Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the Hilton Honors American Express Card (no annual fee) and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® (no annual fee) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
Strongest in dining at 5%. 7x at Hilton hotels, 5x at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. Earns a solid 3.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply Now5% back at REI and rei.com, 1.5% on everything else, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. Earns a solid 1.5% on everything else.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | Hilton Honors American Express Card | REI Co-op Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $0 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 70,000 points after $2,000 spend in 6 months | $100 after $1 spend in 2 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 3.0% | 1.5% |
| Dining Rewards | 5% | 1.5% |
| Groceries Rewards | 5% | 1.5% |
| Gas Rewards | 5% | 1.5% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
7% at Hilton hotels Earns 7% only on stays at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 3%. |
None |
| Key Benefits | 7x at Hilton hotels, 5x at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. | 5% back at REI and rei.com, 1.5% on everything else, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. |
Hilton Honors American Express Card pulls ahead for travel, dining, groceries, gas spending.
Hilton Honors American Express Card carries $200/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.