If you want to earn hotel rewards and avoid pesky credit card fees, it's hard to beat the Hilton Honors American Express Card. This card comes with one of the most lucrative welcome offers in its category -- and a generous rewards rate to boot. Use it wisely, and you'll be earning hotel stays paid with points in no time. Read our full Hilton Honors American Express Card to see if it's right for you.
Ratings Methodology
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Score:Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Credit ScoreFalling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: n/a
APR
20.99%-29.99% Variable
RewardsEarn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
3X-7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000
A fantastic option for earning Hilton Honors points with a lucrative rewards program and nice welcome offer.
- Nice welcome offer
- Bonus points on Hilton Hotels purchases
- U.S. restaurants rewards
- U.S. supermarkets rewards
- U.S. gas rewards
- Limited travel protections
- Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- No Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.• Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.• Extended warranty, purchase protection plan, baggage insurance plan, and car rental loss & damage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Full Amex Hilton Honors Card review
This credit card is a good fit for: Cardholders who stay at Hilton Hotels on occasion. Frequent guests may get more value from another Hilton Honors card with higher rewards and perks.
Top perks
Big welcome offer
New cardholders get the chance to earn 80,000 if you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first 6 months. If you plan to travel anywhere with a Hilton hotel -- most places, really -- you'll be able to use these bonus points to cover a hotel stay. The welcome offer alone is enough to get you a night at some of the fanciest Hilton hotels or over a week at select budget hotels. Terms apply.
Read more: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards
Generous rewards rate
Earn 7X points per $1 at eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio and 5X points per $1 at purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. That's about as good as it gets for a no annual fee credit card. Terms apply.
Complimentary Silver status
You'll get complimentary Silver status with Hilton Honors just for holding the Hilton Honors American Express Card. That gives you 20% more points on your Hilton stays on top of the points you already earn with the card. You'll also get your fifth night free on reward stays and complimentary water bottles at check-in. Terms apply.
Learn more: Best Hotel Credit Cards
No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
The cherry on top is that the Hilton Honors American Express Card comes with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).
Related: Best American Express Credit Cards
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Discover it® Cash Back | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.N/A | 1% - 5% CashbackEarn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. | Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular:18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR | |
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | $200 cash rewardsEarn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | 2% cash rewardsEarn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. | Intro:0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Regular:20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR | |
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card OnBank of America'sSecure Website. | Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars. 4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 25,000 points25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases | 1.5 points per dollarEarn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. | Intro:0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Regular:19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card OnBank of America'sSecure Website. |
What could be improved
Light on travel perks
You'll get Silver status with the Hilton Honors American Express Card, but that's about it when it comes to travel-related perks. This is to be expected from a no annual fee credit card. However, it's worth noting that premium credit cards -- such as the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card -- get you valuable benefits like airport lounge access, hefty statement credits and annual free nights.Terms apply.
RELATED: The Ascent's Travel Credit Cards Hub
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Suggested credit score
You'll want good credit -- a FICO® Score of at least 670 -- to have a decent chance at being approved for the Hilton Honors American Express Card. Ideally, your credit score should be above 700 for the best odds. That said, approval is never guaranteed. Amex will look at your entire credit profile -- not just your credit score -- as well as your income before making a decision on your credit card application.
The Amex Hilton Honors Card is right for you if:
This credit card is an excellent choice if you're a casual traveler who prefers to stay at Hilton hotels. It's also ideal if you want to redeem credit card rewards as hotel stays, as you'll get the most value for your points with that choice. This card isn't great, however, if you want to earn cash back, nor is it the most powerful Hilton credit card out there. Check out our full list of credit card reviews for more options.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
Credit limits for the Hilton Honors American Express Card vary and can range from $1,000 to over $20,000. When American Express approves your application, it sets a credit limit based on your income, credit profile, and other financial information.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card usually isn't hard to get if you have a FICO® Score of at least 670. American Express considers many factors during the application process.
Yes, you can use the Hilton Honors American Express Card internationally, and it doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
