Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Capital One Spark Cash
Both are well-respected travel cards. The Hilton Honors American Express Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the Capital One Spark Cash from Capital One at $95/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
For most people the Capital One Spark Cash is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,000 more in estimated value) than the Hilton Honors American Express Card's. Get the Capital One Spark Cash first; revisit the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Capital One Spark Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | Not advertised | $1,000 cash bonus |
| Bonus value (est.) | - | $1,000 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | - | $10,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Capital One |
| Card category | travel | business |
| Best earning category (Hilton_hotels) | 7x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | None |
| Headline benefits |
Editorial take: Capital One Spark Cash
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Hilton Honors American Express Card or Capital One Spark Cash?
- The Capital One Spark Cash has a public bonus ($1,000 cash bonus, worth roughly $1,000), 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 Capital One Spark Cash?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Capital One Spark Cash's $95 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Capital One Spark Cash's benefits to clear $95 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 Capital One Spark Cash?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Capital One) 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 Capital One Spark Cash first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Hilton Honors American Express Card: no published min spend. Capital One Spark Cash: $10,000 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.
