Hilton HHonors^TM Card From American Express
REVIEW

Summary

The Hilton HHonors® Platinum Credit Card from American Express is one of two Hilton HHonors credit card (the other being Citibanks' Hilton HHonors Visa) with no annual fee. The American Express version is actually the better one as it allows you to earn more points than the Citibanks' Visa version. Find out more about this card.

Hilton HHonors Base Points + 2 Ways To Earn Them

Before we layout the card details and how you earn points, I think it is important to show you would earn HH points without a card. The points you earn per dollar spent at their Hotels depends on your Elite Status and how you choose to earn points (we'll dive into that in a bit).

For every dollar that you spend at Hilton properties, you will earn base points. As a Hilton HHonors member, you will earn 10 base points for every dollar that you spend. That is regardless of your elite level status.

There are three elite levels - Silver, Gold and Diamond. Silver members get 15% more base points (ie 11.5 base points/$). Gold members get 25% more base points (ie 12.5 base points/$). Diamond members get 50% more base points (ie 15 base points/$). If you are just a normal member, you will earn just 10 base points per dollar.

Aside from your eilte status, you can also choose the way to earn points. The first way is "Points and Points". If you choose to earn points this way, you will earn 10 base points + 5 points per dollar. You can also choose "Points and Miles". In Points and Miles, you earn 10 base points and 1 miles (has to be HH partner) per dollar.

Hilton Properties

Hilton Hotel Properties include Hilton®, Conrad®, Coral by Hilton, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations Club®, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and Scandic hotels

Card Details

The points that you earn will be in additional to the points you earn as a member (as mentioned above).

Earn 7 points per dollar at Hilton Properties.

Earn 5 Points for every dollar you spend at restaurants, supermarkets, stand-alone gas stations.

Earn 3 points for every dollar you spend on other purchases.

No Annual Fee

Automatic Silver Elite Status. Gold Status if you spend $20,000 a year on the card.

Peer Comparison

Cards	Annual Fee	Points	Elite Status	Anniversary Bonus
Hilton HHonors® From American Express	$0	7X - Hilton Hotels 5X - Supermarkets, Gas Stations & Drugstores 3X - Everything Else	Silver - Automatic Gold - If you spend $20,000 a year	No Anniversary Bonus
$0	Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature	6X - Hilton Hotels 3X - Supermarkets, Gas Stations & Drugstores 2X - Everything Else	Silver - Automatic Gold - Stay 4 times during 1st 90 days and get Gold Status for 2 years	No Anniversary Bonus
Hilton HHonors Surpass	$75	12X - Hilton Hotels 6X - Supermarkets, Gas Stations & Drugstores 3X - Everything Else	Gold - Automatic Diamond - with $40,000 annual spend	No Anniversary Bonus
Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve	$95	12X - Hilton Hotels 6X - Supermarkets, Gas Stations & Drugstores 3X - Everything Else	Gold - Automatic Diamond - with $40,000 annual spend	Free weekend night certificate every year of cardmembership when your spending hits $10,000

Hilton HHonors have the distinction of having both Amex and Citibank issue their cards (at the same time). So a comparison has to be done before we can make a verdict on this card.

Hilton Hhonors also has a Visa issued by Citi, so this is the most natural comparison. Like this Amex version, the Citi Hilton Hhonors Visa has no annual fee. The Citi Hilton HHonors Visa also allows you to earn 6 points on Hilton Hotels. But the Amex version beats it out in other areas. Firstly, the Visa version only allows you to earn 3 points for supermarket, drugstore and gasoline whereas the Amex version allows you to earn 6 points on these plus a few other categories.

For regular purchases, the Amex version lets you earn 3 points while the Citi version only allows you to earn 2 points.

Hence, I think the Amex version beats the Citi version, though some folks may simple prefer to have Visa than an Amex.

Versus Amex Hilton HHonors Surpass Card - The Surpass Card is the elite and upper tier version of the Hilton series of cards. It is also issued by Amex. This card has a $75 annual fee. But you can earn 12 points instead of 6 points for Hilton Hotel stays and bookings. But best of all, Surpass Card holders get a complimentary Gold Elite Status and Diamond Elite Status if you spend $40,000 a year

 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No Annual Fee
• Earn more points than Citi's no annual fee version
• Earn points on gas, supermarket and drugstore
• Silver Elite Status - Gold if you spend $20,000

Cons

• No Elite Status
• Foreign Transaction Fees

Our Take

There are a few decisions you have to make with regards to choosing the right HH card for yourself.

The decision to make is whether you should choose the annual fee versions over the no annual fee versions?
I think that decision boils down to a couple of things. The first is what which hotels do you like to redeem your points for? Hilton has many low end properties that require only 5,000 points a night. However, if you want to free night's stay at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Islands (usually goes for 95,000 a night), or Conrad Hong Kong (70,000 a night), then you probably want to consider the annual fee versions because you can earn more points and automatically qualify for a higher elite status (gold - which helps you earn more points).

Another factor to consider is whether you do a lot of international travels? The annual fee versions have no foreign transaction fees whereas this card and the no annual fee Citi version has them.

If you do not travel overseas and are likely to redeem points for Hilton properties in the US and are not hung up over redeeming points for category 8 or 10 properties, then the no annual fee version will probably suffice.

And if you do decide on the no annual fee version, then it is a choice between the American Express or Citi version. In the regard, the Amex version (ie this card) wins out because you get to earn more points (7/5/3 vs 6/3/2).

To sum up, if you do not want to pay an annual fee for your credit card, do not travel abroad and have no wish to redeem your HH points for super high-end properties, then this is probably the card you would want to get.