Hilton Honors American Express Card overview
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is Hilton's no-annual-fee (see rates and fees) entry-level product. Featuring bonus points on eligible Hilton purchases and complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, the card is a solid option for new cardmembers loyal to the hotel chain or those looking to avoid annual fees. However, other travel cards offer more points flexibility and bigger perks. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Hilton Honors program covers over 7,000 hotels in more than 120 countries, providing plenty of chances to earn and redeem points.
If you're a beginner looking for a credit card with some Hilton perks, you may want to look at the Hilton Honors American Express Card. It has no annual fee and comes with generous category bonuses and travel and purchase protections, making it a great option for travelers looking to get started with Hilton Honors.
While the two other Hilton consumer cards recently underwent refreshes to their benefits and annual fees, the only change to this card was a new card design (shown below).
You'll need a good credit score of generally 670 or higher to have a better chance of being approved.
Here's everything you need to decide if the card is right for your wallet.
Hilton Honors Amex pros and cons
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Hilton Honors Amex welcome offer
New applicants of the Amex Hilton Honors card can earn 70,000 bonus points plus a free night reward after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 31.
TPG values Hilton points at 0.6 cents apiece, which means this points portion of this offer is worth $420 — but you can get several hundreds of dollars in extra value with the free night reward. That's all for no annual fee (see rates and fees) and just a $2,000 spending threshold.
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The highest offer we've seen in the past is 130,000 bonus points, but you had to spend $6,000 within six months to receive that offer. The current welcome offer requires a third of the spending but provides fewer points; however, this bonus comes with a free night award that, if utilized correctly, could make this offer the best ever we've seen.
Hilton Honors Amex benefits
The Hilton Honors Amex features a few notable perks and benefits beyond the welcome offer.
Here's an overview of what this card has to offer:
- Elite status: Cardmembers automatically receive Hilton Honors Silver elite status, which provides member discounts, a 20% points bonus on paid stays, no resort fees on award stays, and a fifth night free on award stays. You can upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status if you spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year. It's worth pointing out that other Hilton credit cards offer Gold status automatically, meaning spending $20,000 to get there isn't a good value.
- Entertainment: Through the American Express Experiences program, you can get exclusive access to ticket presales and cardmember-only events, as well as Broadway shows, concert tours, sporting events and more.
- ShopRunner: Free two-day shipping on eligible items at a network of more than 100 online stores after signing up at shoprunner.com/americanexpress. Enrollment is required in advance.
- Extended warranty*: The card comes with an extended warranty that adds up to one year to an original manufacturer's warranty of five years or less.
- Purchase protection*: Purchase protection covers items accidentally damaged, stolen or lost if you paid for them with your card. This benefit covers purchases for up to 90 days and covers up to $1,000 per item — up to $50,000 per calendar year.
- Car rental insurance**: When you use the card to reserve and pay for a car rental and decline the rental company's insurance, you're covered against damage and theft — up to $75,000. This benefit is secondary coverage to your own auto insurance and doesn't include liability.
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Earning points on the Hilton Honors Amex
With the Hilton Honors Amex, you'll earn 7 Hilton Honors points per dollar on stays at Hilton hotels and resorts (including paying for your room and on-site spending at restaurants and spas), 5 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), 5 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, and 3 points per dollar on other purchases.
Given TPG values Hilton points at 0.6 cents apiece, you'll earn a 1.8% return on daily purchases and a 4.2% return at Hilton hotels — though you'll get an extra 12 points per dollar from your Hilton Honors Silver elite status, bumping your return to 11.4%.
If you're looking for higher earning opportunities covering a wider swath of travel purchases, including flights and rental cars, you won't get that with this card.
Related: Which credit card should you use for Hilton stays?
Redeeming points on the Hilton Honors Amex
You'll get the best value for your Hilton points for hotel and resort stays, even with the chain's lack of published award charts. How many points you need for a hotel room fluctuates, so you won't know the final price until you go to make a reservation. The Points Explorer tool can show you what other guests have paid recently.
You can also transfer your Hilton Honors points to over 40 global airline loyalty programs and Amtrak. However, unless you need to transfer Honors points to top off an airline account for a specific award, using them for this purpose isn't a good idea. The transfer ratio is normally terrible, losing thousands of points.
Our advice? Stick to hotel room redemptions to get the best value for your rewards.
You'll do even better when you redeem points for a stay of five nights or longer. That's because you get a fifth night free on stays using points.
To learn more about redeeming Hilton points (and doing so at a great value), read the following guides:
- How to redeem Hilton points
- 7 ways to redeem points with the Hilton Honors program
- 8 ways to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions
- How to redeem Hilton points for upgraded rooms
Related: 10 Hilton properties I can't wait to redeem Hilton Honors points for
Which cards compete with the Hilton Honors Amex?
The Amex Hilton Honors card has natural competitors with "Hilton" in their names, but a general travel rewards credit card may also do better in your wallet. Here are the options you should consider.
- If you like Hilton but want more perks: The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns a higher 12 points per dollar at Hilton hotels, provides automatic Gold status, and you can earn a free night reward by spending $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year. You'll also get up to $200 in statement credits toward Hilton purchases annually (up to $50 each quarter), and the card has a low $150 annual fee (see rates and fees). For more information, please read our full review of the Amex Hilton Surpass card.
- If you want flexible rewards with no annual fee: The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card earns 2 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 of purchases per year, then 1 point per dollar) and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. You can use these points with Hilton and 20 other airline and hotel programs. You won't get any benefits with Hilton but will have options with your points while still not paying an annual fee. For more information, please read our full review of the Amex EveryDay card.
- If you want a hotel card without an annual fee, regardless of brand: The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is an option if you want a hotel credit card without an annual fee and aren't tied to Hilton. You'll earn 3 points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy properties, and receive travel and shopping protections. For more information, read our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card.
The information for the Amex EveryDay card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
For additional options, see our list of the best hotel credit cards and American Express cards.
Related: The best no-annual-fee credit cards
Is the Hilton Honors Amex worth it?
You might assume the Amex Hilton Honors card is worth it by default since it has no annual fee. It depends on what you're looking for, though. You'll like this card if entry-level elite status and fair earning categories are sufficient. If you're looking for flexible rewards or more Hilton perks, go for one with an annual fee.
Bottom line
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a good starter card for those looking to maximize the benefits of Hilton's loyalty program without paying an annual fee. It may not be the ideal card for everyone, though it may be the right card for you if that's what you seek.
Apply here: Hilton Honors American Express Card
Related: How to choose the best credit card for you
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass Card, click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
