Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: May 2026.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Hilton — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns the top spot for Hilton purchases at 3.0¢ per dollar — a $150 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Hilton purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.

Amex
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Hilton — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns the top spot for Hilton purchases at 3.0¢ per dollar — a $150 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Hilton purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.

Amex
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Hilton — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns the top spot for Hilton purchases at 3.0¢ per dollar — a $150 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Hilton purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.

Amex

Chase

Wells Fargo
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 3.0¢ per dollar at Hilton, the highest in our database. The $150 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Hilton Hotels Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardAmex | 12x Hilton Honors | 3.0¢/$ | $150 | — | amex |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 3.6¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 5x Wells Fargo Rewards | 3.8¢/$ | $95 | $33 | visa |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 2.8¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 2.7¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Citi Custom Cash CardCiti | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 2.8¢/$ | $95 | $140 | mastercard |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| American Express Green CardAmex | 3x Membership Rewards | 2.7¢/$ | $150 | $144.50 | amex |
Other brands in Hotels where the top picks above also earn well.
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Chase

Wells Fargo
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 3.0¢ per dollar at Hilton, the highest in our database. The $150 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Hilton Hotels Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardAmex | 12x Hilton Honors | 3.0¢/$ | $150 | — | amex |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 3.6¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 5x Wells Fargo Rewards | 3.8¢/$ | $95 | $33 | visa |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 2.8¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 2.7¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Citi Custom Cash CardCiti | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 2.8¢/$ | $95 | $140 | mastercard |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| American Express Green CardAmex | 3x Membership Rewards | 2.7¢/$ | $150 | $144.50 | amex |
Other brands in Hotels where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →
Chase

Wells Fargo
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card earns 3.0¢ per dollar at Hilton, the highest in our database. The $150 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Hilton Hotels Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors American Express Surpass CardAmex | 12x Hilton Honors | 3.0¢/$ | $150 | — | amex |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 3.6¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 5x Wells Fargo Rewards | 3.8¢/$ | $95 | $33 | visa |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 2.8¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 2.7¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Citi Custom Cash CardCiti | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 2.8¢/$ | $95 | $140 | mastercard |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| American Express Green CardAmex | 3x Membership Rewards | 2.7¢/$ | $150 | $144.50 | amex |
Other brands in Hotels where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →