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Guide to Hilton Honors rewards program 2021

Earn elite status to get the most out of this program.

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Kliment Dukovski
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With the Hilton Honors rewards program, you earn two types of points — base and bonus points. Base points are earned on hotel stays, which can upgrade your membership status to elite. Bonus points are earned with credit cards and car rentals, but won’t help you earn elite status.

Both point types let you redeem for free nights at Hilton hotels and resorts.

Do Hilton Honors bonus points expire?

Yes. Your Hilton Honors points will expire if you’re inactive for 12 consecutive months. To keep your membership account active, you need to earn or redeem points every year.

Purchases made on a Hilton Honors credit card will also count as earning points and thus keep your account open.

How do you earn Hilton Honors points?

You have a few ways of earning Hilton Honors points, but there are two primary options: spending with an eligible credit card and staying at Hilton branded hotels.

Using an eligible credit card is a straightforward, easy way to rack up points since you don’t have to actually stay at hotel or travel to earn points. Instead, you can use your card on typical purchases like groceries or dining while you build points in the background.

For a full breakdown of your earning options, check out our Hilton Honors earning guide.

How to redeem Hilton Honors points

You can redeem your Hilton Honors points by logging in to your Hilton account and clicking on Points at the top menu bar to get started.

The Hilton Honors program doesn’t have a wide variety of redemption options. You’re mostly stuck with either redeeming on a hotel award night, toward a Hilton Experience, Amazon purchases or transferring your points to airlines. Check out our Hilton Honors redemption guide to find out which option offers you the best bang for your buck.

Compare cards that earn Hilton Honors points

Hilton cobranded cards earn big points on specific Hilton purchases and often feature a variety of additional perks for your Hilton experience. If you’d rather not lock yourself into the Hilton ecosystem, however, you can check out additional card options in the second tab below.

You’ll earn the highest number of Hilton Honors bonus points on all of your purchases with these cards.
Name Product Filter values Rewards Purchase APR Annual fee
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
7x points on eligible Hilton purchases, 5x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other eligible purchases
15.74% to 24.74% variable
$0
Apply now
View details
With a massive welcome offer for a no-annual-fee card and up to 7x points on eligible Hilton purchases, this is a solid pick for Hilton fans and occasional travelers. Terms apply, see rates & fees
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases
15.74% to 24.74% variable
$95
View details
With a big welcome offer worth up to $900, up to 12x points on spending, and free Gold status, this is an upgrade from the entry Hilton card. All information about this card has been collected independently by Finder.
Hilton Honors™ Aspire Card
Hilton Honors™ Aspire Card
14x points on Hilton, 7x on flights, car rentals and US restaurants and 3x points on all other purchases
15.74% to 24.74% variable
$450
View details
150,000 Hilton Honors™ Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 or more in purchases with your new card within the first 3 months of card membership. All information about this card has been collected independently by Finder.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
12x points at Hilton, 6x points on select business and travel and 3x points on all other purchases
15.74% to 24.74% variable
$95
View details
Earn 130,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months. Earn another 50,000 points after spending $10,000 in the first 6 months. Rates & fees
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American Express credit cards that offer membership rewards points let you transfer them to Hilton Honors bonus points in 1:2 ratio. Meaning transferring 1,000 membership rewards points will get you 2,000 Hilton Honors points.
Name Product Filter values Rewards Purchase APR Annual fee
American Express® Gold Card
American Express® Gold Card
4x at restaurants including delivery and Uber Eats; 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 annually (then 1x points), 3x points on directly-booked flights and 1x points on other eligible purchases
See Pay Over Time APR
$250
Apply now
View details

Rose Gold is Back

 Earn up to 4x points on select purchases, a bevy of travel perks, and a welcome offer worth up to $600 based on our valuation with this upper-mid tier travel card. Terms apply, see rates & fees
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
10x points at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the US on up to $25,000 combined in the first 6 months, 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 5x points on directly-booked flights on up to $500,000 annually, then 1x points after that and on other eligible purchases
See Pay Over Time APR
$695
Apply now
View details

New Platinum Exclusive Offer

 One of the most valuable premium travel cards, featuring two welcome offers worth up to $7,000 based on Finder's valuation, multiple travel credits and unrivaled lounge access. Terms apply, see rates & fees
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
2x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year then 1x points after that and on all other purchases
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 12.99% to 23.99% variable)
$0
View details
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you use your new card to make $1,500 in purchases in your first 3 months. All information about this card has been collected independently by Finder.
Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
3x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually (then 1x), 2x points at US gas stations and 1x points on all other purchases
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 12.99% to 22.99% variable)
$95
View details
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of opening your account. All information about this card has been collected independently by Finder.
Blue from American Express® Card
Blue from American Express® Card
2x points on Amex Travel and 1x points on all other purchases.
23.99% variable
$0
View details
Earn 2x points on Amex Travel and x points on all other purchases. All information about this card has been collected independently by Finder.
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Hilton Honors elite status tiers

This is the first tier of the Hilton Honors program, which you earn by signing up. This gives you benefits, including:

  • No resort fees on reward night stays
  • Digital check-in
  • Digital key
  • In-room and lobby Wi-Fi
  • Late check out

Earned with 10 nights, four stays, or 25,000 Base Points. Get all the benefits of Member status plus:

  • 20% more points on stays
  • Fifth reward night free
  • Two bottles of water
  • Elite tier rollover nights

Earned with 40 nights, 20 stays, or 75,000 Base Points. Get all benefits of previous tiers, plus:

  • 80% more points on stays
  • Room upgrade when available, up to executive room
  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Unlimited milestone bonuses

Earned with 60 nights, 30 stays, or 120,000 Base Points. Get all benefits from the previous tiers, plus:

  • 100% more points on stays
  • Room upgrade when available, up to one-Bedroom Suite room type
  • Executive lounge access
  • Diamond status extension
  • 48-hour room guarantee
  • Elite status gifting

List of Hilton hotels

As of this writing, the Hilton hotel portfolio has 18 brands to its name. They include:

  • Waldorf Astoria
  • LXR Hotels & Resorts
  • Conrad Hotels & Resorts
  • Canopy by Hilton
  • Signia by Hilton
  • Hilton Hotels & Resorts
  • Curio Collection by Hilton
  • DoubleTree by Hilton
  • Tapestry Collection by Hilton
  • Embassy Suites by Hilton
  • Tempo by Hilton
  • Motto by Hilton
  • Hilton Garden Inn
  • Hampton by Hilton
  • tru by Hilton
  • Homewood Suites by Hilton
  • Home2 Suites by Hilton
  • Hilton Grand Vacations

Bottom line

If you frequently stay at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, joining the Hilton Honors rewards could be worth your while. While the overall value of Hilton points is weaker than the competition, you’ll still get benefits that can make your stay more convenient. And if you upgrade to an elite status, you’ll enjoy room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, fifth reward night free and more.

For those who don’t stay at Hilton hotels and resorts often, you’re likely better served by a other hotel credit cards or general travel credit cards.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I earn points for multiple rooms?

Yes. You can earn points for up to two rooms.

What is the difference between Hilton Honors base points and Hilton Honors bonus points?

  • You earn base points on your stays, and they help you reach an elite tier status.
  • You earn bonus points on purchases with a Hilton Honors credit card and on partner purchases, like car rentals or shopping. Bonus points don’t count toward elite tier status upgrade.

How much are Hilton Honors bonus points worth?

Bonus points are worth about 0.5 cents each according to the Hilton website and our calculations as of October 2020.

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