5 Incredible Destinations To Use Your Hilton Honors Free Night Awards

One valuable perk of holding select Hilton-branded credit cards is the free night awards you can earn by spending on the cards or receiving them at your card anniversary renewal.

Hilton Honors free night award certificates are particularly valuable as they have no cap. If a standard award night is available at the hotel, regardless of the cost in points (or the cash rate), you can use your free night certificate to secure the stay.

Chances are you’ve read about using Hilton Honors points or free night certificates in the Maldives, Bora Bora, Hawaii, or other tropical resort destinations. Here’s how to earn Hilton Honors free night certificates and some inspiration on where to use them.

Hilton Honors Credit Cards With Free Night Awards

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card earns a free night certificate after card approval and again after each subsequent cardmember anniversary. Additional free night rewards beyond this can be earned after spending $30,000 on the card in a calendar year, and another when you reach $60,000 spent on the card in a year.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.

150,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$750

Annual Fee

$550

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.

The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.

So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 14x points per $1 on Hilton purchases
• 7x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Cons

• High annual fee of $550 (rates & fees)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Card Members can earn 14X Points on purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• Card Members can earn 7X Points on purchases of Flights booked directly with airlines or flights booked through American Express Travel, Car rentals purchased directly from select car rental companies, and purchases at U.S. Restaurants.
• Card Members can earn 3X Points on all other eligible purchases.
• Enhance your hotel stay with complimentary Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status and enjoy a world of hotel privileges and benefits. Get exclusive perks at any of Hilton's 24 hotel brands, like a 100% Bonus on Base Points earned on every stay, Premium Wi-Fi and space-available room upgrades at select properties, and more.
• Enjoy an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of Card Membership and every year upon Card renewal.
• $400 Hilton Resort Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card. That's up to $400 back annually.
• $200 Flight Credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com using your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you can earn an additional Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend an additional $30,000 (for a total of $60,000) in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
• $209 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: You can receive up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you sign up and pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your eligible Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
• $100 Property Credit: How it Works: To receive up to $100 in credits for qualifying hotel charges, book a 2-night minimum stay at participating Waldorf Astoria^® Hotels & Resorts and Conrad^® Hotels & Resorts with your Card through hiltonhonorsaspirecard.com and select the Aspire Card Benefit rate option on the booking page or call Hilton Honors at (855) 292-5757 with the proper booking reference. See Terms & Conditions for further details.
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card Members can enjoy complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status, including perks like Executive Area Access (for full-size reservations and above) in the USA and Canada. Card Members must enroll in the National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status through their American Express online account using their Card. Terms apply.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

You can earn a free night reward on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Welcome Offer

Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.

130,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $650

Annual Fee

$150

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re someone who loves traveling and loves staying in Hilton hotels, adding a co-branded Hilton hotel card to your wallet is almost a no-brainer. From automatic Hilton elite status to up to $200 in Hilton credits every year, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card can be a great fit for Hilton loyalists looking to up their travel game.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 12x points per $1 at Hilton hotels
• 6x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
• 4x points per $1 at U.S. online retail purchases

Cons

• $150 (rates & fees)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card. That’s up to $200 in statement credits annually.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold status with your Card. Plus, spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year. Terms and Limitations apply.
• As a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card Member, you can enroll to receive complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status through the link on your American Express online account. After you’re enrolled, you can reserve a rental car by calling National Car Rental directly, using your travel service, or by booking online or through the National Car Rental mobile app. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Hilton Honors

Having a Hilton-branded card can transform the way you stay at Hilton properties. The cards come with complimentary elite status, elevated earnings at Hilton, bonus earning categories, travel and shopping benefits, and more.

1. Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland, can be a great place to redeem your Hilton Honors free night rewards or use Hilton Honors points. It’s a wise choice because the hotel rates in the city can be costly, and you’ll have several properties to choose from.

While room rates can exceed $600 per night during peak season in this capital city, you can use your free night awards or Hilton Honors points to book free hotel nights. Here is a list of Hilton Hotels in Reykjavik, including the number of Hilton Honors points required for a standard room night, which allows you to use your free night award.

• Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik: 85,000 points
• Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton: 80,000 points
• Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton: 80,000 points
• Hilton Reykjavik Nordica Hotel: 65,000 points

2. Quebec City, Canada

If you’ve not been to Quebec City, prepare to fall in love. You’ll feel like you’ve arrived in France, but Quebec City is even better, with convenient travel options and widely spoken English. There are 6 Hilton properties throughout Quebec City, but a few stand out.

The Monsieur Jean Hotel Particulier, an SLH Hotel is a funky, modern hotel with fun surroundings in the heart of Old Quebec. Standard rooms are 65,000 Hilton Honors points per night, making it a good choice for using your free night award or Hilton Honors points when rates are high. Nightly rates can exceed $400 per night at peak times, but can be a bargain at $160 in spring and fall.

The Hilton Quebec, conveniently located within walking distance of Old Quebec and the city’s major attractions, offers standard rooms starting at 50,000 points per night.

We’ll also mention the DoubleTree by Hilton Quebec Resort, just 20 minutes outside of Old Quebec, as it’s a lovely place to utilize the up to $400 Hilton resort credit found on the Hilton Aspire card (distributed up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually). Nightly rates in the low season can drop to $120 per night, so using a free night reward or Hilton Honors points would make sense only when summer rates are high.

3. Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown is the perfect destination for the active traveler, yet it’s also an ideal place to unwind. The town is surrounded by nature and offers hiking trails, water sports, biking, and much more. Fortunately, there are 3 Hilton properties to consider for a stay in this beautiful place.

It would be difficult to find a more luxurious hotel in New Zealand to use your free night award than Eichardt’s Private Hotel in Queenstown, New Zealand, an SLH property. Positioned waterside in the center of town, the hotel has just a dozen rooms.

You would typically need to spend 170,000 points per night for a standard room, or between $800 and $1,700 to book a hotel room. If you’re flexible on dates, you can find standard rooms to use your free night award for great value and a memorable stay.

Just outside of town and a water taxi ride away, you’ll find the lovely Hilton Queenstown Resort and Spa and the DoubleTree by Hilton Queenstown next door. Both are good choices for using Hilton Honors points or your awards when nightly standard room rates are high.

The Hilton Queenstown Resort and Spa is a resort property eligible for the up to $400 Hilton resort credit on the Hilton Aspire card.

4. The Seychelles

There’s an ongoing debate among travelers about the best destination, the Maldives or the Seychelles. We suggest you visit both, use your Hilton free night award, and compare.

You’ll have choices if you want to use your free night award in the Seychelles. The aspirational option would be the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, but with limited availability and a $700 per person private transport to the island, we’ll suggest some alternative properties.

Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa is in a pristine setting and offers superior service, recognizing Hilton Honors elite status. You’ll never want to leave this incredible property. Standard rooms run 100,000 points per night, making it an excellent property to use your free night award.

The Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts, is an island retreat offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and the sea. This glorious property, typically priced at 110,000 Hilton Honors points per night, is another valuable use of your free night award.

L’Escale Resort Marina and Spa, an SLH Hotel, is a waterfront paradise featuring 5 dining venues, a wellness spa, and direct access to Anse Aux Poules Bleues – the Aquarium of Wonders. Standard rooms run 120,000 points per night.

No matter which Seychelles property you choose, you’ll have a fantastic getaway and receive good value for your certificates.

5. The Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands can be a grand destination offering endless spectacular landscapes, wildlife viewing, and nature at its best.

You’ll have a single option for using your Hilton Honors free night awards in the Faroe Islands, but it’s a good one. The property won’t be one of the more lucrative options, as you can book a standard room for just 50,000 Hilton Honors points (approximately $250 in value). Since a night can cost upwards of $400 during the peak summer season, using the free night awards or points could still be a good option.

The Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands is a full-service, modern hotel located approximately a 20-minute walk from Tórshavn harbor. The room views are stunning, and the hotel restaurant, which uses locally grown ingredients, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hilton Honors elite benefits are graciously honored at the hotel.

You’ll want to book far in advance, as lodging can be limited in the capital city of Tórshavn.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for the best way to use your Hilton free night awards, there are aspirational properties worldwide. But don’t let your certificates expire while waiting for those aspirational properties to become available. Try some of these alternative destinations. It can still be a good use of the award even at a lesser value.