Hilton Honors American Express Business

The standout here is the base rate: 5x Hilton Honors points on everything for the first $100,000 of purchases each calendar year, then 3x, which is a genuinely high earn on ordinary business spend rather than a narrow category bonus. Purchases directly with Hilton properties earn 12x, and the signup bonus is 130,000 points after $6,000 in six months. Against the $195 annual fee you get up to $60 back each quarter on Hilton purchases, worth up to $240 a year if your stays are spread across the calendar, plus complimentary Gold status with room upgrades, a daily food and beverage credit, and an 80% bonus on base points. Diamond status is available but only after $40,000 of eligible purchases in a calendar year. The tradeoff is that everything you earn is Hilton points, which are worth less per point than transferable currencies, so the 5x is less generous than the number suggests unless you redeem for Hilton stays.