The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550 a year, and it only makes sense if you'll actually use what it comes with: complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, a yearly Free Night Reward, a $400 Hilton Resort credit, a $200 flight credit and a $219 CLEAR+ credit.

Every rate, credit and benefit in this review comes from American Express's Aspire and Surpass pages, read on September 29, 2026. Amex changes these, so check the page the day you apply.

The welcome offer

Amex's page calls it the "Best Hilton Points Offer Yet": 200,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the card within your first 6 months of card membership. The offer ends January 13, 2027.

Our roundup of the Hilton Amex offers ending in January 2027 covers the other Hilton cards' offers.

What you earn

  • 14X points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
  • 7X points on select travel: flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, and car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies
  • 7X points at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
  • 3X points on other eligible purchases

The 7X travel category is narrower than it looks. It covers flights booked with the airline or through AmexTravel.com and car rentals booked directly with select rental companies, so book that way to earn it.

Hilton Honors Diamond status

The card comes with complimentary Diamond status. Amex's page lists what that gets you:

  • A 100% bonus on the base points you earn on every stay
  • Premium Wi-Fi
  • Space-available room upgrades at select properties
  • Executive lounge access at select properties

For how Diamond works and what it's like in practice, see our guide to earning Hilton Diamond status with the Aspire.

The Free Night Rewards

You get an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of card membership and every year you renew.

Spending adds more. Each calendar year, you can earn a Free Night Reward after you spend $30,000 in purchases on the card, and another after you spend an additional $30,000.

The credits

This is where the fee gets paid back, or doesn't. Each credit has its own rules.

$400 Hilton Resort credit. Up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually, for up to $400 back per year, on eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts using the card. It's a resort credit, not a general Hilton credit, so it only helps if you stay at participating resorts.

$200 flight credit. Up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline, through AmexTravel.com or through the Amex Travel App. It's paid as up to $50 each quarter, so plan flight purchases across the year.

$219 CLEAR+ credit. Up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year when you pay for a CLEAR+ membership with the card. Amex says CLEAR+ works at 60+ airports.

$100 property credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad. Up to a $100 credit for qualifying charges at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts properties when you book a 2-night minimum stay with the card at HiltonHonorsAspireCard.com and pick the Aspire Card Benefit rate option, or book by phone with Hilton Honors.

Travel protections and other benefits

The Aspire's page also lists:

  • No foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
  • National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status, after you enroll through your Amex online account.
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance when you reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver. Amex notes that not all vehicle types or rentals are covered.
  • Trip delay insurance. If a round-trip is paid for entirely with the card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 6 hours, it can reimburse certain additional expenses up to $500 per trip, with a maximum of 2 claims per card in a 12-month period.
  • Baggage insurance for lost, damaged or stolen bags when you buy the entire fare on the card, up to a combined $3,000 for checked and carry-on bags.
  • Cell phone protection of up to $800 per claim for damage or theft, with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period and a $50 deductible, when you pay your wireless bill with the card.

Hilton Aspire vs. Surpass

Amex's Surpass page lists the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card at $150 a year. It earns 12X on eligible Hilton purchases; 6X at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations; 4X on U.S. online retail purchases; and 3X on other eligible purchases.

The Surpass comes with complimentary Gold status, a $200 Hilton credit paid as up to $50 each quarter, and a Free Night Reward after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. Its Diamond status is earned: after you spend $40,000 in eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year, you're upgraded to Diamond through the end of the following calendar year.

The Aspire costs more and earns more at Hilton (14X against 12X). Its Diamond status is complimentary, its Annual Free Night Reward comes in the first year and every year you renew, and it carries the resort, flight and CLEAR+ credits. The Surpass has bonus categories for U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail, which aren't among the Aspire's bonus categories.

If your Hilton stays are occasional and you mostly want points on everyday spending, look at the Surpass. If you stay at Hilton often enough that Diamond matters, and you'd use the resort and flight credits anyway, the Aspire is the one built for you.

How it compares to other luxury hotel cards

The Aspire competes with other premium hotel cards, each tied to its own chain. Our comparison of the Aspire, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and the other luxury hotel cards lays them side by side.

Who should get the Hilton Aspire

It fits you if you stay at Hilton properties several times a year, want Diamond status without earning it through stays, and will use the resort credit on a real trip. The Free Night Reward and the flight credit then add to value you're already getting.

It doesn't fit you if you'd need to book resort stays or flights you wouldn't otherwise take just to use the credits. At $550, a credit you don't use is just part of the fee.

Know the fine print before you apply. The APR is 19.74% to 28.74% variable on purchases. The welcome offer needs $6,000 in purchases in 6 months and ends January 13, 2027.

If the Aspire fits how you travel, you can apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card here.

Sources

  1. American Express: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card page (browser read 2026-09-29): $550 fee, welcome offer, earning, Diamond status, Free Night Rewards, credits, protections, APR, and the Surpass card listing
  2. American Express: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card page (browser read 2026-09-29): $150 fee, earning, Gold status, $200 Hilton credit, Free Night Reward after $15,000, Diamond after $40,000

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