A hotel credit card for business owners loyal to the Hilton hotels and resorts.
30-second take
- Get this card if you often stay at Hilton hotels and resorts.
- Pick something else if you want travel rewards, cash back or an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.
- Apply with good to excellent credit.
| Product Name | Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Card Type | American Express |
| Annual Fee | $95 |
| APR (Annual Percentage Rate) for Purchases | 17.74% to 26.74% variable |
| Cash Advance Rate | 27.24% variable |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | None |
| Cash Advance Fee | $5 or 3% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater |
| Interest Free Period | Up to 25 days |
| Late Payment Fee | Up to $38 |
| Returned Payment Fee | $38 |
| Additional Cardholder Fee | $0 |
| Rates & Fees | Rates & Fees |
| Minimum Age | 18 years of age |
|---|
| Reward Value per Dollar | 3 points |
|---|---|
| Rewards Points Expiry | Never |
The basics
If you’re a business owner who enjoys the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card could be a good choice. With this card, you’re automatically enrolled as a Hilton Honors Gold member, which comes with room upgrades, continental breakfast and a complimentary fifth night on standard room reservations of five nights or more.
You’ll also earn more Hilton Honors points during your stay. If you spend $40,000 in a year, you can upgrade to Diamond status for even more benefits.
Frequent travelers will appreciate the 10 complimentary visits to more than 1,200 Priority Pass Select airport lounges a year. You’ll save $27 per visit — and some of the stress that comes with travel. You also won’t have to worry about international transaction fees when spending abroad.
Another attractive perk is this card’s welcome offer. Spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open to earn 125,000 Hilton Honors points, worth some $1,000 in Hilton nights.
How much are Hilton Honors points worth?
The value of Hilton Honors points varies depending on the service or product you wish to redeem them for:- Redeem 500 Hilton Honors points for $1 toward Amazon purchases.
- Redeem 120,000 Hilton points for a $250 CruisesOnly certificate.
- Redeem 4,000 points for a $10 donation toward an eligible charity.
You can also exchange your Hilton Honors points for miles:
- Redeem 10,000 points for 1,000 miles in Delta SkyMiles.
- Redeem 10,000 points for 1,000 miles in United MileagePlus.
- Redeem 10,000 points for 1,500 miles in American Airlines AAdvantage.
Generally, you’ll find that 5 Hilton Honors points are equal to about 1 cent. for the highest redemption value, however, apply them to accommodations within the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand starting at 5,000 points a night — a $50 value, or 1 cent per point.
The perks
Welcome offer.
Spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open to earn 125,000 Hilton Honors bonus points. Redeem your points for nights at hotels and resorts, concerts, vacation packages, golf rewards, car rentals, airline miles and more.
Earn Hilton Honors points.
Use your card at Hilton hotels and resorts to earn a cool 12 points per dollar. Earn 6 points per dollar on business purchases and travel purchases in select categories, and 3 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold.
You’re automatically enrolled as a Hilton Honors Gold member, offering an 80% bonus on base points per stay, room upgrades, your fifth night free on eligible stays, continental breakfast and other perks.
You’ll also like
No foreign transaction fees.
Freely use your card while abroad with 0% international transaction fees.
Weekend night reward.
Spend $15,000 in a year to earn 1 free weekend standard room with double occupancy at select Hilton hotels and resorts. Spend $60,000 in a year, and you get a second free weekend reward.
10 free Priority Pass visits.
Access to more than 1,200 Priority Pass Select airport lounges for 10 free visits, a savings of $27 per visit.
Upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond.
If you spend $40,000 in a year, you’re eligible for an upgrade to Diamond status. Diamond gives you everything in the Gold tier along with executive lounge access, elite status gifting and a 48-hour room guarantee — and your status extends through the end of the following calendar year. You’ll also earn 100% more Hilton Honors points for every dollar you spend on stays.
Travel protection.
Use your card to pay for your full reservation and you’ll get complimentary accidental death and dismemberment insurance up to $100,000. Other perks include insurance of up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage. And if you rent a car during your travels, you’re insured for car loss and damage.
Roadside and global assistance.
If you find yourself stranded on the road with a blown tire or drained battery, call Amex’s 24/7 hotline for help. If you’re traveling more than 100 miles from home, you gain 24/7 access to medical, legal, financial and other emergency assistance with only third-party service costs to pay.
What to watch out for
No intro APR for balance transfers and purchases.
If you’re looking for the perk of an intro APR, consider the Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card by American Express, which offers an intro 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, reverting to 13.24%, 17.24% or 21.24% thereafter.
$95 annual fee.
For travelers who stay often within the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand or love to unwind at Priority Pass Select lounges while traveling, the benefits of this card just might outweigh the annual fee.
Steep penalties on late payments.
If you find yourself unable to make the minimum payment within 25 days of your statement, you face a variable penalty APR of 29.99%. This is typical of similar rewards cards, however.
Consider other cards if …
You prefer hotels other than Hilton.
If you’d rather stay at Starwood hotels and resorts, The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express by American Express may be worth considering. If it’s Marriott you’re loyal to, look at Marriott Rewards® Premier Business credit card by Chase. With both cards, you can redeem the points you earn for upgrades and free nights.
You want travel rewards without an annual fee.
A decent travel rewards card without an annual fee is the Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card by Bank of America. You’ll earn 3x points when you book through American Express Travel and 1.5x points on all other purchases. Redeem your points for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, baggage fees, gift cards and cash back.
You want cash back or statement credits.
If your business spends thousands of dollars on gas and office supplies, take advantage of the Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card by Bank of America’s generous cash back. It offers 3% cash back on gas and office supplies at US retailers on up to $250,000 a year, reverting to 1% after that. You’ll also get 2% cash back at US restaurants.
A similar card to consider is the SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express, which offers 5% cash back on office supplies and wireless services, 3% on a category of your choice and 1% on everything else. The 5% and 3% cashback rewards apply on up to $50,000, reverting to 1% after.
You’re looking for an intro APR on balance transfers and purchases.
For a solid intro APR period on balance transfers and purchases, look to Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card. The card offers an intro 0% APR on purchases and balance transfer for the first 15 months after opening your account, reverting to a 13.24%, 17.24% or 21.24% APR thereafter. It offers one of the longest intro periods you’ll find among similar small business cards.
Compare business credit cards
What size business is the Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card good for?
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card is ideal for small to midsize business owners who travel often and prefer to stay within the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand. You’ll get complimentary Gold status in Hilton Honors and 10 free visits a year to Priority Pass Select airport lounges, and you won’t pay 0% fees on your spending abroad.
Redeem your Hilton Honors points for shopping, travel or to pay for accommodation at Hilton properties — the last results in the highest redemption value.
What should I know before I apply?
As with most business cards, when you for Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card, you’ll provide details about yourself and your business that include:
- Your business name and address.
- Your industry and years in business.
- Your company structure, including number of employees.
- Your annual revenue and monthly spending.
- Your federal tax ID or Employment Identification Number.
- Personal and financial information that includes your annual income.
How to apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card?
- Go to the American Express website.
- Select the Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card from the list and click Apply.
- Complete the application form with required information about your business and the primary cardholder.
- Review your application and submit it.
How long will it take to be approved?
Because conditional credit card approval is automated on the website, you can get a decision on your application within minutes. On approval, you’ll receive your new card in three to four business days via UPS.
I got the card. Now what?
Sign in to your American Express online account to monitor your business’s spending, automate payments and sign up for alerts to avoid late payments. Or manage your expenses through the Spend Manager app, integrating your data with your existing QuickBooks account.
For any questions, call American Express customer service 24/7 at 1-800-528-4800. You can also get help through the site’s live chat feature.
Bottom line
Business owners that prefer the convenience of the more than 5,000 Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties across 100 countries will likely appreciate the travel perks and rewards of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card.
But if you stay often with Starwood or Marriott, consider The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express or Marriott Rewards® Premier Business credit card.
Choosing the right business card ultimately comes down to what you value most. Compare those offering travel, cash back, no annual fees and more in our guide to business credit cards.
Frequently asked questions
Disclaimer
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
Images: AmericanExpress.com
