There are four co-branded Hilton cards offered from American Express, and all four currently have elevated welcome offers! The great thing about these offers is that they include a Hilton Free Night certificate, which is super valuable because it can be used for a standard room at any Hilton property. Learn more about Hilton’s FNCs in this post.
Each of these cards has its own welcome offer, fees, and benefits. So, let’s take a look at the details of each Amex Hilton card option and see which might be a good fit for you.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Current welcome offer: Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points + A Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 4/15/2026.
Annual fee: $0 (Rates and Fees)
Earning rates:
- 7x on purchases made at Hilton properties
- 5x on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- 5x on groceries at U.S. supermarkets
- 5x on gas at U.S. gas stations
- 3x on everything else
Benefits:
- Complimentary Hilton Honors™️ Silver elite status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Car rental loss and damage insurance, Global Assist Hotline, Extended Warranty
*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.
My thoughts: This has no annual fee, and therefore lacks in benefits. However, the elevated offer includes a free night certificate, so it can be very valuable for a fancy one-night stay. I think the next card is better overall, but if you really want something with no fee, this is a decent Hilton card option right now.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Current welcome offer: Earn 130,000 Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 4/15/2026.
Annual fee: $150 (Rates & Fees)
Earning Rates:
- 12x on purchases made at Hilton properties
- 6x on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- 6x on groceries at U.S. supermarkets
- 6x on gas at U.S. gas stations
- 4x for U.S. online retail purchases
- 3x on everything else
Benefits:
- Complimentary Hilton Honors™️ Gold elite status
- Up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly at Hilton properties, up to $200 in statement credits annually
- Earn a Free Night Reward after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Car rental loss and damage insurance, Baggage Insurance, Global Assist Hotline, Extended Warranty, and more
*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.
My thoughts: This is a solid mid-tier card with an average annual fee, a handful of decent benefits, and a good welcome offer. My husband and I both opened the card with this higher welcome offer. I don’t know if we’ll keep it long-term, but it’s a great offer to grab while it’s elevated!
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Current welcome offer: Earn 175,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 4/15/2026.
Annual fee: $550 (Rates & Fees)
Earning Rates:
- 14x on purchases made at Hilton properties
- 6x on dining at U.S. restaurants
- 6x on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com
- 6x on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
- 3x on everything else
Benefits:
- Complimentary Hilton Honors™️ Diamond elite status
- Up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for purchases made directly at Hilton properties, up to $400 in statement credits annually
- Up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com
- Up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year when you use your card to pay for a CLEAR+ Membership
- Up to $100 in credits for qualifying charges at participating Waldorf Astoria® Hotels & Resorts and Conrad® Hotels & Resorts when you book a two-night stay through hiltonhonorsaspirecard.com
- Enjoy a Free Night Reward after you open your card and every year after card renewal
- Earn an additional Free Night Reward after making $30,000 in purchases and an additional Free Night Reward after making $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Car rental loss and damage insurance, Baggage Insurance, Global Assist Hotline, Extended Warranty, Return Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and more
*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.
My thoughts: This is for the die-hard Hilton fans. If you regularly stay at Hilton properties, this is the Hilton card for you. It has a much higher annual fee, but it also has many benefits that help offset it. It’s pretty easy to get good value from this card, especially when you open it with an elevated welcome offer.
Hilton Honors Business Card
Current welcome offer: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points + a Free Night Reward after you spend $8,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 4/15/26.
Annual fee: $195 (Rates & Fees)
Earning Rates:
- 12x on purchases made at Hilton properties
- 5x on everything else up to $100,000 spent, then 3x
Benefits:
- Complimentary Hilton Honors™️ Gold elite status
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™️ Diamond through the end of the next calendar year
- Up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly at Hilton properties, up to $240 in statement credits annually
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Car rental loss and damage insurance, Baggage Insurance, Global Assist Hotline, and more
*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.
My thoughts:
This is another good mid-tier card option, especially if you don’t want it to count toward your 5/24 number. The annual fee is a tad higher than the Surpass, but it has a higher quarterly Hilton credit to help offset it. The welcome offer also includes more points plus the Free Night Award, so it’s a good option to have in your wallet.
Wrapping Up
Historically, Hilton hasn’t been my favorite hotel brand because its points rates are often higher than those of other brands. However, as other brands have been devaluing, I’m learning how to pivot and find more value with Hilton.
The top way to do it is with elevated Hilton card offers, like right now. But, even when they aren’t elevated, there are some good cards here that offer long-term value, especially if you’re a Hilton lover.
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Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.