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Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Bilt Palladium
Both are travel travel cards. The Hilton Honors American Express Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the Bilt Palladium from Bilt / Cardless at $495/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the Bilt Palladium is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,125 more in estimated value) than the Hilton Honors American Express Card's. Get the Bilt Palladium first; revisit the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Bilt Palladium |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $495 |
| Sign-up bonus | Not advertised | 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status |
| Bonus value (est.) | - | $1,125 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | - | $4,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Column N.A. |
| Card category | travel | travel |
| Best earning category (Hilton_hotels) | 7x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | bilt |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
Hilton Honors American Express Card
$0/yr ·
Read the full review
Bilt Palladium
$495/yr · 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status
Editorial take: Bilt Palladium
Bilt 2.0's top tier ($495 AF), launched February 7, 2026 with Column N.A. as issuer and Cardless as servicer. A flat 2x everyday card that stacks $400 of Bilt Travel hotel credit, $200 of Bilt Cash a year, and Priority Pass with 2 guests. It does not have Obsidian's 3x category, so it wins on credits and lounge access rather than on multipliers. For Bilt loyalists who use the hotel credit and the lounges, the math works; for everyone else, Obsidian is plenty.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Hilton Honors American Express Card or Bilt Palladium?
- The Bilt Palladium has a public bonus (50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status, worth roughly $1,125), while the Hilton Honors American Express Card doesn't advertise one right now.
- Is the Hilton Honors American Express Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Bilt Palladium?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Bilt Palladium's $495 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Bilt Palladium's benefits to clear $495 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Hilton Honors American Express Card.
- Can I have both the Hilton Honors American Express Card and Bilt Palladium?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Column N.A.) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
- Should I get the Hilton Honors American Express Card or the Bilt Palladium first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Hilton Honors American Express Card: no published min spend. Bilt Palladium: $4,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.