Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card overview: High-tier rewards and perks at Hilton resorts

Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card Overview

Card sort: Resort rewards, Journey rewards

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card is a top-tier resort bank card that provides frequent vacationers good causes to go all in on Hilton. The cardboard gives not solely a large welcome bonus and excessive rewards charges but in addition the rewards program’s prime elite Diamond standing advantages—one thing you received’t discover with another resort card. 

Not like bank cards from rival resort applications, which restrict the worth of their free annual night time reward, the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card‘s free night time reward can be utilized at nearly any Hilton property worldwide, giving the perk vital potential worth. What’s extra, massive spenders could possibly earn a second or perhaps a third free night time reward. The cardboard additionally comes with as much as $400 in Hilton Resort credit annually, cut up into two $200 semi-annual credit, and as much as $200 in annual flight credit, damaged up into 4 $50 quarterly credit.

That mentioned, the cardboard’s construction could make it tough for some vacationers to take advantage of its spectacular advantages.

Who’s the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card good for? 

Take into account the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card if the cardboard’s advantages construction aligns along with your journey habits. Particularly, the cardboard could be a nice selection for individuals who fly not less than as soon as 1 / 4 and keep at Hilton resorts not less than twice a yr. 

It’s particularly value it if you wish to benefit from the Hilton Honors program’s most unique perks as a Diamond elite member. The cardboard will also be nice for large spenders, because the second and third free annual night time rewards require $30,000 and $60,000 in annual spending respectively. 

Who shouldn’t get the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card? 

For those who’re an informal traveler, and don’t have the means to remain at Hilton resorts with any regularity—there are solely 270 around the globe—then the cardboard may not be match. 

It could additionally not be value it for those who favor one other resort chain, you’re not married to a single resort model, otherwise you need extra versatile rewards.

Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card: Find out how to earn rewards

The cardboard gives 14X factors per greenback on Hilton stays. As a Hilton Honors Diamond member, you’ll additionally get twice as many base factors—as much as 20 factors per greenback as a substitute of as much as 10—on these purchases as common members, for a staggering complete of as much as 34 factors per greenback. 

On different spending, you’ll earn 7X factors per greenback on airfare, automobile leases and eating places, and 3X factors per greenback on different purchases. 

As a brand new cardholder, you’ll additionally earn 150,000 factors for those who spend $4,000 within the first 3 months from account opening.

It’s essential to notice, nevertheless, that whereas the cardboard makes it simple to rack up a ton of factors quick, it additionally requires a whole lot of factors to e-book Hilton stays. Whereas the minimal nightly fee is 5,000 factors, you possibly can usually count on to spend 40,000 factors or extra for a single night time. 

Find out how to redeem Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card rewards 

As with different resort bank cards, the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card doesn’t provide as a lot flexibility along with your rewards as common journey playing cards. You’ll be able to, nevertheless, pool your factors with as much as 10nine family and friends members, which may come in useful for group journeys. 

Right here’s a fast abstract of how you need to use your hard-earned factors.

Reward nights

Arguably, one of the simplest ways to redeem Hilton Honors factors is free of charge stays at Hilton resorts and resorts. Thankfully, there are greater than 7,000 properties throughout 19 manufacturers around the globe from which you’ll select.

That mentioned, the worth of your factors will fluctuate relying on the main points of your keep. One night time in a normal room prices between 5,000 and 95,000 factors, however you’ll pay extra for upgraded rooms and particular lodging. 

For those who’re planning an extended journey, notice that your fifth night time is free while you pay with factors.

Different redemption choices

For those who don’t have sufficient factors to e-book a free keep otherwise you’re not planning to journey anytime quickly, you may additionally take into account redeeming your factors in different methods. Choices embody:

You can too switch your Hilton factors to a number of completely different home and worldwide airways. Nevertheless, the dialog fee isn’t in your favor. If you wish to switch to Delta, as an example, you’ll want to maneuver 10,000 Hilton Honors factors to get 1,000 Delta SkyMiles.

Lastly, when you have a whole lot of factors to spare, you can bid towards different Hilton Honors members for a possibility to attend particular occasions, such because the Grammys, or get pleasure from a VIP expertise, akin to a spa remedy at choose resorts and particular eating choices.

Hilton Honors Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card charges and costs

• Annual price: $450
• Overseas transaction price: None
• Buy APR: 20.99%–29.99% variable

Further advantages

• Complimentary Diamond standing: Hilton’s prime elite tier, Diamond standing gives all the advantages of the decrease tiers plus space-available room upgrades, govt lounge entry, premium Wi-Fi, standing gifting, and extra.
• CLEAR Plus credit score: Annually, you’ll get a $189 credit score while you use your card to pay for a CLEAR Plus membership, which may expedite the airport safety screening course of at choose airports. Word, nevertheless, that it doesn’t embody TSA PreCheck or World Entry membership.
• Hilton on-property credit score: If you keep at collaborating Waldorf Astoria Lodges & Resorts and Conrad Lodges & Resorts properties for not less than two nights, you’ll rise up to $100 in credit for qualifying on-property costs.
• Nationwide Automobile Rental standing: You’ll get complimentary Emerald Membership Govt standing with Nationwide, which comes with perks like full-size automobiles at mid-size charges, assured upgrades on full-size by way of luxurious leases, and extra.
• Baggage insurance coverage: You’ll be able to rise up to $3,000 in protection for misplaced, broken or stolen baggage.
• Journey delay insurance coverage: In case your round-trip journey is delayed by six hours or extra, you possibly can rise up to $500 in reimbursements for eligible bills, akin to meals and lodging.
• Journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage: In case your round-trip journey is interrupted or canceled attributable to lined causes, akin to an sickness, damage or dying, you possibly can rise up to $10,000 in protection for eligible non-refundable bills.
• Buy safety: If you use the cardboard to buy eligible objects, you’ll rise up to $10,000 in protection per declare within the occasion that the merchandise is unintentionally broken, misplaced or stolen inside 90 days from the acquisition date.
• Return safety: If a service provider doesn’t help you return an eligible merchandise you bought along with your card inside 90 days of buy, you’ll have as much as $300 per merchandise in protection by way of your card.

Bank cards much like Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card is full of worth, however its excessive price makes it much less interesting for something however die-hard Hilton loyalists. As such, it’s a good suggestion to buy round and evaluate a number of playing cards to find out which one is finest suited to your journey habits. Listed below are a pair to think about.

Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass® Card vs. Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass® Card is a toned-down model of the Aspire Card and could be a better option for informal Hilton followers, with a better to abdomen $150 annual price. It additionally gives barely much less spectacular rewards charges, supplying you with 12X Hilton Honors bonus factors for every greenback of eligible purchases charged in your card instantly with a resort or resort inside the Hilton portfolio, 6X factors for every greenback of purchases in your card at U.S. eating places, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. fuel stations, 4X factors for every greenback on U.S. on-line retail purchases, and 3X factors for all different eligible purchases in your card. It additionally gives an analogous welcome bonus, supplying you with 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus factors after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of card membership.

You’ll additionally get Gold elite standing—which is one tier decrease than Diamond—however you possibly can earn Diamond standing with $40,000 in annual spend. You can too get pleasure from as much as $200 in annual credit in $50 quarterly increments on Hilton purchases in any respect collaborating properties as a substitute of simply resorts. Word, nevertheless, that you simply’ll must spend not less than $15,000 in a calendar yr to earn an annual free night time reward. That mentioned, the cardboard’s $150 annual price is far simpler to abdomen.

Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card vs. Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card

For those who’re in search of extra flexibility, take into account the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card, which lets you use your rewards for nearly any form of journey expense, not only one resort model. You’ll be able to e-book your journey utilizing miles instantly by way of the Capital One Journey portal or e-book by yourself and request a press release credit score inside 90 days of constructing the acquisition. You can too switch your Capital One miles, usually at a 1 to 1 ratio to Capital One’s journey loyalty switch companions, which frequently yields larger worth to your rewards.

The cardboard gives 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside 3 months from account opening—that’s value $750 in journey. You’ll additionally earn 5x miles on resorts and rental automobiles booked by way of Capital One Journey and 2x miles on each buy. Different perks that include the cardboard’s $95 annual price embody Hertz 5 Star elite standing and an software price credit score towards World Entry or TSA membership. That mentioned, you received’t get elite standing with any resort rewards applications.

Is the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card best for you?

For those who journey continuously and like to remain at Hilton properties, the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card needs to be in your radar. For those who aren’t certain in regards to the annual price, check out your journey and spending habits during the last yr or two to get an concept of how simple it’ll be to maximise the cardboard’s perks. 

For those who’re unsure about whether or not you will get sufficient worth again to justify the cardboard’s price, take your time to analysis and evaluate different choices to seek out the most effective card for you.

Often requested questions

What credit score rating do you want for the Hilton Honors Aspire card?

American Categorical doesn’t disclose a minimal credit score rating requirement, however like most premium journey bank cards, the cardboard is mostly marketed to individuals with good credit score or higher. That usually means a FICO Rating of 670 or greater, however the greater your rating is, the higher your odds of approval can be.

Thankfully, Amex’s “apply with confidence” function permits you to see for those who’re accepted for the cardboard with out requiring a tough credit score test.

What’s the credit score restrict on a Hilton Honors American Categorical card?

Sadly, American Categorical doesn’t present this info publicly. The cardboard issuer will take into account a number of components, together with your credit score rating, credit score historical past, revenue, out there credit score on different Amex bank cards, and extra, to find out your card’s restrict. 

How can I get Hilton Diamond standing free of charge?

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card comes with complimentary Diamond standing, however as a result of the cardboard costs a $450 annual price, it’s laborious to argue that as a very free perk. 

One other strategy to earn Hilton Diamond standing is to rack up 60 nights, 30 stays or 120,000 base factors. However except an employer is masking the price of these stays, that received’t be free both.

All details about the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card has been collected independently by Fortune Recommends™ .

Please notice that card particulars are correct as of the publish date, however are topic to alter at any time on the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the cardboard issuer to confirm charges, charges, and advantages earlier than making use of.

Phrases apply to American Categorical advantages and gives. Enrollment could also be required for choose American Categorical advantages and gives. Go to americanexpress.com to be taught extra.

Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances, and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.