American Express · Hotel points · Amex

Hilton Honors Surpass: what it's really worth

The Hilton Honors Surpass has a $150 annual fee. For a typical household spending $2,070 a month, it's worth about $1,187 in year one and $537 each year after.

Annual fee$150

Sign-up bonus$650130,000 points after $3,000 in 6 mo

Net value · year 1$1,187

Net value · each year after$537

130K + a free night was a limited-time offer reported through July 2026 — today's offer may be lower.

Calculate it with your own spending

Is the annual fee worth it?

Worth keeping after year one for typical spending: it nets about $31 a year more than the Hilton Honors Card, the best no-fee card for the same spending.

How you earn

Category	Rate	Value per $1	Per year*
Dining	6x	3.0¢	$108
Groceries	6x	3.0¢	$180
Hotels	12x	6.0¢	$58
Flights	3x	1.5¢	$18
Gas	6x	3.0¢	$54
Streaming	3x	1.5¢	$7
Everything else	3x	1.5¢	$162

*At typical monthly spending: dining $300, groceries $500, hotels $80, flights $100, gas $150, streaming $40, everything else $900. 12x at Hilton properties; 6x at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations.

Credits and perks

$200 Hilton credit — $50 each quarter at Hilton properties. We count about $100 a year, since most people don't use every dollar.
Automatic hotel elite status
Foreign transaction fee: none

Who it's for

Hilton loyalists who want Gold status
Earning hotel points on everyday spending
Not ideal: People who rarely stay at Hilton

Can I get it?

Recommended credit: Good
American Express rules: Welcome offers are generally once per lifetime per card. Amex usually tells you before approval if you won't get the bonus.
Amex: Not accepted everywhere: less common abroad and at some small businesses. Not accepted at Costco warehouses.

Check the current offer at American Express

Updated Oct 30, 2026.