Annual Fee: $0
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
For American Express products listed in this page, 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.
The Hilton Honors Amex card offers a great gateway to the world of travel and hospitality rewards. With a focus on Hilton properties, this card allows frequent travelers and Hilton enthusiasts to earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points on various purchases. Cardholders also benefit from complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, offering perks like room upgrades and late checkouts.
Plus, the card has no annual fee, making it an accessible choice for those seeking travel rewards without added costs. With its alignment with Hilton's extensive network of hotels and resorts, the Hilton Honors Amex card presents a valuable option for travelers seeking rewards and benefits within the Hilton portfolio.
[.redeem] 7x [.redeem] per $1 spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts
[.redeem] 5x [.redeem] per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), supermarkets, and gas stations
[.redeem] 3x [.redeem] per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
For American Express products listed in this page, 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.
🏆 Best for Marriott Loyalists
🏆 Best for Marriott Loyalists
$650 Annual Fee
🏆 Best for Hilton Gold Status
🏆 Best for Hilton Gold Status
Annual Fee: $150
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
At Daily Drop, our mission is simple: to help you explore the world affordably and experience life-changing travel by maximizing miles and points. Our team of travel and credit card experts is here to help you make decisions about which cards belong in your wallet. Based on your travel goals, we offer unbiased advice to help you make the best choices. Keep in mind that our suggestions require responsible credit card use.
Here at Daily Drop, we score cards based on six different categories: annual fee, welcome offer, point redemption value, rewards rates, benefits, and travel protections. You’ll notice that APR is not considered because we never recommend carrying a credit card balance if your goal is to maximize miles and points for travel. While these scores are opinion-based, our team has earned and redeemed millions of miles and points and has traveled to almost every country in the world. After all, we wouldn’t be Daily Drop if we weren’t practicing what we preach.
Read our full methodology for more information.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is proof that you don’t need to pay an annual fee to get solid travel perks and rewards. Between its generous points on Hilton stays, everyday categories like dining, groceries, and gas, and complimentary status, it’s an easy win for casual Hilton guests. The fifth night free on award stays and no foreign transaction fees make it even more travel-friendly. While it won’t give you the top-tier perks of Hilton’s premium cards, it’s a low-commitment way to earn free nights faster (and a great starting point if you’re just dipping your toes into hotel rewards).
[.pro] Strong earning rates in everyday categories like dining, groceries, and gas [.pro]
[.pro] Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status [.pro]
[.pro] No annual fee [.pro]
[.con] Limited to Hilton Hotels [.con]
[.redeem] 7x [.redeem] per $1 spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts
[.redeem] 5x [.redeem] per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), supermarkets, and gas stations
[.redeem] 3x [.redeem] per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
I keep this card for the Hilton Gold status and 80% bonus points per dollar spent at Hilton affiliated hotels. The $50 per quarter hotel credit more than covers the cost of the card. And the frequent upgrades to executive rooms with lounge access at our favorite airport Hiltons, makes this an essential card for me.
I really love this card for Hilton travel because the reward points earned add up so quickly, and the automatic Gold status is also super nice! Me and my husband always have free breakfast or a credit at any hotel, sometimes upgraded rooms (which are super likely at least across the UK we have found), and the 80% bonus points from Hilton on of the extra bonus points from the credit card (12x). The $200 credit literally pays for the cost of card as long as you stay at a Hilton property every quarter. My only con, bringing it down from 5 stars, is that they are taking away the 10 complimentary lounge visits per year with Priority Pass. I was really excited for it, having never had a credit card with that perk before, and I’m sad to see it go!
I have always had their base card in my wallet, but I saw in a newsletter from Daily Drop a while back that they had upped the application offer to 170,000 points for the Surpass card. I would have never thought to get a second Hilton card, but this offer was too good to pass up! Even though I have the base card, I was counted as a new applicant for the Surpass card and qualified for the 170,000 points. We used those points to help book 8 out of our 10 night stay at high end Hilton properties across Scotland and London! Would have never known about it without Daily Drop!
Recently got this card because we are booking our honeymoon using miles and points (thanks to Daily Drop youtube videos!) and I really like it. Great sign up bonus, low annual fee and the rewards you get back at grocery stores, restaurants, and other things has turned it into our everyday card! Before Daily Drop I definitely wouldn't have considered a hotel-specific card to be so valuable. I highly recommend reading the email newsletter and watching the Youtube channel to learn the most and use the resources on the site well!
I feel like this card doesn't get enough credit, though the recent changes make me question it a bit more. I signed up in 2023 when the offer was a bit different, but it was well worth it. At that time for $4k spend I got 150k + a free night certificate. I was able to very easily convert that into 5 nights worth a $1,409 cash price, this included 2 nights in London. So a 35% return on my $4k "investment".
When it comes to Hilton Honors Bonus Points, the best way to maximize your miles is to redeem them with travel.
[.dontreco] We don’t recommend: Redeeming points for Amazon purchases [.dontreco]
While it's possible to use your points for purchases on Amazon, the value per point is quite low. You’ll get much more value by using your points for hotel stays.
[.sometimesreco] We sometimes recommend: Booking through the Hilton Honors website [.sometimesreco]
Booking directly through the Hilton Honors website can offer decent value, especially during sales or promotions. However, you might not always get the highest value per point.
[.alwaysreco] We always recommend: Using points for stays at high-end properties [.alwaysreco]
The best value often comes from redeeming points for stays at high-end Hilton properties, such as Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels. These redemptions can provide significant savings, especially during peak travel times.
While the Hilton Honors Amexon does have certain airline and hotel transfer partners, those ratios do not provide the best value for your points... or really any value for that matter.
Pairing the Hilton Honors Amex with the Amex Gold Card is a great move for your everyday earning. The Gold Card’s high rewards rates on dining and groceries make it easy to rack up Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to Hilton Honors when you need to up your balance. This combo keeps your Hilton Card focused on hotel stays while the Gold covers your day-to-day spending.
If you’re using the Hilton Honors Amex for your Hilton stays and everyday purchases in bonus categories, the Capital One Venture Rewards Card can cover everything else. With 2x miles on all purchases and flexible redemption options, it’s a great pairing for non-Hilton spending and for topping up travel funds when points from Hilton alone won’t cover your trip.
1. The Occasional Hilton Guest
If you stay with Hilton a few times a year, this card is a no-brainer. Silver status gets you a points bonus on every stay, and the fifth night free on award bookings can stretch your points significantly. Since there’s no annual fee, you’re essentially earning extra perks at zero cost.
2. The Everyday Spender Who Wants Travel Rewards
With bonus points on U.S. dining, groceries, and gas, this card fits perfectly into a rewards strategy for someone who wants free hotel stays without changing their spending habits. Even if you’re not a Hilton loyalist, the points you earn on everyday purchases can turn into a weekend getaway, with no annual fee required.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: You probably shouldn’t own a credit card if you: (1) have a bad credit score, (2) are a non-U.S. resident (for this particular card), and (3) cannot control your spending. If your credit score is low, you'll need to improve it before applying for travel credit cards, as approval for the best ones, like the Hilton Honors Amex Card, is unlikely. Be honest with yourself: if a new credit card will tempt you to overspend, it's best to avoid it. Credit cards are crucial for earning miles and points, but they require responsible use.
A decent credit score of good to excellent is recommended for the Hilton Honors Amex. But again, if you’re in a solid place with your credit and feel you are ready for a new card, don’t let the fear of being rejected keep you from applying. We’ve known several people to be rejected on their first application, use the reconsideration line, and be granted the Hilton Honors Amex. The worst they can say is “no,” and more often than not, we’ve found these people want to help!