How can I get an Amex Hilton Surpass upgrade?

To get an Amex Hilton Surpass upgrade, current Hilton Surpass cardholders can respond to a targeted offer for the Hilton Aspire card by logging into their Amex account online. If there’s no targeted offer, call 1 (800) 528-4800 to request an upgrade. Targeted cardholders will be eligible for Aspire’s bonus of 150,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months after upgrading. However, initial bonus offers are unavailable if requesting an upgrade without a targeted offer.

Before you upgrade, take note of the Aspire card’s $450 annual fee, as that charge will post to your first billing statement after the upgrade is completed. If you’re due a refund on your Surpass card’s annual fee, it will be credited to your upgraded account.

You should receive your upgraded Aspire card with a new card number and a different expiration date and security code in about 7-10 business days. You’ll retain your Hilton Surpass APR and credit limit, though. Additionally, your existing card will immediately function like the upgraded Aspire card, so you can use it until the new card arrives.

There used to be targeted offers for Amex Hilton Honors cardholders to upgrade to either Hilton Surpass or Hilton Aspire, and those offers came with bonuses. Unfortunately, that promotion has since expired, and there’s no indication when, or if, there will be similar offers in the future.

You can still call to request an upgrade from the Hilton Honors card to Surpass or Aspire. You just won’t be eligible for a welcome offer without the promotion.