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

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr vs $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.

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

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr vs $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.

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

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr vs $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95/yr) is better for everyday value, while the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($550/yr) is worth it for frequent travelers who can use its premium perks. Here's the full comparison.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

American Express

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$95

$550

Welcome Bonus

75,000 Flex point

150,000 Hotel

Earn Rates

Category	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Properties	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in 6 of 6 categories. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card leads in 0.

Dining

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 3X

Travel

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X vs 2X

Hilton Properties

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 14X vs 1X

Car Rentals

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 1X

Flights

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 1X

Everyday purchases

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr — that's $455 more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $455 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Whether that justifies the fee depends on how often you use these benefits.

Bottom line: The $455 gap is significant. Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card only if you spend heavily on hilton properties and car rentals and will use its premium benefits regularly — otherwise the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card delivers strong value at a fraction of the cost.

The Bottom Line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower annual fee ($95 vs $550), making it the more accessible option.

For everyday spending, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns more with its 3X base rate.

Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you want solid rewards with a lower cost of entry. Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you travel frequently and can maximize its premium benefits.

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 $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you spend enough to justify the $550/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — Full Review All American Express Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards · American Express cards

Editorial disclosure: The analysis on this page is based on publicly available card data and is updated regularly. CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or editorial content. Last updated: May 2026.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

American Express

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$95

$550

Welcome Bonus

75,000 Flex point

150,000 Hotel

Earn Rates

Category	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Properties	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in 6 of 6 categories. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card leads in 0.

Dining

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 3X

Travel

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X vs 2X

Hilton Properties

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 14X vs 1X

Car Rentals

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 1X

Flights

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 1X

Everyday purchases

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Whether that justifies the fee depends on how often you use these benefits.

The Bottom Line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower annual fee ($95 vs $550), making it the more accessible option.

For everyday spending, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns more with its 3X base rate.

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 $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you spend enough to justify the $550/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Related Comparisons

Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Amex Green vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Capital One Venture vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Explore More

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — Full Review All American Express Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards · American Express cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

American Express

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

$95

$550

Welcome Bonus

75,000 Flex point

150,000 Hotel

Earn Rates

Category	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Properties	1X

Category-by-Category Winner

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in 6 of 6 categories. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card leads in 0.

Dining

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 3X

Travel

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X vs 2X

Hilton Properties

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 14X vs 1X

Car Rentals

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 1X

Flights

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 1X

Everyday purchases

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 3X on all other spending vs 1X

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Whether that justifies the fee depends on how often you use these benefits.

The Bottom Line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower annual fee ($95 vs $550), making it the more accessible option.

For everyday spending, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns more with its 3X base rate.

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 $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The higher fee that can offset the cost for frequent travelers.
Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card doesn't?: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers travel credits. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card?: Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you want lower fees and solid rewards. Pick the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you spend enough to justify the $550/yr fee through its premium benefits and higher earn rates.

Related Comparisons

Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Amex Green vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Capital One Venture vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Explore More

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Full Review All Chase Cards

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — Full Review All American Express Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards · American Express cards

Pros & Cons

Pros

+75,000 point welcome bonus worth $937+ via transfers
+$95 annual fee offset by $50 hotel credit
+1:1 transfer to 13+ airline and hotel partners including Hyatt
+5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
+Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included

+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
+$209 CLEAR Plus credit for expedited airport security
+Up to 3 free night awards annually (anniversary + $30K and $60K spend milestones)

Cons

−$95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
−No lounge access included
−Secondary rental car coverage only (not primary)
−5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
−No 0% intro APR offer

−$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
−Welcome bonus of 150K points lower than previous 175K elevated offer

Pros & Cons

Pros

+75,000 point welcome bonus worth $937+ via transfers
+$95 annual fee offset by $50 hotel credit
+1:1 transfer to 13+ airline and hotel partners including Hyatt
+5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
+Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included

+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
+$209 CLEAR Plus credit for expedited airport security
+Up to 3 free night awards annually (anniversary + $30K and $60K spend milestones)

Cons

−$95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
−No lounge access included
−Secondary rental car coverage only (not primary)
−5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
−No 0% intro APR offer

−$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
−Welcome bonus of 150K points lower than previous 175K elevated offer

Pros & Cons

Pros

+75,000 point welcome bonus worth $937+ via transfers
+$95 annual fee offset by $50 hotel credit
+1:1 transfer to 13+ airline and hotel partners including Hyatt
+5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
+Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included

+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
+$209 CLEAR Plus credit for expedited airport security
+Up to 3 free night awards annually (anniversary + $30K and $60K spend milestones)

Cons

−$95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
−No lounge access included
−Secondary rental car coverage only (not primary)
−5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
−No 0% intro APR offer

−$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
−Welcome bonus of 150K points lower than previous 175K elevated offer

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Category-by-Category Winner

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Comparisons

Explore More

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Category-by-Category Winner

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Comparisons

Explore More

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Fees & Welcome Offer

Earn Rates

Category-by-Category Winner

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Bottom Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Comparisons

Explore More

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

What You Give Up

Which Card Is Right for You?

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

What You Give Up

Which Card Is Right for You?

Benefits & Features

Pros & Cons

What You Give Up

Which Card Is Right for You?