Link: Learn more about the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
"getting full value from the credits can be challenging, given how they’re broken up quarterly"
Having demoted myself from the Aspire to the Surpass, I actually find the Surpass credits easier to use. Unless it has changed, the credits on the Aspire were for resort properties, and I never stay at resorts.
But the Surpass credits apply to any property, including award stays. So far in 2026 I have used $150 in credits, effectively paying for my annual fee.
And $15,000 spend for a free night is better than the $30,000 required for the Aspire.
Just signed up for this card, and already cleared the SUB (points and FNC already in my account). I’m aiming to spend $15k before the end of the year for the annual FNC, and then do so again at the start of 2027. Combined with my Aspire FNC (that’ll credit in December), my goal will be to find myself a really nice 4-night stay (I’m hoping to get lucky and book the WA New York), or a couple 2-night stays.
Long term, I’ll probably continue to spend the $15k so I can have 2 FNCs every year.
@1990_ I did! But I barely spent time checking out the hotel, considering I was sleeping (or not sleeping considering my jet lag), so I’d love to revisit. Of course I’m planning to visit New York next year Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, so I’m guessing getting standard room availability isn’t going to be easy.
If you can swing it, the play is $15k of spending on Hilton Surpass and $60k of spending on Hilton Aspire for four free night certificates plus a minimum of 225,000 Hilton points, which should get you five free nights at a SLH hotel, some of which can easily exceed $1500 per night. The annual fees on both cards combined is less than the value of one night at a SLH hotel and if you can use the credits (I generally can), they are much less. As far as the argument of using that spend for sign-up bonuses, I'm already at 36 credit cards and there aren't a lot of sign-up bonuses I have left for cards I really want.