The Hilton brand is one of the fastest-growing hospitality companies in the world, and they currently boast over 18 different types of hotels in 122 countries worldwide. With 7,000 properties around the globe to choose from, travelers can choose from top of the line luxury or roadside motels without leaving the Hilton umbrella. And many choose to do so, often because they aim to build loyalty within the Hilton Honors program.
While you can earn Hilton Honors points by paying for stays at any Hilton property worldwide, many Hilton loyalists opt to pick up a co-branded hotel credit card they can use for travel and regular spending. Not only do Hilton credit cards let you earn more points on Hilton stays than you would earn otherwise, but many of their cards come with automatic elite status and other benefits that make visiting Hilton hotels and resorts more rewarding.
To find the right Hilton credit card for your travel style, compare Bankrate’s picks for the best credit cards for Hilton travelers in 2023:
- Best with no annual fee: Hilton Honors American Express Card
- Best for casual travel: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- Best for luxury travel: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*
- Best for business travel: The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
- Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 7x points on eligible purchases within the Hilton portfolio; 5x points on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations; and 3x points on other eligible purchases.
- Receive automatic Silver status and no foreign transaction fees.
- No annual fee
- Terms apply
Why it’s best with no annual fee
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is the only co-branded Hilton credit card without an annual fee, yet it might be sufficient for someone who stays in Hilton properties infrequently. You’ll earn a welcome bonus worth several nights in a mid-tier Hilton property within the first six months if you meet the spending requirement, and you will get automatic Silver status just for being a cardholder.
This card also lets you rack up Hilton Honors points quickly with 7x points on eligible purchases with the brand, 5x points on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations and 3x points on other eligible purchases.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 6X Hilton Honors bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 4X points on U.S. online retail purchases, including those with large and boutique retailers, department stores, home supply, clothing stores and more
- Earn 3X points on other eligible purchases.
- Receive complimentary Gold status, no foreign transaction fees.
- Up to $200 back in statement credits annually for eligible Hilton purchases made directly with participating Hilton properties (up to $50 in statement credits quarterly)
- $150 annual fee
- Terms apply
Why it’s best for casual travel
The Hilton Honors Amex Surpass® Card may be a better option if you travel enough to take advantage of its perks. You’ll earn a much larger welcome offer and you’ll also earn a higher rate of rewards on Hilton stays and U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. restaurants. Not only that, but you’ll get automatic Gold status with Hilton.
Also consider that you can earn a free night award with this card when you spend at least $15,000 within a calendar year, and the night is redeemable at all but a small handful of Hilton properties worldwide.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Earn 150,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening.
- Earn 14x points on eligible purchases within the Hilton portfolio; 7x points for eligible purchases of flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com, car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies and at U.S. restaurants; and 3x points on other eligible purchases.
- Cardholder benefits include a free weekend night each year after your cardholder anniversary, up to a $400 in Hilton resort credit each year (up to $200 semi-annually), up to a $200 airline fee credit (up to $50 quarterly for flights booked through AmexTravel.com), complimentary Hilton Diamond status, a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership (enrollment required; this benefit is being discountinued as of Feb. 1, 2024. If you enroll before Jan. 31, 2024, your membership will continue until Oct. 31, 2024) and no foreign transaction fees.
- $550 annual fee
- Terms apply
Why it’s best for luxury travel
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is intended for Hilton loyalists who travel often and can take advantage of various travel perks. You’ll get automatic Hilton Diamond status for starters, which is the highest status this hotel loyalty program offers. You’ll also get a free weekend night at any Hilton property each year including the first year, up to a $400 resort statement credit (up to $200 semi-annually), a $200 airline fee credit (up to $50 quarterly for flights booked through AmexTravel.com), and more.
A $550 annual fee applies, but the airline fee credit and resort credits alone more than make up for this charge. The welcome bonus and earning rates on this card are also exceptional, and they can help you rack up points quickly if you spend a lot at Hilton properties or on flights, car rentals or dining each year.
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
- Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership.
- Earn 12x points on purchases with Hilton hotels and resorts; 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
- Receive automatic Gold status, and no foreign transaction fees
- $195 annual fee
- Terms apply
Why it’s best for business travel
The Hilton Honors Business Card lets you apply with your business name and Employer Identification Number (EIN), although you can also apply as a sole proprietor using your Social Security number. You have the potential to earn a sizable welcome bonus when you do, as well as a high rate of rewards on eligible eligible paid Hilton stays (12x points) and 5x points in a broad range of categories.
Automatic Gold status is another cardholder perk. The $195 annual fee on this card is reasonable for a business credit card, and you won’t pay foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad for business.
As a final perk, you’ll enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. With Hilton Honors Gold status, you can enjoy benefits at hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio. As a Gold member, earn an 80% Bonus on all Base Points you earn on every stay getting you to free nights faster.
Alternatives for Hilton travelers
If you’re unsure about picking up a travel credit card that earns points for Hilton properties specifically, then you may want to consider a flexible travel credit card instead. American Express credit cards that let you earn points in the American Express Membership Rewards program are a good option since this program lets you transfer points to the Hilton Honors program at a solid ratio of 1,000 Amex points: 2,000 Hilton Honors points.
Popular American Express travel credit cards to consider include the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express. The Platinum Card® from American Express may be a good flexible travel card in particular since it comes with automatic Gold status with both Hilton Honors and the Marriott Bonvoy program.
If you don’t want to make a huge financial commitment, you could also check out Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards with no annual fee, such as The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card* from American Express. This way, you could earn points in this program without paying a fee each year, then you could transfer them to the Hilton Honors program once you were ready to book.
How to choose the best card for Hilton hotel stays
How do you decide between Hilton credit cards? You can consider several important points, and your best option also depends on how often you travel. Here’s everything you should ask yourself as you choose between cards on this list and flexible travel credit cards that let you transfer points to the Hilton Honors program.
- Will you take advantage of airport lounge passes or annual travel credits? Some Hilton credit cards come with airport lounge passes and the Surpass and Aspire cards offer various travel-related credits. Make sure you travel often enough to take advantage of these benefits before you pay a premium to have them.
- Do you mind paying an annual fee? Also note that Hilton credit cards and flexible travel credit cards with the most benefits tend to come with higher annual fees. Make sure you’ll use all the cardholder perks before you commit to paying a pricey annual fee for the year.
- Are you interested in elite status? All Hilton credit cards offer some level of elite status, but you’ll get a higher level of status (including up to Hilton Diamond status) with cards that come with higher annual fees. It can help to compare elite status benefits with Hilton to see which levels of status offer the perks you really want.
- Do you want points good for Hilton hotel stays only, or do you want the option to redeem rewards in other ways? Also decide whether you want Hilton Honors points specifically, or whether flexible rewards may serve you better in the long run. If you want to be able to cash in your rewards for airfare and hotel stays with other brands, check out travel credit cards instead.
*The information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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