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CardCurator — Rewards Intelligence
Card Comparison

Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Southwest Premier

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 Premier card art
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest Premier
Chase
More Info
Annual Fee
No annual fee
$149/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 3x
  • Grocery Stores and Restaurants 2x
  • All Other Purchases 1x
Reward Type
miles
miles
Key Credits
None
None
Card Perks
  • Hilton Honors Silver Status
None listed
Spend Milestones
No milestones
  • 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status
    After $5,000 spend
Transfer Partners
No transfer partners
No transfer partners
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Common Questions: Hilton Honors American Express Card vs Southwest Premier

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

Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5x on dining; Southwest Premier earns 2x on dining. Hilton Honors American Express Card wins for dining.

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 Premier offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). Southwest Premier 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 Premier?

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 Premier is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.