Highlights

  • Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, with a path to Diamond after US$40,000 in calendar-year spending.
  • One Hilton Free Night Reward after US$15,000 in eligible spending in a calendar year.
  • Up to US$50 in statement credits each quarter on eligible direct Hilton purchases, up to US$200 annually.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

Issuer: American Express
Payment network: Amex
Card type: Credit card
Annual fee: US$150; no fee for Additional Cards
Foreign transaction fee: None

You earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points, which are deposited into your Hilton Honors account. Redemptions and use are subject to the Hilton Honors terms and conditions.

Welcome Offer

【September 10, 2026 update】 A record-high 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points + one Free Night Reward.

  • Spend US$3,000 in eligible purchases in the first six months of Card Membership to earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward. Basic and Additional Card spending count toward the threshold, but the reward is issued to the Basic Card Member only.
  • Allow about 8–12 weeks after meeting the threshold for the rewards to be issued. The account must not be cancelled or past due at fulfilment. Annual fees and interest, cash advances, traveller’s cheques, prepaid-card purchases or reloads, gift cards, person-to-person payments, and other cash equivalents do not count toward the requirement.
  • You may be ineligible for the welcome offer if you have or previously held this Card or an earlier version, or based on other Amex card and account-history factors. Amex will tell an ineligible applicant before processing the application, so they can withdraw it.

Recommended application link 1🔗, recommended application link 2🔗 (open Personal Cards at the top of the page to find this card)

Past welcome offers

【March 1, 2026 update】 The record-high offer returned: 130,000 points + one Free Night Reward (apply by April 15, 2026).

  • Spend US$3,000 in the first six months.

【March 1, 2025 update】 The record-high offer returned: 130,000 points + one Free Night Reward (apply by April 29, 2025).

  • Spend US$3,000 in the first six months.

【October 1, 2024 update】 165,000 points (apply by January 28, 2025).

【October 19, 2023 update】 170,000 points (apply by January 17, 2024).

Everyday Spending

12x: Earn 12x on eligible spending directly with Hilton Portfolio hotels and resorts. Advance bookings must be made through Hilton-operated booking channels. Hotel dining, spa, and similar charges can also earn the bonus when they are charged to your room and paid with this card at checkout.

6x: Earn 6x at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. Superstores and warehouse clubs do not count as supermarkets; fuel sold at superstores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs does not count as gas-station spending. You will not earn 6x at U.S.-owned restaurants outside the U.S., nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, supermarkets, or transactions at restaurants inside hotels, casinos, or event venues that may code under the venue instead.

4x: Earn 4x on eligible U.S. online retail purchases of physical goods made directly from a retailer’s website or app. Restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, automotive dealers, travel, entertainment, and other services do not count as online retail. Online orders paid for in-store, in-store digital-wallet or contactless transactions, phone or mail orders, and third-party buy-now-pay-later instalment payments do not earn 4x.

3x: Earn 3x on other eligible purchases. Annual fees and interest, cash advances, traveller’s cheques, prepaid-card purchases or reloads, gift cards, person-to-person payments, and other cash equivalents are not eligible purchases. Third-party payment accounts, online marketplaces, merchant-category coding, third-party transaction processors, and some digital-wallet transactions may also prevent you from earning a bonus.

Perks & Insurance

  • Up to US$200 Annual Hilton Statement Credits (US$200 Hilton Statement Credit)

The Basic Card account can receive up to US$50 in statement credits per calendar quarter (January–March, April–June, July–September, and October–December), up to US$200 annually. Purchases must be made directly with a Hilton Portfolio property; bookings must use Hilton-operated channels, while third-party OTA bookings do not qualify. Hotel dining, spa, and other incidental charges must be charged to the room and paid with the card at checkout. Credits usually appear 8–12 weeks after the transaction posts. Purchases that are not correctly identified as Hilton, as well as digital-wallet or third-party transactions, may not receive the credit.

  • Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status (Hilton Honors Complimentary Gold Status)

Available to the Basic Card Member only. It can take up to 12 weeks after account opening for Gold status to be added to your Hilton Honors account. If you cancel the card, the complimentary Gold status ends too; elite benefits vary by property and remain subject to availability.

  • Hilton Free Night Reward after eligible spending (Free Night Reward)

Spend US$15,000 in eligible purchases on the account in a calendar year and the Basic Card Member receives one Free Night Reward; Additional Card spending counts toward the threshold. The reward code is emailed to the Hilton Honors address on file about 8–12 weeks after qualifying. It expires one year after issue, cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash or points, and can book one standard double-occupancy room at participating Hilton Portfolio properties, subject to availability and exclusions. The room rate and applicable resort fees are included; Malaysian tourism tax and other incidentals remain your responsibility.

  • Upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond through spending (Hilton Honors Upgrade to Diamond Status)

Spend US$40,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year, January 1 to December 31, to upgrade to Diamond. Additional Card spending counts, but only the Basic Card Member receives the upgrade. It takes about 10–12 weeks after qualifying and lasts through the qualification year and the following calendar year. You need to meet the threshold again the next year, or qualify under regular Hilton Honors rules, to retain status.

  • Complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status (Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® Status)

The Basic Card Member must enrol through the online Amex account. Members already enrolled in National Emerald Club also need to link this card using the link in their Amex account to upgrade. Rentals remain subject to National’s age, credit, advance-reservation, availability, and blackout-date terms.

  • Amex Offers

Enrol in an offer through your online Amex account or the Amex App before making the qualifying purchase. Whether you receive an offer, which merchants participate, and the spending requirements and expiry date all depend on that offer’s terms.

  • American Express Venue Collection™

At select events in participating stadiums and venues, you may use a Card Member entrance or fast lane with a valid event ticket and an Amex card in your name. There is also a concessions credit: enrol first, then use the enrolled card for eligible in-person food and beverage purchases at participating venues to earn a 10% statement credit, up to US$250 per calendar year. The offer currently states an end date of December 31, 2026. Hours, guest allowance, venues, events, and qualifying purchases can change.

  • Amex Presale Tickets®, Amex Reserved Tickets®, and Amex Preferred Tickets™

These can provide access to presale, reserved, or Preferred seats at select events. You must use an eligible Amex card; availability, eligible seating, purchase limits, sales dates, refunds, exchanges, and resale rules are set by the event, venue, and ticket provider.

  • Global Assist® Hotline

When you travel more than 100 miles from home, this provides 24-hour emergency coordination and assistance, including medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing-luggage help. Amex does not charge separately for coordination, but you remain responsible for third-party service-provider costs.

Official insurance certificate🔗

  • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Use the card to reserve and pay for the entire rental, decline the full CDW or similar protection at the counter, and have the eligible renter sign the rental agreement. Each rental agreement can cover damage to or theft of an eligible rental vehicle for up to 30 consecutive days, with a maximum benefit of US$75,000. Where allowed under the terms, it can also include loss-of-use, appraisal, towing, storage, and administrative fees. This is secondary coverage, which pays after other available insurance or compensation, but can cover a deductible without creating an overpayment. Rentals in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, and OFAC-sanctioned countries are excluded. So are liability coverage, personal injury, off-road use, unauthorised drivers, driving while intoxicated, damage or theft when the vehicle is left unlocked, certain vehicle types, peer-to-peer rentals, and rentals longer than 30 days. Notify Amex within 30 days of the loss, or as soon as reasonably possible, then submit proof of loss within 60 days after receiving instructions or a claim form.

  • Baggage Insurance Plan

Before a loss, charge the entire fare for the Common Carrier trip to the card. Amex Membership Rewards or Pay with Points can qualify, but fare paid with airline frequent-flyer miles or vouchers does not. For lost, stolen, or damaged baggage, the maximum is US$1,250 per covered person for carry-on baggage and direct transit to or from the carrier terminal, and US$500 per covered person for checked baggage. This is secondary coverage: carrier or other insurance reimbursements are paid first, but a deductible can be covered without overpayment. Notify Amex within 30 days of the loss, or as soon as reasonably possible, then submit proof of loss within 60 days after receiving instructions or a claim form.

  • Purchase Protection

Make one original charge with the card for a tangible item bought for personal, business, or gift use, and accidental damage, loss, or theft within 90 days of purchase can be covered. The maximum is US$10,000 per covered purchase, US$50,000 per eligible card per calendar year, and US$500 per natural-disaster event. This is secondary coverage, paying only what remains after compensation from other insurance, the retailer, wholesaler, or manufacturer; it can cover another plan’s deductible without exceeding the loss. Normal wear, product defects, goods in a third party’s or carrier’s care, inadequately safeguarded items, consumables, gift cards or cash, used goods, rentals or borrowed items, motorised devices, software, and goods for resale or professional use are excluded. Notify Amex within 30 days of an incident, or as soon as reasonably possible, and submit proof of loss within 60 days after receiving instructions. Theft or intentional damage must first be reported to the relevant authority.

  • Extended Warranty

Make one original charge with the card for an eligible tangible item, and an original manufacturer warranty valid in the United States, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory can be extended by up to one year. The original warranty and purchased service contract combined cannot exceed five years. Coverage starts after the later of the original manufacturer warranty and service contract, and follows the original warranty’s scope. The maximum is US$10,000 per covered purchase and US$50,000 per eligible card per calendar year. Physical damage, unless the original warranty covers it, goods with combined warranty coverage longer than five years, consumables, used goods, rentals, motorised devices, software, goods for resale or professional use, and repairs by unauthorised shops or with non-approved parts are excluded. Notify Amex within 30 days of a breakdown, or as soon as reasonably possible, and submit proof of loss within 60 days after receiving instructions.