A Beginner’s Guide to Hilton Credit Cards: Pros, Cons and Which Are Worth It

Hilton’s co-branded credit cards, issued by American Express, cater to a range of travel priorities, offering perks that vary widely depending on the card.

From the no-annual-fee, entry-level card to premium options that pack in luxury benefits, there’s a Hilton card for a variety of travelers. But which one of them (if any) is right for you?

There are a total of four Hilton credit cards, including one small-business option. They are:

• Hilton Honors American Express Card, which has an annual fee of $0 (see rates and fees).

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which has an annual fee of $150 (see rates and fees).

• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, which has an annual fee of $195 (see rates and fees).

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, which has an annual fee of $550 (see rates and fees).

Here’s a breakdown of each of those four Hilton cards, with a look at both the benefits and drawbacks.

Higher annual fees correlate with better benefits, but those might not be worth it to all travelers, especially those who either don't regularly stay with Hilton — or who just prefer budget Hilton brands over the luxury names.

Here's what each card offers:

Hilton Honors American Express Card

Annual fee: $0 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Ongoing rewards:

• 7 points per $1 spent at Hilton.

• 5 points per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations.

• All other eligible purchases earn 3 points per $1 spent. Terms apply.

The Hilton Honors American Express Card has few ongoing benefits. The welcome offer is fairly good, as you'll earn enough points to cover at least a night or two (and maybe even three) depending on the property. That offer is Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025. Terms Apply.

Besides that, you get complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver Status, which doesn't offer much in the way of perks, unless you get excited by a free bottled water. Though, you do get your fifth night free on award redemptions.

Who is the Hilton Honors American Express Card best for? If you stay at Hilton occasionally and want a card with an annual fee of $0 to boost your points balance, this is a solid pick. But don’t expect major perks beyond points accumulation.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

Annual fee: $150 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Ongoing rewards:

• 12 points per $1 spent at Hilton.

• 6 points per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations.

• 4 points per $1 spent on U.S. online retail

• All other eligible purchases earn 3 points per $1 spent. Terms apply.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has the following introductory offer: Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025. Terms Apply.

You’ll also be granted Hilton Honors™ Gold Status as long as you hold the card. Terms apply.

Hilton’s Gold status is substantially more rewarding than Silver, entitling you to room upgrades and daily food and beverage credits for you and a guest.

If you’re a heavy spender, you also have the ability to earn a free night certificate when you use the card for $15,000 in spending in a calendar year.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Annual fee: $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Ongoing rewards:

• 14 points per $1 spent at Hilton.

• 7 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.

• All other eligible purchases earn 3 points per $1 spent. Terms apply.

For frequent Hilton guests or travelers seeking luxury benefits, the Aspire card’s perks can easily outweigh the fee. However, casual travelers may find it difficult to maximize the high-cost benefits.

First off, there's the welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

But that’s not all. Cardholders also enjoy:

• Complimentary Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status.

• An annual free night award.

• Up to $400 of resort credit annually.

• Up to $200 of airfare credit annually.

• $199 Clear membership credit.

• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership.

Terms apply.

These benefits are industry-leading; no other credit card offers top-tier elite status to its cardholders.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

Annual fee: $195 annual fee (see rates and fees).

The only small-business card that Hilton offers, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card charges a $195 annual fee.

The benefits that come with this $195 annual fee mimic many of those from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (see rates and fees). Those benefits include:

• Hilton Honors™ Gold Status.

• The ability to spend your way to higher status.

Like the other cards on this list, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card comes with a welcome bonus. Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 1/8/2025. Terms Apply.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of the Hilton loyalty program

Here's the CliffsNotes version of the personal Hilton credit cards available.

Hilton ditched its award chart in favor of dynamic pricing. The minimum number of Hilton points needed to book a standard room is 5,000, but rooms at high-end properties can reach upward of 120,000.

Use the Hilton Points Explorer Tool to search hotels by redemption rates, and if you have a specific destination in mind, it’s also simple to search by location.

Hilton offers the ability to search using flexible pricing, allowing members to scan award rates a month at a time. In order to do this, check “My Dates are Flexible” in the date-selection tool.

Read more about redeeming Hilton points: The Guide to Booking Award Nights With Hilton.

If you're a Hilton loyalist, a co-branded card can be worth it —especially if you can utilize free night certificates, resort credits, or elite status upgrades.

But if you’re not planning regular Hilton stays, a general travel credit card may offer more flexibility and better rewards for everyday purchases.

Read more: Is a Hilton Honors Credit Card Worth It?

Which Hilton credit card is right for you? Ask yourself these key questions before deciding:

How often do I travel?

If you’re often on the road, it’s much easier to extract value from these credit cards. Then again, the $400 resort credit and $200 flight credit that comes with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card are of no use to you if you never leave your city.

Do I value elite status?

If room upgrades and extra perks matter, go for the gold. After all, perks like these start when you have Gold status, which is conferred by the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.

» Learn more: How to become a Hilton Honors member

What's my budget for credit card annual fees?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card’s $550 annual fee comes with more than that in credits, but having cash in your bank may be more valuable to you.

If you just want a way to earn a few extra Hilton points, you may want to consider the Hilton Honors American Express Card and its $0 annual fee. Although it offers the fewest perks, it’s also the cheapest to have in your wallet.

Hilton’s co-branded cards offer a variety of benefits, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all solution. Carefully consider your travel habits, budget, and ability to maximize rewards before committing to any of these cards.

To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, see this page. All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.