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finder.com’s rating: 4.4 / 5
★★★★★
100,000
Points as welcome offer
Up to 7x
Points
$0
Annual fee
15.74% to 24.74%
Purchase APR (variable)
Annual fee | $0 |
---|---|
Welcome Offer | 100,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, plus $100 after your first purchase in the first 3 months |
Rewards | 7x points on Hilton Honors purchases, 5x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases |
Purchase APR | 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Balance transfer APR | N/A |
Recommended minimum credit score | 670 |
Issuer | American Express |
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
Because conditional credit card approval is automated on the website, you may get a decision on your application within 60 seconds. If there are issues with your application, it may take a few days to a few weeks to hear back.
After you’re approved, you’ll typically receive your card within 7 to 10 business days.
Earn 5x points when you spend at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations. And earn 3x points on all other eligible purchases.
For an idea of how far your points will go, here’s a few Hilton properties and their point equivalents, as of June 2018 on the Hilton Honors Membership Rewards site:
Though points are worth less than the industry’s average, the Hilton Honors American Express Card’ welcome offer is likely enough for you to book a stay at most Hilton properties.
Of the two kinds of Hilton Honors points, Base Points are what you earn when staying at Hilton properties. They help you reach higher tiers in the Hilton Honors program. For example, to reach Gold, you need 75,000 Hilton Honors Base Points.
Currently, you’ll earn 10 Base Points per dollar you spend on Hilton Portfolio rooms and eligible room charges, like room service.
On the other hand, you earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points through promotions and by using your Hilton Honors American Express Card. Redeem your Hilton Honors Bonus Points for nights at Hilton Portfolio properties and rewards with Hilton’s travel, dining, shopping and entertainment partners.
Here’s a side-by-side breakdown of the Amex Hilton Honors vs. two similar cards to give you an idea how each tier of travel card stacks up when it comes to performance.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
★★★★★
Rates & feesGo to site |
---|
Minimum credit score 670 |
Annual fee $0 |
Purchase APR 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Rewards 7x points on Hilton Honors purchases, 5x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases |
Welcome offer 100,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, plus $100 after your first purchase in the first 3 months |
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
★★★★★
Rates & feesGo to site |
---|
Minimum credit score 670 |
Annual fee $95 |
Purchase APR 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Rewards 12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases |
Welcome offer 150,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, plus $150 after making a purchase in the first 3 months |
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
★★★★★
Rates & feesGo to site |
---|
Minimum credit score 740 |
Annual fee $550 |
Purchase APR 16.99% to 23.99% variable |
Balance transfer APR 16.99% to 23.99% variable |
Rewards 10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases |
Welcome offer 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months |
Compare even more credit cards
To apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Card, you must be:
You’ll have a better chance of approval for the Hilton Honors American Express Card if you apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
If you have a good credit score and a relatively high annual income, you may be the type of customer American Express is looking for.
Here are a few other factors that might affect your odds of approval:
Customers generally say the Hilton Honors American Express Card is a great choice for those who travel often because of its rewards. However, customers expecting cashback rewards are largely disappointed.
The American Express Company has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1948 and earns an overall A+ rating as of October 2020. However, 90% of its reviews are negative and it has nearly 3,400 customer complaints. Amex cardholders in general complain of rude customer service reps, missing statement credit and issues disputing charges.
The company earns a Trustpilot score of 2 out of 5 as of October 2020. Many negative reviews cite unhelpful customer service and inflexible company policies. Positive reviews say the company employs pleasant customer service representatives. Overall, your mileage may vary with American Express customer support.
To redeem your points, log in to the Hilton Honors rewards portal. Redemption options include:
For the best value on your points, consider hotel stays. Per our October 2018 valuations, you’ll get a 0.5-cent-per-point value on average.
Its points structure makes the Hilton Honors American Express Card a decent choice for both frequent and occasional Hilton guests. Before deciding on this product, compare other hotel credit cards and travel or airline cards.
Images: AmericanExpress.com
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.