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Hilton credit cards complete guide: Every Hilton credit card compared

Hilton offers four co-branded credit cards in partnership with American Express. Every one of these cards offers some level of Hilton Honors status, which gets you Hilton’s fifth-night free benefit. And most cards offer paths to free hotel night certificates that can be used at almost any Hilton property, worldwide. You can even get top-tier Diamond status just by holding one of Hilton’s credit cards.

But which credit card is right for you? In this article, we’ll help you decide.

Hilton Honors American Express Card card art Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art

Article overview

Here’s what this article covers. Click any section to jump to that section of the article.

Which Hilton credit card is right for you?

With four cards to choose from, which card is best for you? That depends on your travel patterns and preferences, and how often you plan to stay at Hilton hotels.

If you stay at Hilton just a few times a year, it makes sense to have the Hilton Honors American Express Card. The card gives you Hilton silver status, which admittedly doesn’t get you much. But will get you a 20% bonus on the points you earn on your stays, elite rollover nights, and a free bottled water. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll get access to the fifth night free benefit on award stays, which can make your point redemptions 25% more valuable.

Maybe you stay at Hilton hotels half a dozen times a year. If that’s you, you can easily get plenty of value out of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. The card offers a $50 quarterly bonus that offsets Hilton stays charged to the card. If you have a paid stay at a Hilton hotel a few times a year, you can easily get enough value to justify the card with this benefit alone. The card also offers a decent return on spending in most of its bonus categories. This card is also a good choice for road warriors who prefer Hilton and naturally earn Hilton Diamond status.

Luxury travelers and new road warriors who will be staying with Hilton will want to jump straight to the Hilton Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. You’ll only get a marginal amount of additional points over the other cards, but you’re buying a lot for the card’s $550 annual fee. You’ll get immediate top-tier Diamond status which includes 100% point earning bonuses on stays, space-available room upgrades, and executive lounge access. (Unless you’re interested in luxury travel, you will want to downgrade the card if you’re earning Hilton Diamond status naturally.) The free night award can be used at most Hilton properties worldwide. Selective use of that certificate can yield more than $550 in value. If you stay at Hilton Resorts or luxury properties like Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, you can get plenty of value out of the card’s included resort and on-property credits.

Hilton Honors credit card hotel benefits: Perks when staying at Hilton hotels

Most likely, you’re going to pick up a Hilton credit card for the benefits and perks you’ll get when staying at Hilton. Here is how the four Hilton Honors credit cards stack up in terms of benefits offered for stays at Hilton hotels.

Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Surpass® CardHilton Honors American Express Aspire CardThe Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card card art
Annual fee: $0
(See Rates and Fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art
Annual fee: $150
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art
Annual fee: $550
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art
Annual fee: $195
(See Rates and Fees)
Earnings at Hilton7x12x14x12x
Complimentary elite statusSilverGoldDiamondGold
Earn elite statusGold after $20,000 of spending.Diamond after $40,000 of spending.Diamond after $40,000 of spending.
Annual free night awardYes
Earn a free night awardEarn one award after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.Earn up to two additional awards:

1 after spending $30,000
1 after spending $60,000
in a calendar year.
This benefit was eliminated from this card as of March 28, 2024.
Hilton creditsUp to $50 statement credits for Hilton purchases each quarter. ($200 per year.)Up to $200 in resort credits semi-annually.

$100 on-property credit at participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Earn up to $60 in statement credits per quarter ($240 per year) on eligible Hilton purchases made with your card.
Fifth night free on award staysYesYesYesYes
Hotel benefits of Hilton Honors credit cards

Hilton elite status: Perks like breakfast, upgrades, and executive lounge access

Every Hilton credit card comes with some form of elite status benefit. Just for having the Hilton Honors American Express Card, you get Silver status and you’ll get Gold with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or the The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. On each card you can earn a higher level of status through spending. If you want to go directly to top-tier status, getting the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card will grant you Diamond status straight away.

The perks you’ll get with Hilton elite status are many, but here are the most substantive benefits you’ll receive at each level.

SilverGoldDiamond
Bonus points earning on stays20%80%100%
Free bottled water
Milestone bonuses
Daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast
Space-available room upgrades
Executive lounge access
Substantive benefits of each level of Hilton Honors status

Hilton free night certificates: The most valuable hotel free night award

You can earn a Hilton free night award by spending $15,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, and you can get up to 3 free nights with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Screenshot of a room bookable at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. The room is a King Suite, available for 120,000 points or a cash price of $1,344/night.
Use a Hilton Free Night Certificate at an aspirational property like the Conrad Bora Bora Nui for incredible value.

Hilton free night awards have more potential value than any other hotel chain’s free night certificates. While other hotel chains cap the value you can get from your certificates through restrictions on hotel categories or by issuing certificates that can be used for an award stay “up to” a certain number of points, Hilton certificates can be used at almost any hotel within Hilton’s family of brands, worldwide.

As long as a Hilton hotel offers a standard award room with double occupancy, you should be able to book that room using your certificate. You’ll need to call to book—Hilton Free Night Awards cannot be used online—but you can search for award nights for standard rooms online before using your certificate.

Here are a few things to remember about using Hilton free night awards.

  • Hilton free night awards expire. Free night rewards expire 12 months from the date they are issued.
  • You must book and stay by the expiration date. The stay you book with your Hilton Free Night Award must be completed by the certificate’s expiration date.
  • Hilton free night awards can only be used for standard rooms. If a standard room isn’t available, your certificate can not be used for that stay.
  • Hilton free night awards are not transferable. The person named on the certificate must be the one who stays.
  • About 60 properties are excluded. The vast majority of these properties are Hilton Club and Hilton Grand Vacations Club locations. Hilton has over 7,500 properties within its brand portfolio.

Hilton Honors credit card earnings: Earn points for spending on your cards

Using a Hilton Honors credit card for your stays at Hilton hotels can net you a massive number of Hilton points. For example, with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card, you can earn 12 points per dollar on your Hilton stays. While you can earn an impressive number of number of points in absolute terms for using your Hilton credit card outside of Hilton hotels, you can often do better with a cash back card, due to the relatively low value of Hilton points.

Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors
American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors
American Express Aspire Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card card art
Annual fee: $0
(See Rates and Fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art
Annual fee: $150
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art
Annual fee: $550
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art
Annual fee: $195
(See Rates and Fees)
Hilton purchases7x12x14x12x
U.S. gas stations5x6x
U.S. restaurants5x6x7x
U.S supermarkets5x6x
U.S. online retail purchases4x
Flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel7x
Car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies7x
Other purchases3x3x3x5x on the first $100,000 of purchases each calendar year.
3x thereafter.
Hilton Honors point earnings on Hilton credit cards

Additional details on bonus categories

Here are some additional details on the card bonus categories of Hilton credit cards.

  • Hilton purchases include purchases made directly with a property within the Hilton portfolio, including bookings and incidental charges. To receive bonus points on Hilton bookings, you must make the bookings directly with the hotel. Incidentals charged to your room and paid for with your eligible Hilton card will also receive the bonus points for Hilton purchases.
  • U.S. gas stations includes purchases of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S.
  • U.S. restaurants include purchases at restaurants located in the United States. Restaurants located outside the United States, but that are part of a U.S. chain won’t qualify as U.S. restaurants. Additionally, restaurants located in other establishments, such as a restaurant inside a hotel or casino, will not qualify if they are not processed as a restaurant charge.
  • U.S. supermarkets are supermarkets located in the United States. Eligible purchases include groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
  • U.S. online retail purchases includes purchases made on a website or a app from U.S. retail merchants that sells physical goods or merchandise directly to consumers. Amex must identify the transaction as an internet transaction by the merchant for the purchase to be eligible. Payments made in-store using a mobile or digital wallet or a contactless payment device are not considered online purchases.
  • U.S. wireless telephone services includes monthly wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. wireless telephone service providers. Purchases of hardware and equipment are excluded, as are purchases from third parties and resellers.
  • Flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel means flights on passenger airlines and booked with the airline or American Express Travel. Charter flights and private jet flights are excluded.
  • Car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies means car rental companies included on American Express’ list of select major car rental companies found here.

How to get better rewards on your spending

For Hilton hotel purchases, the rewards you earn with your Hilton credit cards is tough to beat. But hotel and airline credit cards typically offer lackluster rewards for most non-hotel purchases. Here are some alternatives to consider for rewards on your spending.

  • U.S. gas stations. Several cards offer 3% cash back or greater rewards on gas with no annual fee. That’s more than you’re likely to get from your Hilton cards. Check out our list of the best cards to use for gas for better alternatives.
  • U.S. supermarkets. You can get more Hilton points on your grocery purchases by using your American Express® Gold Card and transferring Membership Rewards® points to Hilton. Or you could get more rewards as cash back from other cards. Look at our list of the best grocery rewards cards for some ideas.
  • General purchases. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express will grant you 2x Membership Rewards® points on the first $50,000 you spend on the card each year. If you transfer your points to Hilton, you’ll end up with 4x Hilton points per dollar you spend on general purchases. Also consider using a 2% cash back card.

Hilton Honors credit card non-hotel travel benefits compared

Hilton credit cards offer several non-travel hotel benefits as well. Here are the details.

Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Surpass® CardHilton Honors American Express Aspire CardThe Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card card art
Annual fee: $0
(See Rates and Fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art
Annual fee: $150
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art
Annual fee: $550
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art
Annual fee: $195
(See Rates and Fees)
Flight credit$50 quarterly credit on eligible flight purchases
$189 CLEAR® Plus CreditYes
Car rental loss and damage insuranceSecondary coverageSecondary coverageSecondary coverageSecondary coverage
Car rental statusNational Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® statusNational Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® statusNational Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status
Baggage insurance planYesYesYes
Trip delay insuranceYes
Trip cancellation and interruption insuranceYes
Foreign transaction feesNoneNoneNoneNone
Non-hotel benefits of Hilton Honors credit cards

More on the non-hotel benefits of Hilton Honors credit cards.

Here is a bit more detail on what each benefit in the table above is. Terms apply to all benefits.

  • Flight credit. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card offers up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or though amextravel.com using the card.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit covers the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership, excluding any applicable taxes, with up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year after you enroll and pay for CLEAR Plus with your card.
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance covers damage to or theft of a rental vehicle when you charge your car rental to your card and decline the collision damage waiver offered by your rental company. Coverage is secondary and is not available in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. Coverage amount vary by card.
  • Car rental status with National Car Rental® gives you Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment is required.
  • Baggage insurance plan covers baggage damage or baggage loss while traveling with a Common Carrier. Amex Baggage insurance plan covers both checked-baggage and carried-on baggage.
  • Trip delay insurance can cover expenses you incur if your travel is delayed significantly or overnight.
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance can cover eligible prepaid expenses charged to your card that you forfeit if your trip is cancelled or delayed for an eligible reason.

Terms apply to all insurance benefits. See additional disclosures at the bottom of this article for more details on these insurance benefits.

Hilton Honors card consumer insurance benefits

Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Surpass® CardHilton Honors American Express Aspire CardThe Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card card art
Annual fee: $0
(See Rates and Fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art
Annual fee: $150
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art
Annual fee: $550
(See Rates and Fees; terms apply)
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art
Annual fee: $195
(See Rates and Fees)
Purchase protectionYesYesYes
Extended warrantyYesYesYes
Return protectionYes
Cell phone protectionYes
Consumer insurance benefits of Hilton Honors credit cards

More on the consumer insurance benefits of Hilton Honors credit cards.

Here is a bit more detail on the coverage provided by each of these consumer benefits. Terms apply to all benefits. See additional disclosures at the bottom of this article for more details on these insurance benefits.

  • Purchase protection protects your eligible purchases for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date, up to $1,000 per incident and $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year.
  • Extended warranty doubles the original manufacturer’s warranty on eligible items you charge to your card with warranties of five years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year.
  • Return protection reimburses up to $300 per item, and $1,000 per calendar year if a merchant won’t take an eligible item back within 90 days from the date of purchase.
  • Cell phone protection covers repair or replacement of your eligible cellular wireless telephone up to $800 per claim when you charge your monthly cell phone bill to your card. A $50 deductible applies and coverage is limited to 2 claims per eligible card account.

Best Hilton Honors credit card welcome bonuses

Hilton Honors American Express Card: 70k points plus a Hilton Free Night Award

Welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full

A card with no annual fee that can keep your Hilton points from expiring.

Annual fee: $0 (See Rates and Fees)

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: 130k points plus a Hilton Free Night Award

Welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full

A good choice for people who stay at Hilton hotels several times a year.

Annual fee: $150 (See Rates and Fees)

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: 175k points plus a Hilton Free Night Award

Welcome bonus: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 7/31/2024.
Although it is not promoted as part of the welcome bonus, you’ll also earn a Hilton Free Night Award in your first year of card membership.

This is the best card for road warriors who stay at Hilton hotels constantly and people who want to access luxury travel and elite status with Hilton.

Annual fee: $550 (See rates and fees. Terms apply.)

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: 130k points

Welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full

Best card if you want to earn Hilton points on all of your purchases and for small business travelers who stay at Hilton properties several times a year.

Annual fee: $195 (See Rates and Fees)

The cards with the best Hilton welcome bonuses

Hilton Honors American Express Card: A card with no annual fee that earns Hilton points

Hilton Honors American Express Card card art
Hilton Honors American Express Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is the only Hilton credit card that is offered with no annual fee. (See Rates and Fees) Having the card and charging at least one purchase every 24 months is an easy way to keep your Hilton points from expiring.

Compared to the other Hilton cards, the basic Hilton Amex’s earnings on Hilton stays are pretty mediocre. Although it earns 5x points in several bonus categories, it isn’t a great card to use for general spending—the value you can expect from the points you earn on most purchases will be less than you could earn on a 2% cash back credit card.

If you’re serious about being loyal to Hilton, one of the other Hilton cards might be a better pick.

Hilton Honors American Express Card welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

The current limited-time offer is an incredible welcome bonus on a card with no annual fee.

More about this card


Benefit highlights:
Hilton Honors Silver status.

Rewards:
7x on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts.
5x on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
5x on groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
5x on gas at U.S. gas stations.
3x on other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Hilton Honors bonus points.

Learn more:
Compare this card to other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Statement credits for Hilton purchases

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card’s signature feature is its statement credits for Hilton stays. You can earn up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for Hilton stays you charge to the card. (Terms apply.)

You’ll get the most from this card if you’re staying with Hilton’s family of brands several times a year and capturing the value of the credits. Spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year will earn you a valuable Hilton Free Night award. Outside of Hilton stays, you’ll get slightly better rewards in the card’s bonus categories than you will from a 2% cash back credit card.

Compare the Hilton Surpass card against other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card card art

Learn how to apply.

Annual fee: $150
(See Rates and Fees)

This is an affiliate link.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

The limited time offer adds a Hilton Free Night Award to this card’s usual welcome offer, with no additional spending requirements.

More about this card


Benefit highlights:
Hilton Honors Gold status.
Upgrade to Diamond status after spending $40k in a year on your card.
$200 Hilton credit: Up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for eligible Hilton purchases.
Free night reward after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment required.

Rewards:
12x on Hilton hotels and resorts.
6x on dining at U.S. restaurants.
6x on groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
6x on gas at U.S. gas stations.
4x on U.S. online retail purchases.
3x on other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Hilton Honors points.

Learn more:
Compare this card to other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Top-tier status and a free night award each year

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card will give you instant top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status and a free night reward with your new card and every year after renewal.

You’ll maximize the value of the Aspire card if you’re either spending a lot on Hilton hotels—think road-warrior-level travel, staying in Hilton hotels every week—or if your travels tend toward the luxury end of Hilton’s properties. The card offers a up to $400 per year in Hilton resort credits, plus a $100 on-property credit at participating Waldorf Astoria® and Conrad® hotels. Terms apply.

If you’re going to try to spend $30,000 or $60,000 on the card to pick up a few extra Hilton Free Night Awards, your best bet is to shift your spending toward Hilton stays or the categories where the card offers bonus rewards. The card’s 3x on other eligible purchases isn’t terribly compelling.

Compare the Hilton Aspire card against the other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card card art

Learn how to apply.

Annual fee: $550
(See Rates and Fees.)

This is a direct bank link. All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card welcome bonus

Earn 175,000 Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 7/31/2024.
You will also receive a Hilton Free Night award upon approval and every cardmember anniversary year.

This card offers a decent bonus for the amount of spending required, but don’t forget about the Hilton Free Night Award that you earn when your card is opened. While not technically part of the welcome bonus, it’s a valuable first year perk.

More about this card


Benefit highlights:
Annual Hilton Free Night award.
Hilton Honors Diamond Status.
Up to $400 in Hilton Resort Credits per year (Up to $200, semi-annually)
Earn up to 2 additional Hilton Free Night awards.

Rewards:
14x on Hilton hotel purchases.
7x on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com.
7x on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies.
7x at U.S. restaurants.
3x on other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned Hilton Honors bonus points.

Learn more:
Compare this card to other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card welcome bonus

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card offers up to $240 in annual statement credits for Hilton stays to small business owners. If you’re staying at Hilton hotels at least quarterly, you’re likely to make back what you pay in annual fees with the statement credits alone.

You’ll get the most out of your Hilton business card if you use it exclusively for Hilton purchases and use another card for other spending. Changes to the Hilton Business Card announced earlier this year removed the ability to earn Free Night Awards with the card and nerfed the awards you earn on non-Hilton purchases. Using a 2% cash back card on your non-Hilton purchases will get you about as much value, and you can do much better with cards that offer bonus rewards on gas, at restaurants, or on travel.

For most people, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers a more compelling value proposition.

Compare the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card against the other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card card art

Learn how to apply.

Annual fee: $195
(See Rates and Fees)

This is an affiliate link.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

The current bonus is the standard welcome bonus on this card.

More about this card


Benefit highlights:
Hilton Honors Gold status.
Earn Hilton Honors Diamond status with $40,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.
Up to $240 in Hilton credits for Hilton purchases charged to your card. (Up to $60 in statement credits each quarter.)

Rewards:
12x on Hilton purchases.
5x on other eligible purchases, on the first $100k in purchases per calendar year, 3x thereafter.
Rewards are earned as Hilton Honors bonus points.

Learn more:
Compare this card to other Hilton cards in our overview of Hilton credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

What credit cards are associated with Hilton?

Hilton and Amex offer four credit cards: The Hilton Honors American Express Card, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, and the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.

What bank is the Hilton credit card through?

All of Hilton’s cobranded cards are issued by American Express.

What credit cards give you Hilton Gold status?

You can get Gold status as a benefit of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. You can earn Gold status by spending $20,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Card. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card comes with Diamond status, which is higher status than Gold.

American Express disclosures

American Express requires us to have these product disclosures if we want to add our affiliate links to this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

Amex insurance disclosures

Trip Delay Insurance (premium tier) – Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance – The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Cell Phone Protection – Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions, and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Extended Warranty – When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Return Protection – With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Purchase Protection (premium tier) – Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Purchase Protection (standard tier) – When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited to up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Baggage Insurance Plan (premium tier) – Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip.  For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Baggage Insurance Plan (standard tier) – Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance (premium tier) – Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance (standard tier) – Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

American Express rates and fees disclosures
  • For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
  • For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card please visit this link: Rates and fees.
  • For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card please visit this link: Rates and fees.
  • For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card please visit this link: See Rates and Fees

About the author

  • Aaron Hurd

    Aaron Hurd is a credit card, travel rewards, and loyalty program expert. Over the past 15 years, he has authored over a thousand expert contributions published by leading outlets including WSJ, TIME, Newsweek, Forbes, NerdWallet, The Points Guy, Bankrate, CNET, and many others. He has also served in consulting roles for many of these same outlets, designing content strategy, hiring teams of teams of editors and contributors, developing thought-leadership pieces, and ghost-editing for senior editors. Aaron is well-known in the miles and points community and regularly presents about travel rewards at conferences like the Chicago Seminars and Minnebar. Aaron has enjoyed the game of optimizing credit card rewards since getting his first credit card shortly after he turned 18. He started learning about credit cards and travel rewards from the (now defunct) FatWallet Finance forums and FlyerTalk. He holds more than 40 open credit cards and has first-hand experience with almost every major credit card product.

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