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*Card ratings are based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and are not influenced by the card issuer.

The Hilton Honors Business Card is designed for small-business owners, but you don’t need a bustling office or dozens of employees to apply. A side hustle or consulting gig that requires travel is more than enough to qualify for a small-business card.

One of the best benefits of the Hilton Business Card is its automatic Hilton Gold Elite status. From free breakfast to room upgrades (subject to availability), this card can offer meaningful benefits right from the start. Conditions apply.

With a $195 annual fee (see rates and fees), the card most likely won’t break the bank. Applicants approved for a Hilton Honors business typically have a credit score of at least 670.

I’ll take a closer look at the Hilton Amex Business Card to help you decide if it’s the right hotel card for your wallet.

Pros and Cons of Hilton Amex Business Card

According to TPG’s September 2024 valuation, those 175,000 bonus points are worth $1,050. This offer is very close to the best we’ve seen, making it a good time to apply if you’ve been considering this card.

Keep in mind that Amex has a “once per lifetime” policy on card offers and states the following:

You may not be eligible to receive the welcome offer if you have or have had this card or earlier versions of this card. You may also not be eligible to receive a welcome offer depending on a variety of factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express card member, the number of credit cards you’ve opened and closed, and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you before processing your application so that you have the option to withdraw your application.

Hilton Amex Business Card Benefits

• A statement credits up to $240 each calendar year: Earn statement credits on eligible Hilton purchases, up to $60 each quarter (up to $240 per calendar year). Eligible purchases include room reservations at Hilton properties and incidental charges such as dinner or spa treatments.
• Complimentary National Car Rental Elite Status: Card members receive National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status. Benefits include guaranteed upgrades, access to executive area cars and a second driver fee.
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Elite Status: With Gold status, you’ll get an 80% points bonus on Hilton stays, fifth night free on award redemptions, Elite Tier rollover nights, free breakfast or food and beverage credits at all hotels, room upgrades (when available) and more.
• Upgrade to Diamond Status: You can reach Diamond Elite status by the end of the next calendar year after spending $40,000 with your card in a calendar year. Diamond status comes with even more benefits, such as better upgrades (when available), executive lounge access, a 48-hour room guarantee and more — though if you want this level of status, you’ll need to apply for Hilton Honors. can do well American Express Aspire Card, which offers Diamond status as a built-in benefit.
• Travel Security: Baggage insurance*, secondary car rental loss and damage insurance**, access to Global Assist Hotline# and extended warranty* and purchase protection* benefits are available to card members.
• Cost Management Tools: As a Business Card Member, you’ll have access to tools like the American Express Business app, QuickBooks integration, Vendor Pay and more.

While this isn’t a pretty set of benefits, I think it’s reasonable for the annual fee. That said, if you don’t stay with Hilton at least twice a year, it’s going to be hard to justify paying this card every year.

If you don’t expect to be able to take full advantage of the $240 Hilton statement credit each calendar year (up to $60 per quarter), I suggest considering another hotel cobranded business card.

Related: Your Complete Guide to Purchasing Security on American Express Cards

Information for the Hilton Aspire Card is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Not all types of vehicles or rentals are covered and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage provided by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
#Eligibility and benefit level varies from card to card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Cardmembers are responsible for charges incurred by third-party service providers.

Earn points on the Hilton Amex Business Card

As with other Hilton credit cards, you’ll get the best returns on Hilton purchases. For your other business-related expenses, you will get 1.8%-3% return on expenses.

Other cards, viz American Express® Business Gold Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, offering better value. Plus, Amex Membership Rewards allows you to transfer points to Hilton, making Amex Business Gold a great complement to this card.

Related: 10 Considerations for Your Small-Business Credit Card Strategy

Redeeming Points on the Hilton Amex Business Card

As with most hotel loyalty programs, the best value comes from using your points on hotel bookings.

Given the poor value of this redemption option, I do not recommend using your Hilton points for airline transfers. Even if you need to top up your airline rewards balance, there’s a better and more value-conscious way to do it.

Which cards compete with the Hilton Amex Business Card?

• If you want a hotel business card from Marriott: The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers automatic Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, up to 7% discount on eligible bookings made directly with Marriott at participating properties for cardmembers, and a free award night (worth up to 35,000 points) on each account. anniversary. The card has an annual fee of $125 (see Rates and Fees). Registration is required for select benefits; Conditions apply. To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business Card.
• If you want a hotel business card from Hyatt: The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has an annual fee of $199 and offers entry-level Discoverer status for you and up to five employees, up to $100 in annual statement credit for Hyatt purchases, and two perks you can unlock through spending: tier-qualifying elite nights towards status and earn a 10% point rebate. To learn more, read our full World of Hyatt Business Card review.
• If you want flexible points that you can use outside of Hilton stays: This American Express Business Gold Card None offer hotel status but instead earn American Express Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to Hilton and more than 20 other hotel and airline partners. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar in your top two spending categories each billing cycle — up to $150,000 in purchases per calendar year (1 point per dollar thereafter). The card has an annual fee of $375 (see Rates and Fees). To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Business Gold Card.

For additional options, see our lists of the best business credit cards and the best American Express cards.

Related: How to Apply for an Amex Business Card

The bottom line

The Hilton Amex Business Card has benefits for business travelers who frequent Hilton stays. However, others should opt for other hotel cards or business cards.

Apply here: Hilton Honors Amex Business Card

Related: Why Small Businesses Need a Business Credit Card and Good First Choices

For Amex Hilton Business Card rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business Card rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Business Gold Card rates and fees, click here.