Little Boy From Taiwan is undergoing an affiliate sales network and will receive compensation for sending potential clients to partnered sites, but I’ve of the group that will always show the best public offer, even when I don’t own a commission. Opinions expressed here are of the author’s thoughts, not those of the partners or bank companies.

Introduction

Hotel credit cards are a foundational piece for those that are looking to elevate or take their hotel experiences to the next level. They are incredibly underrated and given the perks that some cards offer, are fantastic for those looking to grab elite status or free night certificates.

Currently, I’ve been rotating across IHG, Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton - but as 2024 approaches, I’ve been focusing on Hilton properties as there are few potential prospects I’m eager to review. Hilton has been a great program for me and my family these past few years, and with more luxury hotels joining their portfolio, including the upcoming LXR Wakea Honolulu, it’s one of the many reasons why I’ve been advocating on certain credit cards.

Hilton Aspire Card | Credit Card Breakdown

The Hilton Aspire Card is offering a limited time welcome offer of 180,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $6,000 within 6 months. It’s one of the best bonuses for a hotel credit card and you can easily get some insane value out of the points. You’re eligible for the bonus so as long as you do not have the card or have been granted the card in the past. The annual fee for the card is $550, which isn’t waived for the 1st year. However, you can add authorized users for free.

You can easily stack this card with the Hilton Honors Surpass Card and the Hilton Honors Business Card, which can net you 170,000 points and 130,000 points, respectively. I would recommend applying for two Hilton cards at the same time, as you would net multiple bonuses and a stash of benefits that would make your Hilton experience a dream.

For reference, the American Express general card application rules as:

you can be approved for at most 2x Amex Cards in a 90 day period
You can have at most 5 Amex credit cards at any point

Benefits | Credit Card Breakdown

This is still one of the best hotel credit cards in the industry. It features long-term perks and benefits that make the card absolutely worth it. From the basics, it has no foreign transaction fee, making it a great card for purchases abroad. You also earn 14x at Hilton hotels, 7x bonus categories via flights, car rentals and US restaurants, and then 3x on every other purchases. Let’s take a look at the exciting portion of the card now:

Hilton Honors Diamond Status

For just having the Aspire Card, you would get Diamond Status, which is Hilton’s top tier status.IT comes with the following perks, along with other things:

free breakfast and executive lounge access (In the US, you receive a food & beverage credit)
Room upgrades subject to availability (may include suites)
Late Check-Out, subject to availability
100% points bonus
5th night free on award stays

This perk is absolutely fantastic in Asian and European countries, where Diamond status gets you very far in terms of benefits and reception. In the US, it’s not bad, but the food & beverage credit feels weak compared to free breakfast abroad. From my experience at the Conrad Tokyo, Conrad Osaka, LXR Roku Kyoto and Conrad Singapore, it’s one of the best reasons why I continue to hold this card.

Annual Free Night Reward Certificate

The moment you have the Hilton Aspire Card, you receive a free night reward certificate upon opening, and then a free night after renewing your annual fee every year. These free night has become one of the highlights of the card, as the certificate alone can get you properties up to 150,000 points per night. Just this perk alone is already well worth the $550 fee, as i’ve used this around the world, from places like Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, LXR Roku Kyoto and more.

This is incredibly powerful when you and your spouse are also playing the same credit cards at the same time, as these nights can translate to week long stays at some of the best hotels in the world. Here’s a bit more information regarding these certificates:

Issued within 8 to 12 weeks upon credit card opening and account anniversary
Valid for stay up to a year
Can be redeemed for one night in standard accommodation
You can view your certificate online, though you have to call 1-800-446-6677 to make the booking.

2x More Additional Free Night Certificate

You can earn two more additional free night certificate with spending:

1x free night certificate after spending $30,000 on the card in calendar year
1x free night certificate after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year

If you spend a lot or have a ton of spend coming up, i think it’s absolutely worth piling all your spend on this card, as you would earn not only the 2 free night certificates and 180,000 minimum Hilton Honors points, you can easily get 3x free nights at some of the most coveted hotels in the Hilton brand.

$400 Hilton Resort Credit Annually

The Aspire Card now offers $200 credit each half of the year, compared to the $250 that was annually. This is award semi-annually now, which means that if you’re staying at Hilton properties at least every six months, you could easily redeem this benefit and get ahead of your annual fee. I’ve used our annual fee at various hotels with dining, massage and even car service to the airport.

$200 Flight Credit

The Aspire Card receives up to $200 in flight credit, with it being dispersed in $50 increments each quarter. Eligible flights include those are booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com. You can easily use these credits for incidental fees, such as baggage or overweight fees, or even in-flight dining. I’ll be looking to use these credits on my flights with Alaska and Delta in the start of the 2024.

$189 CLEAR Credit

You can receive up to $189 per year in CLEAR Plus credits. Just use the Hilton Aspire card to pay for a CLEAR Plus membership, and you’ll receive a statement credit of up to $189 per year. This is enough to cover an annual CLEAR membership. For those not familiar with CLEAR, this company can save you time at security, by allowing you to use your biometric data to skip the ID check.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the Hilton Aspire Card continues to be one of the most rewarding credit cards out there. Even with the $550 annual fee, it offers fabulous perks and benefits, including Diamond status, free night certificates, up to $400 in Hilton Resort credits, $200 in flight credits and more. Even if you’re staying at a Hilton brand overseas for a few nights, this card will immediately that your way way more valuable. It’s a no-brainer and one of my highest recommended picks for anyone looking to for a premium hotel credit card.