American Express Hilton Honors Aspire vs American Express Hilton Honors Surpass
On an illustrative household's spending, American Express Hilton Honors Surpass comes out about $467 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Hilton Honors Aspire nets −$156 and Hilton Honors Surpass nets $312, after fees of $550 a year and $150 a year.
- Where it flips: Hilton Honors Surpass stays ahead at every level of spending this looks at, from a fraction of that household's to many times it.
- Category by category: Hilton Honors Aspire earns more on 3, Hilton Honors Surpass on 4 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: both earn Hilton Honors, so the rates compare directly.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Hilton Honors Aspire per $100 |
Hilton Honors Surpass per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $1.20 base rate |
$2.40 6x |
Hilton Honors Surpass |
| Restaurants & Bars | $2.80 7x |
$2.40 6x |
Hilton Honors Aspire |
| Gas Stations | $1.20 base rate |
$2.40 6x |
Hilton Honors Surpass |
| Flights | $2.80 7x |
$1.20 base rate |
Hilton Honors Aspire |
| Online Shopping | $1.20 base rate |
$1.60 4x |
Hilton Honors Surpass |
| Food Delivery | $1.20 base rate |
$2.40 6x |
Hilton Honors Surpass |
| Car Rental | $2.80 7x |
$1.20 base rate |
Hilton Honors Aspire |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Hilton Honors Aspire | Hilton Honors Surpass | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | American Express | American Express |
| Annual fee | $550 a year | $150 a year |
| Foreign transaction fee | none | none |
| Earns | Hilton Honors | Hilton Honors |
| A year, before the fee | $394 | $462 |
| A year, after the fee | −$156 | $312 |
| Rates checked | 2026-09 | 2026-08 |
Protections one has and the other does not
| Benefit | Hilton Honors Aspire | Hilton Honors Surpass |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase protection | — | Yes |
| Extended warranty | — | Yes |
| Free night award | Yes | — |
From each issuer's benefit summary (Hilton Honors Aspire: 2026-09; Hilton Honors Surpass: 2026-09). Summaries leave out exclusions — read the full guide to benefits before relying on one.
Each card on its own
- American Express Hilton Honors Aspire — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- American Express Hilton Honors Surpass — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every hotel card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet