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Hilton’s cobranded American Express cards typically offer some sweet introductory bonuses. But we’re now seeing the sweetest ever, perfectly timed in mid-October when booking for 2024 travels are top of mind.
All rejoice: The Hilton Honors American Express Card ($0 annual fee, see rates and fees) and its sister card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ($150 annual fee, see rates and fees), are making credit card bonus history with their latest promotions.
On the former card, you’ll earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (terms apply). Meanwhile, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is offering 170,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first six months of card membership (terms apply).
At press time, the greater portfolio of Hilton hotels and resorts spans 22 brands, from Waldorf Astoria to the Curio Collection, with 7,000-plus properties across 123 countries and territories. Hilton Honors points can be redeemed for stays at any of these hotels, where standard rooms cost between 5,000 points per night and 150,000 points per night, depending on the hotel.
Here’s why you should jump on this opportunity now, before it disappears.
A best-ever bonus without a terribly-high spend requirement
Besides the fact that these cushy bonuses are the highest ever, acquiring them isn’t that difficult. For example, a previous top bonus for the Hilton Honors American Express Card required spending $5,000 total on purchases in the first six months to earn all the points. With the current offer, all that’s required is spending $2,000 in the first six months to get the bonus.
Picking the $0 annual-fee card
A $0 annual fee doesn’t mean the entry-level Hilton Honors American Express Card skimps on benefits. In fact, it’s the opposite. The card earns seven points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases, five points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and three points per dollar on other eligible purchases. So, no matter what you charge to the card, you’ll earn a minimum of three points per dollar spent. That makes it easy to rack up points quickly.
In addition, cardholders receive automatic first-rung Hilton Honors Silver status. While all Hilton Honors members can get the likes of free Wi-Fi nowadays, Silver status brings added benefits like a 20 percent points earning bonus on stays, free bottled water, and the ability to participate in Hilton Honor’s “Fifth Night Free” program, in which your fifth night is no cost when booking four nights with points. Plus, the card comes with no foreign transaction fees for when cardholders travel abroad.
To recap, this wow-factor offer on the Hilton Honors American Express Card includes 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (terms apply).
Picking the Surpass
Although the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card recently raised its annual fee to $150, its benefits are still more like those of a higher-fee card. To start, the card has no foreign transaction fees and has earnings multipliers in select key categories make it easy to amass points quickly through spending. Earn 12 points per dollar at properties in the Hilton portfolio, 6 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, 4 points per dollar on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3 points per dollar spent on everything else.
Then, you’ll get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your card. You’ll also earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year. A Free Night Reward can be used for a standard room at any property, even one that runs an expensive 150,000 points per night. (Put in perspective: A top property, like the multi-thousand-dollar-per-night Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, runs at that number while pricey tropical paradise Conrad Bora Bora runs 120,000 points per night for a standard room.)
Another new perk includes complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status. (Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club program is required and terms apply.)
Finally, you’ll score Hilton Honors Gold Status automatically with card membership. Benefits of Gold Status include the following at stays within the Hilton umbrella: Space-available room upgrades, complimentary Wi-Fi, and daily on-property food and beverage credits. (The amount of that food and beverage credit varies by brand, but for luxury brands like Waldorf Astoria it runs an impressive $50 per room per day, assuming two guests per room.)
So to recap this current offer on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, you’ll earn 170,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first six months of card membership (terms apply).
Takeaways
Traveling is great; traveling for free is even better. Chances are that with over 7,000 properties under its umbrella, Hilton’s got you covered at your next destination. So why not score points—lots of them—with either the record-breaking offer for the Hilton Honors American Express Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card? You’ll thank us once you’re luxuriating at your chic hotel in Paris, Bora Bora, or the Maldives, and bragging that you didn’t pay a dime for your stay.
This article was originally published in March 2023; it was updated on October 20, 2023. While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time, and may have changed or may no longer be available.
