The Best Hilton Honors Credit Cards – May 2026

Q: Which Amex card automatically gives me Hilton Honors Gold status?

The American Express Platinum Card® grants you complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status as long as you remain a cardholder. Gold status unlocks an 80% earning bonus on base points, free continental breakfast at most properties (or a food and beverage credit at U.S. brands), space-available room upgrades, and a fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more. To activate the perk, log into your Amex account, find the Hilton Honors benefit in the rewards section, and enroll your existing Hilton number — the upgrade typically applies within 7 to 10 business days. It's one of the easiest ways to enjoy elite recognition without chasing nights.

Best Credit Cards to Earn Hilton Honors Points

These credit cards are for those who want to earn Hilton Honors points for free hotel nights.

Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, read on or click on the name of a card.

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt^® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for every $750 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points.

You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.

Alternatively, transfer them to Aeroplan points, Avios (British Airways/Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors.

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:

15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With the American Express Cobalt^® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category	Points per dollar
Grocery (Métro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)	5
Home food delivery	5
Restaurants and bars	5
Convenience stores	5
Streaming services	3
Service station	2
Transport	2
Travel	1
Other	1

This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or restaurants and/or food delivery, you’ll earn $50 cash back per month, or $600 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And if you decide to transfer your points to other programs like Aeroplan, you could get even more value!

In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express® Gold Rewards Card

Earn up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer for the American Express Gold Rewards Card. That’s a value of $600 toward travel or any purchase charged to the Card:

5,000 Membership Rewards points per month when you charge $1,000 in net purchases to your Card, for 12 months (a total of 60,000 points in the first year).

You can also transfer your points to airline partners such as Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways, Qatar Airways, Finnair), Flying Blue, and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to :

60,000 Aeroplan points
60,000 Avios
60,000 Flying Blue Miles
72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this Card, you get many benefits like:

$100 annual travel credit
Priority Pass membership and 4 complimentary Plaza Premium visits per year
$50 NEXUS credit

You earn 2 points per dollar for travel purchases, and at:

gas stations
grocery stores
drugstores

And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express Platinum Card®

The Platinum Card^® is the best Premium Card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points:

70,000 points when you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in the first 3 months after joining;
30,000 points if you make a purchase between 15 to 17 months after signing up.

With this Card, you get:

2 points per dollar for dining purchases
2 points per dollar on travel purchases
1 point per dollar for other purchases

You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:

Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta Skymiles, etc.
Transfer your points to hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)
Redeem points for statement credits to offset any travel purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
Redeem points for statement credits towards other purchases (1,000 points = $10)
And more!

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to :

100,000 Aeroplan points
100,000 Avios
100,000 Flying Blue Miles
120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

$200 Annual Travel Credit
An annual meal credit of $200
$100 NEXUS Card Statement Credit
Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to over 1,400 airport lounges in more than 130 countries
Hilton Honors Gold Elite status (complimentary breakfast at all Hilton hotels)
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
Access to the Fine Hotels and Resorts program

Last but not least, the Platinum Card^® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express® Green Card

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here’s an option for you: American Express^® Green Card.

By signing up for the American Express^® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.

You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning:

10,000 Aeroplan points
10,000 Avios points
10,000 Flying Blue Miles
12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.

You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

If you have started to apply for US credit cards, you could earn up to 150,000 Hilton Honors points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

With this card you also get:

a free Weekend Night Reward within your first year and every year after renewal
$250 Hilton Resort Statement Credit
Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond Status
14X Hilton Bonus Points at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton Portfolio.
7x points on flight or travel bookings on amextravel.com, on car rentals, and at restaurants in the United States
3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card
No foreign currency conversion fees

Frequent Asked Questions about credit cards

Here are some frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards in Canada.

What's the best credit card in Canada?

There are over 200 credit cards in Canada. There is no “one best credit card” in Canada.

Several credit cards can match your needs:

Which is the best American Express credit card in Canada?

There are more than 30 American Express credit cards in Canada. Check out our best American Express Credit Cards page.

What's the best Mastercard credit card in Canada?

There are over 90 Mastercard credit cards in Canada. Check out our Best Mastercard Credit Cards page.

What's the best Visa credit card in Canada?

There are over 80 Visa credit cards in Canada. Check out our Best Visa Credit Cards page.

How do I transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to Hilton Honors?

From your Membership Rewards account, you can transfer points to Hilton Honors at a 1:1.5 ratio — every 1,000 Amex points become 1,500 Hilton Honors points. Transfers are usually instant, but Amex recommends allowing up to 24 hours before the points show up in your Hilton account. The American Express Cobalt^® Card and the American Express^® Gold Rewards Card are excellent ways to accumulate transferable points. Keep in mind that you must link your Hilton Honors account to your Amex profile before your first transfer, and that transferred points do not count toward Hilton elite status — only nights and base points stays earn elite credit.

Which Amex card automatically gives me Hilton Honors Gold status?

The American Express Platinum Card^® grants you complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status as long as you remain a cardholder. Gold status unlocks an 80% earning bonus on base points, free continental breakfast at most properties (or a food and beverage credit at U.S. brands), space-available room upgrades, and a fifth night free on award stays of five nights or more. To activate the perk, log into your Amex account, find the Hilton Honors benefit in the rewards section, and enroll your existing Hilton number — the upgrade typically applies within 7 to 10 business days. It’s one of the easiest ways to enjoy elite recognition without chasing nights.

What are the best Hilton hotels in Canada to redeem Hilton Honors points?

Canada has a few standout Hilton properties where points stretch furthest. The Conrad Toronto is a luxury option in the heart of downtown, often available between 60,000 and 80,000 points per night. The Hilton Quebec, located right next to the historic walls of Old Quebec, typically runs 30,000 to 50,000 points. Mountain lovers will want to look at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, where ski-season rates can hit $400+ per night cash but stay reasonable at around 60,000 to 80,000 points. Outside Canada, the Waldorf Astoria properties offer the highest cents-per-point value when transferring Amex points at the 1:1.5 ratio.