Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: A showdown of premium hotel credit cards

American Express provides two high-end cobranded hotel credit cards: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card* and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

Both cards come with substantial annual fees — $550 and $650, respectively (check Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant rates and fees) and offer comparable perks, including automatic elite status and annual free-night awards.

Is one card superior to the other? Let's compare them directly to determine which one deserves a spot in your wallet.

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

Comparison of Hilton Amex Aspire and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

Below are the key features of both cards across major categories:

Welcome offer for Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

With the Hilton Amex Aspire*, you can earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $6,000 on the card within your first six months of membership.

On the other hand, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant allows you to earn 185,000 bonus points after making $6,000 in purchases during the first six months of your account.

According to TPG's August 2024 valuations, 150,000 Hilton points equate to $900, while the Brilliant offer is valued at $1,573. Even though Marriott points are considered more valuable than Hilton Honors points, the Aspire's* substantial welcome offer is noteworthy.

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. Its welcome offer provides greater value.

Benefits of Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

The standout feature of both cards is the wide range of benefits they provide.

The Aspire* card includes various statement credits that easily cover the annual fee. Each year, you can receive up to $200 in statement credits (up to $50 per quarter) for eligible flight purchases made directly with an airline or via amextravel.com. Additionally, you'll get up to $100 in credits for incidentals when booking a paid stay of at least two nights at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties through HiltonHonors.com/aspirecard. You can also enjoy an up to $199 Clear Plus membership credit.

After opening your account, you'll receive one weekend night at nearly any Hilton property globally, plus another on your cardmember anniversary. You can earn a second and third free night by spending $30,000 and $60,000 on the card within a calendar year, respectively.

The card's standout travel benefit is the automatic top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status granted to the primary cardholder. This status includes advantages like bonus points, access to executive lounges, complimentary breakfasts, and room upgrades — valued at approximately $2,000 annually, according to our estimates. A practical feature of the card is cellphone protection, which reimburses cardholders for damaged or lost phones up to $800 per claim, allowing for two claims each year with a $50 deductible per claim.* Additional terms and conditions may apply.

**Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

With the Bonvoy Brilliant, you'll receive up to $25 in statement credits for restaurant charges made with your card each month.

Additionally, you'll enjoy an on-property credit of up to $100 on eligible two-night paid stays at St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton locations. Primary cardholders automatically receive Platinum Elite status, which offers benefits like suite upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, and lounge access.

Cardholders can expedite their way to a higher status level with 25 complimentary elite-qualifying-night credits each year. The card also provides an annual free night award valued at up to 85,000 points. Unlike many other premium cards (excluding the Aspire*), the Bonvoy Brilliant includes a Priority Pass membership (with guesting privileges; enrollment required for select benefits) and offers reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck charged to the card (up to $100).

Winner: Tie. Both cards provide a free night certificate along with robust travel and shopping protections. Aspire* cardholders enjoy top-tier elite status without any minimum spending requirements, while Brilliant cardholders benefit from more user-friendly statement credits.

Points earning potential on the Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

With the Hilton Amex Aspire*, you can earn 14 points for every dollar spent at hotels within the Hilton portfolio. According to TPG's August 2024 valuation of 0.6 cents per point, this translates to an 8.4% return on your spending. In reality, the return on paid stays is even higher.

Thanks to the card's complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, you receive a 100% points bonus for Hilton stays (or 20 points per dollar spent at most Hilton locations). This means you'll earn a total of 34 points per dollar on most Hilton stays as a cardholder, resulting in a return of over 20%.

With the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, you earn 6 points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott hotels, 3 points per dollar on worldwide restaurant purchases and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points per dollar on all other transactions.

Alongside the 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott hotels, you can accumulate up to 10 points per dollar simply for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, plus an additional 5 points per dollar (50%) on stays due to the complimentary Platinum Elite status provided by the card. This means you'll earn a total of 21 points on your booking.

Considering TPG's August 2024 valuations, this equates to a return of over 17% on Marriott purchases, 2.5% on dining and flights, and 1.6% on everyday spending.

Winner: Aspire*. It offers higher earnings on accommodations.

Redeeming points with the Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

With the Aspire*, you can redeem your Hilton points for gift cards and transfer them to airlines (at approximately a 10:1 ratio), but the best value comes from hotel stays. Thanks to Hilton's dynamic pricing, you can generally expect consistent value from your points throughout the year. However, a property can unexpectedly raise its standard award price at any time.

A great strategy for staying at top-tier properties is using points to offset paid stays with the Points & Money option, which can yield exceptional redemption value of up to 1 cent per point.

Regarding the Bonvoy Brilliant, you can redeem points for free stays at over 8,700 properties across 30 brands in 130 countries. The program features numerous sweet spots, including exclusive SPG suite-only properties like the St. Regis Maldives and Al Maha in Dubai for 70,000-100,000 points per night.

TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed has taken advantage of his Bonvoy points along with the program's fifth free night perk to secure a stay at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC in Dubai over the New Year's Eve weekend.

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. Marriott boasts a more extensive portfolio with various brands catering to all kinds of travelers.

Transferring points on the Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

Marriott points are unique among hotel loyalty programs because they offer excellent value when converting points into airline miles. Marriott points can be transferred to over 40 frequent flyer programs, typically at a favorable 2.4:1 ratio, including a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred.

Hilton Honors points can also be transferred to select airline partners, but the conversion rate is less advantageous than Marriott's, usually at 10:1.

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. Whether you're aiming to redeem points for complimentary stays or flights, there are numerous ways to derive significant value from Marriott Bonvoy points.

Should I choose the Hilton Amex Aspire or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant?

The best card for you ultimately hinges on your loyalty to a particular hotel chain. If you don't have a strong preference for either, we suggest opting for the Aspire Card* due to its superior earning potential and perks like top-tier elite status, along with credits for resort and airline fees. Nevertheless, the Bonvoy Brilliant is also valuable with its flexible statement credits and annual free night certificate.

In summary

Alternatively, considering the automatic elite statuses and various benefits offered by the two largest hotel loyalty programs, you might also argue for owning both cards. Each card simplifies benefit maximization and provides statement credits to help mitigate their substantial annual fees.

For further details, check out our comprehensive reviews of the Hilton Aspire* and the Bonvoy Brilliant.