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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.
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.
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
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. 
Additional redemption options that can yield lesser value for your Hilton Honors points include:
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.
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. 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hot Tip: Curious how this card stacks up to other premium cards? Check out our head-to-head comparison of the Hilton Aspire card vs. The Platinum Card^® 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.
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.
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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.
Hilton Honors
Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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.
Hilton Honors Loyalty Program
Here’s how the 3 cards compare:
 
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*
Annual Fee

$150 (rates & fees)
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
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
Diamond: Complimentary
Statement Credits
N/A
Free Reward Night
N/A
Reward night after spending $15,000 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. 
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.
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.
Sign in to your Hilton Honors account before searching for a property and use points for your booking.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices. 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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