14 Benefits of the Amex Hilton Honors Aspire Card [$6,500+ Value]

Get ready Hilton lovers: the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is the ultimate Hilton Honors credit card, delivering premium benefits for discerning frequent travelers whose brand of choice is Hilton.

Sure, it comes with a steep annual fee. This may have discouraged you from digging deeper into the benefits of having the Hilton Aspire card, but procrastinate no longer. We’ve done the digging for you and are sharing all the reasons you might want to consider this card.

Let’s see if the Hilton Aspire card makes sense for you.

Accelerated Earnings

1. A Generous Welcome Offer ($900)

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

U.P. Rating

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

All information about Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Welcome OfferEarn 175,000 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. Offer ends 7/31/2024.
175,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$875

Annual Fee

$550

APR

20.99% - 29.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.

The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.

So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.

Pros

14x points per $1 on Hilton purchases
7x points per $1 on select travel and at U.S. restaurants
3x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

High annual fee of $550

Read Full Review

Earn 175,000 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. Offer ends 7/31/2024.
Earn 14x Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you make eligible purchases on your card at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants.
Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for other purchases on your card.
Enjoy up to $400 in Hilton Resort Credits (up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually) on your card each anniversary year when you stay at participating resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
Enjoy complimentary Diamond status.
$550 annual fee.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

While introductory welcome offers vary, you can expect an initial bonus of Hilton Honors points after meeting specific spending requirements. Welcome offers are a great way to jump-start your point pool and bring your rewards within reach.

Use these Hilton Honors points for reward nights at any Hilton brand, including Hilton, Waldorf Astoria, and Conrad properties worldwide.

Additionally, you may receive a bonus offer to upgrade to the Hilton Aspire card if you are a current cardmember with one of the other Hilton-branded cards.

2. Supercharged Earnings at Hilton Properties Worldwide ($350)

Use your Hilton Aspire card at Hilton properties and receive 14 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent. These points are in addition to any Hilton Honors points you earn for staying at Hilton properties.

By using this card for an estimated $5,000 in purchases at Hilton properties worldwide per year, you’ll earn 70,000 Hilton points, which we value at $350.

3. Elevated Earnings on Travel Purchases ($175)

Earn 7 Hilton Honors points for each dollar spent on flights when you book directly with the airlines, on AmexTravel.com, car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and for purchases at U.S. restaurants.

If you spend around $5,000 per year on these purchases, you’ll earn 35,000 Hilton points, which we value at $175.

4. Earn Hilton Honors Points on Every Purchase ($450)

You’ll always earn Hilton Honors points even when you’re not spending at Hilton properties or on travel. Every purchase you make on the card earns 3 Hilton Honors points for each dollar spent.

With an average monthly spending of $2,500 on other purchases, you should expect to earn 90,000 Hilton points per night, which is worth around $450 by our valuations.

Hot Tip: Be sure to sign up for Hilton Honors promotions to earn even more when staying and spending at Hilton properties.

Perks

5. Receive Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond Status ($2,500+)

Receiving upgraded status to top-level Hilton Honors Diamond with the Hilton Aspire card is a superb benefit. Normally, achieving Diamond status would require 30 stays, 60 nights, or 120,000 Hilton Honors base points earned annually.

Generally, Hilton Honors elite members enjoy perks such as free bottled water, free Wi-Fi, 10 to 20 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent for their stay, the fifth consecutive night free on rewards stays, late checkout, and other ancillary elite benefits.

Diamond status includes the previously mentioned elite benefits plus much more.

Hilton Honors elite point earning graph — Image Credit: Hilton Honors

Diamond elite members receive a 100% point bonus on their stay, which equals a total of 20 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent (10 base points per dollar, plus 10 bonus points per dollar).

This earning opportunity is important because these points are awarded just for the stay and don’t include the additional 14 bonus points per dollar you earn for using the Hilton Aspire card. That’s a total of 34 points per dollar spent when paying with your Hilton Aspire card.

Diamond elite members receive upgraded rooms (including suites, when available), access to the hotel executive lounge (where available), breakfast, and a welcome amenity.

We’ll value this at $2,500, but you can certainly get more value with more Hilton stays.

Bottom Line: If you frequently stay at Hilton properties, having complimentary Diamond elite status can be a huge benefit that you won’t find on other Hilton-branded credit cards.

6. 24/7 American Express Concierge Services ($25)

Whether you need last-minute tickets to a popular concert, dinner reservations for a special anniversary, or even help to pick out a unique birthday gift, the American Express Concierge is at your service day or night.

We’ll value this benefit at $25.

Free Hotel Nights

Hilton Hotel Berlin at night — There are plenty of free nights to be enjoyed when you have the Hilton Aspire card. Hilton Hotel Berlin. Image Credit: Christine Krzyszton

7. Receive a Free Reward Night ($1,000)

Shortly after you’re approved for the Hilton Aspire card, you’ll receive a confirmation that your free night is on its way.

Within 8 to 14 weeks after card opening, you should receive a code you can use for your first free night good for a stay any day of the week (these were previously only good on the weekends). You will then receive a free night after every subsequent card anniversary.

This could potentially be worth upwards of $3,000, though we’ll peg this at a conservative $1,000.

8. Earn a Second Free Reward Night ($100)

When you spend $30,000 on your Hilton Aspire card in a calendar year, you will receive an additional free night certificate — we’ll value this benefit at $100 since it requires a hefty amount of spending.

9. Earn a Third Free Reward Night ($100)

When you spend $60,000 on your Hilton Aspire card in a calendar year, you will receive a coupon code for 1 more free night. We’ll value this benefit at another $100.

10. Fifth Night Free ($250)

When booking award night stays with your Hilton Honors points, you’ll receive the average value of the nights booked credited as the fifth consecutive night free. Just log in to your Hilton Honors account and make your booking. When you request the rate for 5 or more nights using your points, the fifth night free will automatically be calculated.

If you can take advantage of this perk on your reward stays, you’ll make your points stretch further. We’ll value this at $250.

11. Redeem Points for Free Nights ($25)

Use your Hilton Honors points for free nights, or use a combination of points and cash to pay for your award night.

Because it’s fairly obvious that Hilton points can be used for free nights at Hilton properties, we’ll peg this at $25.

Bottom Line: Earning Hilton Honors points to redeem for free nights is great, but receiving a free night shortly after you get your Hilton Aspire card is a real bonus.

Statement Credits

12. $200 Airline Credit ($200)

You’ll receive up to $50 per quarter for airline purchases made directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com. Although you’ll need to remember to use it every quarter, we’ll still value this at around $200.

13. $400 Hilton Resort Credit ($400)

Linger a little longer during your Hilton resort stay, as your up to $400 statement credit each card anniversary year includes reimbursement for purchases at a Hilton resort, including additional room nights and upgrades. Advance Purchase rates are excluded. You’ll receive up to $200 semi-annually.

Since this benefit includes room rates, we’ll peg this at the full $400 face value.

14. $100 Credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Properties ($25)

Perhaps you’d like to treat yourself to a massage or relax in a rented cabana by the pool. On-site purchases qualify for a $100 statement credit each membership year when you book a 2-night stay or longer at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad properties.

Typically, these room rates are more expensive than the best available rates, so we’ll value this perk at $25.

Bottom Line: If you utilize all the hotel and airline statement credits, you’ll more than offset the annual fee on the Hilton Aspire card.

Easy Hilton Honors Point Redemptions

When it comes time to redeem the points you’ve earned, using your Hilton Honors points for reward nights can result in the best value, meaning you should be getting at least a one-half cent, or better, of value per point.

Points & Money Rewards

One redemption option that is not unique to the Hilton Aspire card but has significant merit is the option to use your Hilton Honors points with Points & Money Rewards. With Points & Money, you’re in control and can use as few or as many points as you want to adjust the price of your room.

Hilton Points and Money — Image Credit: Hilton

Flexibility is a positive, and having the option to use just a small amount of points to reduce the price versus a predetermined fixed cash or point option is a good thing. You can use as few as 5,000 Hilton Honors points to offset the cost of any room rate, including special Hilton Honors member price specials.

Always check to make sure you’re getting fair value for the points you redeem. Slide the Points & Money tab to see how much your points are worth to determine if it’s a worthy redemption for you.

Hot Tip: Don’t have enough Hilton Honors points to fund that entire family resort vacation? Just use the Points & Money option to reduce the cost of the room or book 4 nights with points and get the fifth night free.

Other Ways To Redeem Your Points

Additional redemption options that can yield lesser value for your Hilton Honors points include:

Bidding for Experiences: Take part in auctions for experiences such as cultural, musical, or sporting events, concert performances, and travel packages.
Shopping on Amazon: 500 Hilton Honors points equals $1 on Amazon.com.
Exchanging Your Points: You can select from airline, rail, and credit card partners.
Renting a Vehicle or Purchasing a Cruise: Use your Hilton Honors points for car rentals and cruises.
Donating Your Points: 4,000 Hilton Honors points equals a $10 donation via Pointsworthy.

Additional Benefits and Protections

We’ve covered the top benefits of having the Hilton Aspire card, but there are so many more protections and benefits that come with the card.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Use your card to pay for your rental car and receive coverage if the car is damaged or stolen.
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption: If your trip needs to be canceled or is disrupted due to a covered reason, you could receive up to $10,000 per covered trip, up to $20,000 per account per 12-month period.
Baggage Insurance Plan: Get up to $3,000 for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage. Terms and conditions apply.
Premium Global Assist: Receive legal, financial, and medical emergency assistance services 24/7 worldwide.
Concierge Services: Get anytime assistance with reservations and help to make arrangements for any special outing. Terms Apply.

Shopping and Entertainment Benefits and Protections

American Express Presale and Preferred Seating: Use early access to event tickets and premium seating.
Entertainment Access: Go to member-only events and access special experiences.
Cell Phone Protection: Receive up to $800 toward damaged or stolen damaged phones when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with the card. Maximum of 2 claims per year, subject to a $50 deductible.
Return Protection: Return an eligible item purchased with your card within 90 days, and if the merchant doesn’t take it back, the purchase price will be refunded.
Extended Warranty: An additional year is added to the manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less on eligible purchases.
Purchase Protection: Eligible purchases made with your card are covered when accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost.
Auto Purchasing Program: Over 7,000 participating dealers offer thousands of dollars in savings with this program. Plus, you can use your American Express card to pay at least $2,000 toward the purchase price.
Terms Apply.

Hot Tip: Curious how this card stacks up to other premium credit cards? Check out our head-to-head comparison of the Hilton Aspire card vs. The Platinum Card^® from American Express — unlike typical credit cards with a credit limit, this card has no preset spending limit*.

Alternative Hilton Honors Credit Cards From American Express

If you’re not keen on paying a big annual fee regardless of the associated benefits, you may want to consider the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Card — both of these cards are also great options for Hilton loyalists.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

U.P. Rating

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Welcome OfferEarn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
130,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$650

Annual Fee

$150

APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

If you’re someone who loves traveling and loves staying in Hilton hotels, adding a co-branded Hilton hotel card to your wallet is almost a no-brainer. From automatic Hilton elite status to up to $200 in Hilton credits every year, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card can be a great fit for Hilton loyalists looking to up their travel game.

Pros

12x points per $1 at Hilton hotels
6x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
4x points per $1 at U.S. online retail purchases

Cons

Annual fee of $150 (rates & fees)

Read Full Review

Earn 130,000 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.
Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club^® program is required. Terms apply.
No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
$150 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Hilton Honors

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Card

U.P. Rating

Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Card

Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!

Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$400

Annual Fee

APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

You can’t beat a comfy king-sized bed and room service. For many travelers, it’s the hotel that really makes or breaks an experience. If you’re one of those people, you’ve probably stayed at a Hilton hotel.

Whether your visits are for work or pleasure, the Hilton brand has you covered with more than 6,200 locations in 100 counties and territories.

To enjoy a host of great benefits, you may want to apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Card.

Pros

7x points per $1 on Hilton stays
5x points per $1 at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations
3x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

Not great for those who want multiple redemption options
Offers the least benefits of all Hilton cards

Read Full Review

Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
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.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Hilton Honors Loyalty Program

Here’s how the 3 cards compare:

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	Hilton Honors American Express Card	Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card	Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*
Annual Fee	$0 (rates & fees)	$150 (rates & fees)	$550
Hilton Honors Points Earned on Hilton Purchases	7 Hilton Honors points per dollar	12 Hilton Honors points per dollar	14 Hilton Honors points per dollar
Hilton Honors Points Earned on Bonus Categories	5 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations	6 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations 4 points per dollar on U.S. online retail purchases	7 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com, car rentals booked at select car rental companies, and U.S. restaurants
Hilton Honors Complimentary Elite Status	Silver: Complimentary Spend $20,000 on the card per year to earn Gold	Gold: Complimentary Spend $40,000 on the card per year to earn Diamond	Diamond: Complimentary
Statement Credits	N/A	Receive up to $50 in statement credits each quarter on Hilton purchases.	Up to $200 airline credit Up to $400 Hilton resort credit Up to $100 Waldorf Astoria/Conrad credit
Free Reward Night	N/A	Reward night after spending $15,000 in a calendar year on the card	Reward night awarded in the first year and each anniversary year Additional hotel nights earned at $30,000 and $60,000 spent in a calendar year on the card

*All information for the Hilton Aspire card was independently collected by Upgraded Points..

Hot Tip: If you’re a frequent traveler and Hilton loyalist, the Hilton Aspire card is the ultimate card match for you. If this card provides benefits you won’t use, you might consider the Hilton Surpass card, which also offers a collection of travel benefits and earnings for a lesser annual fee. You’ll still receive Hilton Honors Gold status and generous Hilton and bonus-category earnings.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a Hilton fan, it makes sense to have an American Express Hilton-branded credit card such as the Hilton Aspire card. It’s good for free hotel nights, earning Hilton Honors points on every purchase, elite status, statement credits, and all the American Express protections and benefits that come with your card.

Fortunately, American Express has made it easy to carry a card that earns Hilton Honors points by offering 3 great choices.

Even if you stay at Hilton properties just a few times a year, you’ll still find benefit in having a Hilton Honors-branded American Express card.

*No Preset Spending Limit on an American Express card means your spending limit is flexible. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees for The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Hilton

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Hilton fifth night free work?

Just book 5 consecutive nights using your Hilton Honors points and the fifth night will be free, as long as you have Silver status or higher.

Insert the dates for all 5 nights and the fifth night free will automatically be calculated. It will be displayed as a discount applied to each night but the discount is calculated as the average cost of the total nights.

How do I redeem Hilton Honors points for hotel nights?

You will first sign in to your Hilton Honors account online and start a hotel booking. Just click the small box that says Use Points located right next to the dates you want to book the hotel.

Once you submit the information, you will see all the rates available for your hotel room for the dates you selected, including how many points the room will cost.

If you select a cash price, you will be given the opportunity to apply points to offset the price before checkout with the Points & Money option.

Which is the best Hilton Honors credit card?

The best Hilton Honors card for you will offer benefits that add value for you personally and has an annual fee with which you’re comfortable paying.

You can’t go wrong with having the Hilton Aspire card if you travel and stay frequently at Hilton properties.

If you prefer not to pay the large annual fee or you won’t utilize all of the benefits on the card, you may want to consider the Hilton Surpass card or the Hilton Honors card.

Both allow you to earn Hilton Honors points on every purchase, plus the Hilton Surpass card gives you elite status as well.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

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