Hilton Amex Surpass vs. Hilton Citi Hilton Reserve

Anonymous · ‎03-10-2017

I spend about 500 bucks a week at Hilton properties and figure that I probably should take advantage of one of these cards. The Amex seems to be the better deal to me but many of the online reviews mostly lean towards the Citi. Looking for opinions from people that may have either of these cards.

The only big benefit to the citi for me would be the no FTF's that I can see anyways. I already have a card that has no FTF so this is not a deal breaker.

I will probably wait until these guys have another 100K promotion before I apply.

I already have an Amex BCP and I like there service. I have no experience with Citi.

Thanks in advance, Doug

Anonymous · ‎03-10-2017

If say do a side by side based on your needs. Most of us on here can say OURS is the better of the 2, but its up to you. With as much as you stay there i would look at what the hotel benifits between the 2 our.
The surpass gives you better benifits and 12 points compared to 10 that citi does. Also Surpass gives you Dimond status when you spend 40k.
I am lookimg from the outside since i have marriott platinum status so others might give better answers.
The only bennie i see to the citi one is they use visa and more places accept them. But the amex one gives you 3 points for gas and 12 for hotels. So as i said if it was me id go with the $95 surpass.

MASTERNC · ‎03-10-2017

The Reserve card also gives you a free weekend night at most Hilton properties after spending $10k before your card anniversary. For me, that is worth the $20 difference in AF.

Anonymous · ‎03-10-2017

Sorry, but there are much better ways to get free nights at Hilton than spending $10,000 on top of paying $20 extra AF.

NRB525 · ‎03-10-2017

Why limit yourself to one?

Start with the Citi no-AF version, which looks like it is running a 75,000 point bonus right now. Spend $1,000 in the Hilton hotels in a year and this one gets a 10,000 point loyalty bonus.

Watch the AMEX no-AF version, sometime that might go above the current 50,000. At gas, grocery and dining (where AMEX codes these correctly) it does better than the Citi noAF card.

The Citi AF version has two weekend nights as the bonus, that one never seems to change (or I don't watch it close enough)

The AMEX Surpass runs some higher point promos. I have an offer to upgrade my no-AF AMEX version to Surpass for 50,000 points and no HP.

After you work your way through all four, you'll have an idea which one you may want to settle on. A recommendation from one of the travel websites was to use the Citi AF version for the gold status and the airline and car rental points, and the no-AF AMEX version for the improved gas, grocery, dining points (again, presuming gas, grocery and dining code correctly with that merchant).

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765

Anonymous · ‎03-11-2017

BTW AX No-AF has 75K/1K-90D right now on a referral.

The referring person gets 15K as well.

redpat · ‎03-11-2017

The hell w/ a hilton card get CSR for the best bang for you $$$ in ur points. $500 a week at 3x.

With that many stays you already have status and a ton of bad hilton points........They are just not worth much.

Personal Cards: Amex Plat | Amex Delta Res | CSR | Citi AA Exec Business Cards: Ink+ | Amex BGR

Anonymous · ‎03-11-2017

@redpat wrote:
The hell w/ a hilton card get CSR for the best bang for you $$$ in ur points. $500 a week at 3x.

With that many stays you already have status and a ton of bad hilton points........They are just not worth much.

+1 redpat

NRB525 · ‎03-11-2017

@Anonymous wrote:
@redpat wrote:
The hell w/ a hilton card get CSR for the best bang for you $$$ in ur points. $500 a week at 3x.

With that many stays you already have status and a ton of bad hilton points........They are just not worth much.
+1 redpat

Each Hilton point may not be worth much, but that's why they give you 6, 7, 10, 12 per dollar for using the cards in addition to what OP is earning directly on the stay. Also, the Hilton cards cover some areas where CSR is not earning so many points.

Stack up enough useless points, and fairly quickly one can find uses for those points, especially if one frequents that brand

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765

Anonymous · ‎03-11-2017

Yeah I don't see why Hilton Points get such a bad rap either. Most of the cities that I travel I can find a Hilton for 30K points. (Sometimes even 20K points). Being a Diamond member already, I can earn 30K points every 3 weeks without extra Hilton credit card points.

That CSR card does look like a nice card. Thanks for pointing it out to me. Gives me something to think about. Probably would work out good for me. I used my Discover for travel last year since it was the first year that would double and ran 70 K through it. Nice return at the end of that 1st year!