Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Annual fees: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card $550/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card $95/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card on car rentals, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardAmerican Express · $550/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardChase · $95/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card$550Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card$95Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card200,000 pointsMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card—
- Rewards
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardHilton HonorsMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardMarriott Bonvoy
- Foreign transaction fee
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardNoneMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardNone
- Network
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardAmerican ExpressMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Car Rentals
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card7xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card2x
- Dining
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card7xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card3x
- Flights
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card7xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card2x
- Gas Stations
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card3xMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card3xMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card3x
- Everything else
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card3xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card2x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- $400 Hilton resort credit
- $219 CLEAR Plus credit
- $200 flight credit
- $100 Waldorf/Conrad credit · $100 per stay
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Up to $100 airline credits (through 6/30/2027) · $100 one-time
- Dining & delivery
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card—Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- DoorDash DashPass
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- 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
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- 15 Marriott Bonvoy Elite Night Credits Awarded Annually
- Gold Elite status at $35,000 annual card spend
- Automatic Silver Elite with 10% points bonus on stays
- 1 Free Night Award worth up to 35,000 points/year
- Car rental
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- National Emerald Club Executive car rental status
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card— - Other perks
- 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 more
- Global Dining Access by Resy
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- 24/7 concierge for travel, dining, and 4+ services
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on International Purchases
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance in 200+ countries
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Up to $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement for Extended Delays
- Baggage
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Up to $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per Traveler
- Up to $500 Baggage Delay Insurance Coverage
- Rental car
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Car rental insurance (secondary coverage)
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Rental car CDW saves $15-30/day on collision waiver
- Purchase & returns
- 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
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Up to $500 Purchase Protection Against Theft and Damage
- Extended warranty
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card— - Cell phone
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card— - Other protections
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Pros & cons
- Pros
- 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)
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Automatic Silver Elite status
- 15 elite night credits per year
- 6X card points at participating Marriott hotels; up to 17X combined with eligible Bonvoy membership and Silver Elite earnings
- Anniversary Free Night Award (up to 35,000 points)
- 3X on dining, gas, and grocery (first $6,000 combined annually)
- Cons
- 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)
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card- Only 2X on non-bonus category purchases
- Silver Elite has limited benefits
- Points locked to Marriott ecosystem
- 3X bonus categories have combined $6,000 annual spend cap
- Free Night Award capped at 35,000 points (mid-tier properties)
Category-by-Category Winner
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card leads in 0.
Car Rentals
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 2X
Flights
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 2X
Dining
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 3X
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.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $173 Credits (our usable estimate): $545 − Annual fee ($550) Ongoing: $168 Year one: $968 | Rewards: $168 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $73 Year one: $133 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $691 Credits (our usable estimate): $545 − Annual fee ($550) Ongoing: $686 Year one: $1,486 | Rewards: $672 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $577 Year one: $637 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr — that's $455 more than the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit 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 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 $455 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $455 fee gap means the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card needs roughly $455 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 Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 3X on the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card vs 2X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card $550/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card $95/yr — a $455 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 $95/yr for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $455 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 Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit 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 Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card have that the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card doesn't?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers travel credits, cell phone protection. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card offers travel credits.
- Should I get the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card has a lower $95/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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Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.