Update 8/7/20: More people targeted, this time via e-mail. Subject line is ‘<name>, keep your travel dreams within reach.’ Hat tip to reader Edward.
The Offer
Many people are getting a physical mailer offer for the American Express Hilton Surpass card:
- Signup for the American Express Hilton Surpass card (formerly Ascend) card and receive a bonus of 175,000 points after $4,000 in spend within the first three months.
Card Details
- Annual fee of $95
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
- 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations (temporary bonus on this, currently, through year’s end for 12x total at supermarkets)
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
- 10 free priority pass lounge passes
- Complimentary Hilton Honors gold status. Earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 in purchases within a calendar year
- One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
Our Verdict
Standard offers we’ve seen in the past aren’t usually better than 150,000 points. This one does have a slightly higher spend requirement. Previous best offer was 150,000 points + $100 statement credit; a lot of people will prefer the extra 25,000 points to the $100 which makes this the best offer ever.
Last I checked, the referral offer for this card varies with some people are seeing 150k/$3k and some people are seeing 135k/$3k. If you can get a referral from a friend with 150,000 bonus, some might prefer that since the friend can get a bonus of up to 25,000 Membership Rewards points.
A lot of people aren’t traveling now and won’t find this interesting; worth noting, there are a few benefits Amex added to the card due to the situation. As always if you have any questions, read this post about American Express cards first.
Hat tip to readers Sonja and Mark
There is now a 180k offer on this card:
130k after spending $2k in 3 months
50k after spending $10k total in 6 months
Public and also available via referral
“(temporary bonus on this, currently, through year’s end for 12x total at supermarkets)”. You guys keep posting this in articles but it is incorrect. The 12x bonus at supermarkets ended on July 31.
HH are worthless but what made me pass is the annual fee without free night. Every other hotel card comes with free night. Given Amex clawing backing policy, you almost have to renew for one more year, so it is $190 for 175k (worth $400). You had to spend 4K which you could easily earn $80 in other 2% CC.
At the end, you look at a hard pull to make extra $130 IF you travel. I got the mail offer and shredded it.
My heart stopped when I saw above 150K. I guess I did not get the highest SUB. Maybe next “lifetime”
7 years is hardly a lifetime.
Why your heart stopped with just 25K HH points, just about $100. You life is worth much more than that /lol
Do mailers have lifetime language?
I’m pretty sure 12x on grocery spend is only through the end of this month. Would love to be proven wrong about this…
Would be nice to know if the people getting the offer have less than 4, 5, or 6 Amex credit cards.
I have 5 CC with Amex 3 Hilton non fee, 1 Aspire and 1 everyday non fee. I am currently lol/24. I am really curious to know if they would approve me this card especially when I have 4 existing hilton card xdxd.
I was just targeted via email. I was just approved for my 4th Amex card 2 weeks before it, so I may have to pass. Probably around 7/24 overall
Email came from Hilton or Amex?
Comparing to standard offers:
130k/$2k via Hilton
125k/$2k+7.5k MR = 140k/$2k from crappy MR referral
125k/$2k+25k MR = 175k/$2k from best MR referral
…175k/$4k represents:
+45k/+$2k versus Hilton
+35k/+$2k versus crappy MR referral
+0k/+$2k versus best MR referral
And that’s assuming you do transfer the MR. That in itself is a poor choice (heck, you can cash out and buy for less); maybe borderline when there’s a 50% transfer bonus.
Don’t forget hilton miles are worth close to nothing… 40k – 60k a night for a less than average hotels.
So 3-4 nights for $95 fee? You want them to just give you the whole hotel asa SUB?
He’s just pointing out that 175k isn’t what it sounds like. You can get like 6-10 nights at this type of hotel if you sign up for the Hyatt card, for instance.
Agree. I value them at 0.2-0.3 cents at most
You can cash them out at 0.2c any time at Amazon, so you might not want to value ’em lower than that (or lower than 0.19, if you have an Amazon Prime card, for discounting the 5% rewards)
Bonus Not available to card members who previously had Surpass or Ascend card. 🙁