Business Green Rewards vs Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
Annual fees: Business Green Rewards $95/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card $150/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Business Green Rewards on everyday spending, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card on gas stations.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Business Green RewardsAmerican Express · $95/yr
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
American Express · $150/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Business Green Rewards$95LowestHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card$150
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Business Green Rewards15,000 pointsHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card130,000 points
- Rewards
- Business Green RewardsAmerican Express Membership RewardsHilton Honors American Express Surpass CardHilton Honors
- Foreign transaction fee
- Business Green Rewards2.7%Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardNoneLowest
- Network
- Business Green RewardsAmerican ExpressHilton Honors American Express Surpass CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Business Green Rewards1xHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card6xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Business Green Rewards1xHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card6xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- Business Green Rewards1xHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card6xHighest
- Online Shopping
- Business Green Rewards1xHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card4xHighest
- Everything else
- Business Green Rewards1xHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card3xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Business Green Rewards—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- $200 Hilton property credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Business Green Rewards—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- Automatic Hilton Honors Gold Elite Status
- Hilton Honors™ Upgrade to Diamond Status
- Car rental
- Business Green Rewards—Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
- National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status
- Other perks
- Business Green Rewards
- Personalized Amex Offers
- Free Employee Cards
- Business Expense Tracking
- Flexible Spending Limit
- Pay Over Time for Flexibility
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
- Business Green Rewards
- Baggage Insurance Plan · up to $1,250
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Baggage insurance
- Rental car
- Business Green Rewards
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Car rental insurance
- Purchase & returns
- Business Green Rewards
- Purchase Protection
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Up to $1,000 per item against damage or theft
- Extended warranty
- Business Green Rewards
- Extended Warranty
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Other protections
- Business Green Rewards
- Global Assist® Hotline
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Business Green Rewards—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
- Business Green Rewards—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
Category-by-Category Winner
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card wins in 5 of 5 categories. The Business Green Rewards leads in 0.
Gas Stations
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 1X
Dining
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 1X
Online Shopping
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 4X 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.
Both scenarios favor the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Business Green Rewards | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $85 Year one: $310 | Rewards: $202 Credits (our usable estimate): $120 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $172 Year one: $692 | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $625 Year one: $850 | 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 $55 more than the Business Green Rewards ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $55 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 $55 fee gap means the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card needs roughly $55 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
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 3X on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Business Green Rewards $95/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card $150/yr — a $55 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 $95/yr for the Business Green Rewards. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $55 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use.
- Which card earns more rewards, the Business Green Rewards 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 Business Green Rewards or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Business Green Rewards has a lower $95/yr fee; the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $150/yr.
Related Comparisons
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.