3 Perks of My Amex Hilton Honors Aspire That Make Luxury Travel More Affordable

Hotels have grown on me over the years. I used to gravitate toward home rentals when going on vacation, but not anymore. For shorter trips, I love staying at nice hotels. And while I don't mind spending on that, I always like to see if there are ways I can save on luxury travel.

So last year, I opened the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. It's Hilton's most expensive credit card, with a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees). That's a lot of money, and there are plenty of more affordable hotel credit cards available. But this one easily makes up for the fee with spending credits and a few perks that help you save big.

1. Complimentary Diamond status

This card includes complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status. That's the highest status in the Hilton Honors program, and you get it just for being a cardholder (terms apply).

Hotels usually reward guests in their highest loyalty tier, and Diamond doesn't disappoint. It includes space-available room upgrades, and I've found that upgrades come through pretty often. While traveling through Europe, I got upgraded at three out of four Hilton hotels I visited. Plus, Diamond Status gets you access to Executive Lounges at Hilton hotels that offer them.

You also get all the benefits of other Hilton Honors status tiers. That includes free breakfast or a daily food and beverage credit, which is a perk that comes with Hilton Gold status. If a Hilton has an Executive Lounge, you may be able to get your free breakfast there. In my experience, this is much more relaxing than eating breakfast in a packed hotel restaurant.

2. An Annual Free Night Reward

Another highlight of this credit card is an Annual Free Night Reward. You get one during the first year you have the card, and every year upon renewing your card by paying the annual fee. You can also earn an additional Free Night Reward every year after making $30,000 in purchases, and another for making $60,000 in purchases. Terms apply.

This can be the card's most valuable perk, especially if you like to stay at luxury hotels. The Free Night Reward works at most Hilton properties, excluding those that don't offer a standard accommodation. That still includes plenty of upscale hotels, including Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Hotels. Here are a few examples of where you could use a Free Night Reward:

• Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
• Conrad Bora Bora Nui
• Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
• Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

Rates at all these properties can exceed $1,000 and even $2,000 a night. And just so you know, you can use a Free Night Award and points for the same booking. So if you want to spend three nights at an expensive hotel, you could use points for two nights and your Free Night Award for the third -- no cash required.

3. Big bonus opportunities

It's easy to earn points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. For starters, it has a great welcome offer. You earn 150,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months. Terms apply.

This card also earns 14 points per $1 at Hilton properties. Terms apply. That's in addition to what you earn as a member of the Hilton Honors program: 10 points for being a member and another 10 points with Diamond status, as it includes a 100% points bonus on stays.

It adds up to a whopping 34 points per $1 on Hilton stays you book with this card. Spend $5,000 staying at Hilton hotels a year? That's 170,000 points. It also earns 7 points per $1 on select travel and dining. Terms apply.

Luxury for less

To sum it up, this American Express card gets you a free night at a Hilton property of your choice every year. It significantly boosts the number of points you'll earn. And it gets you Diamond status, so even if you book a standard room, you could get upgraded and you'll be able to visit Executive Lounges when they're available. Terms apply.

It's not cheap, with that $550 annual fee. Still, if you're planning to stay in nice hotels on upcoming trips, that fee could be a bargain. I'd recommend checking out all the card's features to figure out what kind of value you could get from it. If you're not sure, check out other top travel credit cards to see if there's a better match.