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Amex Green vs Hilton Honors: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- American Express® Green Card: This card is best for earning valuable, transferable points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases worldwide.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card™: This premium card is ideal for frequent Hilton guests who can maximize its top-tier elite status and extensive travel credits.
American Express® Green Card Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at the features and benefits that make the American Express® Green Card (See Rates & Fees) a valuable addition to any traveler's wallet.
The card earns bonus points on a wide array of travel expenses and at restaurants around the globe.
Membership Rewards points can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel partners, offering excellent redemption flexibility.
Travelers can benefit from an annual statement credit for a CLEAR+® membership and pay no foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
Earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel purchases and on dining worldwide.
Offers valuable travel-related statement credits and has no foreign transaction fees.
Points can be transferred to a large selection of airline and hotel loyalty programs, offering great flexibility.
Cons
The annual fee is relatively high for a non-premium travel card.
Maximizing point value requires effort, and some redemption options are less valuable than others.
Travel credits are for specific services, and a key lounge access benefit is expiring.
Hilton Honors American Express Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down why we believe the American Express® Hilton Honors Card(See Rates & Fees) is a top choice for travelers.
You automatically receive top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, unlocking premium perks like room upgrades and executive lounge access. Terms apply.
Cardholders get an annual Free Night Award that can be used at some of the most luxurious Hilton properties worldwide. Terms apply.
The card offers generous annual statement credits for travel purchases, including flights and stays at Hilton resorts. Terms apply.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
Automatic top-tier Diamond status unlocks a suite of luxury benefits, including potential room upgrades and executive lounge access.
Valuable annual statement credits are provided for eligible purchases at participating resorts and for flights.
Cardholders receive an annual Free Night Award and can rapidly accumulate points on travel and U.S. restaurant purchases.
Cons
A high annual fee makes this card best suited for frequent travelers who can maximize its benefits.
Points are restricted to the Hilton Honors program and are generally less flexible than transferable rewards currencies.
The card’s statement credits are split into smaller increments and limited to specific properties, which can make them difficult to use completely. Terms apply.
Hilton Honors American Express vs American Express® Green Card
Categories
Deciding which is better, Amex Green or Hilton Honors, comes down to your personal travel and spending habits. Each card caters to a very different type of consumer.
- American Express® Green Card is a general travel and dining rewards card. It's best for people who spend across a wide range of travel, transit, and restaurant categories and want to earn flexible points for various loyalty programs.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a premium hotel co-branded card for frequent Hilton guests. It's designed for travelers who want to maximize their stays within the Hilton portfolio by receiving elite status and other luxury perks.
Redemption
American Express® Green Card: Rewards are earned as flexible Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to a wide array of airline and hotel loyalty programs. You can also redeem them for travel, gift cards, or statement credits through the American Express portal.
Hilton Honors American Express: This card earns Hilton Honors Bonus Points, which are best used for award nights and room upgrades within the Hilton portfolio of hotels. While less flexible, these points are highly valuable for travelers loyal to the Hilton brand.
Travel Perks
- American Express® Green Card: The travel ecosystem is designed for flexibility. Miles can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel partners through the American Express travel portal. The card offers statement credits that can be used for airport lounge access and to cover the cost of an airport security program membership. It does not have foreign transaction fees.
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: This card’s ecosystem is deeply integrated with the Hilton portfolio. It provides complimentary elite status within the Hilton Honors program, unlocking benefits during stays. Cardholders receive access to airport lounges through a complimentary membership and can take advantage of annual credits for use at eligible resorts, in addition to receiving complimentary night rewards. This card does not charge foreign transaction fees.
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Who Should Choose the American Express® Green Card?
The American Express® Green Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who spend significantly on both travel and dining worldwide. This card is best suited for individuals who want to earn high rewards on a broad range of travel and restaurant purchases and are savvy enough to maximize value by transferring points to airline and hotel partners. It's ideal for someone willing to leverage statement credits for services like CLEAR+® and who prioritizes premium travel benefits over the simplicity of a no-annual-fee card.
Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express?
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is tailored for frequent travelers who consistently choose Hilton properties, particularly those who value luxury experiences at resort locations. This card is best suited for individuals who can fully leverage its premium benefits, such as automatic Diamond elite status, an annual free night, and various statement credits for flights and resort spending. Ultimately, it's a powerful tool for dedicated Hilton loyalists who travel enough to maximize the card's perks, easily justifying its substantial annual fee.
Alternatives to Consider
Our Amex Green vs. Hilton Honors comparison highlights the difference between a general travel card and a hotel co-branded card. If neither of those options feels right for you, here are a few alternatives to consider.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score: American Express cards generally require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
- Plan for the Welcome Offer: Ensure you can naturally meet the spending requirement to earn the introductory bonus points.
- Review your Amex card history: Be aware of the issuer's "once-per-lifetime" rule for Welcome Offers on personal cards.
Application Strategy
- Research redemption options: Confirm the card’s points or miles can be used for your preferred airlines and hotels.
- Evaluate spending requirements: Consider if you can meet thresholds for key benefits, like an annual free night award.
- Look beyond the Welcome Offer: Assess the card’s ongoing benefits and credits to ensure they match your lifestyle.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use points from the American Express Green card for Hilton stays?
Yes, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors, among other travel partners. This flexibility allows you to use your rewards across different loyalty programs.
Is the Hilton Honors card only good for Hilton hotels?
While the Hilton Honors card is primarily designed to reward loyalty within the Hilton portfolio, its benefits are centered on enhancing your stays at their properties. The rewards you earn are best used for future Hilton bookings.
Which card is better for someone who isn't loyal to a single hotel brand?
A card that earns flexible travel rewards, like the American Express Green card, is generally better for travelers who don't stick to one hotel chain. This allows you to transfer points to various airline and hotel partners as needed.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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