Hilton Amex Review: Earn Rewards and Receive Elite Status With No Annual Fee

Hilton Amex Card Benefits

Generous Welcome Offer

The Hilton Honors American Express Card currently has a strong offer for new cardholders: Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.

As someone who opened this credit card years ago, I made the grave mistake of just missing the welcome offer spending limit. If you get this card, be sure to use it for all your purchases to earn those extra points.

No Annual Fee

This card has no annual fee, despite its generous welcome offer and earning rates in select categories. It’s hard to beat a no-annual-fee credit card if you’re just getting started with travel rewards or want to minimize your out-of-pocket costs.

Hilton Honors Silver Status

Cardholders receive automatic Hilton Honors Silver status for as long as their card is open. Silver is Hilton Honors’ lowest elite tier and normally requires 10 nights, four stays or 25,000 base points in a year. It comes with a handful of benefits, including:

• Fifth night free on standard award stays booked with points
• 20% points bonus on paid stays
• Two free bottles of water on arrival
• Elite rollover nights
• A 15% discount at all-inclusive spas at Hilton brands

You’ll also have the opportunity to be upgraded to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the following year if you spend $20,000 on your credit card in the calendar year. Hilton Gold comes with many more perks, including room upgrades when available, free breakfast or a food and beverage credit depending on the brand, and an 80% bonus on paid stays.

Elevated Earning Categories

You’ll earn 7x points when you use the Hilton Honors Amex Card to book Hilton hotels directly. The card also earns 5x points at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations, so it’s worth using for your everyday spending. All other eligible purchases earn 3x points.

No Foreign Transaction Fee

The Hilton Honors Amex Card has no foreign transaction fees, which is great for those who make international purchases. Some cards charge foreign transaction fees of up to 3%, so this can amount to substantial savings if you travel abroad often.

Hilton Amex Card Drawbacks

Limited Redemption Options

You can redeem Hilton Honors points to book hotel rooms or curated experiences through Hilton.com. Other options for using points include renting a car, booking a Lyft or shopping at Amazon. But unlike with flexible travel rewards programs, you can’t use Hilton points outside the Hilton Honors program or redeem them for cash back.

Stricter Free Award Night Requirements

With the Silver Elite status you get with the Hilton Honors Amex Card, you’ll receive the fifth night free on standard award stays booked entirely with points. If you like this perk but want to earn it with a shorter trip, consider the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, which offers a fourth night free on points stays of four or more consecutive nights.

Award Pricing Can Be High

While the Hilton Honors Card has great perks, staying at a Hilton hotel may cost you more points than its competitors. For example, it’s nearly impossible to find a Hilton hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii, for less than 60,000 points per night. But with other chains, you’ll often pay fewer points for a stay at a comparable property.

Wyndham, for instance, has hotels in that area on the same dates for 30,000 points per night, Marriott for around 45,000 points, and Hyatt for as low as 15,000 points.

Who Is the Hilton Honors Amex Best For?

The Hilton Honors Amex is a good starting point for occasional Hilton guests or loyalists who don’t want to spend money on credit card fees. Despite being a no-annual-fee travel credit card, it boasts a generous welcome offer and elevated earnings in useful everyday categories. The automatic Hilton Honors Silver status is also a nice perk.

As someone who is not necessarily loyal to the Hilton brand, I still find this card worth it because it doesn’t cost me anything extra to hold. The free water bottles upon check-in are always a nice touch, and I appreciate that I’m earning bonus points when I use my credit card to book Hilton properties.

Those who are looking for better perks and are willing to pay an annual fee may want to choose a different hotel credit card from the Amex Hilton lineup.

For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card charges a $550 annual fee, but gives cardholders complimentary top-tier Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night reward, up to $200 per year in airline credits and up to $400 per year in Hilton resort credits.

Meanwhile, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a more affordable option, with a $150. It comes with complimentary Hilton Gold status, up to $200 in Hilton credits each year, and the ability to earn a free night reward after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Is It the Right Card for You?

The Hilton Honors Amex card may be a good fit if you:

• Are loyal to Hilton brands
• Don’t like to pay an annual fee
• Want extra benefits that come with status and spending

Alternatives to the Hilton Amex

If you’re looking for a no-annual-fee hotel credit card and stay with other chains, here are a couple of alternatives to check out:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: This Chase credit card offers new cardholders 30,000 Marriott points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. It offers 3x points on Marriott hotel purchases, 2x points on grocery stores, select food delivery, rideshares, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services, and 1x points on other purchases. The card also comes with automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and five elite night credits each year.
• IHG Traveler Card: This card comes with a substantial welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Cardholders receive automatic IHG Silver Elite status and the fourth night free on IHG points stays of four consecutive nights.