$0
N/A
19.99% - 28.99% Variable
Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward
Good to Excellent
- High welcome bonus
- No annual fee
- Complimentary Silver elite status with Hilton
- Limited benefits beyond earning Hilton points
If you're an infrequent traveler and like earning Hilton points but don't want to pay an annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is definitely worth considering.
- Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/29/2025.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- No Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
American Express issues four co-branded Hilton credit cards, but only one — the Hilton Honors American Express Card — has a $0 annual fee (rates and fees). Usually, no-annual-fee credit cards come with a modest welcome bonus offer and few perks, but that's not the case here.
If you're an infrequent traveler and like earning Hilton points but don't want to pay an annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is definitely worth considering. It's offering a welcome bonus of 70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership (offer ends 4/29/2025), and comes with decent perks for a no-annual-fee travel credit card.
Hilton Credit Card Review: Is It the Best Card for You?
The Hilton Honors American Express Card currently has a welcome bonus offer of 70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership (offer ends 4/29/2025).
You can also earn bonus points in everyday spending categories, whether you're traveling or staying close to home. Hilton Honors American Express Card cardholders earn 7 points on eligible purchases with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5 points on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations, and 3 points for all other eligible purchases on your card. These bonus categories are useful and can help boost your Hilton points balance quickly. Terms apply.
This card offers automatic Hilton Honors Silver elite status, which is the brand's lowest elite tier. It doesn't offer the widest range of benefits, but it does unlock one lucrative perk. Any Hilton elite status member (including Silver) qualifies for the fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more, so if you redeem points for longer stays, this can add up to significant savings. Terms apply.
Standard award nights at Hilton hotels start at 5,000 points and usually top out at 95,000 points for the most luxurious resorts (with a few exceptions) — so depending on where you redeem your rewards, the welcome bonus offer from the Hilton Honors American Express Card could be worth multiple nights at inexpensive brands, or fewer nights at upscale locations.
If you stay at Hilton hotels even a couple of times a year, be sure to compare the benefits you'll receive from the other Hilton cards. For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card also have excellent welcome bonus offers with more points and they come with Hilton Gold status, which gets you free breakfast (currently awarded as a food and beverage credit at U.S. hotels) and better perks.
See our picks for the best credit cards »
Hilton Honors Credit Card Rewards
Hilton Honors Credit Card Welcome Bonus Offer
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is offering a welcome bonus of 70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership (offer ends 4/29/2025).
Business Insider considers Hilton points to be worth 0.5 cents each, on average. The points from this bonus, therefore, are worth around $350 in Hilton hotel stays.
How to Earn Points With the Hilton Honors Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Card has a straightforward earning structure, and it's good for earning points at Hilton hotels and on your everyday purchases. Terms apply.
Cardholders earn:
- 7 points on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels
- 5 points per dollar spent at eligible U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
- 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
The points you'll earn at eligible Hilton hotels are in addition to what you'd normally earn for paid Hilton stays (10x points at most brands) and any elite status bonus points you qualify for.
For example, with Silver elite status (which comes automatically with the card), you'll get a 20% bonus on base points for your stay, or a total of 12 points per dollar at most brands. Plus, when you use your Hilton Honors American Express Card to pay, you'll earn an additional 7 points per dollar, for a total of 19 points at Hilton. Terms apply.
How to Use Points from the Hilton Credit Card
The Hilton Honors program includes over 7,000 hotels around the world, so it's easy to redeem your points just about anywhere you go. You can earn and use Hilton points at 24 brands:
You'll usually get the best value from Hilton points by redeeming them for award nights, either for a free hotel stay or by combining points and cash. Hilton doesn't have a standard award chart; instead, the price of an award night at a particular hotel varies based on demand, cash price, and season.
Standard award nights start at 5,000 Hilton points and go all the way up to 150,000 points per night (though the cap for the vast majority of five-star hotels is 95,000 points). Premium awards (for better rooms, suites, or high-demand dates) can cost much more. Keep in mind the lowest-priced Hilton hotels are usually budget-friendly brands (like Tru by Hilton or Hampton Inn) located off the beaten path; upscale hotels in big cities or luxury resorts will cost more points.
For example, you can book an overwater villa at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island for 120,000 points a night instead of paying over $1,300 with cash. Or, you can stretch your points at hotels like the Hampton Inn Niagara Falls, which starts at 19,000 points per night. Always be sure to compare the cash price to the award rate, because sometimes the paid rate is so low it's better to save your points for a higher-value redemption.
The Silver elite status you automatically receive with the Hilton Honors American Express Card qualifies you for the fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more. This is another great way to stretch your points if you want to make them last. Terms apply.
Transfer Hilton points to airlines
Hilton Honors partners with over two dozen airlines, and you can transfer points at varying ratios depending on the program. This typically won't result in the best value, but if you won't be using points for stays it's an option for other types of travel.
Redeem Hilton points for experiences, events, merchandise, and more
Other options for redeeming Hilton points also won't get you the highest value, but they could be helpful in certain circumstances:
- Hilton experiences — Use points for exclusive events, dining, and tours
- Use Hilton points for event credits — Starting at 25,000 points for a $50 credit
- Redeem Hilton points at Amazon — A poor value; you'll get just 0.2 cents per point
- Donate Hilton points to charity — For every 10,000 points you donate, Hilton will send $25 to a charity of your choice
- Use Hilton points toward Lyft rides — Again, not the best value; you'll typically get around 0.2 cents per point
- Pool or transfer Hilton points to a friend — Send up to 2 million points per year to friends or family with no fee, or pool your points with up to 11 people to save for a redemption
Hilton points expire if there's no activity in your account for 24 months. Spending on a Hilton credit card like the Hilton Honors American Express Card is an easy way to keep your points from expiring until you're ready to travel.
Hilton Credit Card Benefits and Features
The Hilton Honors American Express Card comes with a handful of useful perks that can improve your travel experience and save you money.
Automatic Hilton Silver elite status
Cardholders receive Hilton Silver status as long as their card is open and in good standing. Terms apply. As Hilton's lowest elite tier, Silver status isn't exceptional, but it does come with a few handy perks:
- Fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more
- 20% points bonus on paid stays
- Free bottled water
- Elite rollover nights
However, suppose you spend $20,000 or more on eligible purchases in a calendar year with your Hilton Honors American Express Card. In that case, you'll get upgraded to Hilton Gold elite status through the end of the following calendar year. Hilton Gold status is much more valuable and includes benefits like free breakfast at Hilton hotels (currently awarded as a food and beverage credit at U.S. hotels), an 80% points bonus on paid stays, room upgrades when available, and milestone bonuses.
Car rental loss and damage insurance
When you pay for your car rental with the Hilton Honors American Express Card and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental counter, you can get secondary coverage for damage to or theft of the vehicle. Some countries and vehicle types are excluded, so be sure to read the terms and conditions before you rent and note that liability insurance isn't included. Terms apply.
Extended warranty
American Express cards are well known for offering excellent purchase protections, and the Hilton Honors American Express Card is no exception. Terms apply.
When you use the card to pay for an eligible purchase, Amex will extend the manufacturer's warranty up to one additional year on original manufacturer's warranties of five years or less. You're covered for up to $10,000 per eligible purchase and up to $50,000 per account, per calendar year.
Purchase protection
If you pay for an eligible item with your Hilton Honors American Express Card and it's stolen or accidentally damaged within 90 days of purchase, purchase protection could cover you for up to $1,000 per item and up to $50,000 per account, per calendar year. Terms apply.
Global Assist Hotline
Hilton Honors American Express Card members can access Amex's Global Assist Hotline when they're traveling 100 or more miles from home. Terms apply.
This service can provide help with issues like lost passport replacement, translation services, missing luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals, but you'll be responsible for any third-party costs incurred.
Amex Offers
Like other American Express cards, the Hilton Honors American Express Card includes targeted discounts and bonus rewards at participating merchants through Amex Offers**. Terms apply.
$0
N/A
19.99% - 28.99% Variable
Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward
Good to Excellent
- High welcome bonus
- No annual fee
- Complimentary Silver elite status with Hilton
- Limited benefits beyond earning Hilton points
If you're an infrequent traveler and like earning Hilton points but don't want to pay an annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is definitely worth considering.
- Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/29/2025.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- No Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Hilton Credit Card Annual Fee and Other Costs
The Hilton Honors American Express Card has no annual fee (rates and fees), so it's easy to keep without incurring a yearly cost. Because your credit score is partly determined by the average age of your accounts, keeping a no-annual-fee card open for the long term could potentially improve your credit score. Plus, the card doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee (rates and fees), which makes it a good option for international purchases.
As with most other cards, other fees may apply to certain situations, including.
- Cash advance fee (rates and fees)
- Late payment fee (rates and fees)
- Returned payment fee (rates and fees)
Hilton Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Hilton Credit Card worth it?
If you don't stay with Hilton very often, the Hilton Honors American Express Card could be worth it for earning Hilton points on your everyday purchases. In the first year, the welcome bonus offer alone is incredibly valuable, and benefits like Hilton Silver status can get you a few extras when you stay with Hilton. Terms apply.
However, if you stay at Hilton hotels with any regularity, a card like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a better choice. It offers a better intro bonus and more benefits, including automatic Gold elite status.
Is the Hilton Amex free?
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is the only one of the four Hilton credit cards that charges a $0 annual fee (rates and fees). It's easy to keep year after year — though be sure to at least make a purchase or two with the card every six months to avoid American Express closing your account due to inactivity.
Does the Hilton Amex have foreign transaction fees?
The Hilton Honors American Express Card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees (rates and fees). That makes it a great companion for overseas spending — and even domestic spending. If you're reserving a hotel outside the U.S., you may sometimes be hit with a foreign transaction fee, even if you're sitting in your living room in Kansas.
Is the Hilton Amex a good card for beginners?
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a great card for those who are skeptical about the value of travel credit cards. It incurs no annual fee (rates and fees), so there's nothing to lose by giving it a try — and its welcome bonus offer is large enough that you'll get to experience the thrill of booking hotels for absolutely zero dollars.
When does Hilton charge your card?
Hilton charges your card based on the rate you choose. If you book a prepaid rate (generally the cheapest), your card will be charged immediately. If you book a flexible rate, you often won't be charged until your stay.
If you book with points, your card won't be charged at all — unless there are taxes and fees associated with your stay. Points stays reap the benefits of flexible rates, as you can usually cancel them up to a few days before your stay for free. Just note that there are exceptions to this, and some hotels demand you cancel weeks in advance.
Methodology: How we reviewed the Hilton Credit Card
Business Insider's credit cards team compared the Hilton Honors Amex to other co-branded Hilton credit cards, as well as similar no-annual-fee hotel credit cards from other chains like Marriott, IHG, Wyndham, and Choice.
We assessed several factors in our review, including:
- Ease of use — Is the card's reward structure easy to understand? Are there complex award charts to navigate, or is redeeming points straightforward?
- Rewards earning — Does the welcome bonus offer a value that's as good or better than similar cards? If there are bonus categories, do they appeal to a wide variety of users? Are any categories capped at a maximum spending limit?
- Fees — On no-annual-fee cards, are there other fees to be aware of, like foreign transaction fees or a high APR? And if the card charges an annual fee, do its benefits justify the cost?
- Benefits — Does the card come with money or time-saving perks that can upgrade your travel experience? Do any benefits stand out?
You can read our article on how we rate credit cards at Business Insider for a full breakdown of our methodology.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please click here.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
