American Express^® Gold Card vs. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Which is Best?

The American Express^® Gold Card and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card are premium credit cards tailored to different lifestyles.

The Amex Gold is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections.

The Hilton Honors Aspire offers top-tier Hilton Diamond status and valuable travel credits. This premium card provides excellent rewards for Hilton stays and nice perks that can easily offset the annual fee for frequent Hilton guests.

(All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Deals Points and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.)

This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.

Full Reviews: American Express^® Gold Card and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Overview: Amex Gold vs Hilton Aspire

Welcome Bonuses

Amex Gold:

The Amex Gold currently offers the following welcome bonus:

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Hilton Honors Aspire:

The Hilton Aspire Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus:

Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earning Rewards

Amex Gold:

The Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points and offers some very nice points multipliers to help you earn a lot of points:

• 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points).
• 4 points per dollar U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x points).
• 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly from the airline or booked on AmexTravel.com.
• 2 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Hilton Aspire:

The Hilton Aspire Amex earns Hilton Honors points at the following rates:

• 14 points per dollar at Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
• 7 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com.
• 7 points per dollar on car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies.
• 7 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery. 
• 3 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Winner:

Amex Gold for non-Hilton spending. Amex Membership Rewards points are more valuable than Hilton Honors points, so the Amex Gold is a great option for restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and flights. 

The Hilton Aspire beats the Amex Gold when it comes to spending at Hilton Honors (14x Hilton points vs 1 Membership Rewards point). 

Card Benefits and Perks

Amex Gold:

The American Express Gold card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:

$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you pay with the Amex Gold Card at participating dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required. 

$120 in Uber Cash: Earn up to $10 in Uber Cash monthly for Uber Eats and Uber rides in the United States. You must enroll in the offer and download the latest version of the Uber App, and your eligible Amex Gold Card must be a payment method in your Uber account.

$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $50 semi-annually in statement credits after you pay with the Amex Gold to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.  Enrollment is required.

$84 Dunkin’ Credit: You can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin’ locations.

Up to $100 in Hotel Credits: Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit to use towards eligible charges, which may include food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Credit use varies by property.

No Foreign Transaction Fees: You'll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn't add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.

Hilton Aspire Amex:

The Hilton Aspire Amex offers the following benefits and perks:

Hilton Diamond Status: Receive automatic Hilton Honors Diamond Elite status as long as your account is open Diamond status offers the benefits of 100% points bonus on eligible hotel stays, room upgrades (if available), executive lounge access, premium Wi-Fi, breakfast or daily food and beverage credit, and fifth night free on award stays.

Free Night Award: Receive one free night award at almost every Hilton hotel each year for holding the card, which can be great for high-end properties.

Earn Additional Free Nights: You can earn additional free night awards when you spend $30,000 and another free night when you spend $60,000 in a calendar year.

Up to $400 in Hilton Resort Credits: Each calendar year, you will receive $400 (up to $200 from January to June and $200 from July to December) in in statement credits for eligible purchases at eligible Hilton resorts. Spending includes dining, activities, room rates, and spa treatments. 

Up to $200 in Annual Flight Credit: Receive up to $200 in annual flight credits ($50 per quarter) for airfare purchases on flights purchases directly from the airline or through AmexTravel.com.

Up to $100 Hilton Credit: Receive a $100 credit for incidentals when you book a two-night paid stay at the Waldorf Astoria or Conrad properties via HiltonHonors.com/aspirecard or over the phone and quote booking code ZZAAP1.

CLEAR+: Receive a complimentary membership to CLEAR+, which is an airport membership program that allows travelers to expedite their way through airport security using biometric identification such as eye scans or fingerprints.

Winner:

Tie. Both cards offer lots of great benefits. The Amex Gold offers several credits to help offset the annual fee, and the Hilton Aspire offers Hilton Diamond elite status, a free hotel night, and several credits as well.

Value of the Annual Fees

Amex Gold:

The American Express Gold has a $325 annual fee (rates and fees), which is offset by up to $424 in annual credits, trip and purchase protections, and extra points on dining, flights, and U.S. supermarkets.

Hilton Honors Aspire:

The Hilton Aspire Card has a $550 annual fee (rates & fees), which you can offset with the Hilton Diamond status, annual free night award, and $250 Hilton Resort Statement Credit.

Winner:

Tie. The Amex Gold’s annual fee can be easily offset with its statement credits for things that most people would consider everyday purchases. The Hilton Aspire has more potential to get great value from the card, but additional work is required to maximize the benefits.

Redeeming Rewards

Amex Gold:

American Express Membership Rewards is a popular rewards program that offers a variety of redemption options, including travel, merchandise, gift cards, and more.

However, to get the most value out of your rewards, it’s important to use them strategically.

One of the best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards is through transfer partners.

The program partners with over 20 airline and hotel partners, including ANA, Air Canada Aeroplan, Iberia Avios, and Avianca LifeMiles.

By transferring your points to these partners, you can often get more value per point and enjoy a wider range of redemption options.

Hilton Honors Aspire:

For the Hilton Honors program, redeeming your points for free hotel nights is the best value.

Unfortunately, Hilton does not publish an award chart so the cost to use your points varies based on several factors such as the demand for the hotel and the cash price for your chosen dates.

The price for a “standard room” is between 5,000 points for budget properties and 150,000 points for ultra-luxurious properties like the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.

Hilton also lets you book a “premium room”, which allows you to book suites, villas, and better rooms, but the price for these are much higher than standard rooms.

All Hilton Honors elite members (including Silver, Gold, and Diamond members) receive a fifth night free on award stays, which is a way to help save points on longer award stays.

Winner:

Amex Gold since Membership Rewards offers the most flexibility.

The Verdict

Both the

Amex Gold

and Hilton Aspire Amex are great options and could be a good tandem if you frequently stay at Hilton Hotels.

If you don’t frequently stay at Hilton Hotels, then the Amex Gold is a better option because its rewards flexiblity.

Which card are you going to choose?