Four New Amex Hilton Credit Cards Including One With Diamond Status

On January 18, 2018, Hilton and American Express will be releasing four new Hilton credit cards featuring enhanced benefits and even more perks. Next year, American Express will become the exclusive issuer of Hilton credit cards, with existing Citi Hilton cards being moved over to Amex.

The four new cards are: the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card, the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. The most interesting is the premium Aspire Card, which comes with Hilton Diamond status and up to $500 in annual travel credits for a $450 annual fee.

Details of Each Card

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

• 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and at U.S. restaurants
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status
• One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio with your new Card and each year of Card Membership
• A second Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $60,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• Unlimited Priority Pass™Lounge passes to ease the airport experience
• $250 Airline incidental fee statement credit
• $250 Hilton resort statement credit
• $100 on-property credit at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts when booking the exclusive Aspire Card package
• Access to 24/7 American Express concierge
• No foreign transaction fees
• $450 annual fee

Hilton Honors American Express Card

• 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. grocery stores, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status; Earn Gold status after spending $20,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee

Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card

• 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. grocery stores, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status; Earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year
• One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year
• 10 free Priority Pass™Lounge passes to ease the airport experience
• No foreign transaction fees
• $95 Annual Fee

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

• 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio worldwide
• 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service producers and U.S. purchases for shipping
• 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on U.S. restaurants, flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, and car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status; Earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year
• One Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $15, 000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• A second Weekend Night Reward at a hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio after spending $60,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year
• 10 free Priority Pass™Lounge passes to ease the airport experience and get work done more easily and comfortably while waiting for a flight
• No foreign transaction fees
• $95 annual fee

Existing American Express Hilton Card Holders

Current holders of the no-annual-fee American Express Hilton Honors Card will be converted to the new no-annual-fee card. The new card has the same Honors point earning structure as the old version and adds a no foreign transaction fee benefit. This is a clear upgrade for international travelers.

Current holders of the Hilton Honors Surpass Card will be converted to the new Hilton Honors Ascend card. The annual fee will increase from $75 to $95. The Ascend Card also has the same Honors point earning multiples as its predecessor, but will add some new benefits for the increased fee: One Weekend Night Reward after spending $15,000 in a calendar year, 10 free Priority Pass Lounge passes, and no foreign transaction fees.

Aspire – The Biggest Surprise

The biggest surprise of the bunch is the premium Hilton Aspire card. Frequent travelers who stay at Hilton properties could easily monetize the $250 airline incidental fee credit and the $250 Hilton resort credit. The $500 in total annual credits essentially make this $450 card an instant $50 money-maker. Add to that the highly valuable and sought after top tier Hilton Diamond status for essentially no cost.

My Take

With these new cards, American Express offers a complete portfolio of Hilton credit cards. Each one targets a specific customer with different costs and benefits depending on their needs. The “replacement” cards are an upgrade to each of their predecessors. It’s especially nice to finally see an end to the foreign transaction fees, particularly for credit cards marketed to travelers. And the new Honors Business and Aspire cards fill gaps in the old American Express Hilton portfolio.