You get what you pay for. Here, the card with the annual fee has the best rewards.
This is the best of the three HHonors cards and the only one with an annual fee ($75). You also earn the most points with it.
You earn nine points for every dollar at Hilton-owned hotels, which include Doubletree, Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites. You also earn six points per dollar at gas stations, supermarkets and drug stores, and six points on your phone, internet and cable bills. You earn three points on everything else.
You get 40,000 bonus points after your first purchase, enough for four free nights. You can also earn up to 20,000 points after you stay eight times at Hilton hotels during the first 18 months you have the card.
You also get free Gold status for life in the Hilton HHonors program and free Priority Pass membership.More »
This is the no-fee version of the Hilton HHonors Surpass card, but the rewards are only half as good.
You earn six HHonors points for every dollar you charge at Hilton-owned hotels, six points at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations, six points at communications providers and three points everywhere else.
You also get 20,000 bonus points after your first purchase, which Hilton and Amex say is enough for two free nights. Plus you can earn up to 10,000 more points after your first four stays at Hilton during the first 18 months you have the card. You can earn twice that much with the Surpass card.
You also get complimentary Silver status for life in the Hilton HHonors program.
More »
This is the stingiest of the three Hilton HHonors cards and the hardest one to earn points with.
You earn six points for every dollar you spend at Hilton, three points at grocery stores, gas stations and drug stores and two points on all other purchases. That's a lot less than with either Amex card.
You can also earn 40,000 bonus points, but you have to spend $1,000 within the first four months you have the card. By contrast, you earn 40,000 bonus points after just one purchase with the Amex Surpass card and 20,000 with the no-fee Amex card.
The Amex cards have another advantage over this card; both offer a 2.9% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six months.More »
1. Hilton HHonors Surpass American Express Card
This is the best of the three HHonors cards and the only one with an annual fee ($75). You also earn the most points with it.
You earn nine points for every dollar at Hilton-owned hotels, which include Doubletree, Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites. You also earn six points per dollar at gas stations, supermarkets and drug stores, and six points on your phone, internet and cable bills. You earn three points on everything else.
You get 40,000 bonus points after your first purchase, enough for four free nights. You can also earn up to 20,000 points after you stay eight times at Hilton hotels during the first 18 months you have the card.
You also get free Gold status for life in the Hilton HHonors program and free Priority Pass membership.More »
2. Hilton HHonors American Express Card
This is the no-fee version of the Hilton HHonors Surpass card, but the rewards are only half as good.
You earn six HHonors points for every dollar you charge at Hilton-owned hotels, six points at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations, six points at communications providers and three points everywhere else.
You also get 20,000 bonus points after your first purchase, which Hilton and Amex say is enough for two free nights. Plus you can earn up to 10,000 more points after your first four stays at Hilton during the first 18 months you have the card. You can earn twice that much with the Surpass card.
You also get complimentary Silver status for life in the Hilton HHonors program.
More »
3. Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card
This is the stingiest of the three Hilton HHonors cards and the hardest one to earn points with.
You earn six points for every dollar you spend at Hilton, three points at grocery stores, gas stations and drug stores and two points on all other purchases. That's a lot less than with either Amex card.
You can also earn 40,000 bonus points, but you have to spend $1,000 within the first four months you have the card. By contrast, you earn 40,000 bonus points after just one purchase with the Amex Surpass card and 20,000 with the no-fee Amex card.
The Amex cards have another advantage over this card; both offer a 2.9% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six months.More »