The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express are both premium travel rewards credit cards that offer a variety of benefits, including generous welcome bonuses, valuable travel credits, and high points earning rates.
Let's compare them side by side – features, benefits, drawbacks and protections.
General Comparison
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a great choice for travelers who want a versatile travel rewards card that can be used for a variety of travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars, and dining.
On the other hand, the Hilton Amex Aspire is tailored for those who frequently stay at Hilton hotels. The card provides automatic Hilton Diamond status, offering perks like room upgrades, executive lounge access, and enhanced points earning.
Here's a side by side comparison of the card's main features:
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Compare Rewards: Which Card Gives More?
Surprisingly, the Hilton Aspire card earns many more points for the same spend based on our analysis. While Hilton points have a lower worth than Chase Sapphire Reserve points, the estimated annual value is comparable, depending on how you redeem your points.
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Spend Per Category | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Hilton Amex Aspire |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 10,000 points | 70,000 points |
$5,000 – Restaurants | 15,000 points | 35,000 points |
$6,000 – Hotels | 60,000 points | 84,000 points |
$8,000 – Airline
| 40,000 points | 24,000 points |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 points | 28,000 points |
Total Points | 129,000 points | 241,000 points |
Estimated Redemption Value | 1 point ~ 0.6 – 1.6 cents | 1 point = ~0.6 cent |
Estimated Annual Value | $1,290 – $1,935 | $1,446 |
Hilton Aspire offers various ways for you to redeem points you earn through its loyalty program. You can use points to book free hotel stays, covering the cost of your room. Beyond hotel stays, you can also redeem points for experiences, travel, shopping, and more through the Hilton Honors program
Travel Benefits: Comparison
Both the Hilton Aspire card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer a variety of credit statements, but the Aspire card options are broader, including airline, hotel, CLEAR, and Hilton on-property credits.
The Chase Reserve offers TSA PreCheck reimbursement which is not available on Hilton card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 Annual Travel Credit: Receive up to $300 in statement credit each year for various travel purchases.
- 50% More Value for Travel Redemption: Redeem points for travel and get 50% more value, e.g., 60,000 points are worth $900.
- Complimentary Airport Lounge Access: Enjoy free access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide for you and up to two guests.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS Fee Credit: Receive up to $100 in statement credit every four years for application fees.
- 24/7 Customer Service: Access dedicated customer service specialists around the clock.
- Lyft Pink Membership: Get 2 complimentary years of Lyft Pink All Access, including discounts and rewards.
- DoorDash DashPass Subscription: Enjoy a year of $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders.
- Monthly DoorDash Credit: Receive $5 in DoorDash credits each month through Dec 31, 2024.
- Instacart Membership: Get 1 year of complimentary Instacart+ for grocery delivery.
- Monthly Instacart Credit: Instacart+ members earn up to $15 in statement credits each month through July 2024.
- Priority Pass Select Membership: Access 1,300+ VIP airport lounges worldwide.
- Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: Receive room upgrades, daily breakfast, late checkout, and other benefits at select hotels and resorts.
- 10x on Peloton Purchases: Earn 10x total points on Peloton equipment and accessories over $150 through March 31, 2025.
Hilton Amex Aspire
- Free Night Reward: Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after spending $30,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- $400 Hilton Resort Credit: Enjoy up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases at participating Hilton Resorts, providing a total annual credit of up to $400, with no minimum purchase required.
- $200 Flight Credit: Get up to $50 in statement credits per quarter, totaling up to $200 annually, for flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com using your Hilton Aspire Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership, enhancing airport security clearance with biometric verification, excluding any applicable taxes.
- $100 Hilton On-Property Credit: Receive up to a $100 credit for qualifying charges at select Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties when booking a minimum 2-night stay through hiltonhonorsaspirecard.com.
- Complimentary Diamond Status: Receive Hilton Honors Diamond status with the Hilton Aspire Card, offering a 100% bonus on base points, premium Wi-Fi, room upgrades, and executive lounge access.
Dispute Resolution: If faced with unrecognized charges or billing issues, American Express collaborates with you and the merchant to resolve the problem promptly.
ShopRunner: Enjoy complimentary membership with ShopRunner, providing free 2-day shipping on eligible items from a network of 100+ online stores, accessible by enrolling with your eligible Card at shoprunner.com/americanexpress.
- Concierge Service: Access a complimentary concierge service to assist with lifestyle needs, providing expertise on various matters such as restaurant recommendations and event ticket purchases.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
Insurance Benefits: Comparison
Both cards offer a variety of insurance benefits for travelers- most of them are pretty similar, but the Chase Reserve card is the winner here as it offers more types of protections.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Decline rental company insurance, charge rental costs to your card, and get primary coverage up for theft and collision damage on rental cars worldwide.
Trip Cancellation / Interruption Insurance: Receive reimbursement up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses if your trip is canceled or shortened due to covered reasons like sickness or severe weather.
Trip Delay Reimbursement: If your common carrier travel is delayed over 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, you're covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging.
Travel Accident Insurance: Pay for air, bus, train, or cruise transportation with your card and get accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $1,000,000.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Benefit from legal and medical referrals or other emergency assistance away from home, with coverage for incurred costs (excluding goods or services obtained).
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: If your checked or carry-on luggage is damaged or lost by the carrier, receive coverage up to $3,000 per passenger.
Baggage Delay Insurance: Get reimbursed for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing if your baggage is delayed over 6 hours by a passenger carrier, up to $100 a day for 5 days.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Offers access to legal and medical referrals and other travel emergency assistance when you encounter problems away from home.
- Emergency Evacuation and Transportation: Provides coverage for medical services and transportation in case of an emergency evacuation during a trip far from home.
- Roadside Assistance: Offers roadside services like towing, jumpstarts, tire changes, locksmith, or gas.
- Emergency Medical and Dental Benefit: Provides reimbursement of up to $2,500 for medical expenses if you or an immediate family member become sick or injured while 100 miles or more from home on a trip.
- Purchase Protection: Covers new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days.
- Return Protection: Reimburses eligible items that the store won't accept returns for within 90 days of purchase.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Extends the time period of U.S. manufacturer's warranties by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
Hilton Amex Aspire
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: When you reserve and pay for a rental vehicle with your Card, declining the rental counter's collision damage waiver, you can be protected against damage or theft in specific regions, subject to certain exclusions and limitations.
- Baggage Insurance Plan: When you purchase a common carrier vehicle ticket with your Eligible Card, you can receive coverage for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: Buying a round-trip with your s Card can provide assistance in the event of trip cancellation or interruption, following the specified terms and conditions.
- Trip Delay Insurance: If your trip faces a delay of more than 6 hours due to a covered reason and you paid for the round-trip with your Eligible Card.
- Purchase Protection: Eligible purchases made with your card can be protected for up to 90 days from the purchase date, offering coverage for theft, accidental damage, or loss.
- Extended Warranty: When you use your card for eligible purchases, you can receive an extra year of warranty coverage for warranties lasting 5 years or less in the United States or its territories.
- Cell Phone Protection: This embedded benefit provides reimbursement for repair or replacement costs after cell phone damage or theft.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
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When You Might Want the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
You might prefer the Chase Sapphire Reserve card over the Hilton Aspire card in the following situations:
Ultimate Rewards Flexibility: If your travel habits involve a mix of airlines and hotel chains, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is preferable as it offers more flexibility with its Ultimate Rewards program, allowing you to redeem points across a wide range of travel partners, not limited to Hilton properties.
Priority Pass Lounge Access: The Chase Sapphire Reserve's Priority Pass Select membership provides access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, including many lounges that are not affiliated with Hilton. This makes the Chase Sapphire Reserve a more attractive option for travelers who want lounge access at a wider variety of airports.
- You Use The Card Only For Travel – when it comes to common travel categories, the Reserve card provides a better value. So if this is your main travel card, the Reserve card may be a better option.
When You Might Want the Hilton Aspire Card?
You might prefer the Hilton Amex Aspire if:
Loyalty to Hilton Properties: If you frequently stay at Hilton hotels, the Hilton Amex Aspire offers automatic Diamond status, providing valuable perks like room upgrades, lounge access, and increased points earning, making it a more compelling choice.
Desire for Luxury Hotel Benefits: The Hilton Amex Aspire provides Hilton resort credit, airline fee credit, and a free night reward annually upon required spending, catering to individuals who prioritize luxury hotel experiences and seek substantial offsets to the card's annual fee.
You Use The Card For Groceries And Supermarkets: When it comes to these categories, the Hilton cards offer a much higher rewards ratio than Chase, so if you plan to use the card also for everyday spending, it may be a better choice.
Compare The Alternatives
If you're looking for a travel rewards credit card– there are some excellent alternatives you may want to consider:
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Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express | |
Annual Fee | $650. See Rates & Fees | $695. See Rates & Fees | $650. See Rates & Fees |
Rewards | 2X – 6X
6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program, 3 points at Worldwide restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2 points on all other eligible purchases
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1X – 5X
5X points on up to $500,000 spent on directly-booked airfare and flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel (per calendar year), 2X points on prepaid car rentals through American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases
| 1X – 3X
3X miles per dollar on eligible Delta flights and Delta Vacations® with 1X miles on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus | 95,000 points
95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership
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80,000 points
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
| 60,000 miles
Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months
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Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0. See Rates & Fees | $0
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Purchase APR | 20.99% – 29.99% Variable
| 21.24% – 29.24% APR Variable | 20.99%-29.99% Variable |
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