Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business
Both are travel travel cards. The Hilton Honors American Express Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business from Chase at $299/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
For most people the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($80,000 more in estimated value) than the Hilton Honors American Express Card's. Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business first; revisit the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $299 |
| Sign-up bonus | Not advertised | 80,000 points |
| Bonus value (est.) | - | $80,000 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | - | $5,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | Chase |
| Card category | travel | travel |
| Best earning category (Hilton_hotels) | 7x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | None |
| Headline benefits |
Editorial take: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Hilton Honors American Express Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business?
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business has a public bonus (80,000 points, worth roughly $80,000), 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business's $299 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business's benefits to clear $299 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Chase) 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Hilton Honors American Express Card: no published min spend. Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business: $5,000 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.
