Hilton Honors American Express Aspire
150,000 points welcome · 14x on hotels · $550/yr
The Aspire is a credits card before it's a rewards card: up to $400 a year in Hilton resort credits paid $200 at a time, up to $200 in flight credits at $50 per quarter, and up to $219 for CLEAR Plus. Use all three and they more than cover the $550 annual fee, and that's before an annual Free Night Award, automatic Diamond status, and additional Free Night Rewards at $30,000 and $60,000 of calendar-year spend. Earning is strong where it should be: 14x at Hilton hotels and resorts specifically, 7x on flights, car rentals, and U.S. restaurants, and 3x on everything else. The welcome offer is 150,000 points after $6,000 in six months, cut back from 175,000 on July 30 after bouncing between those two levels twice already this year, so it may be worth waiting for the higher number to return. The real catch is that the credits arrive on Amex's quarterly and semiannual schedule, not yours, so breaking even takes active management rather than a single well-timed stay.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Hotels Eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts | 14x |
Airlines Flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com | 7x |
Car Rentals Booked directly with select car rental companies | 7x |
Dining U.S. restaurants | 7x |
Everything Else | 3x |
| Benefit | Value |
|---|---|
Hilton Resort Credit Up to $200 semiannually for eligible purchases at participating Hilton resorts | $200 / 6 mo |
Flight Credit Up to $50 per quarter on eligible flight purchases made directly with airlines or through amextravel.com | $50 /qtr |
CLEAR Plus Credit Up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year for CLEAR Plus airport security membership | $219 /yr |
Property Credit Receive up to a $100 credit for qualifying charges at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties when booking a 2-night minimum stay | $100 |
American Express Venue Collection 10% back on food and beverage concessions purchases at Amex Venue Collection stadiums and arenas, up to $250 per calendar year | 10% /yr |
| Total annual credits | $819 |
Card details
Regular APR | 19.49%–28.49% variable |
Foreign transaction fee | None |