By KBC Associate 
If you’re in the market for a personal Hilton card and willing to pay an annual fee to receive great benefits, you may be wondering whether to apply for the mid-tier Hilton Honors American Express SurpassĀ® Card or the premium Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
Let’s walk through the ins and outs of both cards to help you decide which is right for you.
The information for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire comparison
| Hilton Honors Surpass | Hilton Honors Aspire | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 (see rates and fees) | $550 |
| Welcome offer | Earn 130,000 bonus points plus a free night reward after spending $3,000 in the first six months of cardmembership. This offer ends on April 29. | Earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of cardmembership. The offer ends on April 29.
Ā |
| Earning rates |
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| Ā Statement credits |
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| Elite status | Hilton Honors Gold; upgrade to Diamond by spending $40,000 in a calendar year; terms apply | Hilton Honors Diamond; terms apply |
| Free nights |
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| Other benefits |
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*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire welcome offer
New Hilton Honors Surpass cardmembers can earn 130,000 bonus points plus a free night reward after spending $3,000 in the first six months of cardmembership. This offer ends on April 29.
The points you’ll get with this welcome offer are worth $780 since TPG’s March 2025 valuations place Hilton points at 0.6 cents per point. That’s not including the potential value of your free night reward.
Meanwhile, new Hilton Honors Aspire cardmembers can earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends on April 29.
Using our valuations, this welcome offer is worth $1,050 toward travel.
Winner: Hilton Honors Aspire. The points from its welcome offer are more valuable. That said, you may be able to get greater value out of the Surpass’s welcome offer if you maximize the free night reward.
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Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire benefits
Both cards are geared toward those who stay at Hilton properties, so you can expect to find a variety of benefits catered to Hilton property stays, among other benefits.
The Hilton Honors Surpass has a $150 annual fee and provides:
- Complimentary Gold status, which includes perks like a fifth night free on standard room stays and an 80% bonus on all base points
- Ability to upgrade to Diamond status by spending $40,000 in a calendar year
- Free night reward for use at eligible properties after spending $15,000 in a calendar year
- Up to $200 annually in statement credits for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio, split up into quarterly increments of up to $50
- Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply
On the other hand, the Hilton Honors Aspire has a $550 annual fee and provides:
- Complimentary Diamond status, which provides free premium Wi-Fi, a 100% bonus on base points and space-available room upgrades, among other perks
- A free night reward after each account anniversary
- Receive a second free night award after spending $30,000 in a calendar year and a third after spending $60,000 in the same time frame
- Terms apply
Where these cards greatly differ is the slew of statement credits the Hilton Honors Aspire card offers. These include:
- Up to $200 in statement credits for airline purchases every calendar year (up to $50 quarterly)
- Up to $400 in Hilton resort statement credits (up to $200 semi-annually) each calendar year valid at participating resorts
- An up-to-$100 property credit on eligible stays of two or more nights at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels
- Up-to-$199 statement credit for a Clear Plus membership each calendar year
- Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply
The card also provides cellphone protection that reimburses you for repair or replacement. Cardmembers are limited to two approved claims every 12 months with a limit of $800 per claim. This is also subject to a $50 deductible.*
Meanwhile, both cards have no foreign transaction fees and offer elite status with National Car Rental. Both cards offer robust travel and shopping protection perks, but the Aspire wins in this category.
Winner: Hilton Honors Aspire. Thanks to its slew of statement credits, automatic Diamond elite status and travel protections, it takes the lead ahead of the Hilton Honors Surpass.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Earning points with the Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire
The Hilton Honors Surpass earns:
The Hilton Honors Aspire offers slightly better earning rates in certain categories.
Cardmembers can expect:
- 14 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- 7 points per dollar on dining at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), select travel, including flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com and car rentals booked directly with car rental companies
- 3 points per dollar on other eligible purchases
It’s worth noting that the Gold and Diamond status the Hilton Honors Surpass and Hilton Honors Aspire provide, respectively, will earn you extra points on eligible Hilton charges.
That means using your Hilton Honors Surpass on eligible Hilton charges will net 30 points per dollar while using your Hilton Honors Aspire on eligible Hilton charges will earn 34 points per dollar. That’s an incredible earning rate for any credit card, but remember that Hilton points are still not worth as much as transferable rewards.
Winner: Hilton Honors Aspire. The higher earning rates on the card allow you to earn points faster.
Redeeming points with the Hilton Honors Surpass vs. Hilton Honors Aspire
Both cards allow you to earn Hilton Honors points through credit card spending, which are automatically deposited into your Hilton Honors account. You can redeem points for free nights (no blackout dates), Lyft rides, rental cars, transfers to airline partners, shopping and experiences.
We recommend redeeming your points for hotel stays, as that’s where you’ll find the greatest value for your points.
Hilton Honors doesn’t have an award chart for hotel redemptions. Therefore, the number of points you need varies depending on the hotel, room type, booking and stay dates.
The Points Explorer tool offered through Hilton is an excellent way to determine how many points you need. Plug in how many points you’re working with, where you wish to travel or a destination type and the tool will provide you with a list of results that match your criteria.
TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt was able to redeem 256,000 Hilton points for a stay at the Hilton Sydney the week before Christmas. Thanks to the Diamond status his Aspire card awarded him, he was able to get his fifth night for free.
Winner: Tie. Both cards have identical redemption options.
Should I get the Hilton Honors Surpass or the Hilton Honors Aspire?
The Hilton Honors Surpass is one of the best mid-tier hotel credit cards out there and offers outsize value with a moderate $150 annual fee. However, you can easily get value out of the higher $550 annual fee on the Hilton Honors Aspire if you maximize its statement credits and can take advantage of Hilton Diamond status by staying at Hilton properties a few times a year.
How to upgrade from the Hilton Honors Surpass to the Hilton Honors Aspire
It’s easy to upgrade from the Hilton Honors Surpass to the Hilton Honors Aspire by calling American Express customer service. However, switching to the Hilton Honors Aspire won’t allow you to earn a welcome bonus unless you’re targeted for an upgrade offer.
This may make you ineligible to earn one in the future due to Amex’s one-bonus per-lifetime policy. If you wish to downgrade the Aspire to the Surpass, call the number on the back of your card.
Bottom line
The Hilton Honors Aspire has an incredibly compelling value proposition and can pay for itself (and then some) over time, but there’s no way around the upfront $550 annual fee.
That said, frequent travelers can easily take advantage of its benefits. The Hilton Honors Surpass has great benefits with a lower annual fee, so it may be a better choice for those who don’t stay with Hilton too often.
To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Hilton Honors Surpass and Hilton Honors Aspire.
Apply here: Hilton Honors Surpass
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, click here.