Why I Chose the Hilton Aspire as My First Co-Branded Hotel Card — and How I’ll Use the Welcome Bonus

I am a big supporter of create a spending strategy when I sign up for a new credit card. That way I never miss out on the welcome bonus and don’t overspend trying to get it.

I’m also someone who likes to plan ahead, especially when it comes to How will I use my credit card rewards?whether in the form of points, miles or cash.

So when I decided to apply for the latest card, I chose co-branded hotel card that would best suit my needs as someone who is not specifically striving to achieve elite hospitality status within a large company hotel loyalty program but want to set up a hotel points repository for future use.

After considering it for several weeks, I applied. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Here’s why I chose it over many other great options and how I plan to use the lucrative welcome bonus once I earn it.

The information about the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: How to Get the Most Out of the Hilton Amex Aspire Card

As a premium card, the Hilton Aspire’s annual fee is quite high; it will cost you $550 per year of card membership. While there are other cards Hilton Co-Branded Card Offering a lower annual fee, I feel that the card’s perks, benefits, and higher welcome bonus on the Hilton Aspire outweigh its high annual fee.

I chose the Hilton Aspire as my newest card for two main reasons:

• Enhanced Welcome Bonus:When I was looking for my next card, the Hilton Aspire had a higher welcome bonus which made it much more appealing.
• Free Night Reward:In preparation for my family trip, I researched Hilton hotels for overnight stays before the trip departed. Annual free night reward The fact that it comes with the Hilton Aspire—in addition to the welcome bonus that will help cover the cost of the additional rooms I need to book—is another big reason why I ultimately chose this card.

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Additionally, there are a number of other benefits that come with being a Hilton Aspire cardholder, including earning 14 Hilton Honors points for every dollar spent directly at Hilton hotels and resorts, Free Diamond Status — comes with its own valuable benefits — and up to $200 in statement credits every half year (up to $400 annually) for eligible purchases made directly at participating Hilton resorts.

Related: Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: Battle of the Top Hotel Cards

I have applied for the job. Hilton Aspire Card offering a limited-time welcome bonus of 175,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of account opening.*

*Please note that this welcome bonus offer has expired and Hilton Amex is now offering 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases with the card in the first six months of being a card member.

At the time of publication, I was less than $2,000 away from the minimum spend needed to earn bonus points. I did this by transferring all of my everyday spending to the Hilton Aspire card. This included flights, hotel bookings, groceries and dining out, fuel purchases, and miscellaneous expenses like online shopping and the occasional coffee shop visit.

How do I redeem the welcome bonus on my Hilton Aspire card?

When I decided to apply for the Hilton Aspire card, I created a spending plan to ensure I met the spending requirement within six months. I also planned how I would use the welcome bonus once those Hilton Honors points were credited to my account.

My family will be taking a New Year’s Eve cruise in 2024 to 2025, including my grandparents, several cousins, aunts, uncles, and other family members. Since we’ll be departing from Miami — and most of us live in the northeastern United States — we’ll fly down to the Sunshine State the day before the ship sets sail.

I will need to book a hotel room for myself for the night and another room for family members who will be flying from New York to Miami.

Since the Hilton Aspire card comes with a free reward night at most Hilton properties when you open your account and each year of your card membership anniversary, I plan to use the reward night to book one of three rooms and use the points from the big welcome bonus—in addition to the points I earn from regular spending—to pay for the two additional rooms.

As of August 2024, room rates at select Hilton properties near Miami International Airport (MIA) start at 60,000 points per night.

Related: Buy Hilton Honors points with 100% bonus to save on stays

I’ll be able to get a lot of value out of the Hilton Aspire, which is why it’ll be in my wallet—and part of my points strategy—for years. If you want a Hilton card but aren’t ready to commit to the $550 annual fee that comes with the Aspire card, consider Hilton Honors American Express Card or Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Business owners will also see value in co-branding. Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.

If you’re deciding which card to pick next, try starting with a game plan in mind to decide which card will best serve your needs—whether it’s trying to build up a reserve transferable credit card pointsmiles or cash back or as part of plans for upcoming trips.

Related: Hilton Surpass vs. Hilton Aspire: Do You Want Gold or Diamond?

Once you’ve chosen a card, consider asking around for referral links from friends or colleagues or checking Matching Cards tool. There, you can be targeted for higher welcome bonuses on some of the most popular cards on the market.

My current spending on the Hilton Aspire has earned me over 30,000 points and counting; once I reach the minimum spend on the welcome bonus, I’ll have over 200,000 Hilton Honors points to use toward future travel plans.