Hilton Honors American Express Card Review

Hilton Honors American Express Card — all information about the credit card.

By Hanna Volkava
Updated March 01, 2024

Good Choose for No Annual Fee

Hilton Honors American Express Card
Our Rating:
3.07 out of 5
scorer
Recommended credit score
Good to Excellent (670-799)
  • Rewards Rate:
    • 7x Points on hotels & resorts. For eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio.
    • 5x Points on dining at U.S. restaurants.
    • 5x Points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
    • 5x Points on Gas at U.S. gas stations.
    • 3x Points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Intro Offer:
    • 80,000x Bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Annual Fee:
    $0
  • Purchase Intro APR:
    None
  • Regular APR:
    20.99% - 29.99% Variable
  • Balance Transfer APR:
    None
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Hilton Honors American Express Card Rewards Calculator

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All benefits

  • Points
    • 7x On hotels & resorts. For eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio.
    • 5x On dining at U.S. restaurants.
    • 5x On groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
    • 5x On gas at U.S. gas stations.
    • 3x On all other eligible purchases.
  • Travel
    • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance:
    • When you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental Company counter, you can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory.
    • Global AssistÂź Hotline:
    • Global AssistÂź Hotline can help you prepare for your trip with customs information and more. And while you're traveling more than 100 miles from home, coordination and assistance services such as lost passport replacement assistance, translation services, missing luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals are a phone call away.

Rate and fee information

  • Purchase Intro APR
    • None
  • Purchase APR
    • 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
  • Intro Balance Transfer APR
    • None
  • Balance Transfers APR
    • None
  • APR for Cash Advances
    • 29.99% Variable
  • How to Avoid Paying Interest
    • Your due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing period. You will not be charged interest on purchases if you pay each month your entire balance (or if you have a plan outstanding, your balance adjusted for plans) by the due date. You will be charged interest on cash advances on the transaction date.

Fees

  • Annual Fee
    • $0
  • Fees for Cash Advances
    • Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
  • Penalty Fees
    • 29.99%
  • Return Payment
    • Up to $40
  • Late Payment
    • Up to $40
View all Rates & Fees

Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • No Annual Fee
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • Automatic Silver Status
  • Path to Gold Status
  • Generous Welcome Bonus
Cons:
  • High APR
  • Low Points Value Outside Hilton Hotels
  • Balance transfers are not available

Features

Classic
American Express
Contactless
  • No Annual Fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Payment Flexibility
  • Fraud Protection
  • Rewards
  • Bonus points
  • Purchase Protection
  • Travel
  • Airline
  • Auto Rental Insurance
  • 24/7 Travel Assistant
  • Good Credit
  • Excellent Credit

About the issuer

American ExpressÂź has several card types depending on your needs.
Manage your Account & Pay your Bill
You can usually pay your bill online on your

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Disclaimer: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit http://americanexpress.com to learn more.

Hilton Honors American Express Card Review

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a solid option for Hilton hotel devotees who want to receive benefits on a card with no annual fee. It also offers excellent rewards on non-Hilton purchases.

The Hilton Honors American Express Card earns point rewards on hotel and restaurant purchases as well as on gas and groceries. With this credit card, you can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you spend $1,000 within the first 3 months on eligible purchases.

This credit card is an exciting option for people looking for Hilton perks. The card features an automatic Silver Status and comes with a bonus on points earned from qualifying Hilton stays and meals at select hotels.

Besides, the card earns you rewards for purchases in U.S restaurants, gas stations, and supermarkets. It is a solid option if you are looking for a no-annual-fee card.

The Hilton Honors American Express Card Pros and Cons

Pros: Cons:
$0 annual fee. This card doesn't charge an annual fee, and you don’t have to worry about any additional costs, assuming you don’t carry a balance. High APR. This credit card has a variable APR of 20.99% - 29.99% on purchases.
No Foreign Transaction Fees. With this credit card, you can make purchases abroad without additional fees. Low Points Value Outside Hilton Hotels. Points redeemed outside Hilton Hotels have a lower value.
Automatic Silver Status. The card offers a Hilton Honors Silver Status, which provides exclusive perks such as 20% more Base Points on hotel room booking, room choice, and discount on bookings.
Path to Gold Status. In addition to the silver status, you can earn Gold Status if you spend over $20,000 annually, which brings additional perks like 80% Base Points, complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, and numerous milestone bonuses.
Generous Welcome Bonus. You can earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $1,000 within the first 3 months.

Rewards System in a Nutshell

While this is an American Express Card, you will earn points under the Hilton Honors program. With the Hilton Honors program, you earn two types of points:

  • Base points can be earned when you stay at Hilton hotels and resorts. Base Points count towards higher tier status.
  • Bonus points can be earned at Hilton hotels or by using Hilton Honors Credit Card. Bonus points, however, do not count towards higher tier status.

After spending $1,000 with the Hilton Honors American Express Card in the first 3 months, you earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points.

This card earn points on purchases as following:

  • Purchases at Hilton hotels or resorts earn 7 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar.
  • Purchases at U.S gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets earn 5 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar.
  • All other eligible purchases earn 3 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar spent.

It’s easy to rake up a lot of points with this credit card. Whether you earn 3, 5, or 7 points per $1 spent, the points accumulate quickly. The points don’t expire, and there’s no limit on earning them.

Hilton Honors Bonus Points can be redeemed for the following:

  • Hotel stays
  • Rental cars
  • Amazon.com shopping
  • Lyft rides
  • Hilton resort activities such as spa treatments, golf reservations, and dinner events
  • Charity donations
  • Miles at airline partners

When shopping at Amazon, 500 Hilton Honors points equal to $1. Hotel stays cost in points vary but usually provide a better cash value. You can also use a combination of points and money to book a hotel stay.

There is no fixed rate when it comes to redeeming options. It depends on the property, and it’s always a good idea to shop around for better options.

Silver Status Rewards

The Hilton Honors American Express Card gets you Silver Status automatically. You earn 20% more Base Points for stays, fifth night free, and elite rollover nights with Silver Status.

Gold Status Rewards

A $20,000 spending within a year earns an upgrade to Gold Status. You can also reach Gold Status by earning 75,000 Base Points, 20 stays, or 40 nights within a calendar year. During 2021 due to COVID-19, requirements for Gold Status got lowered: 37,500 Base Points, 10 stays or 20 nights. This is an excellent way for avid travelers to qualify.

With Gold Status, you benefit from all Silver status perks, plus other benefits such as:

  • Complimentary continental breakfast at Hilton hotels outside the U.S or food credit at U.S. Hilton hotels
  • Space-available room upgrades
  • 80% Base Points earning bonus on stays
  • 10,000 bonus points for every additional 10 nights after you’ve stayed 20 nights in a calendar year

Who Can Benefit From Getting the Hilton Honors American Express Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is an ideal no-annual fee option for occasional customers loyal to Hilton. This hotel credit card provides great rewards for purchases made with the hotel brand. The card has a low spending threshold for the welcome bonuses, and since it has no annual fee, it’s a good option for people who aren’t hardcore reward chasers.

This card is a solid option to earn Hilton Honors points towards upcoming hotel stays and other travel benefits. However, it is suited for infrequent travelers who don’t stay exclusively with the brand. If you are a frequent traveler, you may have to look for other cards up the rank, such as the Hilton Honors Surpass and Aspire, that have an annual fee but can earn lots of points.

Are There Any Other Benefits?

The Hilton Honors American Express Card features a few notable benefits. These include:

  • Purchase Protection

The purchase protection program provides cover for lost, stolen, or damaged items paid with the card within the first 90 days after the date of purchase. It covers up to $1,000 per item and up to $50,000 per year.

  • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

This card provides secondary coverage for rental car damage or theft. You can decline the rental car damage insurance when you pay for a car rental with this card. However, as this insurance is secondary, it does not cover liability.

  • Global Assist Hotline

The global assist hotline can help with lost passport replacement, translation, missing language, and emergency legal and medical referral.

  • Terms Apply

The Bottom Line

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a great option for occasional travelers who prefer Hilton hotels but can’t justify paying an annual fee. The card has a great welcome bonus and does not charge foreign transaction fees or an annual fee.

The complimentary Silver Status gives you the perfect opportunity to hit for Gold Status. Regardless of your Status level, it’s easy to redeem points for hotel stays.

If you are an avid traveler and stay a lot in Hilton hotels, you can think of the Hilton Honors Aspire or the Hilton Honors Surpass credit cards. These cards have an annual fee but come with lots of perks.

FAQ

  • What is the customer service phone number for Hilton Honors American Express Card?

    The customer service number for the Hilton Honors American Express Card is 1-800-528-4800. The hearing impaired can relay dial 711.
  • How to check my application status for Hilton Honors American Express Card?

    To check for your application through the application portal or call 1-877-239-3491. If you are pre-quality, you will get Express Approval. With Express Approval, you can get a decision for your online application in just minutes.
Hanna VolkavaHanna Volkava

Financial and product expert

hv@myfin.us
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    Annual Fee
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