Hilton Honors American Categorical Card evaluation: Full particulars

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Card is Hilton’s entry-level cobranded product. It affords bonus factors on Hilton stays, complimentary Silver elite standing and primary perks for no annual price (see charges and costs). Nonetheless, different journey playing cards supply extra factors flexibility and greater perks. Card ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The Hilton Honors program covers over 8,000 properties in additional than 140 nations, offering ample alternatives to earn and redeem factors.

If you happen to’re a newbie in search of a card with some Hilton perks, chances are you’ll wish to have a look at the Hilton Honors American Categorical Card.

It’s a nice possibility for vacationers trying to get began with Hilton Honors because of beneficiant class bonuses and journey and buy protections (phrases apply).

We advocate that candidates typically have a superb credit score rating of 670 or larger to extend their probabilities of being authorized.

This is all the things it’s essential resolve if the cardboard is correct to your pockets.

New Hilton Honors Amex cardmembers can earn 70,000 bonus factors and a free evening reward after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. Supply ends April 29.

In line with TPG’s February 2025 valuations, Hilton factors are price 0.6 cents apiece, which suggests this welcome supply is price $420 in factors, plus the worth of a free evening reward.

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You might contemplate this the all time supply on the common Hilton Amex card, although it is dependent upon the way you worth it. The bonus factors alone will not be the best quantity we now have seen supplied on this card. Nonetheless, for those who place a excessive worth on the free evening reward, it might turn out to be the no-annual-fee card’s high welcome bonus.

Associated: Present affords on Hilton Amex playing cards

The Hilton Honors Amex options a couple of notable perks past the welcome supply. Provided that this card does not have an annual price, I can not fault it for being mild on advantages.

This is an outline of what this card has to supply (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply):

• Elite standing: Cardmembers robotically obtain Hilton Honors Silver elite standing, which supplies member reductions, a 20% factors bonus on paid stays, elite rollover nights, a fifth evening free on award stays and extra. You may improve to Hilton Honors Gold standing by means of the tip of the following calendar 12 months for those who spend $20,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months. It is price mentioning that different Hilton bank cards supply Gold standing robotically, which means spending $20,000 to get there is not a superb worth.
• Leisure: By the Amex Experiences program, you may get unique entry to ticket presales and cardmember-only occasions, in addition to Broadway exhibits, live performance excursions, sporting occasions and extra.
• Prolonged guarantee*: The cardboard comes with an prolonged guarantee that provides as much as one 12 months to an authentic producer’s guarantee of 5 years or much less.
• Buy safety*: Buy safety covers objects unintentionally broken, stolen or misplaced for those who paid for them along with your card. This profit covers purchases for as much as 90 days and covers as much as $1,000 per merchandise, as much as $50,000 per calendar 12 months.
• Automobile rental insurance coverage**: While you use the cardboard to order and pay for a automobile rental and decline the rental firm’s insurance coverage, you are lined in opposition to injury and theft, as much as $50,000. This profit is secondary protection to your individual auto insurance coverage and does not embrace legal responsibility.

*Eligibility and profit ranges range by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

**Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Not all automobile sorts or leases are lined, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable by means of American Categorical Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.

Associated: Every thing it’s essential find out about American Categorical buy safety

With the Hilton Honors Amex, you may earn:

• 7 Hilton Honors factors per greenback spent on stays at Hilton motels and resorts (together with paying to your room and on-site spending at eating places and spas)
• 5 factors per greenback spent at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply)
• 5 factors per greenback spent at U.S. gasoline stations and U.S. supermarkets
• 3 factors per greenback spent on different eligible purchases

Given TPG’s February 2025 valuation of Hilton factors at 0.6 cents apiece, you may earn a 4.2% base return at Hilton properties. Nonetheless, with the bonus factors you may obtain with Silver elite standing, you may earn 12 factors per greenback spent on eligible Hilton purchases on high of the cardboard earnings. This bumps your return 19 factors per greenback — or a powerful 11.4% return in your spending.

As well as, you may obtain a 3% return on spending at U.S. grocery shops, U.S. gasoline stations and U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply) and a 1.8% return on all different eligible purchases.

If you happen to’re in search of larger incomes alternatives masking a wider swath of journey purchases, together with flights and rental automobiles, you will not get that with this card.

Associated: Which bank card must you use for Hilton stays?

The Factors Explorer device can present you what different visitors have paid lately, supplying you with an concept of how a lot a given award ticket may cost.

It’s also possible to switch your Hilton Honors factors to over 25 airline loyalty applications worldwide. I do not advocate this technique until it’s essential switch Honors factors to high off an airline account for a selected award. The switch ratio is often horrible, costing you hundreds of factors for a small return of airline miles.

My recommendation? Persist with resort room redemptions to get the very best worth to your rewards.

You will do even higher while you redeem factors for a keep of 5 nights or longer. That is since you get a fifth evening free on stays utilizing factors, because of your Hilton Silver standing.

TPG director of journey content material Eric Rosen has utilized the fifth-night-free profit to maximise the worth of his factors for a keep on the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal. Because of this function, he was capable of save 120,000 Hilton factors on his keep.

Associated: Hilton provides one other 100-plus motels because of Small Luxurious Lodges of the World partnership

The Hilton Honors Amex card has pure opponents with “Hilton” of their names, however a normal journey rewards bank card may additionally do higher in your pockets. Listed below are a couple of of the choices you need to contemplate:

For extra choices, see our record of the greatest resort bank cards and greatest American Categorical playing cards.

Associated: The most effective no-annual-fee bank cards

You would possibly assume the Amex Hilton Honors card is price it by default because it has no annual price, however it is dependent upon what you are in search of. I imagine you may like this card if entry-level elite standing and truthful incomes classes are enough for you. Nonetheless, for those who’re in search of versatile rewards or extra Hilton perks, I like to recommend going for a mid-tier Hilton card or normal journey rewards card.

Apply right here: Hilton Honors American Categorical Card

Associated: How to decide on the very best bank card for you

For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass Card, click on right here.