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Many of the best credit cards come with high annual fees that certainly aren’t for everyone, and that’s definitely the case with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. This is Hilton’s most expensive (and rewarding) card, and it’s geared toward loyal Hilton travelers who can make the most of its many generous benefits. Amex is an Insider partner.
If you’re able to maximize all of the Hilton Aspire card’s perks, you can get a value that far exceeds the annual fee. Between an annual free night (valid at just about any Hilton hotel worldwide), automatic top-tier Diamond elite status, Hilton resort credits, airline incidental fee credits, and airport lounge access, it’s possible to get an ongoing value well into the thousands of dollars.
Hilton Honors Aspire Card Review: Is It the Best Credit Card for You?
The Amex Hilton Aspire currently offers a big welcome bonus: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Plus, shortly after opening the card, new cardholders receive a free night award, valid at almost any Hilton hotel.
I’ve had the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only for several years, and certainly get much more than I pay for each year. Even at times when my family isn’t traveling as much, just using the annual award night at a high-end hotel is enough to make up for the annual fee (and then some). It’s probably the most rewarding card in my wallet, and one of the only ones I own where I don’t question if it’s worth it when the annual fee comes due.
But if you don’t stay with Hilton hotels that often, or don’t want to shell out a high annual fee regardless of perks, there are three other Hilton cards to consider, including the Hilton Honors American Express Card (Hilton Honors American Express Card annual fee) and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card annual fee) for small-business owners. Be sure to read our guide to the best Hilton credit cards for all your options.
And if you want to earn Hilton points but don’t want to lock yourself into a single hotel program, consider a card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, like The Platinum Card® from American Express or American Express® Gold Card. You can transfer Amex points to Hilton (and 19 other airline and hotel partners), so these cards are a better choice if you value flexibility.
Let’s break down what makes the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only such a compelling option for Hilton travelers to help you decide if it’s a good fit for your wallet.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Amex Hilton Aspire Rewards
Hilton Aspire Bonus
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only comes with a hefty welcome bonus of Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Intro Bonus (worth around Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in stays, based on Insider’s points and miles valuations).
New cardholders also receive a Hilton free night reward certificate shortly after account opening, and again on each account anniversary. You can redeem your free night at just about any Hilton hotel worldwide (with a few exclusions). If you use your free night at a pricey Hilton resort or big-city hotel, you could easily get a value in excess of $1,000.
How to earn points from the Amex Hilton Aspire card
As Amex’s premium Hilton credit card, it makes sense that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only has the highest earning rates of all the Hilton cards. Cardholders earn:
14 Hilton points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases7 points per dollar at eligible U.S. restaurants, on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, and on eligible car rentals3 points per eligible dollar spent on everything else
Unlike some hotel credit cards that don’t offer much in the way of spending bonuses on everyday purchases, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only is one you might want to use as a general travel and dining card, thanks to its 7x bonus categories.
It’s also important to note that the card’s 14x earning on Hilton purchases is in addition to what you’d normally earn from a stay (10x points on the room rate at most Hilton brands, plus a 100% bonus from having automatic Diamond status from the card — more on that in a bit). That means when you use your card to pay at Hilton hotels, you’ll earn a whopping 34 points per dollar in most cases – 14x from the card, 10x as regular earning on the room rate, and 10x from the Diamond elite bonus).
How to use points from the Hilton Honors Aspire
Hilton points are worth around 0.5 cents apiece, according to Insider’s valuations. That’s a good number to keep in mind if you’re trying to decide whether or not redeeming your points is worth it. In some cases, such as at expensive top-tier luxury resorts, you could get much more value than that. But when paid rates are low, it may be a better deal to just pay cash.
Redeem for Hilton Hotel stays
The Hilton Honors program includes over 7,000 hotels in 123 countries across 19 distinct brands, so it’s easy to redeem your points just about anywhere in the world.
Use Hilton points at the following brands:
Conrad Hotels & ResortsCanopy by HiltonCurio Collection by HiltonDoubleTree by HiltonEmbassy Suites by HiltonHampton Inn by HiltonHilton HotelsHilton Garden InnHilton Grand VacationsHome2 Suites by HiltonHomewood Suites by HiltonLXRMotto by HiltonSignia by HiltonSpark by HiltonTapestry Collection by HiltonTempo by HiltonTru by Hilton Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts
You’ll almost always get the most value from your Hilton points when you redeem them for award nights, or by paying for a stay with points and cash. Keep in mind Hilton no longer has a standard award chart, so the price of an award night at a specific hotel can vary depending on the paid rate, season, demand, and other factors.
That said, standard award nights start at 5,000 Hilton points (these hotels are rare) and up to 95,000 points, although there are a few luxury resorts that charge up to 150,000 points. Premium awards — think better rooms, suites, or peak-season dates — often cost a lot more. You’ll typically find the lowest-priced award nights at inexpensive Hilton brands like Tru, Home2Suites, or Hilton Garden Inn in less-popular locales. Expect to pay much more at upscale big-city hotels and luxury resorts in tourist destinations.
For instance, the Hilton Garden Inn Tulsa South charges just 20,000 points a night, and paid rates vary from around $90 to $130 most times of the year. On the other end of the spectrum, the Grand Wailea Maui, a Waldorf Astoria Resort charges 110,000 points per night (if you can find availability) for a standard room that can cost more than $1,000 per night, depending on the season.
One way to stretch your points is by taking advantage of the fifth-night-free benefit Hilton offers its elite members. Because you’ll automatically receive Hilton Diamond status from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only, you’ll be able to book a standard award stay of five nights and only pay for four (effectively a 20% discount).
Transfer Hilton points to airlines
This isn’t normally the best way to redeem, but you can transfer Hilton points to dozens of airline partners at varying ratios. This option should be avoided unless you definitely can’t use your points for stays, or just need to top-off your airline frequent flyer account by a small amount for an award.
Use Hilton points for experiences, events, merchandise, and more
The other ways to use Hilton points have different rates of return, but again, you’re not likely to get as high a value with these options compared to redeeming for stays:
Hilton Honors experiences — Redeem your points for exclusive events, tours, dining, and moreUse Hilton points for event credits — Starting at 25,000 points for up to $50 creditRedeem Hilton points at Amazon — You’ll only get a rate of 0.2 cents per point — a poor valueDonate Hilton points to charity — Options include World Central Kitchen, Clean the World Foundation, and CARE Inc.Use Hilton points toward Lyft rides — Usually around 0.2 cents per point, also a poor valuePool or transfer Hilton points to a friend — Send up to 2 million points per year to friends or family for free, or pool your points with up to 11 people to save for a redemption
Your Hilton points will expire if there’s no activity in your account for 24 months, but spending on a Hilton credit card like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only is a simple way to reset the clock.
Hilton Aspire Benefits and Features
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only really shines — and makes up for its annual fee – in the vast array of valuable perks it offers.
Hilton free night award
When you open your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only, then every year after you renew it, you’ll receive a free night award valid for a standard room at almost any Hilton hotel worldwide (with a handful of exclusions, listed here).
You can even redeem this award at the most expensive Hilton resorts that cost 150,000 points per night, as long as you can find standard availability. This means there’s the potential to receive hundreds or even thousands in value from this single perk, assuming you use it at a pricey hotel. Of course, it’s OK to redeem it at lower-tier properties, too, but most folks try to max it out at high-end hotels.
In addition, if you spend $60,000 or more on purchases with your card in a calendar year, you’ll receive another free night award, with the same terms as the anniversary free night.
Automatic Diamond elite status
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only is the only hotel credit card that confers automatic top-tier elite status. You’ll be a Hilton Diamond elite as long as your card is open and in good standing.
Hilton Diamond status comes with a slew of perks that can save you money and massively improve your travel experience, including:
100% points earning bonus on staysSpace-available room upgrades (up to suites)Executive lounge accessFree breakfast at most hotels (currently awarded as a food and beverage credit at US properties)48-hour room guaranteeElite status gifting
Hilton Aspire resort credit
Each card membership year, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only cardholders can receive up to $250 in statement credits toward purchases made directly with Hilton Resorts. This includes room rate and incidental charges billed to your room (such as dining, activities, or spa treatments).
For spring break, my kids and I spent five nights at the Hilton Phoenix Resort at The Peak. Between the Hilton Aspire Resort credit and $30 per day in food and beverage credit (for having Diamond status from the card), we saved $400 on meals and snacks during our stay.
Hilton property credit
When you book a minimum two-night stay at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad hotels, you’ll receive up to $100 in property credits. You must make the booking by calling Hilton Honors or via HiltonHonorsAspireCard.com to qualify for this perk.
Airline incidental fee credit
The card comes with up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits each calendar year on one eligible airline you choose. You can use the credit for things like baggage fees, seat selection fees, pet fees, or inflight food and drinks, but not airfare.
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership
Cardholders can also activate a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which comes with access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. This is valid for the cardholder and up to two guests, and can make travel through a busy airport much more comfortable, as most airport lounges offer free drinks, snacks, Wi-Fi, and a quieter place to relax.
Secondary car rental insurance
When you use your card to pay for the entire rental of an eligible vehicle and decline the rental company’s insurance, you can be covered for damage or theft up to $75,000. Rentals of up to 30 days qualify, but there are vehicle and country exclusions. You can read the full terms here.
Baggage insurance plan
If you paid for your entire flight or other common carrier ticket with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only and your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you can be covered up to $2,000 per person for checked bags and $3,000 per person for carry-on luggage. Some states have different limits and certain “high-risk” items are excluded from coverage, so make sure to check the full terms and conditions.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Using a credit card with travel insurance is important nowadays with weather and labor disruptions becoming even more common. When you pay for eligible round-trip non-refundable travel with your card, you can be reimbursed if your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
There’s a maximum coverage limit of $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card in a consecutive 12-month period. You can read the full terms and conditions as to what is and isn’t covered here.
Trip delay insurance
Paying for your flight using a credit card with trip delay insurance can take the sting out of an overnight delay, especially when the airline won’t cover food or overnight accommodations. Charge the full amount of a covered trip to your card and if you’re delayed by six hours or more, you can be reimbursed for eligible expenses such as meals, a hotel room, and toiletries.
There’s a maximum of up to $500 per covered trip and up to two claims per consecutive 12-month period. You can find out more about this coverage here.
Premium Global Assist Hotline
While many credit cards come with some form of travel emergency services, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only is one of only a few cards that offer premium assistance. If you’re traveling more than 100 miles from home and need help, Amex’s Premium Global Assist Hotline is available 24/7 to arrange things like translation services, legal and medical referrals, or emergency cash.
This service is free but any third-party costs are the cardholder’s responsibility, with one big exception: It may provide emergency medical evacuation coverage at no cost if it’s approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline.
American Express Concierge
The American Express Concierge can help with requests such as snagging hard-to-get event tickets or restaurant reservations, or can assist with things like travel or shopping requests. Again, this is a free service but any third-party costs are the cardholder’s responsibility.
Return protection
If you try to return an eligible item paid for with your card and the merchant won’t take it back, you can be eligible for return protection within 90 days of the purchase date. Coverage is for up to $300 per item and up to $1,000 per account per calendar year. There’s a long list of items that aren’t eligible for return protection; you can read all the exclusions here.
Purchase protection
Amex is well known for offering cards with some of the best purchase protection available today, and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only is a great example. If you used your card to pay for a covered item and it’s stolen, damaged, or lost within 90 days of purchase, you could be eligible for up to $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per eligible card per calendar year. Again, there are exclusions that you can find out about here.
Extended warranty
Cardholders can receive extended warranty protection on eligible items purchased with their card — up to one additional year on original manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less. Coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per eligible card per calendar year. Find out more about what’s covered here.
Access to Amex Offers
Like other American Express cards, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only comes with access to Amex Offers.** These are targeted discounts or bonus points from participating merchants you can receive when you activate an offer and make a qualifying purchase. Saving money with Amex Offers is a great way to help offset a card’s annual fee, and you’ll often find deals for shopping, dining, travel, and more.
Hilton Aspire Annual Fee and Other Costs
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only charges an annual fee of Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, which is in line with other premium credit cards. And the card doesn’t add foreign transaction fees, so you can safely use it for international purchases without incurring extra charges.
If you carry a balance, you’ll be charged a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Regular APR. So it’s best to pay off your card in full every month to avoid getting hit with high interest charges.
Optional fees apply in certain situations, including:
Cash advance fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.Late payment fee: Up to $40Returned payment fee: Up to $40
How the Amex Hilton Aspire Card Compares
Hilton Aspire vs other American Express Hilton cards
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Annual fee
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Rewards rate
14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels
7 points per eligible dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at eligible U.S. restaurants
3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels
6 points per dollar spent at eligible US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations
3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels
5 points per dollar spent at eligible US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations
3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton benefits
Hilton Diamond elite status
Free night certificate each year on your card anniversary
Another free night certificate after you spend a total of $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
Up to $250 in Hilton resort credits each cardmember year
Up to $100 in on-property credits for minimum stays of two nights at participating Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties
Hilton Gold elite status
Upgrade to Diamond status after you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
Free night certificate after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
Hilton Silver elite status
Upgrade to Gold status after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
Other benefits
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership
Up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits per calendar year**
Secondary car rental insurance
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Trip delay insurance
Baggage insurance plan
Premium Global Assist Hotline
American Express Concierge
Return protection
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Access to discounts and bonus points through Amex Offers**
No foreign transaction fees
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership** with 10 free visits per year
Secondary car rental insurance
Baggage insurance plan
Global Assist Hotline
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Access to discounts and bonus points through Amex Offers**
No foreign transaction fees
Secondary car rental insurance
Global Assist Hotline
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Access to discounts and bonus points through Amex Offers**
No foreign transaction fees
Review
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass card review
Hilton Honors American Express card review
Hilton Honors Aspire vs other premium travel credit cards
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Annual fee
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Rewards rate
14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels
7 points per eligible dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at eligible U.S. restaurants
3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
6 points per dollar* on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
2 points per dollar on all other purchases
5 points per dollar on flights purchased from airlines or Amex Travel****
5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Hotel benefits
Hilton Diamond elite status
Free night certificate each year on your card anniversary
Another free night certificate after you spend a total of $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
Up to $250 in Hilton resort credits each cardmember year
Up to $100 in on property credits for minimum stays of two nights at participating Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties
Up to $25 in statement credits per month for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status
Annual free night award***
25 elite night credits each calendar year
Complimentary Gold elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required)
Up to $200 in credits per year toward prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay)
Access to the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program
Other benefits
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership
Up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits per calendar year**
Secondary car rental insurance
Baggage insurance plan
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Trip delay insurance
Premium Global Assist Hotline
American Express Concierge
Return protection
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Access to discounts and bonus points through Amex Offers
No foreign transaction fees
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership**
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Secondary car rental insurance
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Baggage insurance plan
Trip delay insurance
Travel accident insurance
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Return protection
Premium Global Assist Hotline
No foreign transaction fees
Up to $200 in airline fee credits each calendar year**
Up to $100 in Saks credits each calendar year
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Up to $300 annually in Equinox credits
$189 per year in credits for CLEAR® Plus membership**
Up to $240 in annual credits (up to $20 per month) toward eligible digital subscriptions
Up to $200 in Uber Cash each calendar year
Airport lounge access (Priority Pass, Centurion lounges, and more)
Secondary car rental insurance
Trip cancellation insurance
Baggage insurance
Trip delay insurance
Return protection
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Premium Global Assist Hotline
Discounts and bonuses through Amex Offers**
No foreign transaction fees
Review
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card review
American Express Platinum card review
Hilton Honors Aspire Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Amex Hilton Aspire card worth it?
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only is worth it if you’ll maximize its benefits, given its Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card annual fee. That’s fairly easy to do if you stay at Hilton hotels and can use perks like automatic Diamond status, an annual free night certificate, and hotel credits. Plus, frequent travelers can get great value from other benefits like Priority Pass airport lounge access, airline fee credits, and excellent travel and purchase protection.
What credit score do I need for the Hilton Aspire card?
You should have at least a good credit score to apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only and have a decent chance of approval. That means a FICO score of 670 or more.
Who is eligible for the Hilton Aspire card?
You’re eligible to open the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only if you don’t already have the card. But if you’ve had the card before, you won’t qualify to earn the welcome bonus, due to Amex’s one bonus, per card, per lifetime rule. However, if you have or have had other Hilton cards (such as the Hilton Honors American Express Card or The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card), you’re still eligible for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
How do I use the Hilton Aspire resort credit?
To use the Hilton Aspire resort credit, you’ll need to make purchases directly with a Hilton Resort. Not all Hilton hotels qualify; a property must be designated as a resort to be eligible for the credit. Eligible purchases include room rates and any dining, spa, or other expenses charged to your room.
Make sure you have your card on file at the resort as your payment method to get the credits! They’ll usually post to your account a few days after the transaction clears.
Can I stack the Hilton Aspire resort credit with the annual free night?
Yes, you can stack the Aspire free night and resort credit, if you redeem your free night at a Hilton Resort. Redeeming the annual free night at a Hilton resort, then using your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only to pay for incidentals charged to your room is a terrific way to maximize both benefits.
Is the Hilton Aspire card metal?
No, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only isn’t a metal card. It’s a regular plastic card.
Methodology: How we reviewed the Hilton Aspire card
Insider’s credit cards team assessed the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card – Editorial Name Only in comparison to other Hilton credit cards, and to other premium travel rewards credit cards with a high annual fee. We looked at several factors, including:
Ease of use: Does the card have a rewards program that’s easy to navigate? Is it easy to redeem rewards, or are there roadblocks like blackout dates or other restrictions?Rewards earning potential: A high welcome bonus offer is great, but does the card offer generous rewards earning that makes the card worth keeping? Are there other ways to earn rewards and/or free nights?Benefits: Premium travel cards like this one should come with perks that can save you money or make your journey more comfortable. How does the card stack up against comparable cards, and are there any unique perks you won’t find elsewhere?Annual fee: Even when the annual fee is high, does the card provide benefits and rewards that make it worthwhile, like statement credits, free nights, or strong travel insurance? Is it easy to justify the fee?
For a deeper dive into our methodology, read about how we rate credit cards at Insider.