Hilton Honors Surpass vs Wells Fargo Autograph Journey: Which Is Better In 2025?

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Breakdown

‍

[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "7644", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Mid-Tier Travel Rewards"} ]]

‍

Why We Like It

‍

Here’s a closer look at why we’re fans of the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card.

‍

• The card offers exceptionally high rewards rates on travel and dining for a card in its class.
• It comes with valuable travel and cell phone protections, all for a modest annual fee.
• After using the card’s $50 annual airline credit, you only need to spend $1,500 on dining and travel to offset the remaining annual fee (publisher-formulated estimate).

‍

Pros

‍

• Earns high rewards on travel and dining without requiring you to book through a specific portal.
• Includes valuable travel protections and cell phone insurance, which are strong perks for a card in this category.
• Points can be redeemed in several ways or transferred to airline and hotel partners, offering great flexibility.

‍

Cons

‍

• It has an annual fee, which may not be suitable for all cardholders.
• The list of airline and hotel transfer partners is smaller than that of some competitors.
• Does not offer premium travel perks like airport lounge access or annual hotel night certificates.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®

‍

Categories

‍

Deciding which is better, Hilton Honors Surpass or Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, depends entirely on your travel style and loyalty preferences. One card is tailored for dedicated fans of a specific hotel brand, while the other offers broad flexibility for the general traveler.

‍

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: This card is best suited for frequent Hilton guests who want to earn hotel-specific points on everyday spending. It provides enhanced benefits and elite status perks to improve stays within the Hilton portfolio.
• Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: This card is ideal for frequent travelers who value high rewards on broad travel and dining categories without being tied to a single brand. It offers flexible point redemptions and useful travel protections for a modest annual fee.

‍

Redemption

‍

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Points earned with this card are primarily redeemed for stays across Hilton's portfolio of hotels. Cardholders can use their points for free nights or to upgrade their rooms, maximizing value by staying within the Hilton brand.

‍

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: This card offers more flexible redemption options, allowing cardholders to transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel partners. Points can also be redeemed for cash back or used to book travel directly, providing multiple ways to get value.

‍

Travel Perks

‍

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: The travel perks for this card are deeply integrated with the Hilton ecosystem. Cardholders receive a number of complimentary lounge visits annually and benefit from no foreign transaction fees on international purchases. The standout feature is the automatic Hilton Honors Gold status, which unlocks on-property benefits like space-available room upgrades and a daily food and beverage credit.
• Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: This card offers a broader, more brand-agnostic travel experience. It includes a suite of travel protections and also features no foreign transaction fees. While it lacks complimentary lounge access, its strength lies in the flexibility of its rewards program, allowing points to be transferred to a diverse set of airline and hotel partners or used to book travel directly.

‍

Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

‍

To cut through the noise and find the best card for your wallet, a tool like Kudos can help you compare nearly 3,000 credit cards based on your actual spending habits.

‍

• Test drive credit cards: Simulate potential earnings from any card using your real spending data—before you apply and with no impact on your credit score.
• Personalized recommendations: Get matched with cards that will earn you the most rewards based on your unique transaction history.
• Approval odds analysis: Receive a detailed breakdown of your chances of approval for a card based on your credit report.
• Kudos Boost: Earn extra rewards on top of your regular credit card rewards when shopping with partner merchants.
• Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer for a card you got through Kudos within three months, Kudos will match it.
• Financial management tools: Track your spending, monitor your credit score, and see your progress toward earning new card welcome offers.

Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®?

‍

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an excellent choice for frequent Hilton guests looking to elevate their stays with automatic Gold elite status and accelerated point earnings. It also appeals to moderate travelers and everyday spenders who can capitalize on bonus points at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. Ultimately, as detailed in our complete review, this card is designed for value-conscious travelers who desire meaningful hotel benefits without the high annual fee of a premium card. Terms apply.

Who Should Choose the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey?

‍

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card is tailored for frequent travelers who want premium-style rewards without the steep annual fee of a top-tier card. It's particularly well-suited for those who travel a few times a year and dine out regularly, as its rewards structure heavily favors these spending categories. This card is an excellent choice for travelers with good to excellent credit who prioritize flexible points and solid travel protections over luxury perks like airport lounge access, as this in-depth review explains.

Alternatives to Consider

‍

If our Hilton Honors Surpass vs Wells Fargo Autograph Journey comparison has left you looking for a different kind of travel companion, several other excellent cards might be a better match for your wallet.

‍

[[ COMPARE_CARD * {"ids": ["118", "510"], "bestCategoryIds":["17", "18", "19"], "bestForTexts":["Generous Travel Rewards", "$300 Annual Travel Credit"]} ]]

‍

_{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}

Tips for Application Success

‍

Before You Apply

‍

• Check your credit score - Most travel rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
• Know the issuer's rules - Issuers often have restrictions, like once-per-lifetime bonus rules or limits on new accounts.
• Plan your spending - Make sure you can meet any spending requirements for welcome offers or perks without overspending.

‍

Application Strategy

‍

• Heed lifetime language - Some issuers, like American Express, limit welcome offers to once per lifetime per card.
• Mind application velocity - Issuers like Wells Fargo may restrict you to one new card every six months.
• Time your application - Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet spending requirements for a welcome offer.

Our Methodology

‍

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.

‍

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

‍

What are the annual fees for the Hilton Honors Surpass and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey cards?

‍

The American Express® Hilton Honors Surpass® Card has a $150 annual fee, while the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card carries a $95 annual fee.

‍

Can I use points from the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey for Hilton stays?

‍

Yes, you can transfer points earned with the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card to several travel partners, including Hilton Honors. This gives you the flexibility to book award nights at Hilton properties.

‍

Which card is better if I don't always stay at Hilton hotels?

‍

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card generally offers more flexibility, as its points can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners. The Hilton Honors Surpass card's rewards are primarily focused on maximizing value within the Hilton ecosystem.

‍