Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express vs Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
Annual fees: Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express $0/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card $150/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express on gas stations, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card on gas stations.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressAmerican Express · No annual fee
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
American Express · $150/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express$0LowestHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card$150
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express$200 cash backHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card130,000 points
- Rewards
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressCash backHilton Honors American Express Surpass CardHilton Honors
- Foreign transaction fee
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express2.7%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardNoneLowest
- Network
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressAmerican ExpressHilton Honors American Express Surpass CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent · points and cash back aren’t ranked against each other
- Dining
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express1%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card6x
- Gas Stations
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express3%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card6x
- Grocery Stores
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express3%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card6x
- Online Shopping
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express3%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card4x
- Department Stores
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express2%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card3x
- Everything else
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express1%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card3x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- $200 Hilton property credit
- Entertainment & streaming
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- $7/mo Disney+ · $7 monthly
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- Automatic Hilton Honors Gold Elite Status
- Hilton Honors™ Upgrade to Diamond Status
- Car rental
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status
- Other perks
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Baggage
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- Baggage insurance
- Rental car
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Car rental insurance
- Purchase & returns
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- Up to $1,000 per item against damage or theft
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Up to $1,000 per item against damage or theft
- Extended warranty
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Other protections
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- No annual fee with solid category rewards
- 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000/year ($180 max annual value)
- Up to $84/year Disney Bundle credit for streaming subscriptions
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (3 months longer than Preferred)
- As high as $200 cash back welcome offer after $2,000 spend in 6 months (offers vary)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Automatic Hilton Gold status with room upgrades and breakfast at select properties
- Earn Diamond status through $40,000 annual spend (extends through end of next year)
- $200 annual Hilton credit ($50 per quarter) covers most of the annual fee
- Free Night Reward earned after $15,000 annual spend
- Strong earning at 12X at Hilton, 6X at restaurants/supermarkets/gas
- Cons
- Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- 3% grocery rate is half of Blue Cash Preferred's 6%
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee makes it unsuitable for travel
- 3% rates on gas and online retail are capped at $6,000/year each
- 1% back on non-category purchases is below average
- $6,000 annual cap on grocery bonus limits heavy spenders
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- $150 annual fee with no first-year waiver
- Quarterly credits require spending at Hilton properties (use-it-or-lose-it each quarter)
- Points locked to Hilton program with no transfer flexibility
- Amex network less accepted than Visa/Mastercard internationally
- Diamond status requires significant $40,000 spend threshold
Expert Analysis
Both the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card come from the same issuer, but they target different spending profiles. Understanding where each card excels helps you pick the one that matches your lifestyle — or decide if holding both makes sense.
The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express's strongest category is Grocery Stores at 3X, while the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card leads with 12X on Hilton Hotels. Overall, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card wins in more bonus categories (6 vs 0) — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
At $0/yr vs $150/yr, the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is the more accessible option. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card needs to deliver at least $150 in annual value through its premium benefits to justify the gap.
Key Differences
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X on Grocery Stores vs 3X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 4X on Online Shopping vs 3X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X on Gas Stations vs 2X for the other
- The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express costs $0/yr vs $150/yr — a $150 annual gap
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X on non-bonus spending)
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$600/month on grocery stores
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 3X. Over a year, that's 43,200 vs 21,600 points — a 21,600-point advantage.
$200/month on online shopping
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 4X vs 3X. Over a year, that's 9,600 vs 7,200 points — a 2,400-point advantage.
Mixed everyday spending, 2 trips/year
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressWithout heavy spending in the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card's premium categories, the $150 fee difference is hard to recover. The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express delivers better overall value for moderate spenders.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express if:
The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is ideal for cardholders who prioritize keeping annual costs low. At $0/yr, it delivers strong no-fee value for its target audience.
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card if:
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on grocery stores and online shopping and earning more on everyday purchases. At $150/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
Since both cards are from the same issuer, you may be able to hold both or product-change between them. Check with your issuer for current policies.
Holding both cards can make sense if you want to maximize earn rates across different spending categories.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card wins in 6 of 6 categories. The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express leads in 0.
Gas Stations
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 3X
Department Stores
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 3X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 3X
Online Shopping
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 4X vs 3X
Dining
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $120 Credits (our usable estimate): $42 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $162 Year one: $362 | Rewards: $202 Credits (our usable estimate): $120 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $172 Year one: $692 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $42 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $522 Year one: $722 | Rewards: $806 Credits (our usable estimate): $120 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $776 Year one: $1,296 | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card costs $150/yr — that's $150 more than the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $150 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $150 fee gap means the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card needs roughly $150 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on gas stations and dining and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 3X on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express $0/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card $150/yr — a $150 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card costs $150/yr vs $0/yr for the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $150 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express or Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- Should I get the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express has a lower $0/yr fee; the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $150/yr.
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Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.