Marriott vs. Hilton Credit Card

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or you only hit the road a few times per year, signing up for a hotel loyalty program always makes sense. The same can be said of co-branded hotel credit cards. Companies such as Marriott and Hilton offer a variety of credit cards — including those with no annual fee — that can elevate your travel experience.

But which of these is a better option? Here's a look at Marriott versus Hilton credit cards, situations where they’d make sense and which card option will be right for you.

When to choose a Hilton credit card

You want top-tier elite status

Hilton has four co-branded credit cards from which to choose, but its premium card, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, offers a variety of high-end perks. One of these includes complimentary Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status as long as you hold the card. Terms apply.

To date, Hilton is the only hotel chain willing to award credit card holders with its most exclusive elite status.

In contrast, Marriott’s premium credit card option, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, grants Platinum elite status to cardholders. Terms apply.

Along with Diamond status, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card also offers hundreds of dollars in annual credits plus a number of other benefits:

• $400 annual Hilton resort statement credit.

• $200 annual airfare credit.

• $199 Clear membership credit.

• Annual weekend night certificate.

• Rental car insurance.

• Lost baggage insurance.

• No foreign transaction fees.

Terms apply.

Although the annual fee is $550, the cash credits you’ll receive total up to more than $750, making the card much more worth it. You’ll also want to take into account the uncapped annual weekend night certificate, which can be used at hotels costing upward of $1,000 per night. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

You spend a lot on groceries, gas and dining

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is Hilton’s mid-tier credit card, charging a $150 annual fee but providing some solid benefits in return.

This is evident when reviewing earnings on groceries, gas and dining purchases — especially when compared with Marriott’s mid-tier option, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

Here’s how the rewards rates on these two cards stack up.

Terms apply.

When to choose a Marriott credit card

You travel to remote locations

Where do you like to travel? If you travel primarily for leisure, you may not face issues with finding accommodation. But if you’re a business traveler heading to smaller towns, a Hilton property may be missing.

As the largest hotel chain in the world, Marriott has a global footprint covering more than 8,000 properties in 139 countries.

In this case, opting for a Marriott credit card over a Hilton credit card will allow you to earn more points overall.

A key feature of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card also involves the ability to spend your way to top-tier elite status. Although you’re granted Silver elite status as a cardholder, you’ll receive 15 elite nights credits each year toward the next status level. You’ll also be able to earn one elite night credit for every $5,000 you spend on the card, with no cap.

» Learn more: Hilton Honors versus Marriott Bonvoy — which loyalty program is best?

You want a flexible point currency

Transferable point currencies are an excellent option for those who want some more flexibility in their travel. Card issuers such as American Express, Chase, Citi and Capital One are the major players when it comes to earning these types of points.

However, Marriott Bonvoy points are a bit of a unicorn when it comes to transferable point currencies.

Marriott maintains an extensive list of airline transfer partners where you can convert Bonvoy points. There are more than 35 airlines to choose from, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

For the most part, Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to airlines at a 3:1 ratio, meaning that 3 Marriott points become 1 airline mile. However, you’ll also receive a 5,000 miles bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer, making the ratio more lucrative. Note that this transfer bonus does not apply to American, Delta, Avianca or Korean Air.

Finally, Marriott and United have a preferred partnership, allowing you to get 10,000 bonus miles on all 60,000-point transfers you make to the airline.

Since all of Marriott’s credit cards earn Marriott Bonvoy points, this is one way to earn and transfer for airline miles, especially if you’re using your Marriott Bonvoy card to pay for Marriott stays.

Consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, which earns 6X points per dollar spent on eligible Marriott stays in addition to conferring Platinum elite status to the cardholder. Platinum members earn 15 points per dollar spent on most Marriott stays. If you pay with your Marriott card, you’d earn a combined total of 21.5X Bonvoy points per dollar spent.

That 21.5 points would convert to a little over 7 airline miles per dollar spent, making this card a fairly decent way to rack up miles for travel.

» Learn more: When to use credit card points and when to transfer them to airlines

Which card is right for you?

The card and the program you choose will depend on your needs. Both Marriott and Hilton provide multiple types of credit cards, including no-annual-fee cards, mid-level options and high-end offerings.

If you’re looking for top-tier elite status with little effort, Hilton has the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. In addition to Diamond elite status, you’ll receive travel credits for airlines and Hilton resorts, more than making up for the card’s high annual fee. Terms apply.

Marriott cards, meanwhile, can be a good option for those looking to stick to Marriott properties. Its range of airline transfer partners provides greater flexibility for using Bonvoy points than Hilton, allowing cardholders to choose if they’d like to redeem for hotel stays or flights.

In the end, both hotel chains offer solid options for credit card choices — and if you’re not sure which brand to choose, you could get one of each.

To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, see this page.