Late last year I wrote about the refresh coming for the Hilton Honors credit cards from American Express, including the Ascend and Aspire.
The Ascend replaces the existing Surpass card, with some new benefits and a $20 higher annual fee.
The Aspire is the new “premium” level card that comes with Hilton Diamond Status, an airline credit, and a Hilton resort credit. It also, notably, comes with a free night when you are approved and another at your card anniversary. And another if you spend $60,000 in a year. For some, the $450 annual fee will be well worth it. (And for others, not as much.)
If you can use your free nights at a very expensive property, you’ll crush that fee. If you don’t stay in places with good value for free nights, you might not.
The Business card is just like the Ascend, but for businesses. This will count as one of the 5-6 maximum cards you can have from Amex at any one time but a Business card will not count on your personal credit score nor impact 5/24.
The new cards have launched on the American Express website.
I’m NOT convinced these are going to be their best offers and remember the bonuses are once per lifetime. The word is also that the Ascend is not being considered a new card if you already had the Surpass – i.e. they are being counted as the same product and if you’re received a Surpass signup bonus, you are ineligible for one on the Ascend. This truthfully surprised me, as I did think it would be a new product, but that’s the word.
The launch bonuses are as follows:
Hilton Honors American Express card (no-fee): 50,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $1,000 in 3 months.
Hilton Honors American Express Ascend card ($95 fee not waived 1st yr): 75,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. In addition, earn 25,000 points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months.
Hilton Honors Business Card ($95 fee not waived 1st yr): 75,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership† and an additional 25,000 Bonus Points after you make an additional $1,000 in purchases with your new Card within your first 6 months.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card ($450 annual fee, not waived): 100,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
I’m quite a bit surprised that the Ascend bonus isn’t about 25,000 points higher for launch and I thought the Aspire would offer more like 150,000 points or a free night or two with signup, but they aren’t. That is what leads me to think if they will get richer in a month or two if these bonuses don’t get the numbers expected.
Should you decide to apply for any credit cards, I greatly appreciate you using my links.
Will you get these cards now? Or wait for a potentially richer bonus? Let me know here, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group.
