Why the Hilton Aspire is the Best Hotel Credit Card, Period

Between the big box hotel chains and smaller brands, there are dozens of hotel credit cards to pick from. But few, if any, stand out more than the *Hilton Aspire*, and that's even true if you aren't a Hilton fanatic.

While its annual fee of annual_fees (see rates & fees) might understandably intimidate some travelers, that comes with some incomparable benefits that can far outweigh that fee. That's why we always encourage readers to do the math on annual fees rather than simply rule out big-fee cards. Travel enough, use the benefits wisely, and they can save you a ton of money in the long run.

That's definitely the case with the Hilton Honors Aspire card. From instant Hilton Honors Diamond™ Status to a free annual night certificate right off the bat to a slew of different money-saving credits, few credit cards give you so much upfront value.

Let's break down all its lucrative benefits and why it should be on your radar.

Learn more about the *Hilton Aspire*

Big Welcome Offer Bonus

The Hilton Aspire Card comes with a big welcome offer: bonus_miles_full

Exactly how much those points are worth depends on how you travel. It doesn't help that Hilton award rates can be all over the map, with the cheapest properties as low as 15,000 or so points a night to 120,000 or even 200,000-plus points for top luxury resorts – and sometimes, closer to a million points. Not to mention, Hilton has been on a devaluation rampage over the last year, drastically increasing rates to book many of its best properties. 

All that said, if you're careful with how you use them, you should be able to redeem Hilton points for around 0.6 cents to 0.8 cents apiece. At that rate, this bonus alone is worth $900 to $1,200. But you could potentially get even more bang for your buck.

That's because Hilton Honors points can sometimes be stronger when the cash prices are at their highest, whether you're booking a top-dollar resort or a hotel during a massive event when rates typically skyrocket. For example, back in 2024, our editor Kyle redeemed 50,000 points for a stay in downtown Indianapolis while Taylor Swift was in town in early November for her Eras Tour stop. 

The cash cost? Over $1,300! That meant Hilton points were worth 2.7 cents apiece! 

Getting that much value out of your Hilton points is not a slam dunk by any means, as Hilton's points rates can also track closely with cash prices. But if you're picky and flexible, it's still possible to get outsized value from these points at the right properties.

Instant Hilton Honors Diamond™ Status

Just by having the Hilton Honors Aspire card in your wallet, you unlock Hilton Honors Diamond™ Status. While this used to be Hilton's top-tier status, they have since introduced a new Diamond Reserve status that can't be unlocked with a credit card. 

Still, earning Diamond status just for holding the card stands out: Without the Hilton Aspire Card, you have to stay at Hilton properties 60 nights (or 30 stays) in a calendar year to earn it.

That's a big deal because of the great benefits Diamond members get.

Hilton Diamond Status Benefits

• Complimentary breakfast or food and beverage credits for two can save you hundreds of dollars during a stay. Hilton has swapped in a broader (but less-lucrative) food and beverage credit at U.S. properties for elite members, while complimentary breakfast is still available abroad.
• Complimentary Upgrades to preferred rooms (when space is available, which can be hit or miss)
• Executive Lounge Access for complimentary drinks, snacks, and hors d'oeuvres. This experience will vary from Hilton property to property.
• Complimentary premium internet access
• Late check-out, though that's not guaranteed either
• 100% bonus on base points earned: Just for having Diamond status, you automatically receive a 100% bonus on all the Hilton Honors base points you earn during a paid stay.
• 48-hour room guarantee: As a Diamond member, you are guaranteed a room when you make a reservation at least 48 hours prior to arrival.
• Fifth night free on award stays: This benefit is available for Silver, Gold, & Diamond elite members, allowing you to get a free fifth night when you book a stay using Hilton Honors points.

You can read more about Hilton's top-tier Diamond elite status on their terms & conditions page.

A Free Night Certificate Every Year

Many other hotel chains offer annual free-night certificates with their credit cards. But even on their top-tier cards, you typically don't get that certificate until you renew for a second full year of the card … and in many cases, hotel chains block you from using those certificates at more-expensive properties.

That's not the case with the Hilton Aspire Card. After opening your new card account – and each year you renew – you'll receive a free night certificate valid at almost all Hilton properties around the globe. There are just a handful of properties that aren't eligible.

One note: After opening your account, it typically takes a month (or slightly more) for this free night certificate to hit your account. Still, that's much shorter than the year-long wait (and paying twice the annual fees) with the likes of Marriott or Hyatt.

In the past, Hilton free night certificates required you to stay on a weekend: Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. But no more: You can now use these certificates any day of the week – not just on weekends!

You can also earn a second free night if you spend $30,000 or more on the card in a calendar year … and then another if you spend $60,000 or more – for a total of three free night certificates per year.

But it's not just the ease and speed of earning these certificates that make them so valuable. Unlike other hotel chains that place caps on which tiers of properties you can book using these certificates, there's no cap on how much a hotel night can cost in points to use Hilton free night awards. Whether it's a Hilton Garden Inn in Des Moines, Iowa, or the Waldorf Astoria resort in Maui, so long as you can find standard award availability, you can book it.

Hilton's free night certificates are one of the best deals in travel. In fact, it seems almost too lucrative and ripe for the chopping block. 

Read our guide on the best ways to redeem Hilton free night certificates!

In 2024, our editor Kyle used his Aspire Card's free night certificate for a free night at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui: a dreamy property in French Polynesia that typically costs 120,000-plus points a night … or $1,000 or more! And with Diamond status from the Aspire Card, he was upgraded to an iconic overwater villa.

Read more: How the Hilton Aspire Card Saved Me $866 in Bora Bora

Another great example is the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, an amazing property down in Mexico that generally costs anywhere between $1,000 and $2,000 a night. This benefit alone can easily justify your annual fee because of how many properties it can be used at.

Now that Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) are under Hilton's umbrella, you can even use these free night certificates to book some of these incredible hotels, sprawling manors, and resorts. Booking Hermitage Bay, a Caribbean all-inclusive resort in Antigua that normally costs $3,000, with a free night certificate, is an amazing redemption. 

Annual $400 Hilton Resort Statement Credit

Each year you hold the Hilton Honors Aspire card, you get up to $400 in Hilton resort statement credits to use at select Hilton properties around the world. It's broken up into two chunks: You'll get $200 the first half of the year (January through June) and then another $200 in the second half of the year (July through December).

This credit alone eats up more than half of the card's annual fee, and it's incredibly easy to use. It works at hundreds of participating Hilton properties around the globe – and not just spots with the word “resort” in them, but Waldorf Astoria locations in Las Vegas and Dubai, Conrad locations in Mexico and the Caribbean, and some everyday Hiltons across the U.S. and around the world.

That list recently got a bit shorter, but there are still plenty of properties to pick from. Check out the full list from Hilton.

Just charge your dinner, activities, or trip to the spa to your room, pay with your Aspire card at checkout, and voila – the credit kicks in. Even some room rates will qualify for this resort credit, so long as you don't prepay. Whatever you charge, these credits typically kick in within a week or less.

Up to $200 in Flight Credits

Top Amex credit cards are practically notorious for Amex airline fee credits, which have gotten harder and harder to use. But that's no longer the case with the Hilton Aspire Card.

Hilton Aspire cardholders get up to $200 in what they call “flight credits,” meaning they can easily be used for airfare outright. Just use your Hilton Aspire Card to pay for a ticket (or seat assignment, upgrade – whatever!) directly with the airline or through amextravel.com, and the credit should kick in.

The downside here is that it's a quarterly benefit, with $50 available every three months. These are use-it-or-lose-it benefits, so every quarter you forget to use them, you'd lose out on $50 back.

On the plus side, you no longer have to pre-select a specific airline to use these credits – any carrier will do.

$100 Waldorf Astoria & Conrad Hotels On Property Credit

It's not the easiest-to-use perk on the Aspire Card, but it can still add up.

When you book a paid stay of at least two nights at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad Hotels through HiltonHonors.com/aspirecard, you will receive a $100 credit for incidental charges. This credit can be used for almost anything charged to your room during your stay. Taxes, fees, gratuity, and the room rate itself are not eligible for the credit.

Again, this has to be for a paid stay. If you're planning on using your Hilton Honors points to stay at either a Waldorf Astoria or Conrad Hotel, you won't be able to take advantage of this credit.

All Benefits of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

• Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
• Enjoy Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond™ Status: Diamond status gives you complimentary breakfast for two (or a food and beverage credit in the U.S.), a 100% bonus on base points you earn on every stay, premium Wi-Fi, and space-available room upgrades at select properties, executive lounge access at select properties, and more.
• Up to $400 in Hilton Resorts statement credits: Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card.
• Free night certificate: Enjoy an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of card membership and every year upon card renewal. 
• Additional free night certificates: You can earn an additional Free Night Reward after making $30,000 in purchases in a calendar year, plus another after spending $60,000 in the same year (for up to three free nights total).
• $200 annual airline credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com using your card.
• Earn 14x Hilton Honors points per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors points per dollar for eligible purchases on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com and car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
• Earn 3x Hilton Honors points bonus points on all other eligible purchases.
• Get complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive Status – easily our favorite status with a rental car chain.
• $209 CLEAR+ Credit: You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay with your card.
• Annual fee: annual_fees (see rates & fees)

Learn more about the *Hilton Aspire*

Why the Hilton Aspire Tops Our List

Because all the benefits on this card almost seem too good to be true.

After carrying the card for a few years and putting these benefits into action, I'm still amazed that Amex and Hilton haven't cut more perks over the years. Sure, they increased the annual fee and made some other changes a couple of years back. But the biggest selling points remain largely untouched.

There is no other card that doles out free night certificates right when you open the card – Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG all make you wait at least a year … and pay a second annual fee. Diamond status alone can score you great upgrades and provide you with free breakfast (or food and beverage credits) for you and a guest during your Hilton stays.

To me, these benefits alone are worth their weight in gold.

At some properties, especially in Europe, free breakfast can easily save you up to $70 per day. At the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, four days of free breakfast saved more than $400! 

While a annual_fees annual fee card isn't for everyone, all of the benefits and credits this card offers at the moment make it far more palatable. So long as you take advantage of them each year, you should come out far ahead.

Bottom Line

I love the Hilton Aspire Card. Our whole team does, really. 

No travel credit card is perfect, but American Express and Hilton have done a great job loading this card up with a big bonus and benefits that make it an easy card to open and rewarding to hold onto for the long term, too. Honestly, there isn't another co-branded hotel card that comes close to competing with it right now.

If you often stay at Hilton hotels, this card is a no-brainer. If you don't, this card might give you a reason to change that.