Who it's for
Free hotel nightsTravel credits & perks
Hilton Aspire
Best Hilton card by far. Diamond status unlocks free breakfast + suite upgrades at 7,000+ hotels. The $400 resort credit + $200 airline + $209 CLEAR + free night alone exceed the $550 fee. Best for regular Hilton guests who can leverage Diamond perks.
$3,393/yrest. value at typical spending
$550annual fee
$809yearly credits
−$259fee after credits
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| Category | Rate | Typical spend |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 7x | $400/mo |
| Groceries | 3x | $600/mo |
| Flights & hotels | 7.4x | $300/mo |
| Rent | 3x | $2,500/mo |
| Gas & transit | 3x | $150/mo |
| Streaming | 3x | $80/mo |
| Online shopping | 3x | $200/mo |
| Everything else | 3x | $600/mo |
Rates are what our model counts per dollar. Brand-specific bonuses (like a hotel card at its own hotels) are blended, since most people don't put all category spending with one brand. Typical spending here means our quiz defaults: $4,830 a month, including $2,500 rent or mortgage. Points are valued at 1.5¢ each (travel portal redemption); transferring to airline or hotel partners can be worth more.
Rewards and perks
Points, 1 transfer partner
- $400 annual Hilton resort credit — $200 semi-annually at participating Hilton resorts
- $200 annual airline fee credit — one airline of your choice, $50 quarterly
- $209 CLEAR+ membership credit (covers full annual membership)
- Annual free night reward at any Hilton property (no category restrictions)
- Second free night reward after spending $30,000 in a calendar year
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status (top tier — normally requires 25 stays/50 nights/$11,500 spend starting 2026)
- 14x Hilton Honors points at Hilton hotels (highest Hilton rate)
- 7x on flights booked direct with airlines or via Amex Travel
- 7x at U.S. restaurants
- 7x on car rentals booked direct
- 3x on everything else
- Complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120 every 4 years)
- Priority Pass discontinued for new cardholders — existing cardholders retain it
- No foreign transaction fees
Transfer partners
Hilton Honors
Head-to-head
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