Is the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card worth it?
$550 annual fee with auto-Diamond status, free weekend night cert, and $400+ in credits. The cert alone often covers the fee.
Annual fee
$550
Auto-offsets
$1488
$1488 credits · $0 auto-perks
Net cost
+$938Pays you to hold
Annual credits & free nights
- redeem
Priority Pass Select
$429
Priority Pass Select enrollment (Aspire exclusive among Hilton cards)
- redeem
$400 Hilton Resort Credit
$400
Up to $200 semi-annually for eligible Hilton resort charges
- redeem
$209 CLEAR+ Credit
$209
Up to $209/yr toward CLEAR Plus membership
- redeem
$200 Airline Fee Credit
$200
Up to $200 per year for incidental airline fees
- redeem
Free Night Award
$150
Annual free night award at any Hilton property (no category cap)
- redeem
$100 Waldorf/Conrad Credit
$100
$100 on-property credit at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad (2+ nights)
Earning rates
| Category | Multiplier | Effective return |
|---|---|---|
| hilton hotelsDirect booking: 14x card + 10x base + 10x Diamond (100%) | 34x | 17.00% |
| dining | 7x | 3.50% |
| airlines | 7x | 3.50% |
| hotels | 3x | 1.50% |
| other | 3x | 1.50% |
The honest answer
Auto-offsets exceed the annual fee — the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card pays you to hold it before you swipe once. Almost always a hold.
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