Why I chose the Hilton Aspire as my first cobranded hotel card — and how I'll use the welcome bonus

I'm a big proponent of creating a spending strategy when applying for a new credit card. That way, I never miss out on a welcome bonus and don't overspend trying to achieve one.

I'm also a fan of planning ahead, especially when it comes to how I'll use my credit card rewards, whether they take the form of points, miles or cash back.

As such, when I decided to apply for my latest card, I opted for a cobranded hotel card that would best suit my needs as someone who isn't particularly striving for hotel elite status within a major hotel loyalty program but wants to establish a stash of hotel points for future use.

After deliberating for several weeks, I applied for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Here's why I chose it over several other great options and how I plan to use the hearty welcome bonus once I've earned it.

Related: How to maximize the Hilton Amex Aspire Card

Why I chose the Hilton Aspire as my first cobranded hotel card

As a premium card, the Hilton Aspire's annual fee is steep; this card will set you back $550 per cardmember year (see rates and fees). While there are other Hilton cobranded cards that offer lower annual fees, I felt that the perks, card benefits and elevated welcome bonus on the Hilton Aspire at the time outweighed its hefty annual fee.

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

• Elevated welcome bonus: When I was looking for my next card, the Hilton Aspire featured an elevated welcome bonus that made it that much more enticing.
• Free night reward: In preparation for a family cruise, I've been researching Hilton properties to stay at the night before the cruise is set to depart. The annual free night reward that comes with the Hilton Aspire — on top of the welcome bonus that'll help cover the cost of additional rooms I need to book — was another big reason I ultimately went with this card.

Plus, there are a couple of other perks that come with being a Hilton Aspire cardholder, including earning 14 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent directly with Hilton hotels and resorts, complimentary Diamond status — which comes with valuable perks of its own — and up to $200 in statement credits semiannually (up to $400 back per year) on eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton resorts.

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Related: Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: Battle of the top-tier hotel cards

Earning the welcome bonus on the Hilton Aspire card

I applied for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card when it offered a limited-time welcome bonus of 175,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $6,000 within the first six months of opening an account (which is the current offer).

At the time of publishing, I'm less than $2,000 away from hitting that minimum spend threshold needed to get the stash of bonus points. I did this by pivoting all of my everyday spending to my Hilton Aspire card. This includes flights, hotel reservations, grocery and dining expenses, fuel purchases and other miscellaneous expenses like online shopping and the occasional coffee shop stop.

How I'll redeem the welcome bonus on my Hilton Aspire card

Once I decided to apply for the Hilton Aspire card, I mapped out my upcoming expenses to ensure I met the spending requirement within the six-month period. I also designated how I'll use the welcome bonus once that stash of Hilton Honors points posts to my account.

My family is taking a 2024 to 2025 New Year's Eve cruise that will include my grandparents, several cousins, aunts, uncles and other family members. Because we'll be departing from Miami — and most of us live in the northeastern U.S. — we'll be flying down to the Sunshine State one day before the ship sets sail.

I'll need to book an overnight hotel stay for myself and another room for family members who will be flying down to Miami from New York.

Since the Hilton Aspire card comes with one free reward night at almost any Hilton property when you open your account and on each cardmember anniversary year, I plan to use the reward night to book one of the three rooms and use points from the hefty welcome bonus — in addition to points I've earned from my regular spending — to cover two additional rooms.

As of August 2024, dates for some Hilton properties near Miami International Airport (MIA) start at 60,000 points per night.

Related: Buy Hilton Honors points with 100% bonus to make your stay cheaper

Bottom line

I'll be able to get a ton of value from the Hilton Aspire, which is why it'll remain in my wallet — and as part of my points-earning strategy — for years. If you want a Hilton card but aren't ready to commit to the hefty $550 annual fee (see rates and fees) that comes with the Aspire card, consider the Hilton Honors American Express Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Business owners will also find value in the cobranded Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.

If you're deciding what your next card should be, try starting with a game plan in mind to decide which card will best serve your needs — whether that's trying to build up a reserve of transferable credit card points, airline miles or cash back or as part of planning for upcoming trips.

Related: Hilton Surpass vs. Hilton Aspire: Do you want Gold or Diamond status?

Once you've chosen a card, consider asking around for a referral link from friends or colleagues or check out the CardMatch tool. There, you could be targeted for elevated welcome bonuses on some of the most popular cards on the market.

My current spending on the Hilton Aspire has netted me over 30,000 points and counting; by the time I meet the welcome bonus spend minimum, I'll have more than 200,000 Hilton Honors points to work with for future travel plans.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire, click here