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UPDATE: Some or All of the offer(s) mentioned in this post have now expired
I’m not going to pretend that I follow the fortunes of the Amex Hilton Honors credit cards all that closely as Hilton isn’t one of my main go-to chains when I travel (although that may change) but, as I logged in to the Hilton Honors app earlier, I couldn’t help but notice that Hilton is currently offering marginally better welcome bonuses on its co-branded credit cards than Amex is offering on its site.
Right now the homepage I’m seeing on the Hilton app looks like this….
…and selecting “offers” takes me to a page with improved offers on 3 of the 4 Hilton Honors cards issued by American Express.
Hilton is currently offering a 150,000 point welcome bonus on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (Offer Expired) and that’s exactly the same as you’ll find if you on the American Express website….but the welcome bonuses on offer from Hilton are 5,000 points better on each of the other three cards.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card (was Ascend Card)
Annual fee: $95
Welcome bonus: 130,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of card membership (Offer Expired)
Earning rates:
- Earn 12 points/dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- Earn 6 points/dollar at
- U.S. restaurants
- U.S. supermarkets
- U.S. gas stations
- Earn 3 points/dollar on all other purchases
- Complimentary Hilton Gold Status for as long as you hold the card.
Headline benefits:
- Free Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card account in a calendar year.
- Upgrade to Hilton Diamond status when you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
Hilton Honors Card from American Express
Annual fee: $0
Welcome bonus: 80,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of card membership (OFFER EXPIRED)
Earning rates:
- Earn 7 points/dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- Earn 5 points/dollar at
- U.S. restaurants
- U.S. supermarkets
- U.S. gas stations
- Earn 3 points/dollar on all other purchases
- Complimentary Hilton Silver Status for as long as you hold the card.
Headline benefits:
- Upgrade to Hilton Gold status when you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
Hilton Honors Business Card from American Express
Annual fee: $95
Welcome bonus: 130,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of card membership (OFFER EXPIRED)
Earning rates:
- Earn 12 points/dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- Earn 6 points/dollar on select business purchases
- at U.S. gas stations
- on wireless telephone services purchases directly from U.S. service providers
- on U.S. purchases for shipping
- Earn 6 points/dollar on select travel purchases
- at U.S. restaurants
- on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel
- on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
- Earn 3 points/dollar on all other purchases
- Complimentary Hilton Gold Status for as long as you hold the card.
Headline benefits:
- Free Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card account in a calendar year.
- Earn a second Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- 10 Free Priority Pass lounge visits every year.
- Upgrade to Hilton Diamond status when you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
Bottom Line
If you’ve been thinking about applying for one of the Hilton Honors Amex credit cards you should take a look at the offers on the Hilton Honors app or the Hilton Honors website before you go any further.
This offers may be available though other channels too but, as far as I can tell, they’re not available through the American Express website.
Personally, as only an occasional visitor to Hilton properties, I like the free card that ensures I earn a nice chuck of Hilton Honors points on the occasions I find myself at a Hilton and it’s yet another card which costs nothing but still gives me access to Amex Offers.
If you’re a Hilton Loyalist then the Aspire card would appear to be the logical choice as the Diamond status that the card bestows upon card holders (just for holding the card) is one of the more valuable credit card benefits available.
Featured image courtesy of American Express
[…] horizon, there’s nothing stopping me from picking up the Hilton Honors Ascend credit card, pocketing a nice chunk of Hilton points and getting Gold status thrown […]