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Hilton Honors Aspire vs Marriott Bonvoy Bevy: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025

Editor's Picks
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: This premium travel card is designed for frequent Hilton guests, offering top-tier elite status and a suite of valuable travel credits.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: This mid-tier travel card rewards both Marriott stays and everyday spending at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why we’re fans of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
- Cardholders automatically receive top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, unlocking premium perks like room upgrades and lounge access.
- The card offers a suite of valuable statement credits and an annual free night award that can easily offset its annual fee (See Rates & Fees).
- It features a strong rewards structure, allowing you to quickly accumulate Hilton Honors points on travel and dining purchases.
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
Pros
- Automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status, the highest tier in Hilton's loyalty program, which unlocks premium perks like room upgrades and executive lounge access.
- An annual Free Night Award redeemable at nearly any Hilton property worldwide, plus annual statement credits for flights and Hilton resort purchases.
- Generous rewards on travel and dining, allowing you to quickly accumulate points for future stays.
Cons
- A significant annual fee requires frequent travel to justify the cost.
- The card’s statement credits come with usage restrictions, such as being limited to specific properties or timeframes, which can make them difficult to fully utilize.
- Points are locked into the Hilton Honors ecosystem, offering less flexibility than transferable rewards from other programs.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down why we like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card.
- The card's rewards structure allows you to quickly accumulate points on hotel stays, dining, and at U.S. supermarkets.
- While it has an annual fee (See Rates & Fees), it provides valuable perks like automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and annual Elite Night Credits.
- Cardholders also benefit from no foreign transaction fees, making it a good companion for international travel.
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
Pros
- Cardholders automatically receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which provides valuable hotel perks like potential room upgrades and bonus points on stays.
- The card features a generous rewards structure, allowing for accelerated points earning on eligible purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties, restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets.
- It's a strong companion for travel, offering no foreign transaction fees and a variety of travel and purchase protections.
Cons
- The card comes with an annual fee, and its Free Night Award is only granted after meeting a significant annual spending threshold.
- Its overall value is heavily tied to loyalty to the Marriott brand, making it less suitable for travelers who don't frequently stay at Marriott Bonvoy properties.
- It lacks certain premium benefits found on competing travel cards, such as statement credits for hotel purchases or airport lounge access.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Aspire
Categories
When deciding which is better Hilton Honors Aspire or Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, it's important to consider your travel style. Each card caters to a different type of hotel loyalist, offering distinct benefits for their respective brands.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: This card is best for frequent Hilton travelers, especially those who stay at resort properties. It's designed for luxury-focused guests who want to maximize premium hotel benefits.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: This card is ideal for frequent Marriott guests who want to earn hotel rewards and achieve elite status. It serves as a mid-tier option for brand loyalists seeking more than just entry-level perks.
Redemption
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Points are primarily redeemed for free nights at Hilton properties, but they can also be transferred to various airline partners for flight awards.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: Cardholders can use their points for stays at hotels within the vast Marriott Bonvoy portfolio or transfer them to a wide selection of airline partners.
Travel Perks
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: This card is loaded with premium travel benefits. It provides complimentary Priority Pass Select membership for access to a worldwide network of airport lounges. Cardholders also receive an annual airline fee credit and a statement credit for stays at eligible Hilton Resorts. The card has no foreign transaction fees and grants automatic top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, which offers the highest level of in-hotel benefits.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: This card’s travel ecosystem is more focused. It does not offer complimentary lounge access, but it does eliminate foreign transaction fees, which is a plus for overseas travel. The main travel perks include complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and the ability to earn a Free Night Award after reaching a specific spending requirement each year.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make an informed decision, you can use a financial companion tool like Kudos, which allows you to compare nearly 3,000 credit cards based on your actual spending habits.
- Test Drive Cards: Simulate how much you could earn with a new credit card using your real spending data before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.
- Approval Odds Analysis: Receive a detailed analysis of your chances of being approved for different cards based on your credit report.
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Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire?
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is tailor-made for frequent travelers who consistently choose Hilton properties, especially those who can take full advantage of its premium travel benefits to justify the annual fee. This card is ideal for someone who values the automatic top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status for perks like room upgrades and complimentary breakfast, and who will use the annual free night award and various statement credits at resorts and for flights. As our Hilton Aspire Card review shows, if you stay at Hilton hotels at least a couple of times per year and want a simplified path to a more luxurious travel experience, this card is a strong contender.
Who Should Choose the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card is an excellent choice for frequent Marriott guests who want to maximize their stays with automatic Gold Elite status. It also caters to moderate-to-high spenders who can leverage the 4X points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year, then 2X) to earn a Free Night Award after spending $15,000 annually. As our card review details, it’s ideal for users who can leverage both travel and everyday spending to easily offset the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Alternatives to Consider
After this Hilton Honors Aspire vs Marriott Bonvoy Bevy comparison, you might find that neither the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card nor the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card is the perfect match for your travel style. If that's the case, here are a few other top-tier travel rewards cards to consider.
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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
Before You Apply
- Check Your Credit Score - Most successful applicants have good to excellent credit, so confirm where you stand before applying.
- Plan Your Spending - Ensure you can naturally meet the spending requirement for the welcome offer and other card benefits.
- Review Application Rules - Familiarize yourself with issuer-specific rules, such as welcome offer eligibility and benefit stacking limitations.
Application Strategy
- Align with your loyalty - Choose a card that matches the hotel brands you frequent most.
- Assess the perks - Ensure you can maximize the card’s unique benefits, like elite status or annual credits.
- Evaluate spending thresholds - Consider if your natural spending will unlock key benefits like an annual free night award.
Our Methodology
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.
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
What kind of hotel status do the Hilton Aspire and Marriott Bevy cards offer?
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card automatically grants top-tier Diamond status. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card provides complimentary Gold Elite status.
Are there annual fees for these cards?
Yes, both the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card have annual fees. These fees help cover the cost of the premium travel benefits and rewards offered by each card.
Which card is better for earning free night awards?
Both cards provide pathways to earning free night awards. The Hilton Aspire card typically offers one upon renewal and another based on spending, while the Marriott Bevy allows you to earn one after meeting a significant spending threshold.
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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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