Update: This offer has expired.
Hilton offers two no annual fee co-branded credit cards, one being the Citi® Hilton HHonors Visa Signature® Card. The other no annual fee is the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express. The Citi Hilton credit card has increased it’s welcome offer to 75,000 points after spending $2,000 on the card within the first three months.
Card Benefits:
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver elite status each year you keep the card
- Spend $20,000 or more on the card in a calendar year, you’ll be upgraded to Gold status OR stay four times within the first 90 days of cardmembership
- Earn 10,000 Hilton bonus points annually when you spend $1,000+ on the card on Hilton stays (includes all hotels within the Hilton umbrella)
- Earn 6x points at Hilton Hotels, 3x points at supermarkets, drug stores, and gas stations, and 2x points on all other purchases
What are Hilton Points Worth
As of today, Hilton has an award structure where you pay more for a free hotel night during a peak time of the year vs. off-peak time. However, Hilton is changing their program and eventually will be doing away with their award chart. You can learn more about the changes here. As of today, these 75,000 points from the welcome bonus can get you anywhere from 15 nights at a low level category to 1 free night at a high level category. And a few hotels during peak times will require even more then what the welcome bonus will give you. You can use this tool to find out exactly how many points a specific hotel will require during every month of the year. Remember, since this card gives you automatic status, you’ll receive your 5th night free when using points for your stay.
Comparing the Different Hilton Co-Branded Credit Cards
As I mentioned above, this is not the only Hilton co-branded no annual fee credit card. There are actually two other co-branded cards, but they come with an annual fee. Here is a comparison of the points earned between the two no annual fee cards:
- Hilton HHonors Card from American Express
- Hilton Hotel spend: 7x points
- U.S. Gas stations: 5x points
- U.S. Supermarkets: 5x points
- U.S. Restaurants: 5x points
- All other purchases: 3x points
- Citi® Hilton HHonors Visa Signature® Card
- Hilton Hotel spend: 6x points
- U.S. Gas stations: 3x points
- U.S. Supermarkets: 3x points
- U.S. Drugstores: 3x points
- All other purchases: 2x points
Based on the point earning comparison above, you’ll earn more with the American Express card over the Citi card. Also, the Amex card allows you to take advantage of Amex Offers where you can receive statement credits when making purchases at some participating merchants.
While I like the perks and benefits that come along with the Amex version of the card better, as of right now, the welcome bonus is not as good. Additionally, American Express limits you to earn the welcome bonus points once in a lifetime. With the Citi Hilton Visa Signature card, you are eligible for the welcome bonus as long as you haven’t opened or closed any Citi Hilton Honors card in the past 24 months. This includes the Citi Hilton Reserve card as well.
My thoughts
This is a very good offer for this card and I love that it carries no annual fee. Citi cards are also usually easier to get approved for and they do not have the same limitations that you’ll find with Amex and Chase (i.e., no “5/24” or once in a lifetime rule). .
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