The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Review [2024]: A Card for Hilton Loyalists

Card basics

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a Hilton-focused card for business owners. I like that you don’t have to worry about a bunch of categories; you earn good rates on all your spend. You can earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases; 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year; and 3X points thereafter.

It's important to note though that Hilton points have a lower valuation than other points. We value them at $.0054 in our calculations which means they're worth roughly half of what a lot of other points are worth. So when evaluating the rewards you can earn, it's important to keep that in mind.

Who should get The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a great option for business owners who find value in staying at the various Hilton properties. Hilton travelers are rewarded for their loyalty in booking stays with the brand, but this isn’t the only way to earn Hilton points. Virtually every other business expense can earn you points, too, allowing you to quickly earn points toward your next trip.

Since redeeming for Hilton stays generally provides more value per point, those who are loyal to Hilton will find the most value in this card.

Cards like the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card typically require a credit score between good and excellent in order to be approved, so that means you’ll need a credit history that shows a track record of responsible habits.

Card benefits and perks

• Lucrative welcome bonus: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months (limited time offer ends 1/8/25).
• Earn points on travel and business spending: Beyond earning 12X on eligible Hilton purchases, this card works double duty as a business and travel card. Eligible business and travel spending earns 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points other purchases made on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year.
• Complimentary Gold status: Enjoy Gold status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. Gold status gives you access to potential room upgrades and bonus points on bookings, as well as complimentary continental breakfast, 80% points earning bonus on stays, and an all-inclusive spa discount.
• Upgrade to Diamond status: Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year and earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the calendar year.
• No foreign transaction fees: Swipe your card on any purchase abroad without having to worry about racking up fees.
• Amex Offers: Add shopping, dining, travel, and other offers to your card to enjoy additional rewards. (Enrollment is required for this benefit.)
• Trip protection: Between baggage and car rental insurance (secondary coverage), as well as access to the Global Assist Hotline, you can relax knowing any trip you pay for with your Amex will have good protection.¹²³
• Purchase protection: Benefit from an extended warranty and purchase protection on eligible purchases just by using your card to pay for them.⁴⁵
• Employee cards: Get up to 99 free employee cards for no annual fee. You earn points on every purchase made with employee cards, and can more easily track spending.
• Vendor Pay by Bill.com: Automate bill payment and better manage your cash flow with Vendor Pay. It’s free for one user, and you can add a second user for free for six months, and then it’s $15 a month.

Earning & redeeming Hilton Honors points

Best ways to earn

I think the earning structure is simple to understand, and if you stay at Hiltons frequently, can add up to some nice rewards. The limit of $100,000 to earn 5x Hilton Honors points annually is much higher than most cards allow, and even the lower-tier 3x points after you spend $100,000 is still generous.

However, in addition to Hilton and business purchases, there are other ways to earn Hilton Honors points including:

• Pool or transfer points with other members: If you’re planning a group trip, you can pool your points for even better rewards.
• Convert points: If you have points with other airline or mileage programs that partner with Hilton Honors, you can convert your points.
• Buy points: If you’re shy of a highly-desired reward, you may save more money by buying the remaining points to use on your trip.

Maximizing your redemptions

Just as you’d expect with a hotel credit card, you’ll get the most value from your points by redeeming them for stays at Hilton hotels, which can be easily done on the Hilton Honors website. How much each point is worth exactly varies depending on when you travel and where you stay, but hotel stays are still generally the best way to redeem them. Reward stays can be booked online, on the Hilton Honors app, or by calling 1-800-446-6677.

That said, the Hilton Honors website provides several other options you can choose from to redeem your points, with some giving you more for your money than others:

Hotels in the Hilton Honors program

Hilton Honors is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, with over 5,000 locations in more than 100 countries. Brands in the Hilton portfolio include:

FAQs

Other cards to consider

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a great option for small business owners who frequently stay at Hilton properties. But if you don’t want your rewards focused on a single brand, there are other comparable credit card offers.

American Express^® Business Gold Card

The American Express^® Business Gold Card is an ideal choice for business owners who value a combination of earning potential and flexibility. On top of earning bonus points in the categories with the most spend, cardmembers can also earn a lucrative welcome bonus and other business-related perks that should help offset the $375 annual fee . (Enrollment required for select benefits.)

What I like about this card is you still get rewarded for traveling, but you can stay anywhere as long as you book through AmexTravel.com. You can also earn a $100 statement credit if you book the Hotel Collection with American Express for a qualifying two night stay. This card outshines the Hilton Honors Amex if you frequently purchase trip delay insurance as it’s an included benefit.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card is another great small business card for entrepreneurs and business owners who value flexibility above all else. With a very generous welcome offer, high earnings rates, and useful transfer partners when it comes time to redeem your points, this card brings cardholders a lot of obvious value — even with a moderate annual fee of $95.

I like to think of this card as great for e-commerce entrepreneurs as you get the most value 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. If your expenses focus on shipping and online advertising, you can earn handsome rewards that aren’t tied to a single hotel brand and offer more robust redemption options including:

• Cash back
• Gift cards
• Travel experiences

Plus, you earn 25% more in travel redemption when you book travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

Bottom line

I think the The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a great option for small business owners whose business requires extensive travel and you prefer the luxury of Hilton hotels. The Hilton portfolio holds a large number of hotels across all price ranges from low-cost to luxury, giving you many options.

The primary advantage of this card is to earn Hilton Honors points, so if you aren’t already a Hilton loyalist or prefer to find the cheapest hotel on your travels, there are other small business credit cards that offer more flexibility, but still have robust rewards.

A Slew of Valuable Business Perks

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

4.6

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The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

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See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months (limited time offer ends 1/8/25)

Annual Fee

$195

Rewards Rate

12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases; 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year; and 3X points thereafter

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Hefty rewards on all business purchases, no categories to consider
• Instant complementary Hilton Honors Gold status for elite benefits
• Option to gift, pool, and exchange Hilton Honors points to maximize your benefits

Drawbacks

• No option to transfer to any other hotel brand, so non-Hilton fans won’t benefit
• No automatic free nights like many other hotel credit cards offer

Card Details

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 1/8/2025.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases.
• Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
• Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. With Hilton Honors Gold status, you can enjoy benefits at hotels and resorts within the Hilton Portfolio. As a Gold member, earn an 80% Bonus on all Base Points you earn on every stay getting you to free nights faster.
• You may receive an upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the calendar year if the total eligible purchases on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
• As a Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you’re enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
• Terms apply.