Hilton Honors American Express Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is the no-annual-fee entry point to Hilton's Amex lineup. As of August 2026 the welcome offer is 80,000 Hilton Honors points after $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months, a step down from the 100,000 point plus $100 statement credit offer that expired July 29, 2026. There is no foreign transaction fee, which is not a given on no-fee hotel cards. The earning rates look strong on paper: 7 points per dollar at hotels in the Hilton portfolio, 5 points per dollar at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations, and 3 points per dollar on everything else. Calibrate for the currency, though. Hilton points are among the lowest-value hotel points, worth roughly half a cent each by most editorial valuations, so 5x at the supermarket works out to about a 2.5 percent return. That is respectable for a no-fee card, but it is not the windfall the multipliers suggest. The fine print matters. The 5x bonus categories apply only to US merchants, so restaurants and grocery stores abroad earn 3x. There is no annual free night certificate at this tier, which is the benefit that makes Hilton's paid cards pay for themselves. Complimentary Silver status is the bottom rung of Hilton's program; its most useful perk is the fifth night free on award stays. You can earn an upgrade to Gold status, but only after $20,000 in purchases in a calendar year, a threshold at which the $150 Surpass card is clearly better value. The regular APR runs 19.49 to 28.49 percent variable, so carrying a balance will erase any rewards value quickly. This card fits occasional Hilton guests who want to accumulate points from everyday US spending without paying an annual fee, and people who want a simple keeper card to preserve their Hilton points from expiring. It also works as a long-term holding spot after downgrading from a paid Hilton card. Skip it if you stay at Hilton properties more than a handful of nights a year: the Surpass earns 12x at Hilton, includes Gold status with its food and beverage credits at many brands, and offsets its $150 fee with up to $200 in quarterly Hilton credits. And if Hilton is not your default chain, a transferable-points card will serve you better than any single-hotel card.