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Hilton Honors Amex Cards Portfolio Guide

American Express Hilton Credit Cards
In-depth card comparison and selection guide

Compare the 0-annual-fee entry card, Surpass with Gold status, and Aspire with Diamond status and an annual free-night reward. Breakfast, dining credits, rewards and statement credits have conditions; value depends on actual use, not guaranteed fee recovery.

Explore 3 cardsComparison tableCard selection guide

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

Highlights of 3 Hilton co-branded cards

Swipe or select a card to explore welcome offers, status benefits, and annual-fee value illustrations.

American Express Hilton Credit Cards

Annual fee
$0No annual fee
Current limited-time welcome offerLimited-time offer

70,000 points + 1 free-night reward

Requirement: Spend $2,000 within the first 6 months

Status level: Hilton Silver status

20% bonus points, complimentary bottled water, and 5th-night-free reward stays

Breakfast for two: No breakfast benefit
Free-night reward: 1 welcome free night; no annual cardholder reward
Annual credits: No annual credit

No specific hotel or airline credit

Core earning rates:
  • 7XHilton hotels and resorts
  • 5XU.S. dining, supermarkets, and gas stations
  • 3XAll other eligible everyday purchases
View card details and charts (Chinese)Apply on American Express's official site

American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card

Annual fee
$550Combined annual resort and flight credit caps of $600
Current limited-time welcome offerLimited-time offer

200,000 points (record offer)

Requirement: Spend $6,000 within the first 6 months

Status level: Hilton Diamond status

Lounge benefits at participating hotels, space-available upgrades and 100% bonus points; applicable conditions apply

Breakfast for two: Breakfast or dining credits vary by brand and region; lounge rules are property-specific
Free-night reward: 1 reward in the opening year and each renewal year; eligible calendar-year spending of $30,000/$60,000 can earn 1 additional reward at each threshold. Complete the stay before expiration. Redemption requires standard-room reward availability at participating hotels; some hotels are excluded, and not every hotel or date is available.
Annual credits: Up to $600 in resort and flight credits, plus CLEAR+

$200 per half-year at designated resorts; $50 per quarter on eligible flights; up to $219 annually for CLEAR+. Each benefit has its own terms and is not cash earnings.

Core earning rates:
  • 14XHilton hotels and resorts
  • 7XEligible flights, U.S. dining, and designated rental cars
  • 3XAll other eligible everyday purchases
View card details and charts (Chinese)Apply on American Express's official site

HEAD-TO-HEAD SPECIFICATIONS

Detailed comparison matrix

Compare annual fees, welcome rewards, free-night rewards, status benefits, and everyday earning across 3 cards.

FeatureHilton Honors (no annual fee)Hilton Surpass ($150)Hilton Aspire ($550)
Annual fee$0$150 ($50 quarterly credit)$550 (benefits may offset the fee)
Current welcome offer70,000 points + 1 free-night reward130,000 points + 1 free-night reward200,000 points (record points-only offer)
Welcome-offer spending requirementSpend $2,000 in the first 6 monthsSpend $3,000 in the first 6 monthsSpend $6,000 in the first 6 months
Complimentary statusHilton Silver statusHilton Gold statusHilton Diamond status
Breakfast-for-two benefitNoneBreakfast or dining credits (brand, region and stay conditions apply)Breakfast or dining credits and lounge benefits (conditions apply)
Free-night reward1 welcome reward; no annual cardholder reward1 welcome reward; 1 more after $15,000 in calendar-year spending1 annually; account and redemption conditions apply
(1 more at each $30k/$60k spending threshold)
Annual Hilton creditsNoneUp to $200 ($50 per quarter)Up to $400 ($200 resort credit per half-year)
Other annual travel creditsNoneNone$200 flight credit ($50 per quarter)
Up to $219 per calendar year for CLEAR+ membership paid with the eligible card
Hilton spending rate7X points12X points14X points
Dining / supermarkets / gas5X points6X pointsDining 7X, no supermarket/gas bonus
U.S. online retail purchases3X4X points3X
Foreign transaction fee (FTF)0% (no fee)0% (no fee)0% (no fee)
Suggested credit profileGood – Excellent (670+)Good – Excellent (690+)Excellent (720+)

DECISION FRAMEWORK

30-second guide: which card fits you?

Compare your travel frequency, annual spending, and benefit needs to identify an option.

Entry-level travel · No annual fee$0 annual fee
American Express Hilton Credit Cards

American Express Hilton Credit Cards

“An entry-level option for travelers taking no more than 1 trip per year who want to retain their points.”

Welcome offer70k points + 1 free night
Status benefitHilton Silver
Foreign transactions0% FTF

Consider this card if:

  • No annual holding fee:Current annual fee: $0. Qualifying activity is required to retain points; they may expire after 24 consecutive inactive months. Holding a card alone does not make points permanent.
  • Low welcome-spend threshold: Spend $2,000 in the first 6 months for 70k points and 1 free-night reward.
  • Travel-light option: No 2.7% foreign transaction fee when earning points abroad.
View card details and charts (Chinese)
All-round option · Balanced benefits$150 annual fee ($50 quarterly credit)
American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Card

American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Card

“Assess breakfast or dining credits and statement credits against actual stays and eligible spending. A stay count does not guarantee fee recovery.”

Welcome offer130k points + 1 free night
Breakfast benefitBreakfast or dining credits (conditions apply)
Status levelHilton Gold

Consider this card if:

  • Value based on actual use: Hotel credits of up to $50 quarterly and $200 annually require eligible purchases; do not assume they offset the $150 annual fee or guarantee a net return.
  • Breakfast for two: Hilton Gold status offers breakfast or daily dining credits according to brand, region and stay conditions; benefits and savings are not identical for every stay.
  • Annual spending earns a free night: Everyday earning includes 6X on dining/supermarkets/gas; $15,000 in calendar-year spending earns 1 additional free-night reward without a category cap.
Read Surpass review and details (Chinese)
Premium travel · Top-tier benefits$550 annual fee ($600+ in credits)
American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card

American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card

“The annual free-night reward and Diamond benefits have conditions. Evaluate the annual fee against your actual redemptions and stays.”

Welcome offer200k points
Free-night benefit1 annually (conditions apply)
Status levelHilton Diamond

Consider this card if:

  • Annual free-night reward: The annual reward requires eligible account status and redemption within its validity period for an available standard room at a participating property. No specific hotel, date or cash value is guaranteed.
  • Complimentary Diamond status: Lounge benefits depend on participating facilities, opening hours and rules. Room upgrades depend on availability; suites and all-day food service are not guaranteed.
  • Travel credits: Up to $400 in resort credits and $200 in flight credits have separate conditions. CLEAR+ membership credits are capped at $219 per calendar year when paid with an eligible card—not cash or a guaranteed return.
Read Aspire review (Chinese)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Hilton card FAQs

Redeem within the reward's validity period at participating properties with standard-room award availability, subject to excluded properties and reward terms. Follow the official booking process. A specific property is not guaranteed, and retail room prices are not a fixed cash value.

With Hilton Silver status or higher (provided by any of these co-branded cards), redeeming points for 5 consecutive standard-room nights makes the 5th night free: the system deducts the equivalent of 4 nights of points. This is effectively paying 8 tenths of the usual points cost and a way to increase redemption value.

Holding multiple cards and receiving each welcome offer depend on American Express approval and the applicable terms. Separate products do not guarantee eligibility for every bonus. Evaluate each annual fee, required eligible spending and benefits you will actually use; holding two or three cards does not guarantee a net return.

Gold and Diamond breakfast or daily dining credits depend on brand, region, qualifying stays and MyWay selections, rather than applying uniformly worldwide. Check lounge facilities and property rules. Upgrades depend on availability and do not guarantee a suite; lounge access does not mean all-day food service.