Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Credit Card review: Luxury rewards for Hilton loyalists

• Hilton hotels

  Travelers who stay primarily at Hilton Hotels worldwide have the most to gain in rewards from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card. With the highest bonuses for its spending categories among the three Hilton co-branded cards, frequent flyers and road warriors alike can quickly earn Hilton Honors points, which can turn into free hotel rooms around the world.

  As with most points-earning credit cards, your earnings are based on how much you spend, but certain categories earn rewards at a higher rate than others. The biggest rewards from the Hilton Honors Amex Aspire come when you use your card at participating Hilton hotels to earn 14X points. From hotel dining to spa treatments and other experiences, anything you purchase at participating hotel locations with your card that can be charged to your room will qualify for the bonus points. Combined with the 100 percent points bonus you can earn with Hilton Honors Diamond status, you could earn a total of 34X points on Hilton property purchases.

• Travel

  This card can also help you earn points when you are making future travel plans. Cardholders earn 7X points on purchases in two travel-related categories, airfare and rental cars. However, to get the bonus on airfare, you must use your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card to purchase tickets directly from the airline or by using amextravel.com. For the rental car bonus, cardholders must book their car directly through one of 12 companies:

  • Alamo
  • Avis
  • Budget
  • Dollar
  • Enterprise
  • E-Z
  • Fox
  • Hertz
  • National
  • Payless
  • Sixt
  • Thrifty

  Purchases for both airline tickets and rental cars made through online travel agencies, wholesale clubs or as part of a vacation package will not count for the 7X points category. This is standard on cards like this, so it doesn't necessarily lower the card’s value. 

• Dining

  To earn bonus points for dining, you must use your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card at U.S. restaurants. Bonus points also apply to food delivery and takeout, but you will not earn points at American restaurants in foreign locations, such as an Applebee’s in Canada. Bonus points won't apply to meals purchased inside nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores or inside other establishments like a casino or hotel.

  However, if you are eating at a restaurant located inside a Hilton hotel and choose to charge the meal to your room, the balance would count as a Hilton hotel purchase, qualifying you for the higher 14X points rate (34X points if you qualify for Diamond status). All other qualifying purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card will earn you 3X points.

• Annual airline, resort and on-property credits

  The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card comes with three types of credits toward your travels. First, cardholders get up to $200 in airline statement credits each year toward one selected air carrier for incidental fees, including seat selection and checked luggage fees. Second, guests at select participating Hilton resorts can access up to $250 in credits for purchases directly at the hotel, including restaurant meals and spa treatments. 

  Given the value of these features, frequent Hilton customers in particular should consider this card despite its $550 annual fee. Using these two credits alone could help offset the hefty annual fee partially.

• Free night rewards

  You will get at least one free night reward to use at most participating HIlton Honors hotels around the world each year after your cardmember anniversary. On top of that, if you spend at least $30,000 on your card each year, you can earn an additional free night award, and if you spend at least $60,000 on your card each year, you will get an additional free night reward.

• Hilton Honors Diamond status

  Some luxury co-branded cards come with top-tier loyalty status. In this case, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card comes with the highest status available: Hilton Honors Diamond status — the only Hilton card that offers this benefit.

  Normally earned after staying 60 nights or over 30 stays, Diamond status comes with a number of exclusive benefits, including a 100 percent points earning bonus on stays (essentially doubling your Hilton rewards rate), executive lounge access, elite status gifting to another person and a 48-hour room guarantee. Diamond guests also earn all of the benefits from previous tiers, including space-available upgrades, daily food and beverage credits or free continental breakfast (outside of the U.S.) and a fifth night free on standard room reward stays — a huge savings.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Bankrate Score

Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5

4.2

Annual fee

$550

Intro offer

Earn 150,000 points

Earn 150000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Rewards rate

3X - 14X

14X points on hotels and resorts For eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. 7X points on select travel Including flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com and car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies. 7X points on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery. 3X points for each dollar spent on other eligible purchases.

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)

A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Bankrate Score

Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5

4.6

See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Apply now

on American Express's secure site

Annual fee

$650

Intro offer

95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Rewards rate

2X - 6X

Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)

A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Bankrate Score

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5

4.8

See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Apply now

on American Express's secure site

Annual fee

$695

Intro offer

Earn 80,000 points

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Rewards rate

5X - 5X

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)

A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

• The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card vs. the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

  If your goal is to get the most out of your hotel stays, both the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offer strong value for your spending. Both cards offer a remarkably high intro offer, a high level of bonus points on purchases at their respective hotel brands and a bonus category for spending at worldwide restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines.

  What might give the Hilton Honors Aspire card the edge is its elite status and annual credits. While the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card only gives cardholders Platinum Elite status in its loyalty program, the Hilton Honors Aspire card grants top-tier Diamond status as long as the account is in good standing. In addition, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card only offers $300 in calendar year statement credits for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, compared to over $500 in credits for airfare and on-site spending with the Hilton Honors Aspire card, not to mention the unlimited value provided by the fifth night free on reward stays benefit. Unless you stay primarily at Marriott Bonvoy properties, the Hilton Honors Aspire card could present better value.

• The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

  Choosing between the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card and The Platinum Card from American Express comes down to one central question: Would you rather have rewards exclusively for free Hilton hotel nights, or would you rather have flexible points you can use anywhere? With a $695 annual fee, The Platinum Card comes with a wealth of benefits, including up to $200 airline credit, up to $100 hotel experience credit for Fine Hotels & Resorts (which requires a minimum two-night stay) and Gold status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required). You’ll collect American Express Membership Rewards points on every purchase, which can be transferred to over 20 different travel partners, including airline miles and other hotel programs’ points.

  Although it comes with a higher annual fee, The Platinum Card from American Express could be the better choice for travelers who value luxury travel and want flexibility over where and how they use their points. But for more casual travelers who want to earn free hotel rooms faster, the Aspire card’s annual credits and Diamond status offer tremendous value each year that is potentially unmatched by the Platinum card’s benefits.

• American Express® Gold Card

  One good companion to the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card is the American Express® Gold Card. Cardholders earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. Plus 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.

  In addition, Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio of 1,000 Membership Rewards points for 2,000 Hilton Honors points. When used for their respective bonus categories, these cards can make a strong points-earning pair.

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

  If you would rather have the simplicity of cash back to pay for airfare and other experiences, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express can be a great option that will provide plenty of flexibility with how you spend your cash back earnings. Cardholders earn 6 percent cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1 percent) and on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3 percent cash back on transit purchases (including taxis or ridesharing, parking, tolls, trains and other public transportation) and 3 percent cash back at U.S. gas stations. Cash back is received in the form of reward dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. With multiple unique bonus categories, this card can help you bank money to help offset the cost of everyday expenses. Plus, it's $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 thereafter is lower than most premium travel cards.

• Hilton loyalists

  This card is an ideal choice for Hilton loyalists due to its extensive range of benefits tailored specifically for enthusiasts of the Hilton brand. With automatic top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, cardholders can enjoy complimentary room upgrades, executive lounge access and other VIP perks during their stays at Hilton properties. The card's array of benefits, combined with its strong rewards program, makes it an appealing choice for anyone who prioritizes the Hilton experience and wishes to maximize their loyalty to the brand.

• Frequent travelers

  The Hilton Amex Aspire Card is well-suited for frequent travelers due to its comprehensive travel benefits and rewards program. The card's high rewards rate on eligible purchases, including airfare, car rentals and dining, provides ample opportunities for frequent travelers to earn and redeem valuable points. This extensive range of travel benefits, combined with the card's lucrative rewards program, makes it an appealing choice if you prioritize travel and want to maximize its benefits and rewards while on the go.

• Rewards value

  The primary criteria for a rewards or cash back card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.

  To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

  The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2022 was $72,967 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $22,500.  

  Some of the major spending categories that contribute towards the annual spend include:

  • Groceries: $5,700
  • Dining out: $3,600
  • Entertainment: $2,400
  • Gas: $3,100
  • Apparel and services: $1,900

  Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 22 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries. We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various issuer, airline and hotel rewards programs.

  This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases, as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value.

  With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other rewards cards.

• Rates and fees

  We also rate cards based on how much it costs to keep them in your wallet or carry a balance. 

  To start, each rewards or cash back card is scored based on whether it offers an intro APR and how its ongoing APR compares to the rates available on other rewards or cash back cards. 

  We also score each card based on how its annual fee influences its overall value. 

  We consider a card’s annual fee in two ways — how it ranks relative to the fees you’ll find on other cards in the category and how it impacts a card’s overall rewards value. Cards with an annual fee will always be at a slight disadvantage in our scoring system since annual fees inherently cut into your rewards value, but if a card offers terrific value via its ongoing rewards and perks, it can earn a high score even if it carries a high annual fee. 

  With this in mind, we rate a card based primarily on how its ongoing rewards value and ongoing perk value (such as annual credits or bonuses) stack up against other cards in the category when you subtract its annual fee.

• Flexibility

  We rate each card’s flexibility based on the restrictions it imposes on earning and redeeming rewards and factor this rating into a card’s overall score. 

  Flexibility factors include whether a card only allows you to earn a high rewards rate on a small amount of spending or requires you to meet a certain earning threshold before you can redeem rewards. We also examine whether your points are worth less when you redeem for some options versus others and whether a card gives you the flexibility to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners. 

• Perks

  We also score each card’s set of features – its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating. 

  We break down these tiers as follows:

  • Tier 1 has less than standard card features (an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits. 
  • Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges. 
  • Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection. 
  • Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs. 
  • Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.

• What credit score do I need for the Hilton Honors Amex Aspire card?

  You’ll need to have good to excellent credit (a FICO score of 670 to 850) to qualify for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card. Those who are interested can see if they pre-qualify for the card on American Express’s website. If you don’t quite meet these minimum requirements, check out Bankrate’s CardMatch tool to see which cards you have the best chances of qualifying for.

• Is the Hilton Honors Amex Aspire a good travel card?

  Whether this card is right for you depends on what you plan to use it for. If you stay primarily at Hilton Hotels, the Amex Aspire is a great choice to rack up rewards and earn free night stays. However, if you regularly stay at other hotels, want to redeem points for other types of travel expenses or don’t want to be limited by brand association, opting for a general travel rewards card may be a better choice.

• Does the Hilton Honors Aspire card have travel insurance?

  The Amex Aspire comes with trip delay as well as trip cancellation insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance and purchase protections. These benefits provide confidence when you travel and peace of mind for expensive purchases (up to 90 days from the covered purchase date).

What cardholders think

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

4.4

49 ratings

In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers.

90% of customers recommend this card

Score breakdown

5 stars

57%

4 stars

33%

3 stars

8%

2 stars

0%

1 star

2%

Score by category

Overall 4.4 / 5

Extra perks 4.3 / 5

Customer service 4.3 / 5

Online portal or mobile app 4.2 / 5

Intro APR length 4.3 / 5

Intro APR value 4.3 / 5

In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are based on individual cardholder’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. Users received an incentive for their feedback. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these cards.