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For those looking to add a Hilton Honors point-earning credit card to the arsenal without paying an annual fee, look no further than the Hilton Honors American Express Card (Rates & Fees).
As a no-annual-fee card, the Hilton Amex is understandably light on perks and benefits. However, travelers have plenty of reasons to get this card — including a valuable welcome offer, complimentary Hilton Silver status, access to a fifth night free on points redemptions, and more.
Here's everything you need to know about the Hilton Amex to make an informed decision about whether this nifty card is right for you.
- Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- 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.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 7X Points per dollar on eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on eligible 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.
Hilton Amex Pros
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors points per dollar spent on eligible Hilton purchases.
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees).
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status.
Hilton Amex Cons
- Hilton prices award rates dynamically, making points complicated to use.
- Shorter list of card benefits compared to other Hilton cards.
- This card makes the most sense for those not loyal to the Hilton brand — and who only rarely stay at Hilton properties.
Hilton Amex Welcome Offer
As a new applicant for the Hilton Amex, you can earn 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
The welcome offer's value depends on how you redeem your Hilton Honors points. But as a point of reference, AwardWallet users average 0.59¢ apiece on redemptions.
Before applying for the Hilton Amex (or any other card), you should consider the card offer history. This will help you differentiate between good, okay, and subpar offers. On the Hilton Amex in particular, we've seen offers as high as 130,000 points. But, we haven't seen a bonus above 100,000 points on this card since 2021.
Since you can only earn the welcome offer on this card once in a lifetime, ensure you take advantage of an offer you're content with.
Hilton Amex Benefits
The Hilton Amex is light on benefits. But for the right wallet, the $0 annual fee (Rates & Fees) card's perks might be all that's necessary — and then some.
Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status
The Hilton Honors program features three tiers of elite status: Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Silver is one step above the general member level that you start at when signing up for Hilton Honors.
You'll remain a Silver member until you cancel or upgrade your Hilton Amex. And with this status, you can enjoy the following benefits on Hilton stays:
- Access to member-only paid rates.
- Earn 20% bonus points on Hilton stays.
- No resort fees when you use points to cover 100% of your reservation.
- Get a fifth night free on award stays.
The perks of the Hilton Honors program shine a little brighter after you graduate from Silver and earn Gold or Diamond. These higher tiers come with complimentary upgrades, access to MyWay benefits (which means complimentary breakfast or food and beverage credits), and more.
You can spend your way to Hilton Honors Gold elite status with the Hilton Amex by putting $20,000 worth of eligible purchases on the card.
However, there are far more cost-effective ways to earn Gold. For instance, you can earn Hilton's mid-tier status by holding the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card — both of which offer complimentary Gold status.
No foreign transaction fees
You can safely take your Hilton Amex abroad and swipe it without incurring foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees). This is a rare perk for a no-annual-fee card.
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees
Travel and shopping protections
Alongside the two headline benefits, cardmembers can enjoy a suite of travel and purchase-related protections and services, such as:
- Car rental loss and damage insurance: On reservations made with the Hilton Amex, enjoy secondary coverage against damage and theft when you decline the rental company's insurance. This benefit does not include liability coverage.
- Global Assist Hotline: Leverage coordination and assistance services in case of distress.
- Purchase protection: Covers theft, damage, or loss when you on purchases made with your card — up to $10,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per calendar year.
- American Express Experiences: Get access to exclusive experiences, ticket pre-sales, savings, Card Member-only events, and more.
- Access to Amex Offers: Earn cash back or bonus points when you add offers to your card and make eligible purchases.
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Rental Car Insurance
Hilton Amex Earning Rates
The Hilton Amex card is not Hilton's strongest point-earning product. However, the card features a fair earning structure for a card with no annual fee, primarily rewarding spending at Hilton hotels and on three everyday categories. The card earns as follows:
- Earn 7X Points per dollar on eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on eligible 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.
To sweeten the deal, Hilton offers complimentary Silver elite status as a perk of the card. Silver members enjoy 20% bonus points on top of the 10X points per dollar general Hilton members earn at Hilton hotels (general earnings, regardless of what card you pay with).
Thus, cardholders who pay for qualifying Hilton purchases with their Hilton Amex card will earn 19X points per dollar spent (10 base points, two bonus points, and seven from the card). Even better, leveraging a Hilton Honors promotion could further boost your point-earning potential.
Related: How To Earn Hilton Honors Points
Redeeming Points With the Hilton Amex
Hilton Honors points are most useful for one thing: award stays at properties within the Hilton portfolio. Sure, you can redeem them for experiences, merchandise, and more, but they'll generally go the furthest at Hilton properties.
Keep in mind that the Hilton points expiration policy is reasonable: your points won't expire as long as you have qualifying activity in your account every 24 months.
Hilton stays
Redeeming points for Hilton stays is easy, but it can sometimes take a lot of effort, patience, and flexibility to score a great deal. The main reason for this is Hilton's dynamic pricing, which means that on a given night, the room you want to reserve can cost an astronomical amount of points or be surprisingly affordable. To navigate this, you'll want to keep Hilton's points calendar tool in your back pocket.
But if you stick to redeeming points for standard rooms and not premium room rewards, your points will go further. You'll also benefit from picking and choosing when it is and isn't a good opportunity to redeem points. Occasionally, you're better off avoiding absurdly high rates and saving your points for a different redemption down the line.
A fair litmus test to separate good and bad redemptions is to calculate the cents per point you'll get from your reservation. If it's close to or exceeds the 0.59¢ apiece average AwardWallet users typically enjoy from Hilton points, you're in great shape!
No matter how many Hilton points you have, Hilton offers accommodations for every budget. From high-end luxury to budget-friendly lodging, there is no shortage of ways to stretch your welcome offer and hard-earned points.
Related: Things We Love About the Hilton Honors Rewards Program
Other Hilton point redemptions
Hotel stays are the most valuable method of redeeming your Hilton points, but other redemptions are also available, such as:
- Transferring points to friends and family or creating a points pool
- Purchasing VIP experiences
- Paying for Lyft rides
- Shopping through Hilton's online mall
- Reserving rental cars
- Transferring to airlines
In most cases, redemptions for anything other than award stays result in poor value for your points. If you can't redeem your Hilton points for a free (or nearly free) night, these options are worth considering. However, they shouldn't be the reason you apply for the Hilton Amex.
Related: All the Credit Cards That Earn Hilton Honors Points
Application Restrictions
On American Express credit cards, you'll be eligible for a welcome offer once in a lifetime. In other words, you cannot earn the current welcome offer if you've held the Hilton Amex in the past or hold it now.
However, holding a different Hilton credit card in your wallet shouldn't make you ineligible for the welcome offer on this specific card.
Separately, American Express limits each individual to five Amex credit cards at once and will generally only approve applicants for two cards in 90 days.
If you're unsure whether you qualify for the welcome offer, Amex's eligibility tool will warn you with a popup message before letting you submit your application. At that point, you can end the application process without affecting your credit.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Cards That Compete With the Hilton Amex
For the right wallet, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is a nifty addition. But it's not for everyone. Here are three other options worth considering:
- If you want a Hilton credit card that offers more, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card fits the bill. Alongside complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, this card offers boosted earnings categories, $200 worth of statement credits, and more. To get the full details, check out our full review of the Hilton Surpass. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- If you value top-tier Hilton Honors status and unbeatable perks, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers all that and more. Despite the high annual fee, the Hilton Aspire is an invaluable wallet addition for travelers who frequent Hilton properties; top-tier Diamond status is a built-in perk. Learn more about Hilton's most premium card in our full review of the Hilton Aspire. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- If you want points you can use with Hilton and other travel brands, look into the American Express® Green Card. When you swipe the Amex Green Card, you'll earn valuable Membership Rewards points, which transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio. Even better, when you make a reservation directly with a hotel, you'll earn 3X points, making this one of the best credit cards for paying for hotel stays. For more, check out our full review of the Amex Green Card.
(Terms Apply)
- 12X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
- 4X bonus points on U.S online retail purchases
- 3X bonus points for all other eligible purchases on your card
- 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio
- 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly through select rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card
- 3x Membership Rewards® on travel
- 3x Membership Rewards® at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 3x Membership Rewards® on transit including trains, buses, ferries, subways, and more
- 1x Membership Rewards® on other purchases
Related: Best Hotel Credit Cards With No Annual Fee
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons to give the Hilton Honors American Express Card a look. Featuring a valuable welcome bonus, reasonable earnings categories, and sufficient benefits, the Hilton Amex is a quality credit card.
Is it the most benefit-packed credit card Hilton has to offer? No, as that honor could belong to any of the brand's more premium products. But for the right wallet, the Hilton Amex can make a lot of sense.
Before applying, consider your relationship with Hilton, what elite perks you value, and the money you spend at Hilton properties. The right product for you — whether it's a Hilton card or not — will largely depend on how loyal you are to the hotel brand, your appetite for annual fees, and what you want out of a credit card.
- Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- 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.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 7X Points per dollar on eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on eligible 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.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Hilton Honors American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
