Is the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card worth the higher annual fee?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr vs $395/yr for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $155 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card also lists travel credits).

Which card earns more rewards, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 2X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers lounge access, travel credits, cell phone protection. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers travel credits, cell phone protection.

Should I get the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?

Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a lower $395/yr fee; the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $550/yr.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Annual fees: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card $395/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card $550/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card on hotels, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card on car rentals.

Card data as of November 13, 2026.

Credit card comparison
Overview
	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Capital One · $395/yr	Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card American Express · $550/yr
Annual fee	$395 Lowest	$550
Welcome offerCurrent public offer	75,000 miles	200,000 points
Rewards	Capital One Miles	Hilton Honors
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Network	Visa Infinite	American Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
Car Rentals	2x	7x Highest
Dining	2x	7x Highest
Flights	2x	7x Highest
Hotels	2x	3x Highest
Everything else	2x	3x Highest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
Travel	$300 travel credit $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years	$400 Hilton resort credit $219 CLEAR Plus credit $200 flight credit $100 Waldorf/Conrad credit · $100 per stay
Perks & access— means none on record
Lounges	Free Capital One Lounge access at 6 major airports Free Priority Pass Select with Over 1,300 Lounge Locations	—
Hotel status & programs	$50 Lifestyle Collection Premier Collection Hotels with $100 Credit and Daily	Hilton Diamond status included with your card Free Night Reward each year with card renewal Earn an extra Free Night after $30,000 in annual spend Earn a second Free Night after $60,000 in annual spend
Car rental	Complimentary Hertz President's Circle top-tier status	National Emerald Club Executive car rental status
Other perks	Discounted membership to The Cultivist 24/7 personal concierge service Miles Redemption Exclusive Dining Experiences at Award Winning Restaurants No Foreign Transaction Fees on International Purchases Around the Clock Travel Emergency Help Services	Amex Offers 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport Early access to concerts and events 24/7 global travel assistance Concierge Premium Global Assist Hotline for 24/7 travel help Show 2 moreShow fewer Global Dining Access by Resy No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
Trip insurance	Travel Accident Insurance Coverage Up to $1,000,000 Per Trip $2,000 trip cancellation and interruption insurance Trip Delay Insurance Coverage Up to $500 Per Passenger	$10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
Baggage	Lost Luggage Reimbursement Up to $3,000/Passenger Cover	$3,000 baggage insurance per trip
Rental car	Primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Up to $75,000	Car rental insurance (secondary coverage)
Purchase & returns	Up to $10K purchase protection Up to $300 return protection	Up to $10,000 per item against damage or theft Up to $300 per item if merchant won't accept return
Extended warranty	Extended Warranty Protection up to $10,000 per claim	Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
Cell phone	$800 cell phone protection when paying wireless bill	$800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Other protections	Flexible Flight Cancellation Protection Up To 3 Hours Before Travel Price Match and Cover for Capital One Travel Bookings	Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
Pros	Effective $95 annual fee after $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles (~$100 value) 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel Complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and Landings for the primary cardholder Priority Pass Select membership with 1,300+ lounges worldwide Additional cardholders can be added; lounge access for each costs $125 per year	Automatic Hilton Diamond status - highest published tier with room upgrades and executive lounge access $400 Hilton resort credit ($200 semi-annually) covers significant portion of annual fee $200 airline fee credit ($50 quarterly) for incidentals $219 CLEAR Plus credit for expedited airport security Up to 3 free night awards annually (anniversary + $30K and $60K spend milestones)
Cons	$395 annual fee requires maximizing credits to get value 10X earning rate requires booking through Capital One Travel portal Lounge guests cost extra ($35 per visit at Priority Pass lounges, $45 at Capital One Lounges unless you spend $75,000 per calendar year) No airline transfer bonuses unlike some competitors Travel credits only work for Capital One Travel bookings	$550 annual fee is substantial even with credits Resort credit only valid at Hilton resort properties, not standard hotels Hilton points valued lower than Hyatt at ~0.5 cents per point Diamond Reserve tier introduced in 2026 means Diamond is no longer the absolute top The 200K-point welcome offer is limited-time (ends 1/13/2027)
	Card details	Card details

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One · $395/yr
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
American Express · $550/yr

Overview

Annual fee: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$395
Lowest
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$550
Welcome offerCurrent public offer: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 miles
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
200,000 points
Rewards: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Miles
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors
Foreign transaction fee: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
None
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
None
Network: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Visa Infinite
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
American Express

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Car Rentals: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
7x
Highest
Dining: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
7x
Highest
Flights: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
7x
Highest
Hotels: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
3x
Highest
Everything else: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
3x
Highest

Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record

Travel: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$300 travel credit
$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$400 Hilton resort credit
$219 CLEAR Plus credit
$200 flight credit
$100 Waldorf/Conrad credit · $100 per stay

Perks & access— means none on record

Lounges: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Free Capital One Lounge access at 6 major airports
Free Priority Pass Select with Over 1,300 Lounge Locations
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
—
Hotel status & programs: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$50 Lifestyle Collection
Premier Collection Hotels with $100 Credit and Daily
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Diamond status included with your card
Free Night Reward each year with card renewal
Earn an extra Free Night after $30,000 in annual spend
Earn a second Free Night after $60,000 in annual spend
Car rental: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Complimentary Hertz President's Circle top-tier status
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
National Emerald Club Executive car rental status
Other perks: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Discounted membership to The Cultivist
24/7 personal concierge service
Miles Redemption
Exclusive Dining Experiences at Award Winning Restaurants
No Foreign Transaction Fees on International Purchases
Around the Clock Travel Emergency Help Services
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Amex Offers
24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
Early access to concerts and events
24/7 global travel assistance
Concierge
Premium Global Assist Hotline for 24/7 travel help
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Global Dining Access by Resy
No foreign transaction fees on international purchases

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Travel Accident Insurance Coverage Up to $1,000,000 Per Trip
$2,000 trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Trip Delay Insurance Coverage Up to $500 Per Passenger
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
$500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
Baggage: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Lost Luggage Reimbursement Up to $3,000/Passenger Cover
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$3,000 baggage insurance per trip
Rental car: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Up to $75,000
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Car rental insurance (secondary coverage)
Purchase & returns: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Up to $10K purchase protection
Up to $300 return protection
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Up to $10,000 per item against damage or theft
Up to $300 per item if merchant won't accept return
Extended warranty: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Extended Warranty Protection up to $10,000 per claim
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
Cell phone: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$800 cell phone protection when paying wireless bill
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Other protections: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Flexible Flight Cancellation Protection Up To 3 Hours Before
Travel Price Match and Cover for Capital One Travel Bookings
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges

Pros & cons

Pros: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Effective $95 annual fee after $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles (~$100 value)
10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and Landings for the primary cardholder
Priority Pass Select membership with 1,300+ lounges worldwide
Additional cardholders can be added; lounge access for each costs $125 per year
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Automatic Hilton Diamond status - highest published tier with room upgrades and executive lounge access
$400 Hilton resort credit ($200 semi-annually) covers significant portion of annual fee
$200 airline fee credit ($50 quarterly) for incidentals
$219 CLEAR Plus credit for expedited airport security
Up to 3 free night awards annually (anniversary + $30K and $60K spend milestones)
Cons: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$395 annual fee requires maximizing credits to get value
10X earning rate requires booking through Capital One Travel portal
Lounge guests cost extra ($35 per visit at Priority Pass lounges, $45 at Capital One Lounges unless you spend $75,000 per calendar year)
No airline transfer bonuses unlike some competitors
Travel credits only work for Capital One Travel bookings
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$550 annual fee is substantial even with credits
Resort credit only valid at Hilton resort properties, not standard hotels
Hilton points valued lower than Hyatt at ~0.5 cents per point
Diamond Reserve tier introduced in 2026 means Diamond is no longer the absolute top
The 200K-point welcome offer is limited-time (ends 1/13/2027)

Card details

Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in 3 of 3 categories. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card leads in 0. 3 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.

Hotels

Depends: via Capital One Travel - No annual cap

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X (3X without restrictions)

Car Rentals

Depends: via Capital One Travel - No annual cap

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X (7X without restrictions)

Flights

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 5X

Vacation Rentals

Depends: via Capital One Travel - No annual cap

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X (3X without restrictions)

Dining

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 2X

Everyday purchases

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 2X

Year One vs Ongoing Value

Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.

Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.

Scenario	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card	Ongoing winner	Year-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month	Rewards: $312 Credits (our usable estimate): $270 − Annual fee ($395) Ongoing: $187 Year one: $1,162	Rewards: $173 Credits (our usable estimate): $545 − Annual fee ($550) Ongoing: $168 Year one: $968	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Heavy spender: $4,000/month	Rewards: $1,248 Credits (our usable estimate): $270 − Annual fee ($395) Ongoing: $1,123 Year one: $2,098	Rewards: $691 Credits (our usable estimate): $545 − Annual fee ($550) Ongoing: $686 Year one: $1,486	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr — that's $155 more than the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $155 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card includes travel credits, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $155 fee gap for your own usage.

Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $155 fee gap means the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card needs roughly $155 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on car rentals and flights and everyday spend.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card means losing:

-Airport lounge access

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card if you:

+Fly frequently and value airport lounge access

Get the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you:

+Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
+Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

The Bottom Line

Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.

Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 3X on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card vs 2X on the other card.

Published annual fees: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card $395/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card $550/yr — a $155 difference before welcome offers and credits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card worth the higher annual fee?: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr vs $395/yr for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $155 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card also lists travel credits).
Which card earns more rewards, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 2X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers lounge access, travel credits, cell phone protection. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers travel credits, cell phone protection.
Should I get the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a lower $395/yr fee; the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $550/yr.

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Official issuer pages: Capital One cards · American Express cards

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.