Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card review: Top-tier rewards and perks at Hilton hotels

Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card Overview

Card sort: Resort rewards, Journey rewards

The Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card is a top-tier lodge bank card that offers frequent vacationers good causes to go all in on Hilton. The cardboard gives not solely a large welcome bonus and excessive rewards charges but additionally the rewards program’s prime elite Diamond standing advantages—one thing you received’t discover with another lodge card.

Not like bank cards from rival lodge applications, which restrict the worth of their free annual evening reward, the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card‘s free evening reward can be utilized at nearly any Hilton property worldwide, giving the perk important potential worth. What’s extra, huge spenders could possibly earn a second or perhaps a third free evening reward. The cardboard additionally comes with as much as $400 in Hilton Resort credit every year, break up into two $200 semi-annual credit, and as much as $200 in annual flight credit, damaged up into 4 $50 quarterly credit.

That mentioned, the cardboard’s construction could make it tough for some vacationers to benefit from its spectacular advantages.

Who’s the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card good for?

Think about the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card if the cardboard’s advantages construction aligns together with your journey habits. Particularly, the cardboard could be a nice selection for individuals who fly no less than as soon as 1 / 4 and keep at Hilton resorts no less than twice a yr.

It’s particularly value it if you wish to benefit from the Hilton Honors program’s most unique perks as a Diamond elite member. The cardboard may also be nice for large spenders, because the second and third free annual evening rewards require $30,000 and $60,000 in annual spending respectively.

Who shouldn’t get the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card?

When you’re an off-the-cuff traveler, and don’t have the means to remain at Hilton resorts with any regularity—there are solely 270 all over the world—then the cardboard won’t be a superb match.

It could additionally not be value it in the event you desire one other lodge chain, you’re not married to a single lodge model, otherwise you need extra versatile rewards.

Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card: Tips on how to earn rewards

The cardboard gives 14X factors per greenback on Hilton stays. As a Hilton Honors Diamond member, you’ll additionally get twice as many base factors—as much as 20 factors per greenback as a substitute of as much as 10—on these purchases as common members, for a staggering complete of as much as 34 factors per greenback.

On different spending, you’ll earn 7X factors per greenback on airfare, automotive leases and eating places, and 3X factors per greenback on different purchases.

As a brand new cardholder, you’ll additionally earn 150,000 factors in the event you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months from account opening.

It’s necessary to notice, nonetheless, that whereas the cardboard makes it simple to rack up a ton of factors quick, it additionally requires quite a lot of factors to e-book Hilton stays. Whereas the minimal nightly charge is 5,000 factors, you’ll be able to usually count on to spend 40,000 factors or extra for a single evening.

Tips on how to redeem Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card rewards

As with different lodge bank cards, the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card doesn’t provide as a lot flexibility together with your rewards as normal journey playing cards. You possibly can, nonetheless, pool your factors with as much as 10nine family and friends members, which might turn out to be useful for group journeys.

Right here’s a fast abstract of how you need to use your hard-earned factors.

Reward nights

Arguably, one of the best ways to redeem Hilton Honors factors is free of charge stays at Hilton inns and resorts. Thankfully, there are greater than 7,000 properties throughout 19 manufacturers all over the world from which you’ll select.

That mentioned, the worth of your factors will differ relying on the small print of your keep. One evening in an ordinary room prices between 5,000 and 95,000 factors, however you’ll pay extra for upgraded rooms and particular lodging.

When you’re planning an extended journey, notice that your fifth evening is free if you pay with factors.

Different redemption choices

When you don’t have sufficient factors to e-book a free keep otherwise you’re not planning to journey anytime quickly, you might also think about redeeming your factors in different methods. Choices embody:

You may also switch your Hilton factors to a number of totally different home and worldwide airways. Nevertheless, the dialog charge isn’t in your favor. If you wish to switch to Delta, as an example, you’ll want to maneuver 10,000 Hilton Honors factors to get 1,000 Delta SkyMiles.

Lastly, in case you have quite a lot of factors to spare, you can bid towards different Hilton Honors members for a chance to attend particular occasions, such because the Grammys, or take pleasure in a VIP expertise, corresponding to a spa remedy at choose resorts and particular eating choices.

Hilton Honors Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card charges and charges

• Annual price: $450
• International transaction price: None
• Buy APR: 20.99%–29.99% variable

Further advantages

• Complimentary Diamond standing: Hilton’s prime elite tier, Diamond standing gives all the advantages of the decrease tiers plus space-available room upgrades, govt lounge entry, premium Wi-Fi, standing gifting, and extra.
• CLEAR Plus credit score: Annually, you’ll get a $189 credit score if you use your card to pay for a CLEAR Plus membership, which might expedite the airport safety screening course of at choose airports. Be aware, nonetheless, that it doesn’t embody TSA PreCheck or World Entry membership.
• Hilton on-property credit score: If you keep at taking part Waldorf Astoria Inns & Resorts and Conrad Inns & Resorts properties for no less than two nights, you’ll rise up to $100 in credit for qualifying on-property prices.
• Nationwide Automobile Rental standing: You’ll get complimentary Emerald Membership Government standing with Nationwide, which comes with perks like full-size automobiles at mid-size charges, assured upgrades on full-size by luxurious leases, and extra.
• Baggage insurance coverage: You possibly can rise up to $3,000 in protection for misplaced, broken or stolen baggage.
• Journey delay insurance coverage: In case your round-trip journey is delayed by six hours or extra, you’ll be able to rise up to $500 in reimbursements for eligible bills, corresponding to meals and lodging.
• Journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage: In case your round-trip journey is interrupted or canceled because of coated causes, corresponding to an sickness, damage or loss of life, you’ll be able to rise up to $10,000 in protection for eligible non-refundable bills.
• Buy safety: If you use the cardboard to buy eligible gadgets, you’ll rise up to $10,000 in protection per declare within the occasion that the merchandise is by accident broken, misplaced or stolen inside 90 days from the acquisition date.
• Return safety: If a service provider doesn’t assist you to return an eligible merchandise you bought together with your card inside 90 days of buy, you’ll have as much as $300 per merchandise in protection by your card.

Bank cards just like Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card is full of worth, however its excessive value makes it much less interesting for something however die-hard Hilton loyalists. As such, it’s a good suggestion to buy round and evaluate a number of playing cards to find out which one is greatest suited on your journey habits. Listed below are a pair to contemplate.

Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card vs. Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card is a toned-down model of the Aspire Card and could be a more sensible choice for informal Hilton followers, with a better to abdomen $150 annual price. It additionally gives barely much less spectacular rewards charges, supplying you with 12X Hilton Honors bonus factors for every greenback of eligible purchases charged in your card straight with a lodge or resort inside the Hilton portfolio, 6X factors for every greenback of purchases in your card at U.S. eating places, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gasoline stations, 4X factors for every greenback on U.S. on-line retail purchases, and 3X factors for all different eligible purchases in your card. It additionally gives an identical welcome bonus, supplying you with 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus factors after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of card membership.

You’ll additionally get Gold elite standing—which is one tier decrease than Diamond—however you’ll be able to earn Diamond standing with $40,000 in annual spend. You may also take pleasure in as much as $200 in annual credit in $50 quarterly increments on Hilton purchases in any respect taking part properties as a substitute of simply resorts. Be aware, nonetheless, that you simply’ll have to spend no less than $15,000 in a calendar yr to earn an annual free evening reward. That mentioned, the cardboard’s $150 annual price is way simpler to abdomen.

Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card vs. Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card

When you’re on the lookout for extra flexibility, think about the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card, which lets you use your rewards for almost any sort of journey expense, not only one lodge model. You possibly can e-book your journey utilizing miles straight by the Capital One Journey portal or e-book by yourself and request a press release credit score inside 90 days of creating the acquisition. You may also switch your Capital One miles, usually at a 1 to 1 ratio to Capital One’s journey loyalty switch companions, which frequently yields better worth on your rewards.

The cardboard gives 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside 3 months from account opening—that’s value $750 in journey. You’ll additionally earn 5x miles on inns and rental automobiles booked by Capital One Journey and 2x miles on each buy. Different perks that include the cardboard’s $95 annual price embody Hertz 5 Star elite standing and an software price credit score towards World Entry or TSA membership. That mentioned, you received’t get elite standing with any lodge rewards applications.

Is the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card best for you?

When you journey continuously and like to remain at Hilton properties, the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card needs to be in your radar. When you aren’t positive in regards to the annual price, check out your journey and spending habits during the last yr or two to get an concept of how simple it’ll be to maximise the cardboard’s perks.

When you’re undecided about whether or not you will get sufficient worth again to justify the cardboard’s value, take your time to analysis and evaluate different choices to seek out the very best card for you.

Continuously requested questions

What credit score rating do you want for the Hilton Honors Aspire card?

American Specific doesn’t disclose a minimal credit score rating requirement, however like most premium journey bank cards, the cardboard is usually marketed to folks with good credit score or higher. That usually means a FICO Rating of 670 or increased, however the increased your rating is, the higher your odds of approval will likely be.

Thankfully, Amex’s “apply with confidence” function permits you to see in the event you’re permitted for the cardboard with out requiring a tough credit score examine.

What’s the credit score restrict on a Hilton Honors American Specific card?

Sadly, American Specific doesn’t present this data publicly. The cardboard issuer will think about a number of components, together with your credit score rating, credit score historical past, earnings, accessible credit score on different Amex bank cards, and extra, to find out your card’s restrict.

How can I get Hilton Diamond standing free of charge?

The Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card comes with complimentary Diamond standing, however as a result of the cardboard prices a $450 annual price, it’s arduous to argue that as a really free perk.

One other approach to earn Hilton Diamond standing is to rack up 60 nights, 30 stays or 120,000 base factors. However except an employer is protecting the price of these stays, that received’t be free both.