $50 credit take effect?
Hilton is crap, so is there loyalty program & so are there co-branded Amex cards, it’s as simple as that.
Ripoff. Getting rid of my Aspire and will get the free Hilton card. Plus, going to use IHG and Hyatt instead.
Whenever I read a statement from a company that they are improving something I know that 9 out ot 10 times it is a LIE. It is just corporate speak to twist a downgrade in benefits to sound like it is an improvement. These companies are shameless.
Increasing the annual fee is NOT a benefit! Since when is increasing a person’s expenses a benefit.
What they should say is “Here is a new benefit for our company at our customer’s expense”.
This change will also enable our CEO to get a larger bonus this year, paid for by our loyal customers.
Upgrade? Seriously?
I’m shopping for a replacement for my Surpass card. No longer worth it.
Exactly, this is NO upgrade for a vast majority of people…