topic Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?! in Credit Cards

AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 04:08:51 GMT

'10 free visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network'

I've never been to those lounges and it's my dream lol, and this $95 fee card can make it happen, 10 times a year, every year?! How terrific is THAT? Whoever needs more than 10 visits a year really, for us mortals 😅

Combined with say Delta Gold, this might be an unbeatable combo for International travels? Food for thought for applying in the future...

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

TSlop — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 11:20:33 GMT

I never knew this was a perk until I finally got an upgrade offer for the Surpass and looked at all the benefits. I actually just got my Priority Pass card in the mail after about 2 months upon signing up. I was wondering if it ever was going to come.

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

notmyrealname23 — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 11:49:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
'10 free visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network'

I've never been to those lounges and it's my dream lol, and this $95 fee card can make it happen, 10 times a year, every year?! How terrific is THAT? Whoever needs more than 10 visits a year really, for us mortals 😅

Combined with say Delta Gold, this might be an unbeatable combo for International travels? Food for thought for applying in the future...

I don't know if I would say unbeatable, given that AMEX acceptance outside the United States is at best uneven (my trips to the UK in 2021 had lots of "hey, no AMEX accepted here"), and all the Hilton Surpass and Delta Gold bonus categories outside of Hiltons and Delta are... wait for it... US only (US Supermarkets, US Dining, US Gas Stations).

The lounge passes are nice I guess, but I would seriously be looking at a no international fee Visa/MC at least as a backup. Even if it means you are using a Capital One Quicksilver.

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 16:12:13 GMT

@TSlop wrote:
I never knew this was a perk until I finally got an upgrade offer for the Surpass and looked at all the benefits. I actually just got my Priority Pass card in the mail after about 2 months upon signing up. I was wondering if it ever was going to come.

2 months?! hope u enjoy it!

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 16:16:31 GMT

@notmyrealname23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
'10 free visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network'

I've never been to those lounges and it's my dream lol, and this $95 fee card can make it happen, 10 times a year, every year?! How terrific is THAT? Whoever needs more than 10 visits a year really, for us mortals 😅

Combined with say Delta Gold, this might be an unbeatable combo for International travels? Food for thought for applying in the future...
I don't know if I would say unbeatable, given that AMEX acceptance outside the United States is at best uneven (my trips to the UK in 2021 had lots of "hey, no AMEX accepted here"), and all the Hilton Surpass and Delta Gold bonus categories outside of Hiltons and Delta are... wait for it... US only (US Supermarkets, US Dining, US Gas Stations).

The lounge passes are nice I guess, but I would seriously be looking at a no international fee Visa/MC at least as a backup. Even if it means you are using a Capital One Quicksilver.

Yeah I meant for airline travels 😅 Def. prudent to carry Visa/Mastercard for everyday spending abroad.

But wait, I thought Delta AMEX for restaruants were worldwide, not only US? Supermarket maybe. If restaurants benefit is also restricted to US, value of the card goes way down..?

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

wasCB14 — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:41:17 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@notmyrealname23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
'10 free visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network'

I've never been to those lounges and it's my dream lol, and this $95 fee card can make it happen, 10 times a year, every year?! How terrific is THAT? Whoever needs more than 10 visits a year really, for us mortals 😅

Combined with say Delta Gold, this might be an unbeatable combo for International travels? Food for thought for applying in the future...
I don't know if I would say unbeatable, given that AMEX acceptance outside the United States is at best uneven (my trips to the UK in 2021 had lots of "hey, no AMEX accepted here"), and all the Hilton Surpass and Delta Gold bonus categories outside of Hiltons and Delta are... wait for it... US only (US Supermarkets, US Dining, US Gas Stations).

The lounge passes are nice I guess, but I would seriously be looking at a no international fee Visa/MC at least as a backup. Even if it means you are using a Capital One Quicksilver.
Yeah I meant for airline travels 😅 Def. prudent to carry Visa/Mastercard for everyday spending abroad.
But wait, I thought Delta AMEX for restaruants were worldwide, not only US? Supermarket maybe. If restaurants benefit is also restricted to US, value of the card goes way down..?

I was reading your OP as sarcasm, given the limited acceptance issue.

My issue with PP is that most of my flights are domestic and good domestic lounges tend to leave PP (like Escape did a few years ago, long before partnering with Amex Platinum) or only accept it at limited times.

Regular Amex Gold charge:

Restaurants worldwide

Takeout and delivery in the US

Supermarkets in the US up to $25k

Delta Gold:

2x US restaurants and takeout/delivery

2x US supermarkets

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:24:03 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@notmyrealname23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
'10 free visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network'

I've never been to those lounges and it's my dream lol, and this $95 fee card can make it happen, 10 times a year, every year?! How terrific is THAT? Whoever needs more than 10 visits a year really, for us mortals 😅

Combined with say Delta Gold, this might be an unbeatable combo for International travels? Food for thought for applying in the future...
I don't know if I would say unbeatable, given that AMEX acceptance outside the United States is at best uneven (my trips to the UK in 2021 had lots of "hey, no AMEX accepted here"), and all the Hilton Surpass and Delta Gold bonus categories outside of Hiltons and Delta are... wait for it... US only (US Supermarkets, US Dining, US Gas Stations).

The lounge passes are nice I guess, but I would seriously be looking at a no international fee Visa/MC at least as a backup. Even if it means you are using a Capital One Quicksilver.
Yeah I meant for airline travels 😅 Def. prudent to carry Visa/Mastercard for everyday spending abroad.
But wait, I thought Delta AMEX for restaruants were worldwide, not only US? Supermarket maybe. If restaurants benefit is also restricted to US, value of the card goes way down..?
I was reading your OP as sarcasm, given the limited acceptance issue.

My issue with PP is that most of my flights are domestic and good domestic lounges tend to leave PP (like Escape did a few years ago, long before partnering with Amex Platinum) or only accept it at limited times.

Restaurants worldwide
Takeout and delivery in the US
Supermarkets in the US up to $25k

Oh I was naive I see 😅 Did not know about the bold part! Then it's truly valuble for Intl travels, US, not so much..thnk u!

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

SouthJamaica — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:28:30 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
'10 free visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network'

I've never been to those lounges and it's my dream lol, and this $95 fee card can make it happen, 10 times a year, every year?! How terrific is THAT? Whoever needs more than 10 visits a year really, for us mortals 😅

Combined with say Delta Gold, this might be an unbeatable combo for International travels? Food for thought for applying in the future...

For me, the Surpass card was the most valuable of the 3 Hilton Amex personal cards.

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

wasCB14 — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:43:50 GMT

I made a big error! I got interrupted and when I returned to my post I submitted it without closely reading.

The Delta Gold does NOT earn 2x on international restaurants. I was going to compare it to the better-earning regular Gold.

Previous post has been corrected.

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:01:05 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
I made a big error! I got interrupted and when I returned to my post I submitted it without closely reading.

The Delta Gold does NOT earn 2x on international restaurants. I was going to compare it to the better-earning regular Gold.

Previous post has been corrected.

But, but Nerdwallet says:

Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.

I'm confused, has anybody used it to pay for restaurants abroad?

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

wasCB14 — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:19:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
I made a big error! I got interrupted and when I returned to my post I submitted it without closely reading.

The Delta Gold does NOT earn 2x on international restaurants. I was going to compare it to the better-earning regular Gold.

Previous post has been corrected.
But, but Nerdwallet says:

Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.

I'm confused, has anybody used it to pay for restaurants abroad?

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

KJinNC — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:13:01 GMT

Just to mention, you can use a card to get lounge access and travel perks without also relying on that card to pay for dinner in Prague or a t-shirt in Venice. You can have another card (ie a Visa) for that.

Re: AMEX Hilton Surpass lounge passes; best value ever?!

NRB525 — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 05:10:48 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
I made a big error! I got interrupted and when I returned to my post I submitted it without closely reading.

The Delta Gold does NOT earn 2x on international restaurants. I was going to compare it to the better-earning regular Gold.

Previous post has been corrected.
But, but Nerdwallet says:

Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.

I'm confused, has anybody used it to pay for restaurants abroad?

Seems there is a discontinuity in how AMEX is sending these graphics to various web pages. This says restaurants worldwide.