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Amex just launched a new but seemingly highly targeted 30% transfer bonus for transferring Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors points. During this promotion, members will receive 2,600 Hilton points for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points transferred. That's effectively 2.6 Hilton points per Membership Rewards point.
While that may sound like an incredible transfer rate, Hilton is one of the least valuable Amex transfer partners. So, does it make sense to take advantage of this Membership Rewards transfer bonus to Hilton? Let's dig into the details to help you determine if it makes sense for you.
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Amex Transfer Bonus Offer Terms
- Transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors and receive a 30% bonus.
- This offer doesn't have a stated end date.
- This offer is targeted. You'll need to log into your Amex account to see if the offer is available.
- Per the terms and conditions, the estimated transfer time is 24 hours. However, based on AwardWallet Balance Watch tracking, recent transfers from Amex to Hilton have been processed immediately.
- Bonus points do not count toward elite tier qualification.
- American Express can alter and/or terminate this offer at any time.
- Here are step-by-step instructions on how to transfer Amex points.
Is It Worth Taking Advantage of This Amex Transfer Bonus to Hilton?
At face value, this targeted transfer bonus from Amex to Hilton Honors is somewhat uninspiring. Even if you're eligible for it, the potential value you can unlock is fine, but not particularly compelling. Here’s why.
On average, AwardWallet users redeem Hilton Honors points for 0.59¢ each, which is well below the 1.96¢ average redemption value for Amex points. With a 30% transfer bonus, you're effectively getting around 1.53¢ in Hilton value per Amex point. In other words, you'll need to redeem Hilton points at above-average rates to get good value from this transfer.
And lately, that's gotten a bit harder to do. Over the past few quarters, Hilton has made unannounced devaluations to award pricing at all sorts of properties by quietly hiking redemption rates. While there are still decent budget-friendly and luxury redemptions out there, the cap on standard rooms has increased from 150,000 points to 200,000 points.
If you're set on transferring Amex points to Hilton, make sure to scope out a redemption or two before initiating it. And once the points hit your account, go and book it.
Earn Hilton Points Through Credit Card Welcome Offers
Hilton points can be collected in bulk via co-branded credit card welcome offers. For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers 130,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
And that's just one of the many credit cards that earn Hilton points. For most, this represents a much better way to accrue points than transferring valuable Membership Rewards points.
(Terms apply)
- 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.
(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
(Terms apply)
- 12X Hilton Honors points on purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- 5X Hilton Honors points on the first $100,000 spent per calendar year on other eligible purchases; 3X thereafter
Related: Hilton Honors Redemptions for the Budget-Savvy Traveler
Hilton Honors Expiration Policy
Hilton points expire if you don't have qualifying activity in your Honors account for 24 months. Unfortunately, transferring points from American Express to Hilton Honors doesn’t count as eligible activity to extend the life of your points. To keep them active, you’ll need to earn or redeem Hilton points through other methods.
Before transferring Amex points to Hilton during this transfer bonus (or in general), make sure you have a use in mind for them. Beyond avoiding the risk of your points expiring unused, Hilton has a history of devaluing redemptions without notice.
Track your points and miles expiration for 630+ loyalty programs and get email alerts before your miles expire by signing up for a free AwardWallet account.
Related: Things We Love About the Hilton Honors Rewards Program
Bottom Line
The best Hilton Honors transfer bonus we've seen from Amex is 50%, though that offer (like this current one) was targeted. A 30% bonus falls on the lower end of Amex-Hilton transfer promos, and you may or may not be eligible for it.
While we don’t typically recommend using Membership Rewards this way, it can be helpful for topping off your Hilton account when needed. And if you have Amex points to spare, there are a few cases where a transfer could make sense. Ultimately, if you’re getting value you’re happy with, that’s what counts. If this offer works for you, the targeted transfer bonus is only available for a limited time. So, don't wait to transfer your points.
Related: All Current Credit Card Transfer Bonuses
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Hilton Honors American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees), and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Rates & Fees)
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