What the Hilton Credit Card does
The Hilton Credit Card is a co-branded card issued by American Express in partnership with Hilton Hotels. It earns points on every purchase you make, and those points convert into free nights, room upgrades, and other rewards at Hilton properties worldwide. Unlike a general rewards card, this card is built specifically around Hilton's loyalty program, so the earning rates and redemption options are tied directly to how Hilton structures its rewards.
American Express actually offers several Hilton cards at different tiers — the standard Hilton Card, the Hilton Surpass Card, and the Hilton Business Card — each with different annual fees, earning rates, and perks. This guide focuses on how the core Hilton card works and what to expect from the basic version, though the earning mechanics are similar across all three.
Key Takeaways
- The Hilton Card earns points on purchases, with bonus rates on Hilton stays and dining, and those points redeem for free nights or cash back at Hilton properties.
- You pay an annual fee to hold the card, and that fee is not refunded if you cancel, so the card makes sense only if you stay at Hilton hotels regularly or value the sign-up bonus.
- The card comes with a one-time sign-up bonus of points after you meet a spending threshold in the first few months, which is often the biggest reward you'll earn in year one.
- Points do not expire as long as your account stays open and you earn or redeem at least once every 24 months, but Hilton can change the point values hotels charge without notice.
- You can transfer points to airline partners or use them for cash back, but redeeming for free hotel nights usually gives you the most value per point.
How points earning works on the Hilton Card
The card earns 10 points per $1 spent on may be able to access Hilton hotel stays booked directly through Hilton's website or app. This is the highest earning rate on the card. On all other purchases — groceries, gas, dining, shopping — you earn 3 points per $1 spent. Some cards in the Hilton lineup offer bonus points on dining or other categories, but the standard Hilton Card does not.
When you book a Hilton stay, the points post to your Hilton Honors account (Hilton's loyalty program) within a few days of checkout, not when you stay. This matters because you can see your points balance before you even arrive at the hotel. Points earned on the credit card itself are separate from points you might earn as a Hilton Honors member for the stay itself — you get both.
The card does not earn points on balance transfers, cash advances, or fees. If you carry a balance and pay interest, that interest does not earn points either. You earn points only on the purchase amount itself.
The sign-up bonus and annual fee trade-off
When you open a Hilton Card, you receive a sign-up bonus — typically 75,000 to 100,000 points — after you spend a certain amount (usually $1,000 to $2,000) within the first three months. This bonus is often worth more than a year of regular spending, which is why many people open the card specifically to earn it.
The card charges an annual fee of $95 (this varies slightly by card tier and can change). You pay this fee once per year, whether you use the card or not. American Express does not prorate the fee if you cancel mid-year, so if you open the card in June and cancel in September, you still pay the full $95 for that year. This means the card only makes financial sense if you either stay at Hilton hotels regularly enough to earn back the fee in value, or if the sign-up bonus is large enough that the net benefit (bonus minus fee) is worth it to you.
Some versions of the Hilton Card come with a statement credit toward a Hilton stay each year, which can offset part of the annual fee if you use it. Check the current offer when you are considering the card, as these perks change.
How to redeem points for hotel stays
Points redeem through your Hilton Honors account. You log in, search for a hotel and date, and the site shows you how many points that night costs. Prices vary by hotel, location, and season — a budget Hilton in a small town might cost 10,000 points per night, while a luxury property in a major city could cost 50,000 or more. Hilton does not publish a fixed chart; hotels set their own point prices within Hilton's guidelines.
You can also use points to pay for part of a stay and cash for the rest, called a Points + Cash redemption. This is useful if you have enough points for most of the stay but not all of it. The points portion typically costs fewer points than a full points redemption would, so this option can stretch your points further.
Points do not expire as long as your Hilton Honors account remains active and you earn or redeem at least once every 24 months. If your account goes inactive, Hilton will close it and you lose the points. Keeping the credit card open and using it occasionally is one way to keep your account active, even if you do not stay at hotels frequently.
Other ways to use your points
Beyond hotel stays, you can transfer Hilton points to airline partners at a set exchange rate — typically 1 Hilton point equals 1 airline mile, though the ratio varies by airline. This is useful if you have leftover points after booking a hotel stay, or if you value airline miles more than hotel nights. However, airline transfers usually give you less value per point than redeeming for hotels, so most people reserve this option for points they cannot use otherwise.
You can also redeem points for cash back, though again the value per point is typically lower than hotel redemptions. Some Hilton cards allow you to redeem for dining certificates, shopping gift cards, or experiences, but these options are generally less valuable than hotel nights.
Hilton occasionally runs promotions where you can earn bonus points by transferring to airline partners, or where certain hotel stays earn extra points. These are worth watching for if you hold the card, as they can significantly boost your earning in a given month.
What happens to your points if you cancel the card
Your points do not disappear if you cancel the credit card. They stay in your Hilton Honors account as long as that account remains active. However, if you cancel the card and do not stay at Hilton hotels or use the card again, your Hilton Honors account will eventually go inactive (after 24 months with no activity), and Hilton will close it and erase your points.
This is why some people keep a Hilton card open even if they do not use it regularly — the annual fee is a small price to keep a large points balance from expiring. Others close the card and accept that they will lose points if they do not redeem them before the account closes. The math depends on how many points you have and what you think they are worth to you.
Comparing the Hilton Card to other hotel cards
The Hilton Card competes with co-branded cards from other hotel chains — Chase offers cards for IHG, Marriott, and Hyatt, for example. The choice between them usually comes down to which hotel chain you stay at most often. If you stay at Hilton properties regularly, the Hilton Card makes sense. If you split your stays between chains, a general rewards card (which earns cash back or flexible points on all purchases) might give you more value, since you are not locked into one hotel brand.
The Hilton Card also competes with premium American Express cards like the Platinum Card, which earn points on travel purchases broadly rather than just Hilton stays. The Platinum Card has a higher annual fee but offers more perks outside of hotels. Your choice depends on whether you want a card focused on one hotel brand or a broader travel card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I earn points if I book a Hilton stay through a travel website instead of Hilton's site?
No. The card earns the 10-point-per-dollar rate only on stays booked directly through Hilton.com, the Hilton app, or by calling Hilton's reservations line. Bookings through third-party sites like Expedia or Booking.com earn only the base 3 points per dollar, if they earn anything at all. Some third-party bookings do not earn points to the credit card at all.
Can I use my Hilton points at hotels other than Hilton?
No. Hilton points redeem only at Hilton-branded properties (Hilton, DoubleTree, Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and others under the Hilton umbrella). You cannot use them at competitors like Marriott or Hyatt. Your only option outside Hilton is to transfer points to airline partners.
What if the hotel I want to book costs more points than I have?
You can use Points + Cash to cover the difference. You pay points for part of the stay and your credit card or another payment method for the rest. Alternatively, you can wait and earn more points, or book a different property that costs fewer points. Some people also transfer points to airline partners if they decide hotel redemptions are not worth it.
Do points expire if I do not use the card for a while?
Points themselves do not expire, but your Hilton Honors account will close if there is no activity (earning or redeeming points) for 24 months. Once the account closes, your points are gone. Keeping the card open and using it occasionally, even on small purchases, keeps your account active and your points safe.
Is the annual fee worth it if I only stay at Hilton hotels once a year?
It depends on the sign-up bonus and the value of the perks that come with the card. If the sign-up bonus is 100,000 points and you can redeem those for two free nights worth $400 total, the card pays for itself in year one even if you never use it again. In year two and beyond, you need to earn enough points through regular spending or hotel stays to justify the $95 fee. If you stay once a year and earn 30,000 points from that stay, plus another 30,000 from everyday spending, that 60,000 points might be worth $600 to you — enough to cover the fee and come out ahead.