6 compelling reasons to choose the Amex Hilton Aspire card

We believe the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is among the top hotel credit cards available today, even with its $550 annual fee (see rates and fees), as its benefits easily outweigh this substantial cost and more.

Currently, the card is offering 175,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of membership, which, according to TPG's August 2024 valuations, translates to a value of $1,050.

With benefits ranging from airline fee credits to Hilton elite status and generous earning rates, here are six reasons the Hilton Honors Aspire Card is a valuable addition to your wallet.

The details for the Hilton Aspire Amex card have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The information presented on this page has not been verified or supplied by the card issuer.

Premier elite status

Perhaps the most outstanding benefit of the Aspire card is the complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status granted to the primary cardholder. Unlike the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, this status is maintained as long as your card account remains active, without needing to meet any minimum spending requirement.

Diamond status provides a 100% bonus on points, access to executive-floor lounges, complimentary breakfast, and room upgrades, among various other perks. Typically, it's achieved after 30 stays, 60 nights, or by accumulating 120,000 base points within a calendar year (which translates to $12,000 in spending).

Up to three complimentary nights each year

With the Aspire Card, you’ll earn one complimentary night at nearly any Hilton property around the globe upon account opening, and again each year on your cardmember anniversary. Additionally, you’ll earn a second and third night when you spend $30,000 and $60,000 on the card within a calendar year, respectively.

Provided the property qualifies and a room is available, this benefit has no restrictions, meaning even occasional travelers can take full advantage of this perk and save hundreds annually.

$200 airline fee reimbursement

The Hilton Aspire offers an annual credit of up to $200 for airline incidental fees, which can help alleviate travel expenses. This credit is available in increments of up to $50 each calendar quarter, applicable to purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com.

$400 Hilton resort credit

Each year of card membership — starting from your account opening date — you can receive up to $400 in statement credits for use at eligible Hilton resorts. This credit is split into two installments, allowing cardholders to utilize up to $200 from January to June and another $200 from July to December.

The highlight of this benefit is its flexibility; it's not restricted to incidental charges like meals and spa services. It can also be applied toward room rates and taxes, potentially granting you an additional night or two at eligible resorts.

Considering all the card's additional perks, the $200 airline-fee credit and $400 resort credit effectively counterbalance the card's $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Up to $100 on-property credit at Hilton

Whenever you book a minimum two-night paid stay at a participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts or Conrad Hotels & Resorts location through HiltonHonorsAspireCard.com, by verifying your card number or using code ZZAAP1 when reserving by phone, you can receive up to a $100 credit for incidentals during your visit.

Unlike the resort credit, this is strictly for incidental expenses and cannot be applied to room charges or property fees. Nonetheless, it can still be a highly beneficial perk if you spend two or more nights at eligible locations.

Exceptional earning rates

The Aspire card rewards you with an impressive 14 points for every dollar spent on paid stays within the Hilton portfolio. According to TPG's August 2024 valuation of 0.6 cents per Hilton Honors point, this equates to an 8.4% return on your spending — significantly more advantageous than any other cobranded hotel card. Coupled with complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, which provides a 100% point bonus on Hilton stays (or 20 points per dollar at most properties), you can earn a total of 34 points per dollar on many Hilton stays as a cardholder, resulting in a 20.4% return.

While it may not be as competitive for other travel expenses as premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you still earn 7 points per dollar (a 4.2% return) on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com, car rentals from select companies, and at U.S. restaurants; additionally, you earn 3 points per dollar (a 1.8% return) on all other purchases with the card.

Key takeaways

There are numerous reasons to appreciate the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card, and maximizing its benefits can easily outweigh its annual fee — even if you don't frequently stay at Hilton hotels. With advantages like premier elite status and earning 34 points per dollar on brand stays, this card sets a new standard for hotel cobranded credit cards.

Discover more: Amex Hilton Aspire review