Hilton Honors Aspire American Express Card review

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Review: Is the Hilton American Express Aspire card the best credit card for you?

Many of the best credit cards come with high annual fees that certainly aren't for everyone, and that's definitely the case with the $450-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card . This is Hilton's most expensive (and rewarding) card, and it's geared to loyal Hilton travelers who can make the most of its many generous benefits. Amex is an Insider partner.

In fact, if you're able to maximize all of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card's perks, you can get a value that far exceeds the annual fee. Between an annual free night (valid at just about any Hilton hotel worldwide), automatic top-tier Diamond elite status, Hilton resort credits, airline incidental fee credits, and airport lounge access, it's possible to get an ongoing value well into the thousands of dollars.

That's not even counting the card's big welcome bonus offer: 150,000 points after spending at least $4,000 in the first three months of account opening (worth around $750 in stays, based on Insider's points and miles valuations). Plus, shortly after opening the card, new cardholders receive a free night award, again valid at almost any Hilton hotel.

I've had the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for several years, and certainly get much more than I pay for each year. Even at times where my family isn't traveling as much, just using the annual award night at a high-end hotel is enough to make up for the annual fee (and then some). It's probably the most rewarding card in my wallet, and one of the only ones I own where I don't question if it's worth it when the annual fee comes due.

But if you don't stay with Hilton hotels that often, or don't want to shell out a high annual fee regardless of perks, there are three other Hilton cards to consider, including the Hilton Honors American Express Card ($0 annual fee) and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($95 annual fee) for small-business owners. Be sure to read our guide to the best Hilton credit cards for all your options.

And if you want to earn Hilton points but don't want to lock yourself into a single hotel program, consider a card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, like The Platinum Card® from American Express or American Express® Gold Card . You can transfer Amex points to Hilton (and 19 other airline and hotel partners), so these cards are a better choice if you value flexibility.

Let's break down what makes the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card such a compelling option for Hilton travelers to help you decide if it's a good fit for your wallet.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

How to earn rewards from Amex Hilton Aspire card

As Amex's premium Hilton credit card, it makes sense that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has the highest earning rates of all the Hilton cards. Cardholders earn:

• 14 Hilton points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases
• 7 points per dollar at eligible U.S. restaurants, on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, and on eligible car rentals
• 3 points per eligible dollar spent on everything else

Unlike some hotel credit cards that don't offer much in the way of spending bonuses on everyday purchases, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is one you might want to use as a general travel and dining card, thanks to its 7x bonus categories.

It's also important to note that the card's 14x earning on Hilton purchases is in addition to what you'd normally earn from a stay (10x points on the room rate at most Hilton brands, plus a 100% bonus from having automatic Diamond status from the card — more on that in a bit). That means when you use your card to pay at Hilton hotels, you'll earn a whopping 34 points per dollar in most cases – 14x from the card, 10x as regular earning on the room rate, and 10x from the Diamond elite bonus).

How to use Hilton points

Hilton points are worth around 0.5 cents apiece, according to Insider's valuations. That's a good number to keep in mind if you're trying to decide whether or not redeeming your points is worth it. In some cases, such as at expensive top-tier luxury resorts, you could get much more value than that. But when paid rates are low, it may be a better deal to just pay cash.

Redeem on Hilton Hotel stays

The Hilton Honors program includes over 7,000 hotels in 123 countries across 19 distinct brands, so it's easy to redeem your points just about anywhere in the world.

Redeem Hilton points at the following brands:

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

You'll almost always get the most value from your Hilton points when you redeem them for award nights, or by paying for a stay with points and cash. Keep in mind Hilton no longer has a standard award chart, so the price of an award night at a specific hotel can vary depending on the paid rate, season, demand, and other factors. 

That said, standard award nights start at 5,000 Hilton points (these hotels are rare) up to 95,000 points, although there are a couple of luxury resorts that charge up to 150,000 points. Premium awards — think better rooms, suites, or peak-season dates — often cost a lot more. You'll typically find the lowest-priced award nights at inexpensive Hilton brands like Tru, Home2Suites, or Hilton Garden Inn in less-popular locales. Expect to pay much more at upscale big-city hotels and luxury resorts in tourist destinations.

For instance, the Hilton Garden Inn Tulsa South charges just 20,000 points a night, and paid rates vary from around $90 to $130 most times of the year. On the other end of the spectrum, the Grand Wailea Maui, a Waldorf Astoria Resort charges 110,000 points per night for (if you can find availability) for a standard room that can cost in excess of $1,000 per night, depending on season.

One way to stretch your points is by taking advantage of the fifth-night-free benefit Hilton offers its elite members. Because you'll automatically receive Hilton Diamond status from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you'll be able to book a standard award stay of five nights and only pay for four (effectively a 20% discount).

Transfer Hilton points to airlines

This isn't normally the best way to redeem, but you can transfer Hilton points to dozens of airline partners at varying ratios. This option should be avoided unless you definitely can't use your points for stays, or just need to top-off your airline frequent flyer account by a small amount for an award.

Redeem Hilton points for experiences, events, merchandise, and more

The other ways to use Hilton points have different rates of return, but again, you're not likely to get as high a value with these options compared to redeeming for stays:

• Hilton Honors experiences — Redeem your points for exclusive events, tours, dining, and more
• Use Hilton points for event credits — Starting at 25,000 points for up to $50 credit
• Redeem Hilton points at Amazon — You'll only get a rate of 0.2 cents per point — a poor value
• Donate Hilton points to charity — Options include World Central Kitchen, Clean the World Foundation, and CARE Inc.
• Use Hilton points toward Lyft rides — Usually around 0.2 cents per point, also a poor value
• Pool or transfer Hilton points to a friend — Send up to 2 million points per year to friends or family for free, or pool your points with up to 11 people to save for a redemption

Your Hilton points will expire if there's no activity in your account for 24 months, but spending on a Hilton credit card like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a simple way to reset the clock.

Hilton Aspire benefits and features

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card really shines — and makes up for its annual fee – in the vast array of valuable perks it offers.

Hilton free night award

When you open your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, then every year after you renew it, you'll receive a free night award valid for a standard room at almost any Hilton hotel worldwide (with a handful of exclusions, listed here).

You can even redeem this award at the most expensive Hilton resorts that cost 150,000 points per night, as long as you can find standard availability. This means there's the potential to receive hundreds or even thousands in value from this single perk, assuming you use it at a pricey hotel. Of course, it's OK to redeem it at lower-tier properties, too, but most folks try to max it out at high-end hotels.

In addition, if you spend $60,000 or more on purchases with your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in a calendar year, you'll receive another free night award, with the same terms as the anniversary free night.

Automatic Diamond elite status

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is the only hotel credit card that confers automatic top-tier elite status. You'll be a Hilton Diamond elite as long as your card is open and in good standing.

Hilton Diamond status comes with a slew of perks that can save you money and massively improve your travel experience, including:

• 100% points earning bonus on stays
• Space-available room upgrades (up to suites)
• Executive lounge access
• Free breakfast at most hotels (currently awarded as a food and beverage credit at US properties)
• 48-hour room guarantee
• Elite status gifting

Hilton resort credit

Each card membership year, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card can receive up to $250 in statement credits toward purchases made directly with Hilton resorts. This includes room rate and incidental charges billed to your room (such as dining, activities, or spa treatments).

Hilton property credit

When you book a minimum two-night stay at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad hotels, you'll receive up to $100 in property credits. You must make the booking by calling Hilton Honors or via HiltonHonorsAspireCard.com to qualify for this perk.

Airline incidental fee credit

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits each calendar year on one eligible airline you choose. You can use the credit for things like baggage fees, seat selection fees, pet fees, or inflight food and drinks, but not airfare.

Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card cardholders can also activate a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which comes with access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. This is valid for the cardholder and up to two guests, and can make travel through a busy airport much more comfortable, as most airport lounges offer free drinks, snacks, Wi-Fi, and a quieter place to relax.

Secondary car rental insurance

When you use your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card to pay for the entire rental of an eligible vehicle and decline the rental company's insurance, you can be covered for damage or theft up to $75,000. Rentals of up to 30 days qualify, but there are vehicle and country exclusions. You can read the full terms here.

Baggage insurance plan

If you paid for your entire flight or other common carrier ticket with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you can be covered up to $2,000 per person for checked bags and $3,000 per person for carry-on luggage. Some states have different limits and certain "high-risk" items are excluded from coverage, so make sure to check the full terms and conditions.

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Using a credit card with solid travel insurance is important nowadays with weather and labor disruptions becoming even more common. When you pay for eligible round-trip non-refundable travel with your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you can be reimbursed if your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.

There's a maximum coverage limit of $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card in a consecutive 12-month period. You can read the full terms and conditions as to what is and isn't covered here.

Trip delay insurance

Paying for your flight using a credit card with trip delay insurance can take the sting out of an overnight delay, especially when the airline won't cover food or overnight accommodations. Charge the full amount of a covered trip to your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and if you're delayed by six hours or more, you can be reimbursed for eligible expenses such as meals, a hotel room, and toiletries.

There's a maximum of up to $500 per covered trip and up to two claims per consecutive 12-month period. You can find out more about this coverage here.

Premium Global Assist Hotline

While many credit cards come with some form of travel emergency services, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is one of only a few cards that offers premium assistance. If you're traveling more than 100 miles from home and need help, Amex's Premium Global Assist Hotline is available 24/7 to arrange things like translation services, legal and medical referrals, or emergency cash.

This service is free but any third-party costs are the cardholder's responsibility, with one big exception: It may provide emergency medical evacuation coverage at no cost if it's approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline. 

American Express Concierge

The American Express Concierge can help with requests such as snagging hard-to-get event tickets or restaurant reservations, or can assist with things like travel or shopping requests. Again, this is a free service but any third-party costs are the cardholder's responsibility.

Return protection

If you try to return an eligible item paid for with your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and the merchant won't take it back, you can be eligible for return protection within 90 days of the purchase date. Coverage is for up to $300 per item and up to $1,000 per account per calendar year. There's a long list of items that aren't eligible for return protection; you can read all the exclusions here. 

Purchase protection

Amex is well known for offering cards with some of the best purchase protection available today, and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a great example. If you used your card to pay for a covered item and it's stolen, damaged, or lost within 90 days of purchase, you could be eligible for up to $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per eligible card per calendar year. Again, there are exclusions that you can find out about here.

Extended warranty

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card cardholders can receive extended warranty protection on eligible items purchased with their card — up to one additional year on original manufacturer's warranties of five years or less. Coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per covered purchase and $50,000 per eligible card per calendar year. Find out more about what's covered here.

Access to Amex Offers

Like other American Express cards, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with access to Amex Offers.** These are targeted discounts or bonus points from participating merchants you can receive when you activate an offer and make a qualifying purchase. Saving money with Amex Offers is a great way to help offset a card's annual fee, and you'll often find deals for shopping, dining, travel, and more.

Hilton Aspire fees and costs

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card charges an annual fee of $450, which is in line with other premium credit cards.

As with other cards, there are fees for cash advances, late payments, and returned payments. However, the card doesn't add foreign transaction fees, so you can safely use it for international purchases without incurring extra charges.

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Hilton Honors Aspire card frequently asked questions (FAQ)