When you’re out there for a private Hilton card and keen to pay an annual price to obtain nice advantages, you could be questioning whether or not to use for the mid-tier Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass® Card or the premium Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card.
Let’s stroll by means of the ins and outs of each playing cards that can assist you resolve which is best for you.
The knowledge for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire comparability
| Hilton Honors Surpass | Hilton Honors Aspire | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $150 (see charges and costs) | $550 |
| Welcome supply | Earn 130,000 bonus factors plus a free night time reward after spending $3,000 within the first six months of cardmembership. This supply ends on April 29. | Earn 175,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 within the first six months of cardmembership. The supply ends on April 29.
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| Incomes charges |
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| Assertion credit |
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| Elite standing | Hilton Honors Gold; improve to Diamond by spending $40,000 in a calendar 12 months; phrases apply | Hilton Honors Diamond; phrases apply |
| Free nights |
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| Different advantages |
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*Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire welcome supply
New Hilton Honors Surpass cardmembers can earn 130,000 bonus factors plus a free night time reward after spending $3,000 within the first six months of cardmembership. This supply ends on April 29.
The factors you may get with this welcome supply are price $780 since TPG’s March 2025 valuations place Hilton factors at 0.6 cents per level. That is not together with the potential worth of your free night time reward.
In the meantime, new Hilton Honors Aspire cardmembers can earn 175,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 within the first six months of card membership. This supply ends on April 29.
Utilizing our valuations, this welcome supply is price $1,050 towards journey.
Winner: Hilton Honors Aspire. The factors from its welcome supply are extra helpful. That stated, you could possibly get better worth out of the Surpass’s welcome supply should you maximize the free night time reward.
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Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire advantages
Each playing cards are geared towards those that keep at Hilton properties, so you possibly can look forward to finding a wide range of advantages catered to Hilton property stays, amongst different advantages.
The Hilton Honors Surpass has a $150 annual price and supplies:
- Complimentary Gold standing, which incorporates perks like a fifth night time free on commonplace room stays and an 80% bonus on all base factors
- Potential to improve to Diamond standing by spending $40,000 in a calendar 12 months
- Free night time reward to be used at eligible properties after spending $15,000 in a calendar 12 months
- As much as $200 yearly in assertion credit for purchases made immediately with a property within the Hilton portfolio, cut up up into quarterly increments of as much as $50
- Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply
However, the Hilton Honors Aspire has a $550 annual price and supplies:
- Complimentary Diamond standing, which supplies free premium Wi-Fi, a 100% bonus on base factors and space-available room upgrades, amongst different perks
- A free night time reward after every account anniversary
- Obtain a second free night time award after spending $30,000 in a calendar 12 months and a 3rd after spending $60,000 in the identical time-frame
- Phrases apply
The place these playing cards vastly differ is the slew of assertion credit the Hilton Honors Aspire card presents. These embody:
- As much as $200 in assertion credit for airline purchases each calendar 12 months (as much as $50 quarterly)
- As much as $400 in Hilton resort assertion credit (as much as $200 semi-annually) every calendar 12 months legitimate at collaborating resorts
- An up-to-$100 property credit score on eligible stays of two or extra nights at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad motels
- Up-to-$199 assertion credit score for a Clear Plus membership every calendar 12 months
- Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply
The cardboard additionally supplies cellphone safety that reimburses you for restore or alternative. Cardmembers are restricted to 2 authorized claims each 12 months with a restrict of $800 per declare. That is additionally topic to a $50 deductible.*
In the meantime, each playing cards haven’t any international transaction charges and supply elite standing with Nationwide Automotive Rental. Each playing cards supply sturdy journey and procuring safety perks, however the Aspire wins on this class.
Winner: Hilton Honors Aspire. Because of its slew of assertion credit, automated Diamond elite standing and journey protections, it takes the lead forward of the Hilton Honors Surpass.
*Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
Incomes factors with the Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire
The Hilton Honors Surpass earns:
The Hilton Honors Aspire presents barely higher incomes charges in sure classes.
Cardmembers can anticipate:
- 14 factors per greenback on eligible purchases at motels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio
- 7 factors per greenback on eating at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply), choose journey, together with flights booked immediately with airways or AmexTravel.com and automobile leases booked immediately with automobile rental corporations
- 3 factors per greenback on different eligible purchases
It is price noting that the Gold and Diamond standing the Hilton Honors Surpass and Hilton Honors Aspire present, respectively, will earn you additional factors on eligible Hilton expenses.
Which means utilizing your Hilton Honors Surpass on eligible Hilton expenses will web 30 factors per greenback whereas utilizing your Hilton Honors Aspire on eligible Hilton expenses will earn 34 factors per greenback. That is an unimaginable incomes charge for any bank card, however keep in mind that Hilton factors are nonetheless not price as a lot as transferable rewards.
Winner: Hilton Honors Aspire. The upper incomes charges on the cardboard help you earn factors quicker.
Redeeming factors with the Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire
Each playing cards help you earn Hilton Honors factors by means of bank card spending, that are routinely deposited into your Hilton Honors account. You’ll be able to redeem factors without spending a dime nights (no blackout dates), Lyft rides, rental automobiles, transfers to airline companions, procuring and experiences.
We suggest redeeming your factors for resort stays, as that is the place you may discover the best worth to your factors.
Hilton Honors would not have an award chart for resort redemptions. Subsequently, the variety of factors you want varies relying on the resort, room kind, reserving and keep dates.
The Factors Explorer device supplied by means of Hilton is a superb technique to decide what number of factors you want. Plug in what number of factors you are working with, the place you want to journey or a vacation spot kind and the device will give you a listing of outcomes that match your standards.
TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt was capable of redeem 256,000 Hilton factors for a keep on the Hilton Sydney the week earlier than Christmas. Because of the Diamond standing his Aspire card awarded him, he was capable of get his fifth night time without spending a dime.
Winner: Tie. Each playing cards have equivalent redemption choices.
Ought to I get the Hilton Honors Surpass or the Hilton Honors Aspire?
The Hilton Honors Surpass is likely one of the greatest mid-tier resort bank cards on the market and presents outsize worth with a reasonable $150 annual price. Nonetheless, you possibly can simply get worth out of the upper $550 annual price on the Hilton Honors Aspire should you maximize its assertion credit and might reap the benefits of Hilton Diamond standing by staying at Hilton properties a number of occasions a 12 months.
Easy methods to improve from the Hilton Honors Surpass to the Hilton Honors Aspire
It is easy to improve from the Hilton Honors Surpass to the Hilton Honors Aspire by calling American Categorical customer support. Nonetheless, switching to the Hilton Honors Aspire will not help you earn a welcome bonus except you are focused for an improve supply.
This may occasionally make you ineligible to earn one sooner or later on account of Amex’s one-bonus per-lifetime coverage. When you want to downgrade the Aspire to the Surpass, name the quantity on the again of your card.
Backside line
The Hilton Honors Aspire has an extremely compelling worth proposition and will pay for itself (after which some) over time, however there is not any approach across the upfront $550 annual price.
That stated, frequent vacationers can simply reap the benefits of its advantages. The Hilton Honors Surpass has nice advantages with a decrease annual price, so it could be a more sensible choice for many who do not stick with Hilton too typically.
To study extra, try our full opinions of the Hilton Honors Surpass and Hilton Honors Aspire.
Apply right here: Hilton Honors Surpass
For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass Card, click on right here.
