Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Best for: Frequent Hilton guests who will use the resort credit and spend the free night at a high-end hotel
- What Sets It Apart: Diamond status; a free night every year; up to $400 a year in Hilton resort credits
- Welcome Offer: 200,000 points after $6,000 in purchases in the first six months, through January 13, 2027
- Rewards: 14 points per $1 with Hilton hotels; 7 points per $1 at U.S. restaurants and on flights and car rentals booked directly; 3 points per $1 on other purchases
- Features: Extra free nights at $30,000 and $60,000 in calendar-year spending; free nights expire a year after issue; $200 flight credit; $219 CLEAR+ credit; no night credits toward Diamond Reserve
- Annual Fee: $550
- APR: 19.74% to 28.74% variable
- Cost: No foreign transaction fee
- Pros: Diamond status with no stays required; free night covers resort fees and room taxes; 14 points per $1 at Hilton
- Cons: Resort credit excludes advance-purchase and nonrefundable rates; unused credits reset every half-year or quarter; 3 points per $1 on everyday spending
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card only if you’ll use its Hilton resort credit and its yearly free night, because those perks, not Diamond status, are what make the $550 fee worth paying. If you won’t stay at a participating Hilton resort in each half of the year, choose the $150 Hilton Surpass Card instead.
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is Hilton’s premium card, and it pays you back mostly in Hilton perks rather than in points on everyday spending. It suits travelers who stay with Hilton often and vacation at its resorts.
Key Features
- $550 annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and a variable interest rate of 19.74% to 28.74% on purchases
- 14 points per dollar on charges made directly with Hilton hotels, 7 at U.S. restaurants and on flights and car rentals booked directly, and 3 on other purchases
- Diamond status, Hilton’s second-highest tier
- A free night every year, plus a second after $30,000 and a third after $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Credits of up to $200 in each half of the year at participating Hilton resorts and up to $50 a quarter on airfare bought from an airline or Amex Travel
Pros
- Diamond status, which otherwise takes 50 nights, 25 stays, or $11,500 in Hilton spending a year
- Annual free night covers a standard room, resort fees, and room taxes at almost any Hilton hotel
- Welcome offer of 200,000 points after $6,000 in purchases in six months
- 14 points per dollar on Hilton charges
Cons
- Resort credit excludes advance-purchase and nonrefundable rates and resorts not on Hilton’s list
- Unused credit is lost when each half-year or quarter ends
- Diamond upgrades depend on room availability, and only some hotels have executive lounges
- No night credits toward Diamond Reserve, the tier above Diamond
- Everyday purchases earn 3 points per dollar, less than a 2% cash-back card pays unless each point is worth at least 0.67 cent
Guests who spend $200 or more on eligible charges at a participating Hilton resort in each half of the year get $400 of the $550 fee back from the resort credit alone, before counting the free night. Everyone else should get the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, which comes with Gold status, one tier below Diamond, for a $150 annual fee, $400 less than the Aspire’s $550.
Learn more about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or see how it compares to the best hotel rewards credit cards.
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