Hilton offers a family of four co-branded credit cards through American Express: three personal cards (Hilton Honors with no fee, Surpass, and Aspire) and one business card. Each comes with different perks, annual fees, and reward rates, catering to everyone from the occasional guest to the Hilton loyalist who practically lives in their hotels.
As someone who’s held a couple of these Hilton cards, we can help you navigate which Hilton card is best for you. The key factors to consider are how often you stay at Hilton properties, what level of elite status you want, and whether you can utilize the various free night certificates or credits these cards offer.
Let’s break down each card and its strengths.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
This is the entry-level Hilton card, ideal for the infrequent Hilton traveler or beginner.
Despite having no annual fee, it packs some solid benefits. You earn 7X Hilton Honors points on Hilton purchases (Hilton hotels and resorts), and 5X points on U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. That covers a lot of everyday spending categories with 5X, which is quite generous for a no-fee card. All other purchases earn 3X points. It also comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status just for holding the card.
Silver is Hilton’s base elite tier – it’s not huge, but gives you a 20% bonus on Hilton points earned during hotel stays and the fifth night free on award stays of 5+ nights (all elite members get the 5th night free perk when redeeming points). So, simply having this no-fee card means if you redeem Hilton points for 5 nights, you’ll only be charged for 4 nights’ worth of points.
Silver status also has elite rollover nights and a 15% discount at Hilton’s Caribbean/LatAm all-inclusive resorts’ spas (niche, but there), which is great for international travel (many no-fee cards still charge foreign fees, but this one doesn’t, saving ~3% on purchases abroad).
In short, this card is best for someone who wants to earn Hilton points on daily spending without paying an annual fee, and get basic Hilton perks.
For example, if you stay at a Hilton once or twice a year, the Silver status and extra points from paying with this card are nice to have, and you’re not paying for benefits you won’t use. It often comes with a welcome bonus (e.g. 70,000 points plus a Free Night after $2k spend in 6 months as of this writing).
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Formerly $95/year, the Surpass (also known as Hilton Ascend in the past) is the mid-tier Hilton card and a sweet spot for many Hilton fans. With a $150 annual fee, it significantly ups the perks: Surpass grants automatic Hilton Honors Gold status.
Gold is a valuable mid-tier status – it gets you free breakfast or a food & beverage credit at most Hilton brands (this alone can save ~$10-30 per person per day), room upgrades when available, 80% bonus points on Hilton stays, and more.
Earning-wise, the Surpass earns 12X points on Hilton hotel purchases (even more than the no-fee card’s 7X). It also earns 6X points on U.S. dining, U.S. groceries, and U.S. gas, and 4X on U.S. online retail purchases (that 4X online retail is a unique category; think Amazon and online shopping). Everything else is 3X.
Now, the Surpass card also comes with a few valuable travel perks: you get 10 free Priority Pass lounge visits per year (you and guests can access airport lounges up to 10 times total). Also, if you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, you earn a Free Weekend Night Reward certificate.
Hitting $15k spend in a year (i.e. $1,250/month) could be worth it if you maximize that free night. Additionally, Surpass cardholders can achieve Hilton Diamond status by spending $40k in a year (that’s a lot, but some do it), and they now also get a $200 Hilton resort statement credit (split into $50 per quarter) which is new as of 2023. That resort credit can effectively pay you back up to $200 if you stay at Hilton resorts and charge it to the card – if used fully, it more than offsets the $150 fee.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
The Aspire is Hilton’s premium flagship card, loaded with perks to satisfy the hardcore Hilton loyalist or luxury traveler. Its annual fee is high (currently $450, possibly increasing to $550 as some sources indicate), but it offers outsized value if you use the benefits.
Firstly, Aspire gives you Hilton Honors Diamond status automatically. Diamond is Hilton’s top elite tier – you get all Gold benefits plus guaranteed Executive Lounge access, better upgrades (including suites when available), 100% bonus points on stays, and a 48-hour room guarantee, among other things.
For a frequent Hilton guest, Diamond can make a big difference in comfort and service (free breakfast is guaranteed like Gold, but Diamond may get you better upgrades and sometimes small welcome gifts or better service recognition).
Normally you’d need 60 nights/year or equivalent to earn Diamond, so getting it just by holding Aspire is huge if you frequent Hiltons.
Secondly, the Aspire comes with annual statement credits that can potentially outweigh the fee: a $250 Hilton Resort Credit per year (for charges at Hilton’s resort properties), a $250 Airline Fee Credit per year (for incidental airline charges like baggage, seat fees – $200, but originally $250), and a $100 property credit on qualifying Hilton luxury hotel stays (Waldorf/Conrad when booked with a special code).
Additionally, Aspire gives an annual Free Weekend Night Reward certificate just for having the card (no spend required), and you can earn a second and third free night by spending $60k in a year (and one at $30k). That alone can pay the fee if used at expensive hotels. It also includes Priority Pass Select membership (unlimited lounge access) for you and two guests (no pass visit limits, unlike Surpass), and the same travel protections as Surpass.
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
We see the Hilton Business Amex as closely aligned with the Surpass, but it’s designed specifically with you—the business owner—in mind. The annual fee is $195, a bit higher than Surpass’s $150, likely because of the added credits. Like the Surpass, you get automatic Hilton Gold status, and if you spend $40,000 in a calendar year, you’ll earn Diamond status for the next year.
When it comes to earning points, this card gives you 12X on Hilton purchases. Instead of consumer categories like U.S. gas or groceries, you’ll earn 6X in business-related areas: U.S. gas stations, shipping, wireless phone services, dining, and flights (when booked directly or through Amex Travel). It’s worth checking the fine print since Amex sometimes shifts these categories slightly on the business version.
The card earns 5X on all other purchases—up to $100,000 per year. After that, it drops to 3X. So if you’re putting business expenses on this card, you’re effectively earning 5X Hilton points on everything outside Hilton spend for the first $100k annually. That’s a strong value proposition, and in our view, more versatile than Surpass’s 6X on a few limited categories.
You’ll also get a $240 Hilton resort credit, split into $60 chunks each quarter—similar to the Surpass’s $200 credit setup. Plus, there are 10 Priority Pass lounge visits per year included.
If you spend $15,000 in a year, you’ll receive a Free Weekend Night Reward. That mirrors what Surpass offers. The documentation we’ve reviewed doesn’t call it out explicitly, but we believe it’s still in place. On top of that, you’ll get Emerald Club Executive status with National Car Rental—great for your business travel—and some baggage insurance, though with slightly lower coverage than what the Aspire card offers.
How to Choose Among These Hilton Cards
Let’s break this down by how often you stay at Hilton—and what kind of value you’re looking to get.
If you rarely stay at Hilton—maybe once a year, or you’re earning points elsewhere—then we recommend starting with the No-Fee Hilton Honors Card. You’ll still earn points on everyday spending and get automatic Silver status, all with no annual fee. It’s a low-risk way to keep earning Hilton points.
If you stay a few times a year—or even just plan one solid Hilton vacation annually—the Surpass ($150 annual fee) is likely the sweet spot. You get Gold status, which means free breakfast and room upgrades that can make your stays noticeably better. The fee is reasonable, and if you can put $15,000 on the card in a year, you’ll unlock a Free Night Reward.
Now, if you’re fully loyal to Hilton or want a premium experience every time you stay, go for the Aspire ($450–$550 depending on version). You get top-tier Diamond status, a Free Night Reward every year, up to $500 in statement credits, and more. This is the one for you if you’re regularly booking suites, staying at higher-end Hilton properties, or just want the elite treatment every time without having to earn it the long way.
If you run a business or have a side hustle and want to maximize point earning, the Hilton Business Amex ($195) might be your best move. Think of it as a supercharged Surpass—5X points on everything up to $100,000 per year is a powerhouse earn rate. Like the Surpass, it offers a Free Night Reward at $15k spend, and we believe there’s a second one at $60k (though that part may need confirmation).
All these cards earn Hilton Honors points, generally worth about 0.5 cents each. That sounds modest, but keep in mind how fast you earn—12X at Hilton properties, 7X or 6X in key categories. That adds up. And when Hilton runs promos or you stack your elite status, the point-earning accelerates.
Ready to Start Earning Like a Pro?
You’ve seen what each Hilton Amex card can do. Now it’s time to think bigger: how are you going to turn your everyday spending into real travel wins?
Whether you’re booking client dinners, family getaways, or luxury retreats, there’s serious value on the table. Hilton cards aren’t just about perks—they’re a tool. Used right, they can cover entire nights, get you elite treatment, and open doors that cash just doesn’t.
We’ve used these cards to unlock suite upgrades, lounge access, even cover resort transfers halfway across the world. The only question now is—what do you want your points to do?
Pick your card. Set your plan. And start making your spend work harder.
