Another Update on 6/4/19: There’s also a direct link to upgrade to the Aspire card. Same 150,000 points upgrade bonus, higher spend requirement at $4,000. This card comes with a $400 fee. (Thanks reader Trimal)
Another update on 6/4/19: Sounds from the comments like the direct link is working for everyone most people. I’d do this quickly if you’re interested. Here’s the direct upgrade link for posterity. (Big thanks to reader diggs for sending in the link)
Update 6/4/19: Another round of upgrade offers has gone out via email. There’s even a direct link you can try which we didn’t have before, though it likely won’t work for many people who didn’t get the email offer.
Update 5/7/19: Another round out, subject line is ‘Upgrade and earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Points’ . Hat tip to reader Shade.
Update 4/19/19: Another round of upgrade offers has gone out. Hat tip to Traveling For Miles
The Offer
No direct link. E-mails have been sent out (unknown subject line) and some people also have the deal showing up when logged in
- Some American Express Hilton cardholders are being offered to upgrade to the Hilton Ascend card and receive a bonus of 150,000 points after $3,000 in spend within the first three months
Card Details
- Annual fee of $95
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
- 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
- 10 free priority pass lounge passes
- Complimentary Hilton Honors gold status. Earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 in purchases within a calendar year
- One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
Our Verdict
Previous upgrade offers have been for 75,000 or 100,000 points so this is significantly better than that. Usually 150,000 points is only offered when upgrading to the Aspire card. Best straight sign up bonus on this card has been 150,000 points as well. The nice thing about upgrade offers is that it’s possible to get the upgrade bonus even if you’ve received the sign up bonus on that card previously. For more information on upgrade offers in general, you’ll find this linked post highly helpful.
Hat tip to reader Laura S
Pulled the trigger on upgrading an Ascend originally opened in 2015 to the Aspire. I also have an Aspire opened in 2018.
Hi, I currently have both the ascend and no fee Hilton cards and received the bonuses within the past year. Will I be eligible to upgrade my no fee card to the ascend and have 2 Ascends?
Weird, I tried this several times and every time I got an error, site was down, or I don’t qualify. Today I get an email about my new gold status on Hilton. Apparently the upgrade did go thru. Ok, coolio? Thanks for letting me know amex
Using the link above it seems like I’m being shown that I can upgrade my no-AF Hilton card to a Surpass, but only 2 days ago that card was a Surpass that I downgraded to no-AF. What do you guys think? Would applying for the upgrade so soon after downgrading draw RAT attention? Should I sit on the upgrade for 30+ days and then apply before the offer deadline (listed as 7/16/19 on my offer) to mitigate the RAT attention, but in doing so run the risk that the offer stops working prior to 7/16/19? I’ve never upgraded any Amex card for a bonus before and currently hold the recently downgraded no-AF and the Aspire, in case you think any of that matters.
I’m in the same boat…
Did you apply?
Does anyone have any thoughts about this drawing unnecessary attention?
Very strange. A few days ago, before this posted I noticed that Amex had me “prequalified” on my login for upgrades on 2 of my Hilton cards. The option is available for both cards. Now I see this link and it is also available on my Ascend card as well. I have 4 Hilton accounts on Amex. Business Hilton was the only one without an offer.
Mine failed. It tells me, we are not able to upgrade your card at this time. Please call the number on the back of your card.
I signed up for the card and then clicked upgrade offer on my personal Ascend card to upgrade to the Aspire now I messed up because I spend on the Aspire upgrade card before I was able to spend on the sign up for Aspire card thereby invalidating me for for the sign up bonus only received the upgraded bonus but not the sign up bonus because I spent an upgraded one first what a disappointment
I had 2 no-AF Hilton’s. Upgraded one today with the link, tried the other using the CC#, and that didn’t work. Just tried again with the login and it is now offering me the Aspire off the 1st card with the same 150k/$4000 bonus, with $450AF. This particular card was an Aspire before, so not sure I’ll be eligible for all the bennies again this year as I canceled it circa Jan. Approved for the Aspire. So today, same card, noAF->Ascend/Surpass->Aspire. Bring on the RAT.
Awesome. Worked for me with the link (no email). Sweet! 150k ought to get me one more free night at the Hampton inn (insert your favorite 3rd tier city here).
Worked great thanks!