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Here Are the Hilton Credit Cards MMS Writers Actually Have — and Why

  • Joseph Hostetler

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    INSIDER SECRET: Three Hilton cards will give you free breakfast at ALL Hilton hotels, just for being a cardmember.

    I’ve got a confession to make — Never in my life have I applied for a Hilton credit card. I used to think Hilton points were hardly worth collecting, because the best Hilton hotels are so expensive (up to 95,000 points per night).

    I’ve since seen the light. Amex Hilton credit cards make earning Hilton points SO easy that those seemingly exorbitant award prices are very attainable (you can read here why I even think Hilton points are better than Hyatt points — that is NOT a popular opinion).

    Before I take the plunge and open my first Hilton card, I decided to poll the team to see who already holds a Hilton credit card — and WHY.

    Here’s the breakdown:

    The information for the Hilton Aspire card and Hilton Surpass card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

    I figure this info may be useful for some of you, too.

    Jasmin used the points she earned from her Hilton credit cards to stay at the Grand Wailea in Maui. (Photo by EQRoy/Shutterstock)

    MMS Writers With Hilton Credit Cards – and WHY They Have Them

    Let me first state the obvious: The credit card you open will depend entirely on your style of travel. These Hilton cards are surprisingly diverse, and some may be a horrendous fit for your goals.

    It’s nice to hear real-life examples of credit cards saving people money, though. Here are quotes from the team.

    The consensus among most folks in the miles and points world is that you can reliably get a value of at least 0.5 cents per Hilton point. The exact value you’ll get depends on which hotel you’re staying with and your travel dates, but for this post we’ll assume that Hilton points are worth 0.5 cents each (you can read more here about Hilton points value.)

    Hilton Honors American Express Card

    Scott: I’ve kept my no annual fee Hilton American Express Credit Card (See Rates & Fees) for many years. I mainly use it in two ways.

    One, when I stay at Hilton hotels. Two, when a great Amex Offer appears in my account! With these super-easy discounts, I’ve saved money at my favorite restaurants and bars, at clothing stores and more.

    I’m considering upgrading to a more powerful Hilton credit card, but I don’t really stay at Hilton hotels that often. But for those who do, you really can’t go wrong with any of their cards, especially when there’s an elevated limited-time offer.

    There’s actually a limited-time offer on the no annual fee Hilton American Express Credit Card right now (though it disappears August 28, 2019). You’ll get 90,000 Hilton bonus (which we estimate to be worth $450) after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

    The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

    Meghan: I decided to get The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card in anticipation of a few large business expenses I had coming up. I figured it was the perfect time to boost my Hilton balance.

    Another big point of interest for me was the card’s weekend night award after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. I’m planning a multi-day trip to Hawaii in the near future, so the points and the extra weekend night are key.

    Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

    Jason: I got the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express for two main reasons.

    First, when you open your card (and after every subsequent cardmember anniversary), you receive a weekend night award at participating Hilton hotels. It’s nice to be able to use it for just about anywhere, including crazy expensive five star hotels.

    Second, the card comes with automatic Diamond Elite Status, which is Hilton’s top tier status. You get things like:

    The card has a bunch of other benefits, though it does come with a $450 annual fee (See Rates & Fees). However, the card comes with an annual $250 Hilton resort credit, which I consider as prepaying for my next Hilton stay. That effectively brings the annual fee down to $200, and it’s incredibly easy to save much more than that with the card’s benefits.

    Note: Jasmin also has this card and recently used it to save tens of billions of dollars on her trip to Maui.

    The card Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express comes with 150,000 Hilton points (which we estimate to be worth $750) after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

    Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card

    Surprisingly, nobody on the team has the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card. This is by far the most popular Hilton card among MMS readers. It gives you automatic Gold Elite Status, which comes with benefits like free breakfast at all Hilton hotels, 80% bonus points, and an increased bonus through August 28, 2019.

    With this card, you’ll receive 130,000 bonus points (which we estimate to be worth $650) + a weekend night after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first four months of account opening. That weekend night is a steal, considering you can use it at just about any Hilton hotel.

    Let me know if you’ve got a Hilton credit card, and which you recommend. And subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of great travel deals.

    For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, click here.

    For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors card, click here.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)