To upgrade a Hilton Honors card, log in to your online account and scroll down to “Amex Offers & Benefits” to see if you have a targeted upgrade offer from American Express. If this reveals an offer for a Hilton Honors credit card upgrade, click “Request an Upgrade” before the expiration date on the offer. Some cardholders also report getting upgrade offers by email.
If you don't have any targeted offers, call American Express at 1 (800) 528-4800. When you call, the representative will check to see if there are any targeted offers that haven't shown up in your online account. Even if there aren't any offers, you can still ask for an upgrade – if your account has been open for at least a year.
If you upgrade your Hilton Honors card without a targeted offer, you won't be eligible for any initial bonuses on the new card. In contrast, targeted offers often come with bonus points for spending a certain amount of money in the first few months after the upgrade. That's why you should always check for targeted offers first when upgrading a Hilton Honors card.
Whether you request an upgrade through a targeted offer or by calling Amex, they'll do a soft pull of your credit to determine your final eligibility. It won't impact your credit score, but it will help Amex make the decision of whether to accept or deny the upgrade.