Hilton Honors American Categorical Card overview: Full particulars

Hilton Honors American Categorical Card overview

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Card is Hilton’s no-annual-fee (see charges and costs) entry-level cobranded product. That includes bonus factors on eligible Hilton purchases and complimentary Hilton Honors Silver standing, the cardboard is a strong possibility for brand new cardmembers loyal to the resort chain or these trying to keep away from annual charges (phrases apply). Nevertheless, different journey playing cards supply extra factors flexibility and greater perks. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card score relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The Hilton Honors program covers over 8,000 areas in additional than 120 nations, offering ample alternatives to earn and redeem factors.

Should you’re a newbie in search of a card with some Hilton perks, it’s possible you’ll wish to have a look at the Hilton Honors American Categorical Card. It has no annual price and comes with beneficiant class bonuses and journey and buy protections (phrases apply), making it an amazing possibility for vacationers trying to get began with Hilton Honors.

You will typically want credit score rating of 670 or larger to have a practical likelihood of being accepted.

This is every thing it’s good to resolve if the cardboard is correct on your pockets.

Hilton Honors Amex professionals and cons

Hilton Honors Amex welcome supply

New Amex Hilton Honors cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 in purchases on the cardboard inside the first six months of cardmembership. This supply ends Jan. 8, 2025.

In accordance with TPG’s September 2024 valuations, Hilton factors are value 0.6 cents apiece, which suggests this welcome supply is value $600.

The highest supply we have seen prior to now was 130,000 bonus factors, however you needed to spend $5,000 inside six months of cardmembership to obtain that provide. (Supply not accessible.) Contemplating that is solely 30,000 further factors for an extra $3,000 in spending, I say the present welcome supply is the higher of the 2.

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Hilton Honors Amex advantages

The Hilton Honors Amex options just a few notable perks and advantages past the welcome supply. Provided that this card does not have an annual price, I am unable to fault it for being perk-thin.

This is an summary of what this card has to supply (enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply):

• Elite standing: Cardmembers robotically obtain Hilton Honors Silver elite standing, which gives member reductions, a 20% factors bonus on paid stays, elite rollover nights, a fifth night time free on award stays and extra. You’ll be able to improve to Hilton Honors Gold standing in case you spend $20,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr. It is value stating that different Hilton bank cards supply Gold standing robotically, that means spending $20,000 to get there is not worth.
• Leisure: Via the American Categorical Experiences program, you may get unique entry to ticket presales and cardmember-only occasions, in addition to Broadway reveals, live performance excursions, sporting occasions and extra.
• ShopRunner: Free two-day transport on eligible gadgets at a community of greater than 100 on-line shops after signing up at shoprunner.com/americanexpress.
• Prolonged guarantee*: The cardboard comes with an prolonged guarantee that provides as much as one yr to an unique producer’s guarantee of 5 years or much less.
• Buy safety*: Buy safety covers gadgets unintentionally broken, stolen or misplaced in case you paid for them along with your card. This profit covers purchases for as much as 90 days and covers as much as $1,000 per merchandise — as much as $50,000 per calendar yr.
• Automotive rental insurance coverage**: While you use the cardboard to order and pay for a automobile rental and decline the rental firm’s insurance coverage, you are coated in opposition to injury and theft — as much as $50,000. This profit is secondary protection to your personal auto insurance coverage and does not embrace legal responsibility.

*Eligibility and profit ranges fluctuate by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

**Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Not all automobile varieties or leases are coated, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable by way of American Categorical Journey Associated Companies Firm, Inc.

Incomes factors on the Hilton Honors Amex

With the Hilton Honors Amex, you may earn 7 Hilton Honors factors per greenback on stays at Hilton inns and resorts (together with paying on your room and on-site spending at eating places and spas), 5 factors per greenback at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply), 5 factors per greenback at U.S. gasoline stations and U.S. supermarkets and three factors per greenback on different eligible purchases.

Given TPG’s September 2024 valuation of Hilton factors at 0.6 cents apiece, you may earn a 4.2% base return at Hilton inns — although you may get an additional 12 factors per greenback out of your Hilton Honors Silver elite standing, bumping your return to 11.4%.

As well as, you may obtain a 3% return on spending at U.S. grocery shops, U.S. gasoline stations and U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply) and a 1.8% return on all different eligible purchases.

Should you’re in search of larger incomes alternatives masking a wider swath of journey purchases, together with flights and rental automobiles, you will not get that with this card.

Associated: Which bank card must you use for Hilton stays?

Redeeming factors on the Hilton Honors Amex

You will get one of the best worth on your Hilton factors for resort and resort stays, even with the chain’s lack of revealed award charts. What number of factors you want for a resort room fluctuates, so you will not know the ultimate worth till you go to make a reservation.

The Factors Explorer device can present you what different company have paid not too long ago, providing you with an thought of how a lot a given award ticket may cost a little.

You may also switch your Hilton Honors factors to over 25 international airline loyalty applications. I do not advocate this technique until it’s good to switch Honors factors to high off an airline account for a particular award. The switch ratio is often horrible, costing you hundreds of factors for a small return of airline miles.

My recommendation? Stick with resort room redemptions to get one of the best worth on your rewards.

You will do even higher if you redeem factors for a keep of 5 nights or longer. That is since you get a fifth night time free on stays utilizing factors, due to your Hilton Silver standing.

TPG director of journey content material Eric Rosen not too long ago utilized the fifth-night-free profit to maximise the worth of his factors for a keep on the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal. Because of this characteristic, he was in a position to save 120,000 Hilton factors.

Associated: Hilton provides one other 100-plus inns due to Small Luxurious Inns of the World partnership

Which playing cards compete with the Hilton Honors Amex?

The Hilton Honors Amex card has pure rivals with “Hilton” of their names, however a basic journey rewards bank card might also do higher in your pockets. Listed here are just a few of the choices you must take into account:

• Should you like Hilton however need extra perks: The Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass® Card earns a better 12 factors per greenback at Hilton inns, gives automated Gold standing, and you’ll earn a free night time reward by spending $15,000 on purchases in a calendar yr. You will additionally stand up to $200 in assertion credit towards Hilton purchases every calendar yr (as much as $50 every quarter), and the cardboard has a low $150 annual price (see charges and costs). To study extra, try our full overview of the Amex Hilton Surpass card.
• If you’d like versatile rewards: The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card earns 5 miles per greenback on all inns, trip leases and automobile leases booked by way of Capital One Journey. Cardholders will earn a flat 2 miles per greenback on all different purchases. These miles could be transferred to Capital One’s 15-plus switch companions for max worth. To study extra, try our full overview of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards.
• If you’d like a resort card with out an annual price, no matter model: The Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card is an possibility in order for you a resort bank card with out an annual price and are not tied to Hilton. You will earn 3 factors per greenback at Marriott Bonvoy properties. You will additionally obtain Silver Elite standing, plus journey and purchasing protections. To study extra, try our full overview of the Marriott Bonvoy Daring card.

For added choices, see our listing of the greatest resort bank cards and American Categorical playing cards.

Associated: One of the best no-annual-fee bank cards

Is the Hilton Honors Amex value it?

You may assume the Amex Hilton Honors card is value it by default because it has no annual price. It relies on what you are in search of, although. I imagine you may like this card if entry-level elite standing and honest incomes classes are ample for you. Should you’re in search of versatile rewards or extra Hilton perks, I like to recommend going for a mid-tier Hilton card or basic journey rewards card.

Backside line

The Hilton Honors American Categorical Card is an efficient starter card for these trying to maximize the advantages of Hilton’s loyalty program with out paying an annual price. It might not be the best card for everybody, although it could be the best card for you if that is what you search.

Apply right here: Hilton Honors American Categorical Card

Associated: How to decide on one of the best bank card for you

For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass Card, click on right here.