Act Quickly: Earn $650 Back and a Free Night After Spending $3,000 With This Hotel Credit Card

A hotel is often one of the biggest travel expenses. Mid-range hotels in major U.S. and European cities normally cost $200 to $300 per night, according to research by Viqal. On a four- or five-night stay, you could end up spending over $1,000.

There's a way to make it much cheaper, however. With hotel credit cards, you can earn points in a hotel's loyalty program and use them to pay for a stay. If you're a Hilton fan, or you're open to staying there on your next vacation, one of its best credit cards recently increased its welcome offer.

Bonus points and a Free Night Award with the Amex Hilton Surpass

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is Hilton's mid-tier card option. It has a $150 annual fee (see rates and fees), and it's currently running a limited-time welcome offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 7/31/2024. (terms apply.)

With Hilton points, the value depends on how you use them. A reasonable estimate is $0.005 per point because it's easy to get at least that much value. At that value, 130,000 points is worth $650. It's possible to get a higher value, too.

You'll also get a Free Night Reward. The great thing about Hilton's Free Night Rewards is they can be used at most of its properties. You can use them at any Hilton property that offers a standard accommodation, double occupancy. Certain properties are excluded, but most are fair game -- and that includes some of Hilton's most luxurious properties, such as its Waldorf Astoria brand.

Travel rewards cards tend to have big welcome offers, and that's the case with this Hilton credit card. How much you save will depend on how you use the 130,000 bonus points and the Free Night Reward. But you could get $1,000 or more in value.

More benefits of the Amex Hilton Surpass

This Hilton card doesn't just have a big welcome offer. You'll also be earning lots of Hilton points whenever you pay with it, especially at Hilton properties. It earns:

• 12X points per $1 on eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
• 6X points per $1 on purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
• 4X points per $1 on U.S. online retail purchases
• 3X points per $1 on other eligible purchases
• terms apply

Just by having this card, you'll receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. This is the second-highest tier in the Hilton Honors program, so it provides quite a few perks. These include a fifth night free on award stays, which makes it cheaper to book long stays in points. You'll also get a daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast, depending on the hotel and region. Terms apply.

If you use this card regularly, the benefits get better. After spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within a calendar year, you'll earn a Free Night Reward. That's in addition to the Free Night Reward you can earn as part of the welcome offer. And after spending $40,000 in purchases within a calendar year, you'll earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year. Terms apply.

A hotel card to upgrade your Hilton experience

If you stay with a specific hotel chain regularly, opening one of its credit cards could be a good decision. You'll earn points on your credit card spending so you can speed up the process of earning free nights. And many hotel cards include benefits that make your experience as a guest better, too.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an excellent choice for Hilton fans. It's not too expensive, and it has a ton of benefits. If you're interested, remember that the current welcome offer is only available for a limited time.