Hilton Credit Card Review: $0 Annual Fee Worth It?

Hilton Honors American Express Card is a popular hotel credit card. So what's the catch? Read on to see if the Hilton AMEX is worth applying for.

We have to say: it's rare to find a travel credit card with no annual fee. It's nice to see that the Hilton Honors card from American Express goes against the grain with no annual fee .

What it offers: Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.

That's a straightforward way to save money on your next Hilton hotel stay, but is this card worth the space it will take up in your wallet? Keep reading to see what we like (and dislike) about this card.

We'll also discuss below how this offer compares to other hotel credit cards.

Is Hilton American Express Worth It?

In our opinion: the Hilton Honors Card from American Express could be a smart addition to your wallet if you tend to stay at a Hilton property when you travel and you want a way to save up for future hotel stays.

However, if you want your next new credit card to be an all-around, good-for-everything purchasing tool, you may want to think twice.

We feel the Hilton Honors AMEX is best suited as a secondary card — view it as a supporting actor to the star of your wallet, which should be a credit card that offers a broad set of reward options and a variety of redemption opportunities.

Let's dig into the details about why you should consider packing this card for your next trip and why you may want to leave it at home.

Reasons to Get the Hilton Honors Credit Card

Hilton Cancún © Christian Van Der Henst S. (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

We've broken down the card's benefits and features that impress us.

1. You can get a bonus. Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.

   That's a lower threshold than many other travel cards.

2. You won't pay an annual fee. A lot of travel credit cards charge an annual fee, but not in this case. With this card, you don't have to worry about using it often enough to justify an annual fee.

3. You'll score points on hotel stays. You can rack up significant rewards if you're an habitual Hilton user. Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.

4. You'll earn Hilton Honors points on everyday purchases. You'll earn 5 points for each dollar you charge on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.

5. And you get points elsewhere. The card will give you 3 points per dollar on other eligible purchases.

6. You can usually find a place to stay with your rewards. You don't have to worry about blackout dates when it comes time to redeem your Hilton Honors points. As long as there's a standard room available, you can redeem your points for it.

   If you're willing to stay at what may be viewed as a lesser hotel (considered a category 1 by Hilton), your points can go further. A category 1 hotel costs 5,000 points a night while a category 2 hotel costs 10,000 points a night. The highest category rated hotels will eat up 70,000 to 95,000 points per night.

7. You'll get points when you book online. Aside from the points you'll earn when you pay for your hotel stay, you also get a 500-point bonus when you use your card to reserve a room through a Hilton website.

8. You get travel benefits. This card comes with several features that are designed to make your trip run a little more smoothly, including travel accident insurance, roadside assistance, and access to the 24-hour global assistance hotline.

9. You get hotel perks. New cardholders automatically reach Silver Status for their Hilton Honors™ membership. This means you can get the 5th night free if you redeem your rewards to stay in a standard room for at least 5 nights. Another plus with this status: complimentary access to fitness centers and health clubs during stays (this may not apply for properties with a resort charge). And if you charge $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, you'll get Gold Status through the end of the next calendar year.

10. No foreign transaction fees . This card comes with no foreign transaction fees for international purchases. If you regularly travel outside the U.S., this is a nice benefit.

11. Your purchases are protected. Members get complimentary purchase protection on eligible purchases against theft or damage as well as an extended warranty on eligible purchases. You also get return protection in case you need to return an eligible item but the merchant won't take it back. Coverage is determined by the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the card.

REASONS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE

Intrigued by the Hilton Honors card but not sure how much you will benefit? There are reasons the card is a turnoff for some travelers:

• Your choice of hotels is limited. While you can earn points with this card at places other than Hilton hotels, it's really designed for travelers who prefer Hilton to other brands. If you don't want to be tied to a particular brand, take a look at other cards on the market.

  Related: Hotel Credit Cards

• There's no introductory rate . A big reason consumers apply for new cards is to get a 0% interest deal for a limited time. You won't find that with this card.

  Related: Credit Cards with 0% APR Promotions

HOW IT COMPARES

It's always smart to shop around. These a few popular alternatives to the Hilton Honors card that also offer the potential for free hotel stays.

Hilton Honors Surpass:

BOTTOM LINE

Hilton Hotel In Belfast © William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr

A obvious prerequisite for wanting the Hilton Honors card is that you're a fan and, secondly, that you'll have opportunities to stay at Hilton properties in the months and years ahead (the bonus offer will help with that).

When you use your rewards credit cards strategically (by always using this card for Hilton charges as well as charges at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations while using another rewards card for your other purchases), you can rack up a significant number of rewards that can be redeemed for a future vacation.

Terms and limitations apply.