Best Hilton Credit Card Offers

What are the best Hilton credit card offers? That’s what reader Aric wants to know. Let’s take a look at the current welcome offers/bonuses for the Hilton credit cards.

Reader Aric emailed asking, “What is the best deal right now on getting a Hilton Honors credit card?”

Earlier this year, you could get a 100,000 Hilton point welcome offer/bonus on the Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express. But that offer is no longer available. Now there’s a 125,000 point offer.

This post was originally published on August 28, 2017, and was updated on February 15, 2020.

Best Hilton Credit Card Offers

There are four Hilton credit cards, each offering different perks:

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card 
• Hilton Honors American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Business Card 
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

Currently, the highest Hilton credit card welcome bonus/offer is on the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express.

You can get 150,000 Hilton points after spending $4,000 in purchases within 3 months. But it comes with a $450 annual fee.

 Whereas the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card has a 125,000 point offer after spending $2,000 in the first three months after account opening. The annual fee is only $95. 

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is offering 75,000 points when he spends $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months.

But which is the best Hilton credit card offer?

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card 

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card perks include:

• 125,000 Hilton Honors points when you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of having the card
• Free Gold status (free breakfast, free upgrades, free Wi-Fi, late check-out, and 2 bottles of water)
• Diamond status after spending $40,000 in a calendar year
• Free Priority Pass membership (access to over 700 airport lounges)
• 12 points per $1 spent at all Hilton hotels
• 6 points per $1 spent at US restaurants, US supermarkets, & US gas stations
• 3 points per $1 spent on everything else

If you want free breakfast and upgrades, you should get the Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express. 

The card’s $95 annual fee pays for itself if you eat breakfast at the hotel three times (assuming a rate of $25 for breakfast). Not counting the unlimited value of free room upgrades.

Airport Lounge Access

Whether you fly a little or a lot, having airport lounge access can make flying more enjoyable. Because you can join a nice quiet retreat from the craziness of the terminal.

With the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, you get a Priority Pass membership for airport lounges which includes 10 free visits per year.

But each visit after the 10th costs $32 each visit.

Pro-tip: If you visit more than 10 lounges a year or travel with someone, it makes more sense to buy a Priority Pass membership.

Because you have to pay for guests or use on your free lounge visits. So if you travel with someone, after five visits, you’ll have to start paying $32. 🙁  So it could be worth buying a Priority Pass membership or getting a travel rewards card that includes membership with free visits.

You can get free airport lounge access with these credit cards:

• American Express Platinum card 
• Amex Business Platinum
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
• Citi Prestige
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
• Diners Club Premier
• United MileagePlus Club Card by Chase

Pro-tip: Here’s how to get into every airport lounge without a credit card. 

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card earns more points. You earn 12 points for every $1 spent at Hilton hotels. On a $100 per night hotel, you’ll earn 1,200 points.

And with 6 points per $1 at US restaurants, US supermarkets, & US gas stations, you’ll earn 600 points for every $100 spent.

Hilton Honors American Express Card 

The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers:

• 75,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership 
• Free Silver status (free Wi-Fi, late checkout, and 2 bottles of water)
• Gold status after spending $20,000 in a calendar year
• 7 points per $1 spent at all Hilton hotels
• 5 points per $1 spent at US restaurants, US supermarkets, & US gas stations
• 3 points per $1 spent on everything else
• No annual fee

The biggest advantage of this card is the lower minimum spend and no annual fee. 

But you can only get the welcome offer/bonus for each American Express card (personal or business) once in your lifetime.

So if you have already received a welcome offer/bonus on the Hilton Honors card then you can’t get a second welcome offer/bonus on the same card. But you could get the welcome offer/bonus for the Hilton Honors Surpass card.

Pro-tip: You can get the bonus if you were an authorized user but never a cardholder.

Conclusion

The best Hilton credit card offers are on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card. Of the two cards, the Hilton Honors Surpass card is offering a higher welcome offer/bonus.

You can earn 125,000 Hilton points when you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of having the Hilton Honors Surpass card. This card comes with free Hilton Gold status (free breakfast, free upgrades, free Wi-Fi, late check-out, and two bottles of water). You also get a free Priority Pass membership.

You earn 75,000 Hilton points from the Hilton Honors card after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

If you want to earn more points when using your credit card, the Hilton Honors Surpass card is a better choice.

Which Hilton card would you get?

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Chase Freedom Unlimited

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is one of my favorite cards for earning cash back card and travel rewards. It offers a welcome offer of $150 (after spending $500 in the first three months).

 

My favorite perks about this card are earning unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and no annual fee. When paired with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can use your points to travel for free.

 

Learn more about this card and how to apply

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Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best travel rewards cards. It offers a big welcome offer of 50,000 points (after spending $4,000 in the first three months).

 

My favorite perks about this card are earning 3X points on travel and dining, $300 yearly travel credit, free airport lounge access, $100 GlobalEntry or TSA-PreCheck credit, no foreign transaction fees, and transferring points to 13 airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest.

 

Learn more about this card and how to apply