Hilton HHonors American Express Credit Card

American Express offers two credit cards for earning Hilton HHonors points. Both cards offer sizeable bonuses for initial purchases and ongoing benefits for booking and paying for stays with the credit cards. There are subtle differences in the two cards but the biggest ones are the accumulation of points and the annual fee.

Hilton HHonors American Express Card

The Hilton HHonors credit card allows you to earn HHonors points with your purchases with no annual fees. Key information about this card:

• No annual fee.
• 2.9% low interest rate for your first six months.
• 20,000 HHonors bonus points for first purchase with the Hilton HHonors Card.
• 10,000 HHonors bonus points for first 4 Hilton Family stays paid with the Card. (2,500 points/stay and must be completed within first 18 months of card membership)
• 6 HHonors bonus points for every U.S. dollar charged at participating Hilton Family hotels worldwide.
• 6 HHonors bonus points for every U.S. dollar charged in the following everyday spend categories: grocery stores, drugstores, gas stations, home and wireless phone, cable and satellite TV, and Internet service providers (less returns).
• 3 HHonors bonus points for every U.S. dollar charged for all other purchases anywhere American Express Cards are accepted (less returns).
• 500 HHonors bonus points every time you book your stay through any Hilton Family website and charge it to your Hilton HHonors Card from American Express.
• Upgrade to HHonors Silver VIP status for the duration of your Cardmembership.
• Upgrade to Hilton HHonors Gold VIP for one year when you make eligible charges of $20,000 or more annually to your Card.

Hilton HHonors Surpass Card from American Express

The Hilton HHonors Surpass credit card allows you to earn HHonors points at a higher rate than the standard card but for a $75 annual fee. Key differences between this card and the standard card:

• 9 HHonors bonus points for every $1 spent at Hilton Family hotels worldwide.
• Complimentary Gold VIP status for first year, and then maintain Gold VIP status with annual spending of $20,000.
• Diamond VIP status with annual spending of $40,000.
• In your first 18 months of Cardmembership, earn 2,500 HHonors bonus points for each of your first eight stays at Hilton Family hotels when you Charge $100 or more to your Hilton HHonors Surpass Card for each of those eight stays.
• Automatic enrollment in the Priority Pass program. Priority Pass membership automatically renews on its anniversary date, unless canceled prior to the anniversary date. For complete Priority Pass terms and conditions and a directory of participating lounges, visit http://www.prioritypass.com/.

My Prescription

If you are looking to maximize your points at Hilton and you are able to take advantage of either of these cards then do so. For the standard card, the 30,000 bonus points and 6 HHonors bonus points per dollar spent is enticing but 40,000 bonus points, 9 HHonors bonus points per dollar spent, and Priority Pass membership for a year is even more appealing. The real key for the Surpass card is the automatic enrollment in the Hilton HHonors program at the Gold VIP level. At this level you will be also be able to earn a 25% bonus on all HHonors Base points and the ability to earn 1,000 bonus points per stay. Either card is a great way to jumpstart your Hilton earnings but the Surpass card is well worth the $75 fee and it is what I recommend for the Hilton traveler.

Further Hilton credit card offers will be reviewed soon in addition to a thorough review of the Hilton HHonors program this week.