Which credit card should you use for Hilton stays?

If you’re a Hilton loyalist looking for the best card to use on your next stay, you have plenty of options.

Cobranded American Express cards are a fantastic place to start. These cards offer high earning rates on Hilton bookings and complimentary elite status to use during your trip.

But you may want to earn a transferable rewards currency or leverage another loyalty program. Luckily for you, we’ve collected a list of seven credit cards worth considering for your next Hilton stay.

Comparing credit cards for Hilton

Card nameWelcome offerEarning rate at Hilton hotelsRewards value per point on Hilton bookings*Card benefits when staying with Hilton**Annual feeEarn 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends Jan. 14, 2026.

34 points per dollar (14 points from the card, plus 10 base points as a Hilton member and a 100% Diamond status bonus)

17 cents

• Complimentary Diamond status: Daily food-and-beverage credit or continental breakfast, executive lounge access, milestone bonuses, premium Wi-Fi, space-available room upgrades
• Free nights: Up to three reward nights annually (one on cardmember anniversary, two more with eligible spending)
• Property credit: Up to $100 per booking when you book a two-night paid stay at select hotels using an exclusive link for cardmembers
• Resort credit: Up to $200 in biannual statement credits (up to $400 per calendar year) toward Hilton resort purchases

Earn 155,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends Jan. 14, 2026.

30 points per dollar (12 points from the card, plus 10 base points as a Hilton member and an 80% Gold status bonus)

15 cents

• Complimentary Gold status: Daily food-and-beverage credit or continental breakfast, milestone bonuses, space-available room upgrades
• Free night reward: One after eligible spending in a calendar year
• Hilton credit: Up to $50 in quarterly statement credits (up to $200 per calendar year) on eligible Hilton purchases
• Pathway to Diamond status: After spending $40,000 in a calendar year

Earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends Jan. 14, 2026.

30 points per dollar (12 points from the card, plus 10 base points as a Hilton member and an 80% Gold status bonus)

15 cents

• Complimentary Gold status: Daily food-and-beverage credit or continental breakfast, milestone bonuses, space-available room upgrades
• Hilton credit: Up to $60 in quarterly statement credits (up to $240 per calendar year) on eligible Hilton purchases
• Pathway to Diamond status: After spending $40,000 in a calendar year

Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends Jan. 14, 2026.

19 points per dollar (7 points from the card, plus 10 base points as a Hilton member and a 20% Silver status bonus)

9.5 cents

• Complimentary Silver status: Free bottled water
• Pathway to Gold status: After spending $20,000 in a calendar year

Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 within the first three months from account opening.

4 points per dollar booked directly (or 8 points per dollar spent if booked through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit)

8.2 cents (or 16.4 cents)

None (unless you book a Hilton stay through The Edit portfolio, which provides premium benefits such as complimentary breakfast and a $100 property credit)

$795

Earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first six months of card membership.

3 points per dollar

6 cents

None

$150

Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.

3 points per dollar (or 10 points per dollar if booked via cititravel.com)

5.7 cents (or 19 cents)

None

$95

* Value of rewards is based on TPG’s November 2025 valuations and not the card issuer

** Enrollment is required for select benefits

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Which card should you use?

Now that you’ve been introduced to the cards we recommend for Hilton bookings, it’s time to break down the factors you should weigh.

The two primary considerations here:

• Hilton-related benefits to enjoy during your stay
• How many points you’ll earn on your booking

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Let’s break these two aspects down further.

Benefits

Here’s a key consideration: If you have a Hilton cobranded Amex card, you’ll enjoy elite status benefits regardless of whether or not you pay with that specific card.

DAISY HERNANDEZ/THE POINTS GUY

For instance, you don’t have to pay with the Hilton Aspire to enjoy Diamond status benefits. Your status is attached to your Hilton profile regardless of the payment method when you book directly with Hilton.

Two notable exceptions are if you choose to book through an issuer’s travel portal, such as using the Sapphire Reserve through Chase Travel or the Strata Premier through the Citi Travel portal. These generally count as third-party bookings — not direct bookings — and you won’t receive your elite status perks.

Earning rates

At first glance, it’s obvious that the cobranded Amex cards earn the most points for your Hilton stays. That said, this doesn’t mean you’re getting the most value.

TPG’s November 2025 valuations deem Hilton Honors points to be worth 0.5 cents apiece, which is relatively low. This is especially true when you compare this currency to the potential value of transferable rewards points.

NICK POTTS/PA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

Transferable rewards are more flexible and hold higher potential value as a result. Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you’d earn with the Sapphire Reserve, for instance, are worth 2.05 cents per point, per TPG’s November 2025 valuations. TPG’s November 2025 valuations also estimate that American Express Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, which is what you’d earn for paying with the Amex Green.

Of course, if you’d rather keep it simple and earn as many Hilton points as possible, the sky-high earning rates on cobranded cards are the way to go.

Still, you have to consider which currency you’d like to earn and how many points you’ll earn. Think through your upcoming trips and which points are the most useful for booking them. You might pay with a Hilton card if you’re planning a stay at a Hilton property. Meanwhile, you’re better off paying with a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you want to book a business-class flight.

Other considerations

There are other factors to consider when you’re choosing a card for your next Hilton booking.

If you’re working toward a welcome bonus on a particular card, you’ll want to put most of your expenses on that card to avoid missing out on the offer.

We also recommend checking your Amex Offers and Chase Offers to see if you have any relevant discounts or deals on Hilton stays. You’ll need to enroll in your targeted offer and use the relevant card if that’s the option you choose.

AMERICAN EXPRESS

Finally, don’t forget to use your Hilton statement credits on some cobranded Amex cards. Since many of these perks are earned quarterly or biannually, keep track of which card offers a Hilton discount so you can maximize the full value of your card’s benefits. Some Hilton cards also offer annual spending bonuses that give you a higher elite status tier or additional free night certificates.

Related: Maximize your rewards: Your points and miles checklist

Bottom line

Any decision comes with pros and cons. If you’re a Hilton loyalist, picking up a cobranded card and paying with it is generally the way to go.

However, if you value transferable rewards and want to add to your balance, there are flexible options out there with some of our favorite travel rewards cards.

As long as you’re using your card benefits and earning rewards that you’ll redeem, you’re coming out ahead.

Related: Current welcome bonuses on Hilton Amex cards

For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Amex, click here.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Surpass Amex, click here.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Business Amex, click here.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Amex, click here.