One of the best things about redeeming travel rewards is strategizing how to get the absolute maximum return per point. Depending on how you use them, airline miles and hotel points can be worth much more than simply redeeming your rewards for cash back.
But did you know you can also get great value with statement points? I used my $50 travel credit Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Book a flight for nearly $100. Here’s how it works.
How much are Amex Hilton Aspire quarterly airline points?
Amex Hilton Aspire offers up to $200 in annual statement credits on flight purchases, which can be increased by up to $50 each quarter. American Express says the points are good for “purchasing flights directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com using the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.”
You don’t have to use the full credit every quarter to trigger reimbursement. But it’s worth noting that these points are “use it or lose it.” Any unredeemed points will be forfeited.
These are some of the simplest and easy-to-use statement points you’ll find on a rewards credit card.
Why (and how) I redeemed my Amex Hilton Aspire airline points for points
To prepare, my family of three needed a flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH). The cheapest direct flight fare is $350 per person. Even award flights are expensive, with one exception: seats American Airlines books through its partner airline Qantas.
Each award costs 9,200 Qantas Frequent Flyer Points. By purchasing 21,000 points, I could combine them with my existing 7,000 Qantas points to book three seats. Purchasing 21,000 points cost me AU$662 (equivalent to US$431.23 at the time).
Paying for these points with my Amex Hilton Aspire triggers up to $50 in airline bill credits per quarter on the card. In other words, I only paid $381.23 out of pocket.
Simplify the math
I purchased 21,000 Qantas points for $431, which means each point costs 2.05 cents. Therefore, the total cost of a seat with an award price of 9,200 points is $194.20 ($188.60 plus $5.60 tax). Subtracting the $50 Hilton Aspire Airlines points, I paid about $144 for a seat, compared to $350 for a cash ticket.
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So, how do I quantify the savings from this credit? Indeed, this credit saved me $50. But I got greater value out of it by using it to buy 2,440 Qantas points rather than simply redeeming it for a $350 American Airlines ticket.
Here are my two options:
- Pay $350 cash for an American Airlines seat: Using my credit card statement credit saved me $50, bringing my out-of-pocket cost to $300, offsetting 14% of my flight costs.
- Pay $194.20 for award flight (9,200 Qantas Points plus $5.60 tax): Using my $50 in points would reimburse me for 2,440 Qantas Points, offsetting 26% of the cost of my flight.
All in all, I got 3.74 cents per point: ($350 cash fare – $5.60 fee) / 9,200 points (award price per seat) = 3.74 cents.
This means the 2,440 Qantas points I purchased with $50 in Amex Hilton Aspire points are worth $91.25 (2,440 x 0.0374). By buying points instead of paying cash for the tickets, my bill was worth 82% more points.
Are other airlines eligible?
It’s worth reiterating that American Express Hilton Aspire airline points are intended to be used to “purchase flights,” according to American Express Contact the airline directly or through AmexTravel.com. “
Many airlines sell awards through a website called Points.com. This is not an airline website — So if you’re interested in buying miles through an airline that uses Points.com as a point of sale, your Amex Hilton Aspire points will almost certainly not work (I haven’t tested this myself).
In other words, credit should Partner with airlines that sell miles directly. For example, American Airlines is responsible for its own mile sales, so it should trigger up to $50 in points.
Potential workarounds for other airlines
Although the process is cumbersome, it is also possible to purchase miles from airlines that use Points.com to handle points and miles purchases. A few operators allow you to purchase miles as a top-up during the booking process.
For example, United Airlines always expands its “Rewards Accelerator” option at checkout, allowing you to add some miles to your bill at checkout (instead of purchasing them from Points.com). This should be coded as a United Airlines purchase. As long as you didn’t book a basic economy flight, you can cancel the flight to earn travel points, and the miles you purchased should remain in your account.
Amex Hilton Aspire has other great benefits
The card’s annual airline credit limit of up to $200 is far from the only benefit the Amex Hilton Aspire offers. For an annual fee of $550 (see rates and fees), you also get:
- Annual Free Night Award: After you open your account (and after every cardmember anniversary), you’ll receive a free night voucher for a standard room at almost any Hilton hotel. Please note that as a cardholder you can receive up to three free night vouchers per year.
- Automatic Diamond Elite Status: Get Hilton’s current premium membership, which includes dining privileges, 100% bonus points on paid Hilton stays, room upgrades (when available) and more.
- Up to $400 in Hilton Resort Points per year: Get up to $200 in expense reimbursement every six months (for room rates, dining, spa treatments, and more) at qualifying Hilton resorts.
- Annual Clear Plus membership points: Get up to $209 in annual bill credits with Clear Plus membership, a program that helps you get to the front of the line at TSA checkpoints (registration required; auto-renewable).
Check out our Hilton Amex Aspire review to learn more about this premium travel rewards card.
bottom line
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with a quarterly bill of up to $50 for flights purchased directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com. But in some cases, you can use it to buy airline miles. This can be a better use of your card statement credit than simply redeeming for a lower cash price on a flight.
Again, please note that your points may not be activated unless you purchase points or miles directly from the airline (as opposed to a third-party seller like Points.com).
For Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card rates and fees, click here.
