New Hilton Honors American Express Card: Up to 70,000 Points + Free Night Reward + Gold Status
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American Express Canada and Hilton announced on October 29, 2026 the launch of the Hilton Honors American Express® Card, the first Hilton co-branded credit card available in Canada. Until now, you had to go through American Express Membership Rewards or a U.S. card to earn Hilton Honors points with a credit card.
As a launch welcome offer, the card gives you up to 70,000 Hilton Honors Points and a Free Night Reward, plus complimentary Gold status, for $150 a year. You earn 60,000 points and the Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, then 10,000 points after spending $500 in month 13. The offer ends January 11, 2027. Here is what the card earns based on your spending and who it is for.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$300Total$300Plus $50 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $300
- Welcome offer+ a Free Night RewardEarn 60,000 Hilton Honors™ Points and a Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 10,000 Points after spending $500 in month 13.
- Up to 70,000 points
- + a Free Night Reward
- Ends Jan 11, 2027
Key takeaways
- Annual fee: $150, supplementary cards at no extra cost
- Status: Hilton Honors Gold as soon as you join
- Earn rate: 6 points per dollar at Hilton, 4 points on gas, groceries and dining in Canada, 2 points on everything else
- Annual bonus: 50,000 Hilton Honors points after $12,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Diamond status: after $40,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Welcome offer: up to 70,000 Hilton Honors points and a Free Night Reward (60,000 points after $3,000 in purchases in 3 months, then 10,000 points in month 13), offer ends January 11, 2027
- Approval check: you know whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score
The launch welcome offer
Until January 11, 2027, the card offers up to 70,000 Hilton Honors points and a Free Night Reward, on the following terms:
- 60,000 points after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- A Free Night Reward after the same $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- 10,000 more points in the 13th month of membership, after $500 in purchases charged during that 13th month
At Milesopedia’s valuation of 0.5¢ per point, the 60,000 points earned after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months are worth about $300, or $150 after the first-year annual fee, not counting the Free Night Reward. There is no first-year fee waiver. The additional 10,000 points are worth about $50 and require $500 in purchases in month 13. You must keep the card into the second year, when another $150 annual fee applies.
How many Hilton Honors points per dollar?
With this card, you earn Hilton Honors points directly, without going through Membership Rewards. The earn rate depends on the purchase category.
| Purchase category | Hilton Honors points per dollar | Estimated return |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible purchases at Hilton properties | 6 | 3% |
| Gas, groceries and dining in Canada | 4 | 2% |
| All other eligible purchases | 2 | 1% |
| 50,000-point bonus after $12,000 in purchases per calendar year | 50,000 points | About $250 a year |
To estimate the return, we use the Milesopedia valuation of 0.5¢ per Hilton Honors point, explained on the Hilton Honors program page. The real value varies by hotel and date: it is often higher at luxury hotels and lower at budget hotels.
Watch the words "in Canada": a restaurant meal or a tank of gas paid abroad earns 2 points per dollar, not 4.
The 50,000-point bonus after $12,000 in purchases
This is the card's most valuable perk for everyday use. If you charge $12,000 in purchases to the card in a calendar year, or $1,000 a month, you receive 50,000 Hilton Honors points on top of the points you earn.
At 0.5¢ per point, these 50,000 points are worth about $250. That adds the equivalent of about a 2.1% return on the first $12,000 in purchases.
The threshold is calculated per calendar year, from January 1 to December 31.
Hilton Honors Gold status included
Gold status is what sets this card apart. It notably gives you:
- Bonus points on eligible stays (80% on base points for Gold status)
- Daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast, depending on the brand and region
- Room upgrade based on availability
- Digital check-in and free Wi-Fi
The American Express Platinum Card®, at $799 a year, also gives you Hilton Honors Gold status. With the new Hilton Honors Card, you can get this status for $150 a year. The tiers are explained in our guide to Hilton Honors benefits and status levels.
Diamond status after $40,000 in purchases
If you charge $40,000 in purchases to the card in a calendar year, you move up to Diamond status. This tier notably adds:
- Executive lounge access at participating hotels
- Room guarantee for reservations made 48 hours in advance
- 100% bonus points on eligible stays
The threshold is high. It mainly makes sense for you if you put all your spending on a single card, or if you own a small business and pay its expenses with a personal card.
How much the card earns based on your spending
Here are three profiles to help you see where you fit, calculated with the 0.5¢ per point valuation and the $150 annual fee. These examples include neither the welcome offer nor the value of Gold status.
$6,000 in purchases a year
- $3,000 on gas, groceries and dining: 12,000 points
- $3,000 in other purchases: 6,000 points
- Total: 18,000 points, or about $90
- Net of the fee: about $60 short of covering the $150 fee
At this spending level, the card does not pay for itself with points alone. It makes sense if you stay at Hilton often enough to benefit from Gold status.
$12,000 in purchases a year
- $6,000 on gas, groceries and dining: 24,000 points
- $6,000 in other purchases: 12,000 points
- Annual bonus: 50,000 points
- Total: 86,000 points, or about $430
- Net of the fee: you gain about $280 a year
$40,000 in purchases a year
- $15,000 on gas, groceries and dining: 60,000 points
- $25,000 in other purchases: 50,000 points
- Annual bonus: 50,000 points
- Total: 160,000 points, or about $800
- Net of the fee: you gain about $650 a year, plus Diamond status
The $12,000 threshold changes everything: below it, the card earns few points; at $12,000 in purchases, the annual bonus accounts for more than half of the points you earn.
The $12,000 bonus, per dollar
If you charge exactly $12,000 in purchases in the calendar year, the 50,000 bonus points work out to 4.17 points per dollar. It is as if each dollar earned about 4 more points, or roughly an extra 2.1% return at 0.5¢ per point. Here is what that means for each purchase category, before the annual fee.
| Purchase category | Base rate | Bonus per dollar | Total | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton hotels | 6 points | +4.17 points | 10.17 points | 5.1% |
| Gas, groceries and dining in Canada | 4 points | +4.17 points | 8.17 points | 4.1% |
| Other purchases | 2 points | +4.17 points | 6.17 points | 3.1% |
Return as a percentage, based on your spending
The bonus is a fixed amount: the more you spend beyond $12,000, the more it is diluted. The table assumes half of your purchases are on gas, groceries and dining, except at $40,000, where we use the profile shown above ($15,000 in these categories). It excludes the welcome offer, the value of Gold status and Hilton stays.
| Purchases in the calendar year | Bonus per dollar | Points earned | Value | Gross return | Net gain after fee | Net return after fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $6,000 | 0 | 18,000 | $90 | 1.5% | −$60 | −1.0% |
| $11,999 (below the threshold) | 0 | 36,000 | $180 | 1.5% | $30 | 0.25% |
| $12,000 | +4.17 points | 86,000 | $430 | 3.6% | $280 | 2.3% |
| $20,000 | +2.5 points | 110,000 | $550 | 2.75% | $400 | 2.0% |
| $40,000 | +1.25 points | 160,000 | $800 | 2.0% | $650 | 1.6% |
The best return is therefore at exactly $12,000 in purchases: 2.3% after the fee. The $12,000th dollar alone is worth about $250, since it triggers the bonus. Without the bonus, your points only cover the annual fee from about $10,000 in purchases.
The first year, welcome offer included
In the first year, the 60,000 welcome offer points, earned after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, are added to the points you accumulate. The $3,000 counts toward your spending for the year. The table counts neither the free night nor the 10,000 points from month 13, which arrive in the second year. It also assumes your purchases fall in the same calendar year as the $12,000 threshold.
| First-year purchases | Points earned | Welcome offer | Annual bonus | Total | Value | Net gain after fee | Net return after fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 (offer minimum) | 9,000 | 60,000 | 0 | 69,000 | $345 | $195 | 6.5% |
| $6,000 | 18,000 | 60,000 | 0 | 78,000 | $390 | $240 | 4.0% |
| $12,000 | 36,000 | 60,000 | 50,000 | 146,000 | $730 | $580 | 4.8% |
| $20,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 | 50,000 | 170,000 | $850 | $700 | 3.5% |
| $40,000 | 110,000 | 60,000 | 50,000 | 220,000 | $1,100 | $950 | 2.4% |
As a percentage, the first year looks more profitable when you spend little, because the welcome offer is a fixed amount. In dollars, the gap widens from $12,000: about $580 in gains, compared with $240 at $6,000. The free night comes on top of these amounts in every case. For the following years, without the welcome offer, refer to the previous table.
Hilton Honors and American Express benefits
On top of status, you get the usual Hilton Honors program benefits:
- No blackout dates on reward nights
- No resort fees on stays booked entirely with points
- Points & Money to combine points and cash
- 5th night free on eligible stays booked entirely with points
On the American Express side, the press release mentions access to Member Benefits, Front Of The Line® presales, travel insurance and the 24/7 Global Assist service. The interest rate is 21.99% on purchases and cash advances, and the foreign transaction fee is 2.50%.
Hilton card, Cobalt, Platinum or Marriott Bonvoy?
The new card joins an already well-stocked American Express lineup. Membership Rewards points transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:1 ratio, which makes the comparison straightforward.
- American Express Cobalt® Card ($191.88 a year): 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on groceries and dining, transferable to Hilton Honors, Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy and other partners. More points per dollar in these categories and more flexibility, but no hotel status and no annual bonus.
- American Express Platinum Card® ($799 a year): Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status, airport lounges, annual credits. Worth it if you use its other benefits; for Hilton Gold status alone, the new card costs $649 less.
- Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card ($120 a year): the Marriott equivalent. The choice mostly depends on the program you stay with most; our Marriott Bonvoy vs. Hilton Honors comparison helps you decide.
You can keep the Cobalt for groceries and dining, and use the Hilton Honors Card for other purchases to work toward the annual bonus after $12,000 in purchases. Gold status is included with the Hilton Honors Card: it does not depend on reaching that spending threshold.
Who is this card for?
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a good fit if:
- you stay at Hilton at least a few nights a year and want Gold status without paying $799;
- you can charge at least $12,000 in purchases to the card per calendar year;
- you prefer to earn Hilton points directly rather than Membership Rewards points.
It is less suited if your annual spending is low, if you want points you can transfer to airlines, or if you mostly stay with Marriott or other chains. To compare with other options, see our ranking of the best Hilton Honors credit cards and of the best credit cards in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the welcome offer on the Hilton Honors American Express Card?
The card offers up to 70,000 Hilton Honors points and a Free Night Reward: 60,000 points and the Free Night Reward after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, then 10,000 points after $500 in purchases in month 13. The offer ends January 11, 2027. At 0.5¢ per point, the 70,000 points are worth about $350, not counting the free night.
What is the annual fee on the Hilton Honors American Express Card?
The annual fee is $150 and applies from the first year: there is no first-year fee waiver. Supplementary cards are available at no extra cost.
Does the Hilton Honors American Express Card come with Gold status?
Yes. You receive Hilton Honors Gold status with the card. This status notably gives you bonus points on stays, a daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast depending on the brand and region, and room upgrades based on availability.
How do you get Diamond status with the card?
You need to charge $40,000 in purchases to the card in a calendar year. Diamond status notably adds executive lounge access, a room guarantee for reservations made 48 hours in advance and 100% bonus points on eligible stays.
How does the 50,000-point bonus work?
If you charge $12,000 in purchases to the card in a calendar year, you receive 50,000 bonus Hilton Honors points. At the Milesopedia valuation of 0.5¢ per point, that is worth about $250.
How many Hilton Honors points does the card earn per dollar?
You earn 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at Hilton properties, 4 points per dollar on gas, groceries and dining in Canada, and 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Is it better to transfer Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors?
American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:1 ratio. The Cobalt Card earns more points per dollar on groceries and dining, and its points can also go to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy. The Hilton Honors Card adds Gold status and the 50,000-point annual bonus. The two cards work well together.
To get new cards and the best offers as soon as they launch, create your free Milesopedia member account: you choose your newsletters there.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$300Total$300Plus $50 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $300
- Welcome offer+ a Free Night RewardEarn 60,000 Hilton Honors™ Points and a Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 10,000 Points after spending $500 in month 13.
- Up to 70,000 points
- + a Free Night Reward
- Ends Jan 11, 2027