Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Annual fees: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card $550/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card on car rentals, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card on flights.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
American Express · $550/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card$550LowestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card$650
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card200,000 pointsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card100,000 points
- Rewards
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardHilton HonorsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardMarriott Bonvoy
- Foreign transaction fee
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardNoneMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardNone
- Network
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardAmerican ExpressMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Car Rentals
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card7xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
- Dining
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card7xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3x
- Flights
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card7xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3x
- Everything else
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card3xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express 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 Brilliant American Express Card- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
- $100 luxury hotel credit · $100 per stay
- Dining & delivery
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- $300 dining credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits worldwide
- 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 Brilliant American Express Card- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status with room upgrades
- Complimentary premium WiFi at Marriott properties
- Car rental
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- National Emerald Club Executive car rental status
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express 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 moreShow fewer
- Global Dining Access by Resy
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- American Express Experiences®
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 Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
- Baggage
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
- Rental car
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Car rental insurance (secondary coverage)
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $75,000 car rental insurance (primary for international)
- 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 Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 purchase protection per item
- Return protection for unwanted purchases · up to $300
- Extended warranty
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Extended warranty protection for eligible purchases · up to $1
- Cell phone
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
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 Brilliant American Express Card- Automatic Platinum Elite status with room upgrades, late checkout, and lounge access at select brands
- 25 Elite Night Credits annually accelerates path to Titanium/Ambassador status
- Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 points (can book luxury properties)
- $300 annual dining credit offsets nearly half the annual fee
- Priority Pass Select with unlimited lounge visits
- 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 Brilliant American Express Card- $650 annual fee is among the highest for hotel cards
- Dining credit is use-it-or-lose-it monthly ($25/month structure)
- Points locked to Marriott Bonvoy program with limited transfer partners
- American Express acceptance more limited than Visa/Mastercard internationally
- Free Night Award capped at 85K points; top-tier properties often cost more
Expert Analysis
Both the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card come from the same issuer, but they target different spending profiles. Understanding where each card excels helps you pick the one that matches your lifestyle — or decide if holding both makes sense.
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card's strongest category is Hilton Properties at 14X, while the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card leads with 6X on Marriott Hotels. Overall, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in more bonus categories (4 vs 1) — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
At $550/yr vs $650/yr, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is the more accessible option. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card needs to deliver at least $100 in annual value through its premium benefits to justify the gap. It offers airport lounge access, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, which can cover that gap for active users.
Key Differences
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 14X on Hilton Properties vs 2X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X on Car Rentals vs 2X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X on Flights vs 3X for the other
- The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card costs $550/yr vs $650/yr — a $100 annual gap
- Only the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers airport lounge access
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 2X on non-bonus spending)
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$200/month on hilton properties
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardHilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 14X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 33,600 vs 4,800 points — a 28,800-point advantage.
$200/month on car rentals
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardHilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns 7X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 16,800 vs 4,800 points — a 12,000-point advantage.
$200/month on marriott hotels
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 6X vs 3X. Over a year, that's 14,400 vs 7,200 points — a 7,200-point advantage.
Mixed everyday spending, 2 trips/year
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardWithout heavy spending in the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card's premium categories, the $100 fee difference is hard to recover. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card delivers better overall value for moderate spenders.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if:
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on hilton properties and car rentals and keeping annual costs low and earning more on everyday purchases. At $550/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if:
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on marriott hotels and maximizing premium travel perks. At $650/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
Since both cards are from the same issuer, you may be able to hold both or product-change between them. Check with your issuer for current policies.
Holding both cards can make sense if you want to maximize earn rates across different spending categories.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express 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 3X
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.
Both scenarios favor the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express 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: $181 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$259 Year one: $441 | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | 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: $722 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $282 Year one: $982 | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $100 more than the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($550/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $100 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card includes dining credits, lounge access, 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 $100 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $100 fee gap means the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card needs roughly $100 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on flights and dining 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 Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
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 Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr — a $100 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card costs $650/yr vs $550/yr for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $100 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card also lists lounge access, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express 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 Brilliant American Express Card doesn't?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers travel credits, cell phone protection. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers lounge access, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a lower $550/yr fee; the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $650/yr.
Related Comparisons
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.