Want free hotel nights? The Hilton Honors American Express Card will rack up Hilton Honors points on all your purchases. Plus, you'll get an annual bonus that will quickly fill your points bank.

On top of that, you'll get automatic Hilton Gold status to make the most of every stay.

Earning Hilton Honors rewards

Hilton is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, with over 9,400 locations worldwide. The Hilton Honors American Express Card will let you earn points everywhere you shop so you can stay at those properties for free.

Here's what you'll earn on all your purchases:

• 6 points per $1 spent at Hilton properties
• 4 points per $1 spent on gas, groceries, and restaurants
• 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Spend $3,000 per month, and you could earn roughly 104,400 Hilton Honors points per year. Those points are worth an average of $679

Redeeming Hilton Honors points

Hilton Honors gives you lots of ways to use your points. Many simply use them for free nights. And like many programs, using them for redemptions in-house offers the best value.

Our average value for a Hilton point when used towards nights is 0.65 cents. They're easy to use for free nights – simply log in to your account and search using points.

Of course, there are other ways to use your points – here are some of the more popular options.

• Experiences
• Car rentals
• Lyft credits
• Convert points to 40+ airlines (including Air Canada) at a 10:1 ratio
• Charity donations

Benefits to the Hilton Honors American Express Card

There is quite a bit to love with this card.

1. Annual 50,000 point bonus

Every year you have the card, a 50,000-point bonus awaits you. To earn it, you simply have to spend $12,000 on your card every calendar year. It's essentially a free night every year for you to earn..

You'll receive your bonus points on your next billing cycle after you've reached the spending threshold.

2. Big welcome bonus

There's a big welcome bonus as well. You'll earn 70,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months and $500 in month 13. Plus, get a free night award after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.

That free night award is a big plus.

Once you've earned it, you'll get a code from Hilton. You can't book it online – you have to call Hilton reservations to use it.

This bonus can be exchanged for a free night (including taxes and fees) at almost any Hilton property. A few exceptions exist – this page has the list.

It's a very valuable addition to the bonus. The full details on using it can be found here.

3. Automatic Hilton Honors Gold membership

Simply having this card automatically gives you Hilton Honors Gold Tier status. You would normally need to complete 15 stays or spend $3,000 USD to earn this status.

Here are the highlights of what Gold status offers:

• 80% bonus points on stays
• Daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast (varies by brand and region)
• Free upgrades if available

If you spend $40,000 per year on your card, you'll be upgraded to the Diamond Tier, which offers even more perks.

Downsides to the Hilton Honors American Express Card

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

1. Amex acceptance

This very much depends on where you shop, but Amex cards aren't quite as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard.

At least in Canada and the U.S., they are accepted more than you think. Here is our guide where you can learn more about it.

2. Ok insurance

The insurance is just ok for a credit card with a $150 annual fee.

There are only 8 types included.

Comparison to the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card

There's another hotel credit card in Canada that offers similar rewards and perks, and it's also issued by Amex – the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card.

Here's the breakdown.

These are similar cards, other than the rewards program. The rewards are somewhat close. You would think Hilton would come out ahead on spend because it has bonus categories. But Marriott points are generally far more valuable than Hilton points.

As for benefits, they're also similar. Instead of giving a lump-sum bonus, Marriott will give you an annual free night certificate worth 35,000 points. It does have to be used within a year of earning it. Hilton has a slight edge here as they'll simply give you 50,000 points to do whatever you want, whenever you like. Either way, these benefits more than offset the annual fees.

The automatic hotel status is also superior with Hilton, offering Gold instead of Silver.

So which is better? It really comes down to your hotel preferences. Do you have some go-to hotels you stay at in either portfolio? Do you already have plenty of points with either Hilton or Marriott?

You have 2 excellent cards to choose from at your disposal. If you frequently stay at either or you can't decide, you could consider having both – the annual voucher/points benefits more than outweigh the annual fees you'll pay.

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FAQ

What is the Hilton Honors American Express Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a rare hotel-branded credit card in Canada. You'll earn Hilton Honors points on all purchases, and get access to perks like an annual bonus and automatic Hilton Honors Gold Tier status.

What does the Hilton Honors American Express Card earn for rewards?

On purchases, the Hilton Honors American Express Card earns the following:

• 6 points per $1 spent at Hilton properties
• 4 points per $1 spent on gas, groceries, and restaurants
• 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases

You'll also earn 50,000 bonus points every year you spend $12,000 on your card.

What are the annual fee and income requirements of the Hilton Honors American Express Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Card has an annual fee of $150. Like credit cards issued by American Express, there are no income requirements to get this card. Your annual fee is easily offset with the lump sum of points to use toward a free stay, making this card accessible and appealing to fans of Hilton Hotels.