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 the higher-end 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.
Which Hilton credit card is right for you?
With four cards to choose from, which card is best for you? In my view most people should either go for the card that carries no annual fee or the high-end Aspire card.
If you stay at Hilton brands at all, it makes sense to have the Hilton Honors American Express Card. The card give 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.
Road warriors who prefer 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 $450 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. The free night award can be used at most Hilton properties worldwide. Selective use of that certificate can yield more than $450 in value. And you’re likely to be able to make use of the annual $250 resort credit, $250 in airline fee credits, and Priority Pass membership if you’re traveling frequently.
Consider the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card only if you stay at Hilton frequently and know you won’t get value out of the Hilton Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card’s benefits. The card offers a way to spend your way to elite status, plus a healthy boost in the points you earn on your Hilton stays for its $95 annual fee.
Hilton Honors credit cards
Here’s an overview of all of the credit cards offered by Hilton Honors and American Express
Hilton personal credit cards
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Even if you spend a single night in a Hilton hotel, the Hilton Honors American Express Card can pay off. That’s because the card offers complimentary silver status for no annual fee. Silver status gets your a few perks like complimentary bottles of water and 20% bonus point earnings on stays. But most importantly, it gives you a fifth night free on reward stays. If you use your Hilton points for five-night stays, you’ll get 25% more value out of your points.
The card offers Although the card offers 7x Hilton Honors bonus points on stays, which is marginally better than other travel rewards cards if you’re getting half a cent each from your Hilton points. Don’t use the card for gas or groceries though. A cash-back or flexible points card that earns more in those categories will get you more rewards.
Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Card and earn 80,000 Bonus Points + Free Night Reward with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. You can find this welcome offer at this link. This limited-time offer expires 7/19/23.
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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card grants you 12x points for each dollar you spend at Hilton hotels, a sizable step up from the entry-level card. But the card also carries a $95 annual fee.
With the Surpass card, you get Gold status for free and can spend your way to Diamond status each year. Just put $40,000 on the card. If you are a frequent Hilton guest, but won’t get value from the free night certificate, Priority Pass membership, or the statement credits offered on the Aspire card, this card represents a good compromise of value and price.
Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Use our referral link to support the site. To find the offer, click on “View all Cards with a Referral Offer” at the top of the page and then select “Personal Cards” from the list on the left.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card immediately elevates you to Hilton’s highest elite status, Diamond. The card charges $450 a year for the privilege, but it offers plenty of additional benefits for that cost. Here’s what the card offers:
- Annual free night certificate that can be used at almost any Hilton hotel.
- $250 in statement credits to offset purchases made at Hilton resorts.
- $100 on-property credit when you book at participating Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Hotels.
- $250 airline incidentals credit.
- Priority Pass membership with unlimited visits and 2 guests.
If you stay at Hilton hotels frequently enough, you are likely to get more than enough value from the free night certificate and other benefits to justify the annual fee. You’ll also earn a massive 34 points per dollar you spend on most Hilton stays: 10 base points per dollar at most properties, 10 bonus points from your Diamond elite status multiplier, and 14 bonus points from using the card to pay for your stay.
Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Use our referral link to support the site. To find the offer, click on “View all Cards with a Referral Offer” at the top of the page and then select “Personal Cards” from the list on the left.
Hilton business credit cards
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card might hit a sweet-spot for small business owners who occasionally stay at Hilton properties and want to earn a free night certificate. You can get a free night certificate each year when you spend $15,000 in a calendar year on the card, and a second once you spend $60,000 in a calendar year. The business card carries a $95 annual fee.
You’ll also earn 12x Hilton Honors bonus points when you use your card to pay for a stay directly at a Hilton hotel.
Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card and earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points & a Free Night Reward after spending $4,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 7/19/23. Use our referral link to support the site.
Credit card earning rates
If you want to earn Hilton Honors points, the chart below gives you all you need to know about earning points with credit cards. The amount of Hilton Honors points you earn with each card is broken down by category. If you want to earn the absolute most points on your Hilton stays, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers the most points. But if you want to earn your points at U.S. gas stations or grocery stores, one of the cards that carries a lower annual fee might be a better choice for you.
| Hilton Honors American Express Card | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |
| Hilton purchases | 7x | 12x | 14x | 12x |
| U.S. gas stations | 5x | 6x | – | 6x |
| U.S. restaurants | 5x | 6x | 7x | 6x |
| U.S supermarkets | 5x | 5x | – | 6x |
| Flights booked directly with airlines and on amextravel.com | – | – | 7x | – |
| Car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies | – | – | 7x | – |
| All other purchases | 3x | 3x | 3x | 3x |
Hilton credit card benefits
Benefits common to Hilton cards
These benefits are common to all Hilton credit cards.
Fifth night free – While this is commonly cited as a benefit of holding a Hilton Honors credit card, the fifth night free technically isn’t a benefit of the Hilton credit cards. When you hold Silver or higher elite status with Hilton, you get a fifth night free on award stays. Since every Hilton Honors credit card grants you elite status, you will always be able to access this benefit if you hold a Hilton credit card. But you also get access to this benefit if you have Hilton elite status naturally, even if you hold no Hilton credit card
Secondary Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance – Get coverage when you use your card to reserve and pay for tour car rental and decline the car rental company’s collision damage waiver insurance. Coverage is secondary. Terms apply. Learn more about auto rental collision damage waiver insurance.
Benefits of each Hilton Honors card
Terms apply to all benefits.
| Hilton Honors American Express Card | Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |
| Elite Status | Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status. Earn Hilton Honors Gold Status when you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. | Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status. Earn Hilton Honors Diamond status when you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. | Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond Status | Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status. Earn Hilton Honors Diamond status when you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. |
| Free night reward | – | – | Enjoy a free night reward with your new card and every year after renewal. Spend $60,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year to earn an additional free night. | Earn a free night reward after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year. |
| On property credits | – | – | $250 in statement credits to offset eligible purchases made at participating resort properties. $100 property credit when you book a two-night minimum stay at hiltonhonorsaspirecard.com. | – |
| Priority Pass | – | – | Priority Pass Select with Unlimited visits included. Two guests included. | 10 complimentary lounge visits. |
| Airline fee credit | – | – | $250 per calendar year for statement credits such as checked bags on your selected airline. | – |
| Extended warranty | — | Doubles the manufacturer’s warranty, up to one extra year on original manufacturer’s warranties of 6 years or less. | Doubles the manufacturer’s warranty, up to one extra year on original manufacturer’s warranties of 6 years or less. | – |
| Purchase protection | – | Covers purchases for damage or theft for up to 90 days from purchase date. | Covers purchases for damage or theft for up to 90 days from purchase date. | – |
| Return protection | – | – | Covers returns that a merchant won’t take back within 90 days of purchase, up to $300 per item and $1,000 per calendar year. | – |