Hilton Honors American Express Card review

HILTON HONORS AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD BENEFITS

With the CardName, everyday purchases can help you make the most of your time on the road. American Express is a CardRatings advertiser.

This card features an opportunity to earn 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of card membership.

Additionally, with rewards earning of seven Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands, the CardName is a practical option for those frequently on the go. Cardholders also earn five points for every $1 spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, and three points per $1 on other eligible purchases, which makes this a solid choice for your everyday purchases and allows you to quickly rack up points to be redeemed for travel upgrades, hotel stay rewards and other travel-related expenses.  

CardName best features:

• No annual fee (See Rates and Fees)
• Complimentary elite status upgrades
• Bonus Hilton Honors points for eligible hotel stays
• Baggage insurance plans
• Roadside and global assistance hotlines
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Travel accident insurance
• Purchase protection 
• Enrollment required for select benefits

The fact that this no annual fee credit card allows you to receive a ton of points and be eligible for great upgrades with ease is perhaps the biggest perk of the card, particularly for those loyal to the Hilton brand.

Though you must spend $1,000 on the card within your first three months of membership in order to earn the introductory offer of 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points, we actually consider this a benefit as that spending threshold is below what many other hotel perk credit cards require (some comparisons below). Those 80,000 points alone could earn you multiple free nights at hotels and resorts around the world, depending on your travel dates and the hotel category. Those bonus points are, of course, in addition to the other points you earn when you use your card on your purchases.

In the case of the CardName, the more you use your card to book hotels the easier it is to redeem points for upgrades and hotel stays, which is something we find to be convenient for frequent business travels or those looking to plan their next leisurely getaway.

Even if you don't travel frequently, however, the CardName could still be worth considering given that you earn five points per $1 spent on everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations. Before you know it, those everyday, run-around-town purchases will accumulate into a chunk of rewards points that will help you pay for your next vacation.

And, as you'd hope to find with any travel-related credit card, we like that this card includes a number of protection perks such as the baggage, travel and car rental loss and damage insurance plans as well as roadside and global assistance hotlines.

With the insurance plans, when using the CardName to pay for your travel expenses, the card can help you to cover the cost of any eligible lost, damaged or stolen baggage, as well as help you cover any expenses you may incur if your car rental is damaged or stolen.

Additionally, the card also gains you access to the Global Assist® and roadside assistance hotlines, which are there to help you resolve issues such as a broken down car or a lost or stolen passport. Since travel sometimes comes with some unexpected bumps in the road, our team agrees that these features are valuable incentives for CardName cardholders.

Lastly, CardName cardholders enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, which gives you a 12 points per $1 spent on your Hilton stays. With this card, you'll also enjoy eligibility to upgrade to Gold status when you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on your card in a single calendar year. With Gold status, you'll earn 18 points per $1 spent on Hilton stays and enjoy premium room upgrades; in-room, high-speed Wi-Fi at select hotel properties and more. You can learn more about elite status and the numerous benefits of the Hilton Honors rewards program in our Hilton Honors program guide. Enrollment required for select benefits.

FEATURED CARD

 

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

• Earn 140,000 Bonus Points
• Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
• Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier card member
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
• IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
• Member FDIC

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HILTON HONORS AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE

Great news! The CardName does not charge foreign transaction fees, making this an ideal choice whether your travels take you near or far. (See Rates and Fees)

Many cards charge an average of 3% on foreign transactions, which may not seem like much, but this fee has the potential to cause a lot of damage if you travel abroad frequently. Say you travel abroad four times a year, spending an average of $2,000 each time you go. If you used a card that charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, you'd be looking at an extra $240 in expenses a year. Even just a single trip costing $2,000 would set you back an extra $60.

Because this card also doesn't charge annual fees, it's a good card to have in your wallet, even if you aren't using it everyday, or if you only travel abroad every now and then.

HILTON HONORS AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD POTENTIAL DOWNSIDES

While the CardName is great for anyone who loves the Hilton properties and plans to stay there regularly, it is not necessarily the best choice for everyone. Keep in mind that many more general travel cards allow you to redeem your rewards at Hilton (and many other properties), so if you aren't super loyal to Hilton, there could be a better option out there for you.

HILTON HONORS AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDHOLDER SCORES

CardRatings conducts a survey annually to learn what actual cardholders think of their cards. Here are the results:

HOW THE HILTON HONORS AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD COMPARES TO OTHER CARDS

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Similar to the CardName, the CardName offers a strong introductory bonus point opportunity: Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. For those looking for a Chase credit card that can quickly rack up hotel points, the CardName is a viable option.

If you have no preference on credit card company or hotel chain, you’re can consider the IHG card for everyday purchases the same as your would the Hilton card. The IHG card earns you five points for each $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants and on travel and three points per $1 on all your other purchases. You also earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel.

With a reward one-night hotel stay at participating IHG hotels and resorts worldwide each anniversary year and a reward night each time you redeem rewards for any consecutive four-night stay at an IHG hotel, the CardName is a worthwhile choice, especially for global travelers.

CardName vs. CardName

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See Rates and Fees

discontinued All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card has been collected independently by CardRatings