3 Underrated Perks of the Amex Hilton Surpass Card

Hilton and American Express offer several hotel cards together. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is the mid-tier option, and it's a popular choice. It's not too expensive -- the annual fee is $150 (see rates and fees). And you get a lot of perks for paying that annual fee.

Some of the benefits stand out right away. For example, the welcome offer is 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward bonus points for spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Terms apply. That could save you over $1,000 on a stay, depending on how you use those points.

This card also has some underrated perks that don't get as much attention. Here are the ones you should know about.

1. Bonus rewards on groceries, gas, and online shopping

Many travel rewards cards earn bonuses in travel-related spending categories: Airfare, hotels, and dining, to give you a few common examples. The downside is that travel cards often don't earn much on everyday categories, such as groceries and gas.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an exception. It has those travel-related bonus categories, earning 12X points per $1 for eligible purchases made directly with Hilton hotels and resorts and 6X points per $1 at U.S. restaurants. Terms apply. But it also earns:

• 6X points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets
• 6X points per $1 at U.S. gas stations
• 4X points per $1 on U.S. online retail purchases
• Terms apply.

Those are bonuses you don't see much with travel credit cards, which is a big advantage. It means this Hilton card is one you could use for everyday spending and still earn a competitive amount of rewards.

2. A Free Night Reward after spending $15,000

If you use this card regularly, you shouldn't have much trouble earning a free night at a Hilton property. When you spend at least $15,000 in a calendar year, you earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors. It can be used for one standard accommodation, double occupancy, at properties that offer this room type. Terms apply.

Now, some hotel credit cards offer a free night just for being a cardholder. The fact that you need to meet a spend requirement to earn one with this Hilton card is a bit of a bummer.

But most other hotel cards also limit where you can use your free night. For example, there are Marriott Bonvoy credit cards that get you a Free Night Award, but you can only use it at hotels that cost up to 35,000 points or 50,000 points.

This Free Night Reward, on the other hand, can be used at most Hilton properties. People have used it to book a free night at luxury beach houses and upscale Waldorf Astoria properties. If you use yours at a high-end location, it could easily save you over $500 and even over $1,000.

3. Complimentary Gold status (and a path to Diamond status)

When you have this card, you get complimentary Gold status. Terms apply. That's the second-highest status in the Hilton Honors program, and its benefits include:

• 80% bonus points on stays
• A fifth night free on reward stays -- when you pay in points, you get five nights for the price of four
• Space-available room upgrades
• Daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast (depending on the hotel brand and region)

I've used these perks myself, and they're all valuable. You'll earn more points with Gold status, and getting a fifth night free on reward stays helps you get much more value from your points. Room upgrades and a free breakfast (or food and beverage credit) improve the Hilton experience.

If you spend $40,000 on purchases with this card in a calendar year, you'll earn Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year. Terms apply. Diamond is the Hilton Honor program's highest tier, so it has even more perks, including executive lounge access.

A high-value Hilton Honors card

For my money, Hilton has some of the best credit cards of any hotel chain. If you stay at Hilton properties multiple times per year, you can't go wrong with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. It has plenty of perks at Hilton hotels and earns bonus rewards on everyday purchases, and all for a reasonable annual fee.