Evaluating the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and Hilton Honors Amex

There are numerous journey rewards bank cards with annual charges starting from zero to a number of hundred {dollars}. Bank cards with annual charges are likely to have higher incomes charges, extra journey perks and annual advantages.

Whereas many factors and miles fans want the perks that include premium playing cards, no-annual-fee cobranded playing cards can nonetheless be a good possibility for informal vacationers.

If a no-annual-fee lodge bank card is in your radar, think about the Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) and the Hilton Honors American Categorical Card (see charges and costs). Each playing cards get you entry-level elite standing and have comparable bonus classes that will help you earn factors with each buy.

Let’s examine the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and Hilton Honors Amex that will help you resolve which entry-level card most accurately fits your wants.

New Marriott Bonvoy Daring cardholders will earn 60,000 bonus factors and a free evening award value as much as 50,000 factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Sure lodges have resort charges.

The Daring’s welcome bonus is value as much as $770, per TPG’s June 2025 valuations.

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That is one in every of the most effective gives we have seen on this card, so in the event you’re available in the market for a no-annual-fee Bonvoy card, we advocate making use of now.

Alternatively, new Hilton Honors Amex cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus factors plus a $100 assertion credit score after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.

This is among the finest gives for this card, so it is a good time to use in the event you’re enthusiastic about doing so.

In accordance with TPG’s June 2025 valuations, the Hilton Honors Amex’s welcome bonus is value $600. That is a bit lower than the Daring’s present welcome supply.

Winner: Bonvoy Daring. Its extra helpful welcome bonus makes this card the clear winner.

Associated: This month’s finest welcome gives

Each playing cards present entry-level elite standing, which is beneficial when seeking to begin a dedication with a lodge loyalty program. The Marriott Bonvoy Daring gives automated Silver Elite standing, which incorporates primary perks like a ten% bonus on factors earned for Marriott stays, precedence late checkout (when obtainable) and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Hilton Honors Amex’s complimentary Silver standing additionally consists of comparable entry-level perks, together with a 20% level bonus and elite rollover nights. These are helpful when making an attempt to maximise Hilton’s fifth evening free on award stays.

Fortunately, each playing cards additionally supply a pathway to larger elite standing. The Bonvoy Daring offers you 5 elite evening credit yearly that will help you earn a better standing. The elite evening credit earned from this card could be stacked with elite evening credit earned from the Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise® American Categorical® Card to deliver you nearer to larger elite standing with Marriott.

The Hilton Amex grants cardmembers automated Gold standing by way of the tip of the following calendar yr after they spend $20,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr.

For anybody who plans to make use of both card continuously, this generally is a nice choice to unlock an elite tier that is rather more rewarding. Nevertheless, you is perhaps sacrificing worth by not making these purchases with a card that is good for on a regular basis spending.

Equally, each playing cards have no overseas transaction charges, so you should use both card when touring exterior the U.S. with out incurring charges. Each playing cards additionally include a good record of journey and buy protections, with the Marriott Bonvoy Daring taking the lead.

The Daring comes with baggage delay insurance coverage, misplaced baggage reimbursement and journey delay reimbursement protection, together with buy safety. These are spectacular advantages in comparison with the Hilton Honors Amex, which solely gives buy safety*, prolonged warranties* and automotive rental insurance coverage.**

That is very true when contemplating that no-annual-fee playing cards usually do not include intensive journey protections.

*Eligibility and profit ranges range by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

**Eligibility and Profit stage varies by Card. Phrases, Situations and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Automotive Rental Loss or Injury Protection is obtainable by way of American Categorical Journey Associated Companies Firm, Inc.

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Daring. It has extra journey protections and a neater path to larger elite standing with no minimal spending requirement.

The Marriott Bonvoy Daring earns factors on the following charges:

• 3 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at properties taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 2 factors per greenback spent on groceries; ride-hailing companies; choose meals supply companies; and choose streaming, web, cable and telephone companies
• 1 level per greenback spent on different purchases

It is essential to do not forget that though this card earns 3 factors per greenback spent on Marriott purchases, being a Marriott Bonvoy member offers you a bonus 11 factors per greenback spent on Marriott purchases, due to Silver Elite standing.

This brings the incomes potential for Marriott purchases as much as 14 factors per greenback spent when utilizing the Bonvoy Daring, a 9.8% return on spending in keeping with TPG’s June 2025 valuations.

In the meantime, the Hilton Honors Amex earns 7 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases made instantly with Hilton portfolio properties. This consists of paying for the room and on-site spending at US eating places and spas.

Just like the Bonvoy Daring, the Hilton Honors Amex earns extra than simply the bottom factors with Hilton purchases. Due to their complimentary Hilton Honors Silver standing, cardmembers additionally earn a further 12 factors per greenback spent, for a complete of 19 factors per greenback spent (a 9.5% return on spending, in keeping with TPG’s June 2025 valuations).

The Hilton Honors beats the Marriott Bonvoy Daring on non-hotel spending as you earn 5 factors per greenback spent at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply), U.S. supermarkets and U.S. fuel stations and three factors per greenback spent in every single place else.

Regardless of Hilton Honors factors being valued barely lower than Bonvoy factors, the cardboard gives extra alternatives to earn factors. Nevertheless, we do not advocate utilizing a lodge bank card for nonbonus spending except you are making an attempt to earn elite standing or a welcome bonus.

Winner: Hilton Honors Amex. It comes with higher incomes charges in fashionable spending classes.

Associated: The perfect no-annual-fee lodge bank cards

As a Marriott Bonvoy Daring cardholder, you’ll be able to, in fact, redeem factors for Marriott stays. Or, you’ll be able to switch them to an extended record of airline companions. Nevertheless, utilizing your factors at no cost nights at Marriott lodges often offers you the most effective worth.

Marriott has a dynamic pricing mannequin for its redemptions, which suggests charges fluctuate based mostly on varied components, together with money charges. To stretch your factors additional, you’ll be able to maximize the Marriott Money + Factors fee, which lets you break up the associated fee between factors and money. If you happen to’re brief on factors, this might help you cowl your complete keep.

Better of all, Marriott additionally gives a free evening profit on award bookings. When redeeming factors for a keep of 5 consecutive nights, you will be eligible for the “Keep for five, Pay for 4” profit, which supplies members the lowest-cost award evening at no cost.

TPG bank cards author Chris Nelson just lately redeemed 47,000 Bonvoy factors per evening for a three-night keep on the JW Marriott Resort Beijing.

Hilton Honors redemptions are fairly just like Marriott Bonvoy’s, since award nights are additionally dynamically priced.

The Hilton Honors program additionally gives a fifth free evening on award stays as an elite member, so it is best to analysis completely different dates to your property of curiosity to get the most effective worth to your hard-earned factors. In contrast to Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors has a nifty instrument, Factors Explorer, that will help you discover award costs based mostly on location or kinds of holidays you are inquisitive about.

TPG bank cards author Augusta Stone just lately redeemed 130,000 Hilton Honors factors for a two-night keep at Cover by Hilton London Metropolis. This can be a nice redemption because the property is inside strolling distance of the Tower Bridge.

As a rule of thumb, ensure that to calculate what number of factors you will want for a keep to assist decide if redeeming factors is value it versus paying money. I’ve amassed practically 800,000 Bonvoy factors and am considering redeeming them for a keep within the often costly Maldives or transferring my factors to an airline to redeem for premium-cabin airfare.

Associated: The bank cards that assist gasoline my luxurious journey

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Daring. Marriott has extra properties in complete, so it ought to be simpler to search out redemptions to your factors.

The Marriott Bonvoy Daring and Hilton Honors Amex are entry-level cobranded lodge playing cards that provide first rate worth for being no-annual-fee bank cards. If you happen to’re not after top-tier elite standing and are in search of simply the fundamentals or are simply beginning out with a lodge bank card, you’ll be able to’t go mistaken with both possibility. The selection comes all the way down to which model you like and whether or not both card’s restricted perks will likely be of use to you.

Associated: How to decide on a lodge bank card

The Marriott Bonvoy Daring Credit score Card and Hilton Honors American Categorical Card are entry-level, no-annual-fee playing cards that ship primary advantages and a few journey protections. Despite the fact that these playing cards present a pathway to a better elite standing, they don’t seem to be something spectacular.

Frequent vacationers might discover it worthwhile to use for a cobranded card with a better annual price to entry many extra advantages.

As a frequent traveler, I should not have a cobranded lodge card. Nevertheless, I do have The Platinum Card® from American Categorical, which gives me with Gold elite standing with each Marriott and Hilton and makes the cardboard value it (enrollment required). This might be a card value contemplating if you’d like elite standing with each manufacturers and premium journey perks.

That mentioned, in the event you’re simply beginning out, these playing cards are a sensible choice to begin your loyalty journey with both program.

To study extra, learn our full opinions of the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and the Hilton Honors Amex.

Apply right here: Marriott Bonvoy Daring
Apply right here: Hilton Honors Amex

For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors Amex, please click on right here.