ReviewsHilton Honors American Express Business Card Review
Card Review
How to Apply
The Hilton Honors American Express Business card is a great travel card for small business owners who don’t want to pay a huge annual fee. It’s one of the least expensive ways to get access to American Express’s Priority Pass lounges and offers complimentary Hilton Status, making your stays more luxurious.
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Quick Review
Here are the highlights of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card:
Annual Fee: $95
APR: 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
Sign-Up Bonus: 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points
Benefits:
- Complimentary Hilton Gold Status
- Free weekend night with $15,000 in spending
- Earn a second free weekend night with $60,000 in spending
- Upgrade to Diamond status with $40,000 in spending
- 10 Priority Pass Lounge passes each year
- Expense management tools for business owners
- Earn 12x points on Hilton purchases
- Earn 6x points on business purchases, restaurants, gas stations, wireless service, shipping, and travel
- Earn 3x points on everything else
Minimum Payment: The greater of:
- $39
- 2% of the new balance
- 1% of the new balance plus interest charged, fees, and any over limit amount
Other Fees:
- 3% for cash advances, minimum of $5
- Up to $39 for late payment
- $39 for a returned payment
Why to Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
There are a few reasons you might want to apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
Perks when traveling: Card holders will earn 12 points for every dollar they spend at Hilton properties. They also receive Hilton Gold Status for as long as they hold the card. This status gives cardholders an 80% bonus on points earned from stays; late checkout privileges; a fifth night free when they book four reward nights; complimentary room upgrades; and free breakfast at every Hilton hotel. Plus, you can visit a Priority Pass lounge for free while you’re on the way to your destination by using one of your ten free lounge passes.
Strong rewards: You’ll earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you sign up for the card and spend $3,000 in the first three months that you have the card. You can book rooms starting at 5,000 points, so you’ll earn enough points for as many as 25 nights. You’ll also earn at least 3 points for every dollar you spend, but as many as 12 points per dollar when you use your card to book your stays at Hilton hotels. The card has generous bonus categories, which makes it easy to stock up on points. Beyond the points, you can earn one free weekend night each year by spending $15,000 on the card, and a second by spending $60,000. You’ll also qualify for Diamond Status, Hilton’s tops status, with $40,000 in spending.
Drawbacks and Downsides
There are some drawbacks to consider before applying for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
Low point values: You can earn a lot of points by using the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, but the points themselves don’t have great value. Each point is worth about half a penny. You can use the points to book hotel stays or transfer the points to a partner airline to book flights, but other cards offer more value per point.
High spending requirements for perks: The ability to earn free nights and Diamond status each year is appealing, but many small business owners won’t be able to spend enough with their card to qualify for those perks. Unless you can spend at least $15,000 a year, the main value of the card comes from its ongoing point earnings, Priority Pass access, and complimentary Gold status. These benefits aren’t minor, but you’re missing out on some valuable perks that are locked behind high spending requirements.
Alternatives
These are some of the best alternatives to the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: If you don’t mind applying for a personal card and want flexible travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is one of the best travel credit cards available. The 50,000-point signup bonus is worth $750 when redeemed for travel and the card offers $300 in annual travel credits that can be used on any type of travel. The $450 annual fee is hefty, but the card’s premium perks and rewards more than make up for it.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire: If you want to go all-in on the Hilton loyalty program and don’t mind paying a large annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card might be the card for you. Though the card charges a $450 annual fee, you’ll be able to earn 14x points on all Hilton purchases. You’ll also receive complementary Platinum status and a free weekend night each year. Other perks, such as unlimited access to Priority Pass lounges; a $100 resort credit every time you book a stay of two or more nights at participating Waldorf Astoria or Conrad Hotels; and $250 in annual airline fee credits help offset that high fee.
Other Things to Know
These are some of the most common questions that people have about the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
Do Hilton Honors points expire?
Yes, Hilton Honors points expire after twelve months of account inactivity. But the 12-month timer resets each time you earn or use a single point.
Does Hilton offer lifetime status?
Yes, you can earn lifetime Platinum status in the Hilton Honors program. To qualify, you must have earned Platinum status in at least ten years and earned two million points or stayed at least 1,000 nights at Hilton properties.
Can you pool Hilton Honors points with family and friends?
Yes, Hilton Honors lets you pool your points with up to ten other Hilton Honors members.
Bottom Line: Should You Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card?
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a great credit card for small business owners who regularly stay at Hilton properties. It also offers one of the cheapest ways to get access to Priority Pass lounges. While some of its perks are locked behind high spending requirements, it’s also a cheap way to get Hilton Gold status and all of its associated perks.
