Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card $150/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card on gas stations, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card on flights.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
American Express
American Express
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 6X | 3X |
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card wins in 5 of 5 categories. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card leads in 0.
Gas Stations
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 2X
Dining
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 3X
Grocery Stores
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 6X vs 2X
Online Shopping
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 4X vs 2X
Everyday purchases
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 2X
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 | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card | Ongoing winner |
|---|
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 2X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card $150/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr — a $500 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| Gas Stations | 6X | 2X |
| Grocery Stores | 6X | 2X |
| Online Shopping | 4X | 2X |
| Flights | 3X | 3X |
| Everything Else | 3X | 2X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
| Year-one winner |
|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $202 Credits (our usable estimate): $120 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $172 Year one: $692 | Rewards: $181 Credits (our usable estimate): $252 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$217 Year one: $833 | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $806 Credits (our usable estimate): $120 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $776 Year one: $1,296 | Rewards: $722 Credits (our usable estimate): $252 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $324 Year one: $1,374 | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $500 more than the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card ($150/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $500 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card includes dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $500 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $500 fee gap means the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card needs roughly $500 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on flights and dining and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card means losing:
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card if you:
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
