Skip to main content
CardCurator — Rewards Intelligence
Card Comparison

Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Southwest Plus

Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.

Hilton Honors American Express Card card art
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors American Express Card
American Express
More Info
Southwest Plus card art
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest Plus
Chase
More Info
Annual Fee
No annual fee
$99/yr
Foreign Fees
None
None
Signup Bonus
70,000 points
Spend $2,000 in 6 months
85,000 points
Spend $3,000 in 3 months
Top Earn Rates
  • hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio 7x
  • Dining At U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, Groceries At U.S. supermarkets, Gas At U.S. gas stations 5x
  • All Other Purchases 3x
  • Southwest Purchases 2x
  • Gas Stations and Grocery Stores 2x
  • All Other Purchases 1x
Reward Type
miles
miles
Key Credits
None
None
Card Perks
  • Hilton Honors Silver Status
None listed
Transfer Partners
No transfer partners
No transfer partners
Open full comparison tool Compare more cards

Common Questions: Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Southwest Plus

Is the Hilton Honors American Express Card or Southwest Plus better for dining?

Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5x on dining; Southwest Plus has no dining bonus.

Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?

Hilton Honors American Express Card currently offers 70,000 pts signup bonus (spend $2,000 in 6 months). Southwest Plus offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). Southwest Plus has the larger bonus.

Which card is better for international travel?

Both cards charge no foreign transaction fees, making either a solid choice for international travel.

Can I hold both the Hilton Honors American Express Card and the Southwest Plus?

In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. Hilton Honors American Express Card is from American Express and Southwest Plus is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.