The concept of getting two bank cards from the identical resort model could appear unusual, however it may really profit your travels.
Should you’re a Hilton loyalist, going all-in with the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card and Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card will grant you two welcome bonuses, a breadth of incomes classes, an automated free evening reward and extra.
Assuming you keep at a Hilton property at the least a couple of instances every year, it’s best to contemplate this technique. This is every part it’s essential know.
Obtain priceless factors from 2 welcome bonuses
Top-of-the-line elements of incomes factors and miles is the flexibility to redeem them for high-value resort stays. Welcome bonuses are a good way to amass quite a lot of factors or miles rapidly.
Collectively, the Hilton Aspire and Hilton Surpass can supercharge your rewards steadiness with their welcome presents. With the Aspire, you will earn 175,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
With the Surpass, you will earn 155,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
That is a grand whole of 330,000 bonus factors throughout each welcome bonuses.
In accordance with TPG’s December 2025 valuations, 330,000 Hilton bonus factors are price $1,650. These elevated presents finish Jan. 14, 2026, making now an excellent time to use.
These 330,000 Hilton factors are sufficient for a three-night keep on choose dates on the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya, or you can stretch them throughout a number of stays by reserving with funds choices.
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It is simpler to earn a second free evening reward
The Hilton Aspire presents cardmembers an automated free evening reward every cardmember yr. That is a really helpful profit for Hilton followers. Since you will not want to make use of any factors for this free evening, you can use it to increase a trip or take a fast weekend getaway.
Whereas it is potential to earn a second free evening award with the Aspire, it is even simpler to take action with the Hilton Surpass. Whereas this card does not supply an automated reward every year, cardmembers can earn one by spending at the least $15,000 on their card in a calendar yr. That ought to be moderately attainable for the common spender, particularly should you hire.
Should you favor staying at Hiltons over another model, placing the additional effort in to earn a second free evening reward could make sense. Make it simpler on your self by aiming to earn one on the Surpass.
TPG’s director of content material for bank cards, factors and miles, Carly Helfand, used the free evening rewards she bought by her Hilton playing cards for a part of a keep on the Conrad Algarve this yr.
Maximize financial savings with extra assertion credit
Each the Hilton Aspire and Hilton Surpass supply assertion credit to assist justify their $550 (see the Aspire’s charges and charges) and $150 annual charges (see the Surpass’s charges and charges), respectively. By combining these advantages throughout each playing cards, you’ll be able to maximize the worth you get out of your Hilton stays.
The Hilton Surpass presents as much as $50 every quarter (as much as $200 in assertion credit yearly) for purchases made immediately at a Hilton property, which is nice for overlaying your room price, a meal or a spa therapy. In the meantime, you will obtain as much as $200 biannually (as much as $400 in assertion credit yearly) for eligible Hilton Resorts purchases out of your Aspire. Each of those assertion credit could possibly be mixed should you use them at a collaborating Hilton Resort. These properties typically supply extra facilities than commonplace Hilton resorts, corresponding to swimming pools and actions.
The Hilton Aspire additionally presents flight-related assertion credit: as much as $50 every quarter (as much as $200 in assertion credit yearly) for purchases made immediately with an airline or by Amex Journey, and as much as $209 in assertion credit every calendar yr for a Clear Plus membership (enrollment required; topic to auto-renewal).
Assuming you utilize the entire Hilton assertion credit and the airline assertion credit score to their fullest every year, you will greater than make up for the annual price of those playing cards.
Reap the advantages of Hilton Diamond standing
Should you solely maintain the Hilton Surpass, you will obtain Hilton Gold standing. Whereas Hilton Gold is not unhealthy by any means, the Hilton Diamond standing supplied by the Hilton Aspire is a significantly better match for loyal Hilton followers, who obtain:
- Larger precedence for space-available room upgrades
- 100% bonus factors on stays
- A 48-hour room assure
- Govt lounge entry
- Premium Wi-Fi
TPG contributing editor for bank cards Matt Moffitt’s favourite good thing about the Aspire is the complimentary breakfast for 2 that he receives when staying at Hilton properties overseas (due to the cardboard’s Diamond standing). He values this at at the least $20 per individual, including as much as at the least $200 in worth on a five-night keep for 2 folks. (Cardmembers get a food-and-beverage credit score when staying at resorts within the U.S.)
If you are going to go all-in on Hilton, it is sensible to provide your self the perfect expertise potential everytime you keep. Opening the Aspire alongside the Surpass will be sure you get simply that, whereas not forcing you to surrender any of the perks you want on the Surpass.
Earn bonus factors throughout many classes
The Hilton Aspire‘s greatest strengths within the earnings division are with Hilton and on eating and choose journey. In the meantime, the Hilton Surpass covers a large breadth of bonus classes for a resort card, which means any gaps within the Aspire’s incomes classes can simply be crammed.
With each the Aspire and Surpass, you will cowl the next bonus classes:
| Class | Which card must you use? | Incomes price (factors per greenback spent) |
|---|---|---|
|
Aspire |
14 |
|
|
Flights booked immediately with airways or by Amex Journey
|
Aspire |
7 |
|
Eating at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply)
|
Aspire |
7 |
|
Automotive leases booked immediately (with choose automobile rental corporations)
|
Aspire |
7 |
|
Surpass |
6 |
|
|
Surpass |
6 |
|
|
U.S. on-line retail purchases
|
Surpass |
4 |
Each playing cards earn 3 factors per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases.
By optimizing your technique throughout each playing cards, you will make sure you earn essentially the most Hilton factors potential towards your subsequent keep.
Backside line
Many factors and miles lovers do not give a lot thought to cobranded resort playing cards, since many people imagine that transferable rewards are king. However should you stick with Hilton for many or your whole holidays, combining the Hilton Surpass and Aspire playing cards can significantly elevate your travels.
Simply just be sure you maintain observe of your playing cards’ assertion credit, as they’re key to making sure you get sufficient worth to justify every card’s annual charge yr after yr.
To study extra, try our critiques of the Hilton Surpass and Hilton Aspire.
Apply right here: Hilton Honors Aspire
Apply right here: Hilton Surpass
For charges and charges of the Hilton Aspire, please click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Hilton Surpass, please click on right here.
