6 Best Hilton Credit Cards of 2025: What to Know
Hilton offers a variety of credit cards that can help you earn rewards to use toward free night stays at one of their more than 7,000 properties worldwide. So whether you’re an occasional guest or a Hilton road warrior, there’s likely a Hilton Honors credit card for you.
These cards offer generous rewards rates, valuable welcome offers, free night stays, complimentary elite statuses and more. But, keep in mind that the more robust the benefits and higher the rewards rate, the higher the annual fee will be. Further, the best Hilton card for you may not even be an actual Hilton-branded credit card, but instead a travel card — like The Platinum Card® from American Express — that provides the flexibility to transfer your points to the Hilton Honors program at a solid rate.
Winner
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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers an excellent welcome offer, strong earning rate and premium travel benefits — making it our top pick.
Our top picks
Best Hilton credit card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Generous welcome offer
- Excellent welcome offer worth up to several hotel nights
- Accelerated rewards on every purchase
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required)
- Free night reward after you spend $15,000 during a calendar year
- Up to $200 Hilton hotel credit (up to $50 quarterly)
- Foreign transaction fees: None
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 annual fee
- High spending requirement ($40,000 per year) to get Diamond status (enrollment required)
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is our pick because it offers an outstanding welcome offer, generous earning rate and valuable perks — all for a reasonable annual fee. You’ll get access to benefits like a Free Night Reward after $15,000 spent in a calendar year, up to $200 in statement credits (up to $50 quarterly) toward Hilton hotel purchases, automatic Hilton Honors Gold status (which includes an 80% points bonus on stays, daily food and beverage credits and more (enrollment required)), a pathway to top-tier Diamond status and more. Plus, since dining, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations are categories where many people spend a lot, the ability to get 6 points for every dollar spent is another nice feature.
Earning Hilton Honors rewards
Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025. 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, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases. Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025.
- Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. That's up to $200 in statement credits annually.
- 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 Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
- As a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you're enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Best for luxury benefits
Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Luxury credit card with highest level of rewards
- Automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status (enrollment required)
- Up to $400 Hilton resort credit (up to $200 semi-annually)
- Up to $200 airline fee credit for incidental charges every year (up to $50 each quarter) (enrollment required)
- One free night award each year
- $189 credit for CLEAR (enrollment required)
- Up to $100 Hilton on-property credit
- $550 annual fee
- Annual statement credits may be challenging to use
While the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express does come with a $550 annual fee, it’s also packed full of benefits — including top-tier Hilton Diamond elite status (which comes with a 100% points earning bonus on stays, enrollment required), up to $400 (up to $200 semi-annually) in statement credits for Hilton resort purchases, executive lounge access, premium Wi-Fi, a free night award every year and much more.
You can more than make up for the annual fee just by taking advantage of the card’s resort credit, airline fee credit (enrollment required) and $100 property credit each year.
Earning Hilton Honors rewards
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express is Hilton’s luxury credit card that comes with its highest level of benefits and rewards earning rate. 14X points on eligible purchases at hotels or resorts in the Hilton Portfolio, 7X points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and U.S. restaurants and 3X points on other purchases. You’ll also get the following welcome offer: Earn 175,000 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.
- 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
- 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and at U.S. restaurants
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status (enrollment required)
- One Free Night Reward in your first year of Card Membership and every year upon Card renewal
- Up to $400 Hilton Resort credit (up to $200 semi-annually)
- Up to $200 flight credit (up to $50 per quarter, enrollment required)
- Up to $199 CLEAR credit (enrollment required)
- $100 on-property credit at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts when booking the exclusive Aspire Card package
- National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® Status (enrollment required)
- Access to 24/7 American Express concierge
- No foreign transaction fees
- Terms apply
Best for no annual fee
Hilton Honors American Express Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Hilton card with no annual fee
$0 annual fee
- $0 annual fee
- Valuable welcome offer
- Automatic Silver elite status with a chance to earn Gold (enrollment required)
- Mediocre benefits
- Rewards on nonbonus categories are weak
- Welcome offer is lower than that of other Hilton cards
If you want to boost your balance of Hilton Honors points without paying an annual fee, you might want to look at the Hilton Honors American Express Card. The card offers mediocre travel benefits compared to the other Hilton cards, but its $0 annual fee and solid rewards rate can still make this card worth your while.
Earning Hilton Honors rewards
The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers a lower welcome offer and earning rate than the mid-level and premium Hilton Honors cards; however, it’s also the only Hilton card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations AND 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and a $100 Statement Credit after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express® Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- No Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Best for business travel
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 12x rewards on eligible Hilton purchases
- Generous rewards in popular business categories
- Excellent welcome offer
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required)
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status (enrollment required)
- $195 annual fee
- Requires an eligible small business
- High spending requirement of $40,000 per year to get Diamond status (enrollment required)
If you want to earn rewards to help offset the cost of business travel and you frequently stay at Hilton properties, you should look at The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. Similar to the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, it comes with a generous welcome offer, Hilton Honors Gold status* and complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status*.
Earning Hilton Honors rewards
If you’re a small business owner who travels on a regular basis, you should consider The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. You’ll earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases. Earn 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. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus earn an additional 25,000 Hilton Honors Bonus points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on your Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 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.
- Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
- 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.
- You may receive an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year if the total eligible purchases on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
- As a Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you’re enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
- Terms apply.
Best for general premium travel
The Platinum Card® from American Express
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn transferable rewards points on every purchase
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold elite status (enrollment required)
- Ability to transfer Membership Rewards to Hilton Honors points
- Large suite of other travel and luxury benefits
- Valuable travel credits
- $695 annual fee
- No Hilton-specific card perks aside from Gold elite status (enrollment required)
- Transferring Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors points isn’t the best use of your rewards
If you’re looking for a premium card with luxury benefits, but want one that’s more flexible than the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, the The Platinum Card® from American Express is a good option. Along with redeeming your Membership Rewards points for travel, statement credits and more, points can be transferred to American Express travel partners — which includes the Hilton Honors loyalty program.
While the The Platinum Card® from American Express does come with a hefty $695 annual fee, it also comes with Hilton Honors Gold elite status (enrollment required), the largest collection of airport lounges around and a variety of valuable travel credits.
Earning Hilton Honors rewards
Because you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors points at a rate of 1:1, the four Hilton American Express cards are not your only options for boosting your Hilton Honors point balance. You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Also, earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®. Terms apply.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 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 and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Best to transfer points to Hilton
American Express® Gold Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn flexible points that can be transferred to a variety of hotel and airline partners
- Membership Rewards points can be transferred to Hilton Honors points
- Excellent earning rate on popular spending categories
- Uber and dining credits (enrollment required)
- Variety of travel and shopping protections
- $325 annual fee
- No benefits specifically with Hilton
- There can be better uses for your Membership Rewards points than transferring them to Hilton Honors points
If you prefer earning flexible card rewards instead of being tied down to only earning Hilton points, but can’t justify the high fee of The Platinum Card® from American Express, you may want to consider the American Express® Gold Card.
The American Express® Gold Card lets you transfer your rewards to a variety of airline and hotel programs, including Hilton. However, the card doesn’t offer any Hilton-specific benefits.
Earning Hilton Honors rewards
The American Express® Gold Card is another card that earns Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to Hilton Honors at a rate of 1:1. 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. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply. Plus, You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- 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.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Side-by-side comparison
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Annual Fee | Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
|
Winner
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Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025. | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 | Good / Excellent | |
|
Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*
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Best for luxury benefits
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Earn 175,000 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. | $550 | Good / Excellent | |
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Hilton Honors American Express Card
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Best for no annual fee
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Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and a $100 Statement Credit after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express® Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025. | $0 | Good / Excellent | |
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The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
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Best for business travel
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Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus earn an additional 25,000 Hilton Honors Bonus points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on your Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025. | $195 | Good / Excellent | |
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The Platinum Card® from American Express
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Best for general premium travel
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You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. | $695 | Good / Excellent | |
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American Express® Gold Card
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Best to transfer points to Hilton
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. | $325 | Good / Excellent |
Pros and Cons of Hilton Credit Cards
- Earn points to use toward free night stays
- Provide elevated points in popular spending categories
- Welcome offers let you earn a large influx of Hilton Honors points in a short period of time
- Hilton credit cards offer elite status
- May offer airline lounge access
- Can only use Hilton points to stay at Hilton hotels
- Most Hilton credit cards come with an annual fee
- With no published award chart, it can be difficult to know how many Hilton points you’ll need for a free night
Who should get a Hilton Honors card?
If you’re loyal to Hilton-branded hotels and properties, you may want to consider a Hilton credit card, since they offer Hilton Honors elite status and let you earn a high earning rate on Hilton stays. Before deciding if a Hilton card is right for you, think about the following:
| Consider this card | If you... |
|---|---|
| Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card | Want to earn a generous amount of Hilton points with only a reasonable annual fee. |
| Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express | Plan to take advantage of the card’s premium benefits to help offset the card’s high annual fee. |
| Hilton Honors American Express Card | Want to boost your Hilton Honors rewards balance without paying an annual fee |
| The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | Are a small business owner who regularly travels for work. |
How much are Hilton points worth?
LendingTree pegs Hilton points at 0.5 cents each, so 10,000 Hilton points are worth roughly $50.
If you’re receiving around 0.5 cent per point or better for an award stay, it’s usually worth using points rather than paying cash.
Point value = Cash price (including taxes and fees) ÷ Number of points needed for hotel stay
What do you get with Hilton Elite status?
All of the Hilton-branded credit cards offer automatic Hilton Honors status. Depending on which card you get, you’ll receive a different level of status and/or the ability to earn a higher-tier status by reaching a certain spending threshold.
Anyone can sign up to be a Hilton Honors member for free and receive a basic level of benefits. This includes the ability to earn points on stays, no resort fees on award stays, free Wi-Fi and access to member-only pricing.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers automatic Hilton Silver elite status (enrollment required) and the ability to upgrade to Gold status after spending $20,000 in a calendar year. Here are a few of the benefits that come with Silver elite status:
- 20% Points earning bonus on stays
- Fifth night free on reward stays
- Two free bottles of water at select hotels
- The ability to rollover elite nights to get a headstart on next year’s elite status
Both the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card offer complimentary Gold elite status (enrollment required). You can also upgrade to top-tier Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 in a calendar year. Gold elite members get all of the benefits of Silver status, in addition to the following benefits:
- 80% Points earning bonus on stays
- Daily Food and Beverage Credit or Continental Breakfast (varies by brand and region)
- Space-available room upgrades
- Milestone bonuses
Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express offers automatic Diamond elite status (enrollment required), which is the highest status that Hilton offers. Diamond elite members get the benefits of all lower levels of status, and also receive the following:
- 100% Points earning bonus on stays
- Executive lounge access where available
- 48-hour room guarantee
- The ability to gift elite status to another member once you hit 60 nights in a calendar year.
Additional Hilton credit card benefits
Hilton credit cards come with valuable travel benefits, like elevated rewards on Hilton hotel stays, no foreign transaction fees, car rental loss and damage insurance and Global Assist hotline. Here are a few of the Hilton credit card benefits you might be interested in:
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Up to $400 property credit (enrollment required)
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express includes a posh benefit for those who stay often at Hilton resorts. You’ll get up to $200 semi-annually in statement credits toward eligible purchases at participating Hilton resorts.
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Up to $200 airline fee credit
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express comes with a $200 airline fee credit that you can use for incidental charges like seat selection fees, baggage fees or in-flight refreshments after you choose a designated airline at the beginning of the year.
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Up to $100 property credit
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express also offers a $100 property credit when you book a stay at participating Waldorf Astoria® Hotels & Resorts and Conrad® Hotels & Resorts.
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Free night reward
You can earn free night awards with several of the Hilton cards as well. The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express gives one free night award each year. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card gives one free night award if you spend $15,000 on your card in a calendar year.
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Baggage insurance
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express offers baggage insurance of up to $3,000 for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage*.
*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.
The information related to the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
How to choose the right Hilton credit card for you
Many people first consider a card’s welcome offer and whether it’s attainable when shopping for a new card. The co-branded Hilton American Express cards often have elevated offers of more than 100,000 points, which translates to $500 at LendingTree’s estimated worth of 0.5 cents per point. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card both have welcome offers of Membership Rewards points as well.
The ongoing earning rate is another critical feature to consider when choosing a credit card, and the co-branded Hilton credit cards all have a standard earning rate of 3X Hilton Honors points per $1. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card both earn 1X Membership Rewards points per $1 in non-bonus categories, which is effectively 2X Hilton points. If you’re looking strictly for Hilton points, any of the four co-branded cards might be a better choice.
However, it’s important to factor in bonus categories: All of the Hilton credit cards obviously offer elevated earning rates ranging from 5X in select categories to 14X points at Hilton hotels.
The co-branded Hilton cards all earn Hilton Honors points that you can redeem for free nights or in other ways — check out our guide to the Hilton Honors loyalty program for all the ways you can redeem your Honors points. No matter which of these cards you pick, you have the same redemption options with any credit card that earns straight Hilton Honors points.
The cost of the annual fee is often a deciding factor for some consumers. Some consumers prefer to avoid an annual fee altogether. However, an annual fee shouldn’t be an automatic deterrent if you’re searching for the best option for you.
Annual fee credit cards often net much better rewards and more valuable perks. You should weigh the value of the rewards and benefits against the card’s cost — you may find that you come up much farther ahead with an annual fee card than with a no-annual-fee card.
There are multiple Hilton credit cards that offer a free night reward as a cardholder perk:
- You’ll need to reach a spend threshold of $15,000 to earn a free night with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
- As the premium card option, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express offers this night outright every account anniversary.
Hilton Honors offers a fifth night free benefit on award stays to its elite members as a 20% discount off the total number of points required for the stay. All co-branded Hilton credit cards provide some level of Hilton elite status after you enroll in the Hilton Honors program, from lowly Silver with the Hilton Honors American Express Card to top-tier Diamond status from the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express. Picking any Hilton credit card will allow you to take advantage of the Hilton fifth night free benefit.
Only the more premium Hilton credit cards offer travel credits as a perk:
- The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express comes with multiple travel credits, including up to a $400 resort credit annually (up to $200 semi-annually), an annual airline incidental credit of up to $200 (enrollment required) and a $100 on-property credit for two or more nights at Conrad and Waldorf Astoria properties.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a number of travel credits as well, including up to a $100 Global Entry/TSA Precheck application fee credit (enrollment required), two $50 semi-annual Saks credits (enrollment required), and up to $200 per year ($15 per month and a bonus $20 in December) in Uber Cash for U.S. Uber rides and U.S. Uber Eats purchases when you add the card to the Uber app.
Frequently asked questions
You will generally need FICO credit score of at least 660 to 850 to qualify for an Hilton Honors American Express Card issued directly by the network, which includes the lineup of Hilton cards. Good FICO Scores start at 660, the minimum you may need to be approved. Application approval is always dependent on each individual’s overall credit profile.
Apply for a Hilton Honors credit card by using any of the links on this page, calling American Express or applying directly through the American Express website. Create a Hilton Honors account upon application — after applying, American Express will check your credit score and profile to see if you qualify and potentially instantly approve you for a new card, sometimes even offering an instant card number.
It’s difficult to select one credit card as best, due to the differing needs of each individual consumer. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is generally a good choice for the typical consumer who wants to earn Hilton points, while the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express is likely the best choice for frequent guests of Hilton hotels due to the Diamond status, free night and annual resort credit it offers.
If you’ve held your Hilton Honors American Express Card for at least 12 months, you may be able to upgrade it to either the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express. If you have held your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card for at least 12 months, you may be able to upgrade it to the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express. You cannot upgrade the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express or the The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. American Express often sends out upgrade offers for their Hilton credit cards.
American Express will issue a credit limit on the Hilton credit card that is specific to each cardholder.
The value of a particular hotel loyalty program is highly dependent on the preference of each individual consumer. Hilton Hotels has a much bigger global footprint than Hyatt, making it a good choice if your travels take you to every corner of the globe. That being said, World of Hyatt points are more valuable on a 1:1 basis, but you can earn Hilton Honors points from both stays and credit card spend more quickly.
The value of Hilton versus Marriott is highly dependent on each individual’s particular needs. Both Hilton and Marriott have expansive worldwide hotel portfolios, both issue co-branded credit cards and both offer elite status programs and perks — so it really comes down to personal preference.
Hilton has a dedicated landing page where you can buy, gift, pool or transfer points. You’ll need to have an open Hilton Honors account to be able to buy Hilton points for yourself.
Methodology
To make choosing the right card easier, we’ve looked at credit cards reviewed on LendingTree, as well as cards on major issuer sites, to compile a list of the best credit cards for Hilton. Our recommendations are based on the additional value you can earn with the cards — including the rewards value, cost of ownership and value of benefits such as Hilton elite status and travel credits. Our choices are not influenced by our advertisers.
*To see rates & fees for Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, please click here.
*To see rates & fees for American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
*To see rates & fees for The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please click here.
*To see rates & fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- Hilton Honors American Express Card
- The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
- American Express® Gold Card
The information related to the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
