The best Hilton credit cards of 2021

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The best Hilton Honors credit cards in 2021:

At over a century old, Hilton is one of the largest hotel chains, and now comprises 18 brands with over 6,200 properties in 119 countries. Familiar labels like luxurious Waldorf Astoria, budget-friendly DoubleTree, and unique Curio Collection properties are all under Hilton's umbrella. The Hilton Honors loyalty program has over 100 million members, all of whom can earn and redeem their points around the world.

If you stay at Hilton hotels often, it makes a lot of sense to carry a Hilton co-branded credit card to boost your points-earning potential and enjoy benefits such as elite status and award stays every year. You can also get good value from non-Hilton cards that earn points and offer perks you can enjoy on stays.

Read more: The best hotel credit cards

Hilton's co-branded credit cards come in a wide variety, from a simple everyday earner without an annual fee, all the way up to a premium card that confers perks like top-tier Diamond elite status and up to $250 per year in statement credits toward airline incidental fees.

Here's a detailed overview of the best cards for travelers who stay with Hilton, and which one might be the best for you.

Best for everyday earning and stays: Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

The Hilton Honors Surpass® Card represents the best of all worlds - a card with a moderate annual fee (See Rates) that comes with supercharged earning capacity and mid-range elite status. You can currently earn a welcome bonus of Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.

The card earns 12 Hilton points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases and 6 points per eligible dollar spent in a variety of categories, including U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants, and U.S. gas stations, and 3 points per eligible dollar spent on everything else. That means you can rack up thousands of points simply by using your card for everyday purchases.

Read more: Amex Hilton Honors Surpass card review

If you spend $15,000 or more on purchases with your card in a calendar year, you'll score a free weekend night reward that you can use at almost any Hilton property worldwide. Cardholders automatically get Hilton Honors Gold status - which comes with perks like room upgrades, bonus earning on stays, and complimentary breakfast - but can bump up to Diamond status with $40,000 in card spending in a calendar year.

Best with no annual fee: Hilton Honors American Express Card

While you don't normally get tons of extra perks from a no-annual-fee card, the Hilton Honors American Express Card makes up for fewer benefits with a hefty bonus. Right now, new applicants can earn 80,000 points after you spend at least $1,000 on eligible purchases in your first 3 months of account opening.

Read more: Hilton Honors American Express card review

The Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 7 Hilton points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases and 5 points per eligible dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. Like other Hilton co-branded cards, it earns 3 points per eligible dollar spent on everything else. Cardholders receive entry-level Silver elite status but can spend their way up to Gold with $20,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year.

Best for luxury benefits: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors Aspire Card charges a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card annual fee Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Rates & Fees - but it also confers benefits unmatched by other hotel credit cards. It also offers a substantial welcome bonus: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Cardholders receive up to $250 in statement credits each account year for purchases made at participating Hilton Resorts, and up to another $250 in airline fee credits each calendar year for things like checked bags and seat assignments on your selected airline.

Read more: Amex Hilton Honors Aspire card review

When you book a qualifying two-night stay at participating Waldorf Astoria or Conrad properties, you'll get up to a $100 credit for eligible charges. Cardholders enjoy automatic top-tier Diamond status, with benefits like the best chance at room upgrades, club lounge access, complimentary breakfast, and double the points a regular member earns on stays.

Hilton Aspire cardmembers get a free weekend night reward when they open the account and reach their account anniversary and renew, and can earn an additional one after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year. They can also enroll in Priority Pass membership for access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.

Read more: The Hilton Aspire card saved me more than $400 on food, checked bags, and oceanfront cabanas on my birthday trip to Aruba

The earning is pretty extraordinary, too - 14 Hilton points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases, 7 points per dollar at eligible U.S. restaurants, on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, and on eligible car rentals, and 3 points per eligible dollar spent on everything else.

Best for business travelers who prefer Hilton: The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

If you're a small-business owner and prefer a business credit card that can help you maximize expenses both at home and on the road, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card checks all the boxes. Cardholders automatically receive Hilton Honors Gold status, which makes stays better thanks to perks like free breakfast and welcome amenities. And when you spend $40,000 on purchases with the card in a calendar year, you'll receive Diamond status.

Read more: Hilton Honors American Express Business Card review

Right now, the The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is offering The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. It's also an exceptional earner, offering 12 Hilton points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases, and 6 points per eligible dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. wireless services and shipping, flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, and eligible car rentals. It earns 3 points per eligible dollar spent on everything else, which is decent for a card with just a The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card annual fee The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card - Rates and Fees.

When you spend $15,000 on purchases with the card in a calendar year you'll earn a free weekend night reward, and if you spend a total of $60,000 in the same year, you'll get a second weekend night reward.

Best for non-loyalists who want Hilton elite status: The Platinum Card® from American Express

While the Hilton Honors Aspire Card comes with automatic Diamond status, if you're not a hardcore Hilton loyalist, you might want to consider a card that comes with elite status but earns points that transfer to other partners. The Platinum Card® from American Express fits the bill because cardholders can activate complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status (and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status, too).**

Hilton Gold status gets you a fair shot at room upgrades, 18 points per eligible dollar on stays instead of the normal 10, welcome amenities, and even complimentary continental breakfast at most properties.

Read more: Amex Platinum card review

With the Platinum card, you'll earn American Express Membership Rewards points which transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, so you're effectively earning double Hilton points on everyday spending. The card costs $550 per year (See Rates), but it comes packed with other benefits that, if put to use, make the annual fee worthwhile. It currently offers a welcome bonus of The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Best for flexibility and redeeming points: American Express® Gold Card

You won't enjoy Hilton Honors elite status with the American Express® Gold Card, but you will earn a phenomenal number of points in several everyday spending categories that you can then transfer to your Hilton account.

Along with a welcome bonus of American Express® Gold Card, this card earns 4 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, as well as on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1 point per dollar). It earns 3 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Read more: American Express Gold Card review

Remember that 1 American Express Membership Rewards point converts to 2 Hilton points, so you're essentially doubling those earning rates if you plan to transfer your points to Hilton Honors. You'll also have the flexibility to transfer your points to other American Express Membership Rewards partners, like Delta, JetBlue, and Marriott.

Eric Rosen is a travel and credit card expert who has been helping readers reap the rewards of loyalty programs for over a decade. Eric is based in Los Angeles, though you'll often find him globetrotting to destinations like Australia, Kenya, and Laos on assignment.