Upgrade offer on Hilton HHonors Surpass CC

heavenlyjane

Level 2 Member
So I just noticed that when I sign on to my AMEX online account that I am being offered an upgrade to the Surpass CC. The deal is 75K points if I spend $3000 within the first 3 months. I have had this product before but I cannot find any mention of prior ownership being a disqualifer (see below). Is it safe to assume that in the absence of explicit text, I am eligible to reearn this bonus?

(1) You can get 75,000 Hilton HHonorsTMBonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership starting from the date your account is approved. In rare instances, your period to spend $3,000 may be shorter than 3 months if there is a delay in receiving your Card. Also, purchases may fall outside of the 3 month period in some cases, such as a delay in merchants submitting transactions to us or if the purchase date differs from the date you made the transaction. (For example, if you buy goods online, the purchase date may be the date the goods are shipped). Purchases to meet the spend requirement of this offer include those made by both the Basic and Additional Card Members on the Card Account. Purchases to meet the spend requirement of this offer do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchase of travelers checks, purchase or reloading of prepaid cards, or other cash equivalents. Hilton HHonors Bonus Points will be credited to your Hilton HHonors account 6 - 8 weeks after the spend requirement has been reached. Additional Card Members are not eligible to receive this offer. Bonus Points do not count toward elite tier qualification; for more information, visit HHonors.com/terms. For questions regarding your Card account, please call the number on the back of your Card. If your application is not received by 10/01/2017, you will not be eligible for the 75,000 Hilton HHonorsTMBonus Points offer even if your application is approved. American Express reserves the right to modify or revoke offer at any time. Offer expires 10/01/2017.​
 
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Jawa

Level 2 Member
Yes you are eligible. and when you downgrade your surpass and reupgrade you are eligible again.
 

projectx

Level 2 Member
Yes you are eligible. and when you downgrade your surpass and reupgrade you are eligible again.
Interesting... I thought the upgrade was "only" 50k. What I'm curious about is the details.

-When you downgrade your surpass... how long before they typically send out the upgrade offer?
-My calendar year for the card ends in December. If I downgrade at this time to avoid the AF, do I keep my status provided I met the min spend to keep it the following year?
 

churnman

Level 2 Member
Interesting... I thought the upgrade was "only" 50k. What I'm curious about is the details.

-When you downgrade your surpass... how long before they typically send out the upgrade offer?
-My calendar year for the card ends in December. If I downgrade at this time to avoid the AF, do I keep my status provided I met the min spend to keep it the following year?
IME, yes.
 

heavenlyjane

Level 2 Member
My Gold status never went away. I downgraded my Surpass in 2013, ages ago so maybe the offer has been sitting there for a while.

Will this upgrade offer be free of a hard-pull credit check?
 

bmrisko

New Member
75k is the highest "upgrade" offer I have seen. I would personally jump on that, but I have ever only seen 50k on my Hilton account. Does anyone know if the "member since" date sticks to the old date if you upgrade? I'd hate to lose my 15 year member date.
 

projectx

Level 2 Member
Is this type of upgrade offer still a thing? I downgraded my Surpass to the no annual fee version in December. Just curious if this trick is still alive and if it is, about how long it takes for the offer to show up.
 

bifslipson

Level 2 Member
I have the no-fee card AND the Surpass card. The No Fee card has this upgrade. any idea if I will actually get the upgrade bonus? since I already received a sign up bonus on the first Surpass card. Is upgrade bonus and sign up bonus two distinct things in Amex world?
 

bayguy

Level 2 Member
SO had this offer on no fee card and upgraded to Surpass card. I am positive she will get the 100000 points after 3000 spend.
 

projectx

Level 2 Member
Nothing for me. Though I did just downgrade from the Surpass in December. Still, I thought this was a common hack to downgrade, and eventually get a bonus offer to upgrade?
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
Nothing for me. Though I did just downgrade from the Surpass in December. Still, I thought this was a common hack to downgrade, and eventually get a bonus offer to upgrade?
Yes - but usually the offer is 50K-75K. 100K is a bit more appealing, that might even get you 2 nights!
 

projectx

Level 2 Member
Yes - but usually the offer is 50K-75K. 100K is a bit more appealing, that might even get you 2 nights!
LOL... I'll take whatever I can get. Any idea about how long it normally takes for the offer to show after downgrading?
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
LOL... I'll take whatever I can get. Any idea about how long it normally takes for the offer to show after downgrading?
I'd say it probably takes around 6 months for me, but I've never had it show up in the middle of the promotion, so if you don't see it now you probably won't see it until the next one. I'm guessing the timing is dependent on when the pull the accounts for the next promotion.
 

ukinny2000

Level 2 Member
i got the 100k offer on my no-fee hhnors card a few weeks ago, even though I already have the Surpass card. Just did the spend and the 100K points posted before the statement cycle even closed.
 

Jay Shaw

Level 2 Member
i got the 100k offer on my no-fee hhnors card a few weeks ago, even though I already have the Surpass card. Just did the spend and the 100K points posted before the statement cycle even closed.
i am having a hard time for it. I thought i could post my mortgage as they allow CC but just found out everything except Amex. I guess i need to find different way to do it.
 

italdesign

Level 2 Member
How long after upgrading to Surpass do you guys wait before downgrading? I'm thinking to pay 1st AF (hasn't posted so not sure if it will be prorated or not) and downgrade before next AF. Some might downgrade before 1st AF (so pretty much right after upgrading), but it seems aggressive to me. What say you?
 

haserfauld

Level 2 Member
So, I'd been using my Surpass for groceries in Q1 (second upgrade/downgrade cycle). I just downgraded two days ago, but when I go to the Surpass upgrade page, it looks like it would let me:

upload_2017-4-27_9-40-22.png

Seriously? After 2 days?
 

haserfauld

Level 2 Member
How long did you wait before downgrading?
I upgraded this last time July 2016, so about 9 months.

I'd definitely upgrade again right now for 100K, if it lets me. I can't really believe they'd let me do that less than 48 hours after downgrading though...
 

haserfauld

Level 2 Member
Yep - as long as you're using the no-language link you should be fine.
edit: found it. Thanks

Well dang. I might just go ahead and do that. Will push me over 300K points, and that's nothing to sneeze at!

I'm wondering if I should at least wait for the no-fee cards to come in the mail. It seems like the offer is good through 5/31/17, so I should be safe.
 
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italdesign

Level 2 Member
I'm wondering if I should at least wait for the no-fee cards to come in the mail.
Amex Agent: how can I help you?
you: yeah, you know that card you were about to send me? Save yourself the time.
Agent: why is that?
you: it has been superseded by a better offer.
Agent: I don't understand...
you: chuckle... Neither do I.
 

Craig

Level 2 Member
edit: found it. Thanks

Well dang. I might just go ahead and do that. Will push me over 300K points, and that's nothing to sneeze at!

I'm wondering if I should at least wait for the no-fee cards to come in the mail. It seems like the offer is good through 5/31/17, so I should be safe.
Between a new Surpass, upgrade of my HHonors, and maxing out referrals on both, I will come away with 360k additional Hilton points for $150. SO is doing the same.

An aside - do award nights count towards Diamond status challenges?
 

projectx

Level 2 Member
So, I'd been using my Surpass for groceries in Q1 (second upgrade/downgrade cycle). I just downgraded two days ago, but when I go to the Surpass upgrade page, it looks like it would let me:

View attachment 3866

Seriously? After 2 days?
I think I've been doing it wrong this whole time. I keep looking under my Amex Offers or the special offers area under the My Account tab. But your post made me realize my error.

I went to Cards > Travel Cards. And there it is. 100k upgrade bonus. And of course... "Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product." DANG.
 

Craig

Level 2 Member
I think I've been doing it wrong this whole time. I keep looking under my Amex Offers or the special offers area under the My Account tab. But your post made me realize my error.

I went to Cards > Travel Cards. And there it is. 100k upgrade bonus. And of course... "Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product." DANG.
Let me show you the Force, young Padawan.

www[DOT]doctorofcredit.com/100000-hilton-honors-surpass-upgrade-offer-no-lifetime-language/
 

italdesign

Level 2 Member
Between a new Surpass, upgrade of my HHonors, and maxing out referrals on both, I will come away with 360k additional Hilton points for $150. SO is doing the same.
you can save $75 if you downgrade before 1st AF posts. Actually, you can probably do that to the new card too and come out with $0 OOP. A bit risky perhaps, but possible.

I had to proactively convince myself not to take any more HH-earning opportunities, I have more than enough, don't need any more. It's almost enough to get me to consider staying above a cat2 for once.
 

Craig

Level 2 Member
you can save $75 if you downgrade before 1st AF posts. Actually, you can probably do that to the new card too and come out with $0 OOP. A bit risky perhaps, but possible.

I had to proactively convince myself not to take any more HH-earning opportunities, I have more than enough, don't need any more. It's almost enough to get me to consider staying above a cat2 for once.
Yep, thought about downgrading before paying the annual fee, but I may use the Surpass for grocery store MS.

We will be moving across the country in the next 2 months, taking our slow time (a month maybe?) to road trip. Will probably map out Hampton Inn's across the country. We should have enough points for an entire month in Hampton Inn's assuming most will be 20k-40k per night. Should also let us renew our Diamond status through March 2019 with the current 8-stay status match offer.
 

haserfauld

Level 2 Member
Yep, thought about downgrading before paying the annual fee, but I may use the Surpass for grocery store MS.

We will be moving across the country in the next 2 months, taking our slow time (a month maybe?) to road trip. Will probably map out Hampton Inn's across the country. We should have enough points for an entire month in Hampton Inn's assuming most will be 20k-40k per night. Should also let us renew our Diamond status through March 2019 with the current 8-stay status match offer.
My wife and I are moving cross country in August, and are planning to do the same (although probably more like 17 days, not a month). 300K Hilton points should take care of a lot of that. Plus we'll probably have at least 3-4 of those nights staying with friends along the way.
 
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