Hilton Honors Aspire vs Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite: Which Is Better In 2025?

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here’s a closer look at why we recommend the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite card.

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• The card offers a solid rewards rate on travel and dining purchases, though it does come with an annual fee.
• It provides hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits for airline incidentals and lifestyle purchases like food delivery and streaming services.
• Cardholders can offset the card's annual fee in the first year by maximizing the annual airline incidental and lifestyle credits, plus the credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry (publisher-formulated estimate).

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Pros

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• Offers annual statement credits for airline incidentals and a variety of lifestyle purchases, such as food delivery and streaming services.
• Includes a host of premium travel perks, including complimentary airport lounge access, benefits at luxury hotels, and travel protections.
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members can earn a rewards bonus on all purchases, significantly boosting their earning potential.

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Cons

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• Carries a high annual fee that may be difficult to justify unless you maximize all the card’s benefits.
• Unlike many competing premium travel cards, it has no travel transfer partners, which limits redemption flexibility for maximizing point value.
• To get the best value for your points, you must book travel through the Bank of America portal, which can be restrictive for those who prefer booking directly.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire

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Categories

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Choosing between premium travel cards can be tough, so let's break down which is better, the Hilton Honors Aspire or the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite, based on your travel style.

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• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is best for travelers who frequently stay at Hilton properties and want to maximize their loyalty with premium hotel benefits and top-tier elite status. It is particularly valuable for those who enjoy stays at Hilton's resort locations.
• Bank of America® Premium Rewards Elite credit card is a premium travel card ideal for frequent travelers who value luxury perks like airport lounge access and travel protections, especially those already within the Bank of America ecosystem.

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Redemption

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Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Points earned with this card are redeemed within the Hilton Honors loyalty program. This allows you to book free nights at Hilton properties or use points for room upgrades and other experiences.

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Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite credit card: This card offers flexible redemption options, including using points for travel booked through the Bank of America Travel Center, cash back, or statement credits.

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Travel Perks

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• Airport Lounge Access: Both cards offer a Priority Pass Select membership, granting access to a global network of airport lounges. For the Hilton Honors Aspire card, terms apply to this benefit.
• Booking Travel: The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite card directs users to the Bank of America Travel Center for bookings. In contrast, the Hilton Honors Aspire card is deeply integrated with the Hilton Honors program for award stays, though other travel can be booked through the American Express travel portal.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: A key perk for international travelers is that neither card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
• Annual Credits: Each card provides annual credits for airline incidental fees. The Hilton Honors Aspire card adds a separate statement credit for use at eligible Hilton Resorts, a benefit to which terms apply.
• Hotel Elite Status: This is a major differentiator. The Hilton Honors Aspire card automatically grants complimentary top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, unlocking valuable perks like room upgrades and executive lounge access. The Bank of America card does not include an equivalent automatic hotel status benefit.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make an informed decision, you can use a tool like Kudos to compare top-rated cards based on your own spending habits.

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• Use the 'Test Drive' feature to simulate how much you could earn with a new card based on your real spending data before you apply.
• Receive personalized card recommendations tailored to your unique spending patterns, helping you maximize rewards.
• Get a detailed analysis of your approval odds for various credit cards based on your credit report.
• Benefit from a welcome offer guarantee, where Kudos will match a better offer if you find one within three months of being approved.
• Earn extra rewards on top of your regular card rewards when shopping online with Kudos Boost.

Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire?

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The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is designed for dedicated Hilton loyalists who travel frequently throughout the year. Its ideal user is someone who prefers staying at upscale Hilton resorts and can fully leverage the card’s rich benefits, such as the annual resort credit and automatic Diamond elite status (Terms apply). If you can easily offset the annual fee by taking advantage of its premium travel perks, this card is a powerful tool for elevating your hotel stays, as this Hilton Aspire Card review explains.

Who Should Choose the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite?

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The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite credit card is tailored for frequent travelers deeply invested in the Bank of America® ecosystem, particularly members of the Preferred Rewards program who can earn boosted rewards. This cardholder is willing to pay the $550 annual fee to access luxury travel perks like unlimited Priority Pass lounge access and benefits at premium hotels. Ideal users will maximize their points by booking flights through the Bank of America® Travel Center, a key feature highlighted in a NerdWallet analysis, which helps compensate for the card's lack of airline transfer partners.

Alternatives to Consider

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If our Hilton Honors Aspire vs. Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite comparison has you thinking neither card is the perfect match, don't worry. We've rounded up a few other top-tier travel cards that might be a better fit for your wallet and travel style.

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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}

Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score as most premium cards require good to excellent credit.
• Plan your spending to meet the welcome offer requirements without overspending.
• Review issuer application rules as some have restrictions on earning a welcome offer if you've had the card before.

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Application Strategy

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• Confirm if an initial application is a soft pull, which may allow you to view an offer without impacting your credit.
• Evaluate your existing banking relationships, as some issuers provide enhanced benefits for current customers.
• Analyze a card’s statement credits to ensure they align with your natural spending habits.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Which card offers better hotel elite status?

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The Hilton Honors Aspire Card automatically grants complimentary top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status. The Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite card does not offer automatic hotel elite status as a direct benefit. Terms apply.

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Can I transfer points to airline partners with both cards?

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Points earned with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card can be transferred to various airline partners, though transfer ratios may vary. The Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite card earns points that cannot be transferred to external airline or hotel loyalty programs.

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Is one card better for everyday, non-bonus spending?

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The Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite card generally offers a higher rewards rate on everyday purchases that fall outside of specific bonus categories. The Hilton Honors Aspire Card's base earning rate is more suited for maximizing rewards on travel and at Hilton properties.

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