How to maximize the statement credits on Hilton’s cobranded credit cards

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Don’t let strict terms and conditions fool you — the statement credits on the Hilton Honors American Express cards might be more flexible than you think.

Amex currently issues four Hilton credit cards, three of which have statement credits to help offset their annual fees. Terms apply.

On the surface, the credits seem somewhat restrictive, but as you’ll read below, there may be creative ways you can make the most of them.

Surpass and Business Hilton credits

The mid-tier Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card both offer a statement credit for Hilton purchases. The Surpass offers up to $50 in credits each quarter, while the Business offers up to $60 in credits quarterly (up to a total of $200 and $240 each calendar year made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio, respectively). Terms apply.

(Interestingly, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, which is not a cobranded Hilton card, also offers a quarterly credit of up to $50  in statement credits or up to a total of $200 statement credits each calendar year. You must also have a Hilton for Business membership — no additional cost to join — to receive the statement credit on this card).

Official uses for the credit

The terms and conditions for all three cards imply that the only purchases that trigger the credit are eligible room rates and charges made to your room when staying at a hotel.

That means that you can be confident you’ll receive the credit for:

• Bookings made directly through the Hilton website or app (but not through third-party channels like online travel agencies or Chase Travel℠)
• Incidental purchases charged to the room, including dining purchases, room service and spa treatments

Anecdotal uses for the credit

We’ve received data points that the following purchases have also triggered the statement credit, even when you’re not staying at a hotel:

• Dining purchases at a restaurant in a Hilton property
• Gift store purchases at a Hilton property
• Hilton online gift card purchases

Of course, your mileage may vary depending on how the merchant or individual property codes your purchase. However, it does give hope that you can maximize your credit even if you don’t stay at a Hilton property every quarter.

For example, Clint Henderson, TPG’s principal spokesperson, went on a trip to Montreal. He wasn’t staying at the Hampton Inn by Hilton Montreal Downtown but popped in for a quick bite, and his purchase triggered the credit two days later.

In 2024, I purchased Hilton gift cards online each quarter, which triggered the credit on my Hilton Business card every time.

However, these have been “out of stock” since the start of the year. Many travelers have also expressed frustration about how difficult they are to redeem at properties. So, if (and when) they become available for purchase again, I wouldn’t recommend buying them.

If you’re currently sitting on a stack of Hilton gift cards, here are step-by-step instructions on how to use them. I recently used them successfully at a Hilton property in Brazil; while it was relatively frictionless, the process did take 20 minutes.

Aspire flight credit

My favorite hotel card, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, offers a quarterly credit of up to $50 on eligible flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com (up to a total of $200 in statement credits each calendar year).

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Official uses for the credit

As you may expect, airline tickets should trigger the credit, whether booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel.

However, this card is outshined by others that offer superior travel protections in case something goes wrong, like your flight being delayed or canceled. So, you may not want to use this card for airfare purchases.

For example, I book all my flights using my Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) because it offers some of the best protections of any card.

Anecdotal uses for the credit

We have received data points that the following purchases have also triggered the statement credit:

• Award taxes and fees
• Seat upgrades
• United TravelBank reloads

Danyal Ahmed, a credit cards writer at TPG, received his credit (after six days) by using his card to pay for the taxes and fees on an American Airlines flight redemption using Etihad Guest miles.

Nick Ewen, a senior editorial director at TPG, received the credit (after a week) for a seat upgrade to Delta Comfort+.

I’ve successfully triggered this credit when reloading my United TravelBank cash balance each quarter since this credit was introduced in late 2023.

Again, your mileage may vary depending on how the individual airline codes your purchase.

Aspire Clear Plus credit

The up to $199 Clear Plus statement credit is available each calendar year.

This one is easy to use: You can cover your membership or that of a loved one, as the credit will trigger regardless of the name on the membership.

I’ve found Clear Plus to be increasingly frustrating to use over the years, with longer lines and repetitive identification checks. But, given a membership comes essentially “free” with this card’s statement credit, it’s worth keeping active. Enrollment is required, and terms apply.

Aspire resort credit

Finally, there’s a $200 semiannual Hilton resort statement credit to be used every six months (up to a total of $400 in statement credits each calendar year). This credit can only be used at around 320 Hilton resorts worldwide, including all-inclusive, beach, golf, luxury and spa resorts.

I successfully used the credit to partially cover a two-night stay at the Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in the first half of 2024.

Then, in December 2024, I booked a flexible rate at a participating resort in Porto, Portugal — for a stay in June 2025. I emailed the property to ask them to charge a $200 deposit to my booking that month (December), thus successfully triggering my credit for the second half of 2024.

When I stay at the property in June, I will use the credit for the first half of this year to cover another $200 in expenses on this stay — stacking a total of $400 in credits for this booking.

Then, I’ll try to stay at another participating property in the second half of this year; if it doesn’t work with my travel plans, I’ll make a booking for the first half of 2026 and ask the property to charge a $200 deposit sometime in the second half of this year.

Bottom line

Despite strict-sounding terms, the Hilton Amex statement credits are often more flexible in practice.

Surpass and Business cardmembers don’t need to stay overnight to use their credits — dining or shopping at a Hilton property may suffice. You could also try buying a Hilton gift card online, though I don’t recommend it.

For Aspire cardmembers, the easiest way to use the flight credit is to reload your United TravelBank balance. You might also trigger it with seat upgrades or award ticket taxes. As for the resort credit, be sure to plan your resort stays strategically, as advance deposits can activate it.

Since outcomes depend on how purchases are coded, try a small transaction first and wait a few days to confirm the credit before spending more.

Related: Hilton free night certificates: How to earn them and maximize their value

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Business, click here.