The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express delivers solid benefits and rewards to its cardholders. For frequent travelers who regularly stay at Hilton Hotels, the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express enables card members to accrue bonus points quickly and easily.
The Hilton Portfolio of Hotels is comprised of various brands. This Portfolio includes:
| Hotel Type: Full-service | Number of Properties | Locations |
| Doubletree by Hilton | 380 | 33 countries |
| Embassy Suites Hotels | 220 | 5 countries |
| Hilton Hotels and Resorts | 558 | 81 countries |
| Hotel Type: Focus-service | Number of Properties | Locations |
| Hampton Inns | 2,000 | 16 countries |
| Homewood Suites | 358 | 3 countries |
| Hilton Garden Inns | 614 | 22 countries |
| Hotel Type: Luxury | Number of Properties | Locations |
| Waldorf-Astoria Hotels and Resorts | 25 | 10 countries |
| Conrad Hotels | 23 | 17 countries |
Like the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card, new account holders who sign up and are approved for the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express are currently eligible to earn 40,000 Hilton HHonors Bonus Points. But with this card, members only have to spend a minimum of $750 on purchases during the first three months of membership rather than $1,000 in four months as required by the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card. These Bonus Points are in addition to earning points for stays at Hilton Hotels as well as for purchases made at gas stations, supermarkets, and restaurants located in the U.S.
Complimentary Silver status is given to new card members as well. But compared to the no-fee Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card, Gold Hilton status is easier to earn and retain with the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express. The Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card grants Gold Level status for the first two years after you have four hotel stays within the first 90 days of account activation. But after that, new card members must earn Gold status through the normal Hilton HHonors process- 20 stays or 40 nights. However, the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express will automatically upgrade your account to Gold Level when you make $20,000 in purchases on the card during a calendar year.
Silver loyalty benefits include: late check-out, express check-out, 5th night free on Standard Room Reward stays of 5 nights or more and 2nd guest stays free. Gold loyalty benefits are the same as Silver but also include complimentary access to fitness centers and health clubs as well as complimentary in-room and lobby Wi-Fi. Free room upgrades are offered at both benefit levels, when available. Room upgrades are determined by each specific property at the time of check-in.
The Facts
Below we’ve broken down the specifics of the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express to help when deciding if it’s the right card for you.
The Good
Great Bonus for Hilton Hotels:
The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express provides a fast and easy way to accumulate bonus points at Hilton Hotels. Card members earn seven points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly at any hotel within the Hilton HHonors Portfolio. These include all of the properties listed above. If you frequently stay at a Hilton Hotel, your bonus points will add up quickly.
Significant signup bonus:
New account holders are currently eligible to earn 40,000 Bonus Points when they sign up and are approved for the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express. New cardholders must spend at least $750 on purchases using the card during the first three months of activation.
Easier to earn Gold Level Status:
The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express automatically upgrades cardholders to Gold Level status when they make $20,000 worth of purchases on the card within one calendar year.
Online Booking Bonus:
When card members book online at any Hilton Portfolio Hotel website and pay using their Hilton HHonors Card from American Express, they automatically earn 500 Bonus Points.
Additional ways to earn bonus points:
Card members can earn five Hilton HHonors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases made on the card at restaurants, gas stations, and supermarkets located within the United States. All other qualifying purchases earn three bonus points per dollar spent.
No annual fee:
The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express does not come with an annual fee.
The Bad:
Foreign transaction fees:
The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express charges card members a foreign transaction fee which is somewhat ironic since it is aimed at global travelers. Each purchase made outside of the U.S. is processed with an additional 2.7% fee based on the total purchase amount after conversion to U.S. dollars. This is slightly less than the three percent fee charged by the other Hilton HHonors card but still significant if you often travel internationally.
APRs and other fees:
The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express comes with an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on purchases of 15.24, 17.24 or 19.24, depending on your creditworthiness. If you don’t pay off the full balance each month, the interest charges can quickly add up. Cash advances are processed at a 25.24% APR. Card members can be charged fees of up to $38 for either late payments or returned payments.
Limited rewards:
The Hilton HHonors Card from American Express delivers big on Hilton HHonors points but it doesn’t offer rewards such as gift cards or cash back. Card members can take advantage of American Express benefits such as the Baggage Insurance Plan, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Extended Warranty on purchases, and Purchase Protection. These all come with various Terms and Conditions as well as certain exclusions.
The Ugly:
Hefty purchase amount to receive signup bonus points:
New cardholders are eligible to earn 40,000 Hilton HHonors bonus points when they open an account. To receive these points you must spend a minimum of $750 on the card within the first three months, starting with the date your account is approved. Realistically it can take one to two weeks before you receive your new card so that fact should be considered. If you travel often, the purchase amount requirement may not be a concern.
Silver and Gold Levels do not qualify for bonus Hilton HHonors points:
Hilton HHonors Silver loyalty level benefits normally include a 15% bonus on all Hilton HHonors Base Points earned. The Gold level benefits generally include a 25% bonus on base points earned. However, bonus points earned using the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express do not qualify for either of these benefits. Depending on how often you stay at Hilton Hotels, you could be losing out on a lot of bonus points.