Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Hilton Honors Surpass: Which Is Better In 2025?

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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This section breaks down why we like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®.

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• Cardholders automatically receive Hilton Honors Gold status, which includes valuable perks like room upgrades and a daily food and beverage credit at U.S. properties.
• It offers a strong rewards rate on both Hilton stays and everyday spending at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• The $150 annual fee (See Rates & Fees) can be easily offset with the daily food and beverage credit from just a few nights of hotel stays each year (publisher-formulated estimate).

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

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Pros

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• Automatic Hilton Honors Gold status, which includes valuable perks like room upgrades and a daily food and beverage credit at U.S. properties.
• High rewards earning on Hilton stays and at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• Opportunity to earn a Free Night Reward through eligible spending and no foreign transaction fees for international travel.

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Cons

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• Hilton Honors points generally have a lower value compared to points from competing hotel loyalty programs, and dynamic pricing can make redemption values unpredictable.
• The Free Night Reward is not an automatic annual perk and must be earned by meeting a spending requirement.
• It lacks some premium travel benefits found on other cards, such as airport lounge access and primary rental car insurance.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® vs Chase Sapphire Preferred®

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Categories

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Deciding which is better, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Hilton Honors Surpass, depends entirely on your travel style and loyalty preferences. One offers flexible travel rewards, while the other is tailored for fans of a specific hotel brand.

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent entry-level travel card for those who want flexible rewards. It's best suited for travelers who aren't loyal to a single hotel or airline and want robust travel protections.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is designed for travelers who frequently stay with Hilton. It offers significant value through hotel-specific perks and automatic elite status.

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Redemption

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Points are redeemed through the highly flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards program. Cardholders can transfer points to numerous airline and hotel partners or book travel directly through the Chase portal.

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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Rewards are earned as Hilton Honors points, which are primarily redeemed for free nights at hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. This makes it ideal for travelers loyal to the Hilton brand.

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Travel Perks

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:
  • Travel Portal: Cardholders book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, where points can be redeemed directly or transferred to numerous airline and hotel partners.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: Does not charge foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
  • Lounge Access: Complimentary airport lounge access is not included as a card benefit.
  • Travel Protections: Includes a strong package of travel insurance, such as primary auto rental collision damage waiver and trip cancellation/interruption coverage.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card:
  • Travel Ecosystem: The ecosystem is centered on the Hilton portfolio, with rewards designed for booking stays across Hilton's brands.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: Also comes with no foreign transaction fees.
  • Lounge Access: Offers a limited number of complimentary airport lounge visits per year through Priority Pass Select. Enrollment is required and terms apply.
  • Hotel-Specific Perks: Automatically provides Hilton Honors Gold status, which offers benefits like potential room upgrades and a daily food and beverage credit at participating hotels. Terms apply.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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For those looking to make a data-driven decision, Kudos offers a platform to compare nearly 3,000 credit cards based on your personal spending habits.

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• Test Drive Cards: Before you apply, you can test drive a card to see personalized calculations of your potential earnings based on your actual spending data. This simulation requires no application or hard credit pull.
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• Approval Odds Analysis: Get a detailed analysis of your approval odds for a new card based on your credit report.
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• Personalized Matching: Receive recommendations for cards that will maximize your rewards based on your unique spending history.

Who Should Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred®?

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a top choice for frequent travelers who want to earn valuable rewards without committing to a premium annual fee. It's particularly well-suited for individuals whose spending is concentrated on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries, as these categories earn accelerated points. Furthermore, its straightforward rewards structure and flexible redemption options make it an excellent entry-level travel card for those new to earning points or for anyone looking to combine rewards with other Chase cards.

Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®?

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The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an excellent choice for frequent Hilton guests and moderate travelers seeking valuable hotel perks like automatic Gold status without a premium annual fee. It's also a strong contender for everyday spenders, as it racks up points on purchases at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. Ultimately, the ideal cardholder is someone who can leverage both travel benefits and daily spending rewards to save up for aspirational trips.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Alternatives to Consider

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If our Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Hilton Honors Surpass comparison has you feeling like neither the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card nor the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is the perfect match, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent travel rewards cards on the market to consider.

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Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score - You will generally need good to excellent credit for approval.
• Plan your spending - Ensure you can naturally meet the spend requirement for the welcome offer.
• Review eligibility rules - Issuers have restrictions, like Amex's once-per-lifetime rule, that may affect your eligibility for the offer.

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Application Strategy

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• Know the rules - Be mindful of issuer-specific rules, like the Chase 5/24 rule, which can impact your approval.
• Time your application - Time your application before large planned purchases to help meet welcome offer spending requirements.
• Review your offer - Some issuers, like American Express, may allow you to see your offer before accepting the card.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I have both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card?

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Yes, you can absolutely hold both cards as they are issued by different banks, Chase and American Express. This can be a powerful strategy, allowing you to leverage the flexible points of the Sapphire Preferred while enjoying the specific hotel benefits of the Surpass card.

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Which card is better for beginners in the points and miles world?

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is generally recommended for beginners because its Ultimate Rewards points are highly flexible. You can transfer them to numerous airline and hotel partners, which provides great value as you determine your travel style.

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Which card offers automatic hotel elite status?

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The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, which offers valuable perks like room upgrades and on-property credits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does not come with automatic elite status for any hotel loyalty program.

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