Hilton Honors - You Deserve the Best!
- Abigail Gaston
- Jun 4, 2018
- 5 min read
I have been a Hilton Honors credit card holder for about one and a half years now. The adventure soul and global gallivant within, has me constantly itching to jet set around the world. Experiencing new things, engrossing myself in different cultures, and taking off on uncharted quests to fulfill the longing thrill within are always at the top of this girls list!
The adventure and fun are all well and good, but at the end of the day, I gotta rest my head somewhere, right? Well, between May 2015 and this upcoming July 2018, I have visited 31 different destinations around the world. No, I have not stayed at a Hilton hotel each time I vacationed; however, each time I did, I always knew what I was going to get and each time, I left a satisfied customer.
When staying at a Hilton or Hilton brand hotel and/or resort, rest assure you are getting top notch customer service, a beautiful and clean room, and typically, a prime location. I can book a Hilton brand hotel in any location around the world and though each may be in a different city, state, country; the customer service, kindness, cleanliness and beauty is always consistent. This is why when researching which hotel points and credit card program was right for me, I just knew it was Hilton Honors.
You can actually sign up for Hilton Honors for free without being a credit card holder:
Just click the link and select “Join” and start planning your stays at Hilton and Hilton brand resorts and hotels. You can rack up the points each time you lay your head on a Hilton owned pillow.
Or, you can become a Hilton Honors by American Express credit card holder and you can rack up the points with each stay and with each purchase you make using your Hilton credit card
What does the Hilton Honors credit card points system looks like?
Hilton Honors has three different credit cards to choose from and as you can imagine, with each step up in card level, the better the points earnings and the higher the status.
First Card: Simply called, “Hilton Honors Card,” is known as the ‘Arrive with Status’ card. See below for basic details:
A zero annual fee credit card
7x Hilton Honors bonus points for each charge to your credit card that is directly with a Hilton brand.
5x Hilton Honors bonus points for every dollar spent on your credit card at a grocery store/super market, restaurant or on gas (US only).
3x Hilton Honors bonus points for every dollar spent using your card on anything else
Zero foreign transaction fees (a major plus for international travelers)
Upgrade to complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status just for being a card holder
Second Card: The second Hilton Honors card is “Hilton Honors Ascend” and it is known as the ‘Raise Your Status’ card. There is a $95 annual fee with this card but there is a good reason for this annual fee; see below:
12x Hilton Honors bonus points for each charge to your credit card that is directly with a Hilton brand.
6x Hilton Honors bonus points for every dollar spent on your credit card at a grocery store/super market, restaurant or on gas (US only).
3x Hilton Honors bonus points for every dollar spent using your card on anything else
Zero foreign transaction fees
Enroll in “Priority Pass” and get 10 free lounge visits at over 1,000 airports
Receive complimentary gold status just for being a card holder
You can earn a weekend night reward after spending $15,000 on your card in a calendar year
Third Card: The top tier Hilton Honors credit card is the “Hilton Honors Aspire.” The Aspire is known as ‘the card for the avid world traveler.’ See below for details:
Aspire has a whopping $450 annual fee; however, you really get a lot of that $450 back in bonuses; see below:
14x Hilton Honors bonus points for each charge to your credit card that is directly with a Hilton brand.
7x Hilton Honors bonus points for every dollar spent on your credit card at a grocery store/super market, restaurant or on gas (US only)
3x Hilton Honors bonus points for every dollar spent using your card on anything else
Receive one weekend night free each year upon renewal of your card
Receive a $250 statement credit each year
Receive up to $250 airline fee credit for incidentals charged on your Hilton Aspire credit card annually (baggage fees, seat selection, etc).
Receive a $100 Hilton on property credit upon check in (must be staying two+ nights)
Priority Pass at over 1,000 airport lounges for you and a guest
Complimentary Diamond Status
There are many other benefits that go along with all three Hilton Honors credit card statuses; to view them all, click on the following link
What has being a Hilton Honors credit card holder done for me?
I became a Hilton Honors credit card holder in April 2017. Since then I have earned over 160,000 Hilton Honors points. When I first applied for the Hilton Honors by American Express card, I applied for the basic first tier credit card. At this point, the American Express Hilton Honors credit card was offering 40,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first three months, which was easy to hit.
In October 2017, I was sent an offer for the Hilton Honors Ascend credit card. Within the upgrade offer was another points earning bonus; spend $3,000 in your first three months and receive 100,000 Hilton Honors points. I definitely upgraded and boy am I glad I did!
With my Hilton Honors points, I have purchased a one bedroom suite at Hilton Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium and a regular two double beds room in Time Square, Manhattan with zero out of pocket money spent. And, I still have over 66,000 points available.
I like Hilton Honors credit card and points program because they are reasonable with their points per stay and they provide an easy process for using them. There are no hoops to jump through or bargaining to be done. Plus, they do not expire!
I also qualified for a three night, one bedroom suite at Las Palmaris by Hilton Grand Vacations for only $165 dollars total; not per night, total! Now, as you may guess, this deal entailed a caveat; we had to attend their time-share presentation. However, it was well worth it for three nights and four days in Orlando, Florida at a price point that was under $200. When agreeing to the deal, I was told that Hilton Honors credit card holders receive these types of offers.
Another factor that I like about Hilton Honors by American Express is that they offer a “Refer a Friend” bonus. You can receive 20,000 points if you refer someone and they are approved! Plus, your friend can receive 75,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months!
If you are interested, check out the following link:
Furthermore, you can actually get paid back for shopping! For example, as a Hilton Honors credit card holder, if you purchase $100 on Fanatics.com (a sports apparel website), Hilton Honors by American Express will give you $15 back! Not to worry, if sports are not your ‘cup of tea,’ there are many partnerships to earn money back from.
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