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Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Hilton Honors Aspire: Which Is Better?
July 1, 2025
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Editor's Picks
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Our pick for frequent travelers who want flexible points, airport lounge access, and a long list of travel and lifestyle credits.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Our pick for Hilton loyalists who want complimentary Hilton Honors™ Diamond status, an annual Free Night Reward, and Hilton resort and flight credits.
Both are premium cards, so the right choice depends on whether you want rewards you can use anywhere or perks focused on Hilton stays.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Breakdown
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The Sapphire Reserve earns 8x points on purchases through Chase Travel℠, 4x on flights and hotels booked directly with the airline or hotel, 3x on dining, and 1x on everything else. It includes a $300 annual travel credit each account anniversary year.
Points are not earned until after the first $300 is spent annually on travel purchases. The first $300 goes toward the $300 Annual Travel Credit.
Other benefits include unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and a Priority Pass™ Select membership, each with up to two guests, plus a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS credit of up to $120 every four years. The annual fee is $795, and the variable APR is 19.74% to 28.24%.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Breakdown
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The Aspire earns 14X Hilton Honors points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. It earns 7X on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com, car rentals booked directly with select rental companies, and U.S. restaurants, plus 3X on other eligible purchases.
Cardmembers get complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status and an annual Free Night Reward, plus up to $400 a year in Hilton resort credits (up to $200 semi-annually), up to $200 a year in flight credits (up to $50 a quarter), and up to $219 a year toward a CLEAR+ membership. See the card details above for the current annual fee.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
How Do the Two Cards Compare?
Who Each Card Is For
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Built for travelers who aren't loyal to one brand and want premium perks across airlines, hotels, and dining.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Built for travelers who stay with Hilton often and want top-tier status and Hilton-specific credits.
Redemption
Sapphire Reserve points can be used through Chase Travel or transferred to Chase's airline and hotel partners, such as United MileagePlus®, World of Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy. Hilton isn't one of Chase's transfer partners.
Aspire points go into your Hilton Honors account and are best used for award stays across Hilton's hotels and resorts.
Hotel Perks
The Aspire wins for Hilton stays. Diamond status includes a 100% bonus on base points, premium Wi-Fi, space-available room upgrades, and executive lounge access at select properties. The Aspire also offers a $100 property credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties when you book a two-night minimum stay through the card's benefit rate.
The Sapphire Reserve includes IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status through 12/31/2027 (activation required) and offers credits on prepaid stays booked through The Edit by Chase Travel.
Airport Perks
The Sapphire Reserve has the stronger lounge benefits, with Chase Sapphire Lounges and Priority Pass. The Aspire covers CLEAR+ and includes National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status when you enroll.
Annual Fee
Both are premium cards with high annual fees. The Sapphire Reserve costs $795 a year; see the Aspire's card details above for its current annual fee. Either card only makes sense if you'll use enough of its credits and perks to cover the cost.
Who Should Choose the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
The Sapphire Reserve suits frequent travelers who will use the $300 annual travel credit, visit airport lounges, and want flexible points they can transfer to several airlines and hotels. It also fits people who will use its dining and lifestyle credits, since they add value only if you'd spend there anyway.
See our guide to maximizing the Sapphire Reserve travel credit.
Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire?
The Aspire is built for travelers who stay at Hilton properties often, especially resorts where the resort credits apply. Diamond status, the annual Free Night Reward, and 14X points on Hilton stays deliver the most value if Hilton is already your go-to brand.
It also fits flyers who will use the quarterly flight credits and a CLEAR+ membership.
Alternatives to Consider
If you want flexible points at a lower annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 5x on Chase Travel purchases, 3x on dining, and 2x on other travel, for $95 a year.
If you like Hilton but don't need Diamond status, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns 12X points on eligible Hilton purchases, 6X at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, 4X on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3X on other purchases. It includes Hilton Honors Gold status, up to $200 a year in Hilton credits, and a Free Night Reward after you spend $15,000 in a calendar year.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
How Can Kudos Help You Compare?
Kudos Test Drive shows what you'd earn with either card before you apply, based on the spending you enter, and Kudos shows your approval odds for each card.
Premium cards come with a lot of credits to keep track of. Kudos Premium includes a Benefits Tracker that shows what credits you have on each card, how much you've used, and what's still waiting, plus a comparison of each card's annual fee and value.
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit: Premium travel cards generally go to applicants with excellent credit.
- Plan for the welcome offer: Make sure you can meet the spending requirement within the time frame without overspending.
- Review the credits: Many credits require enrollment or activation, and some reset monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually. Terms apply.
Application Strategy
- Time it with a big expense: Apply before a planned purchase so the spending requirement comes naturally.
- Space out applications: Several new cards in a short period can hurt your approval odds.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market, far more than the roughly 150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to give you a complete, unbiased view of the market so you can decide with confidence.
Our editorial team checks card details against issuer sources. You can also explore the full dataset yourself in Kudos Card Explorer, which includes thousands of cards, more than 95% of which do not pay us commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Main Difference Between the Sapphire Reserve and the Aspire?
The Sapphire Reserve is a general premium travel card that earns flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. The Aspire is a Hilton co-branded card focused on Hilton status, credits, and points.
Which Card Is Better for Frequent Hilton Guests?
The Aspire, for most Hilton loyalists. It includes complimentary Diamond status, an annual Free Night Reward, and 14X points on eligible Hilton purchases. Terms apply to these American Express benefits.
Can You Transfer Chase Points to Hilton?
No. Hilton Honors isn't one of Chase's transfer partners. Chase's hotel partners are IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and Wyndham Rewards.
Does Either Card Charge Foreign Transaction Fees?
No. Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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