I have a limit for how many nights I’ll sleep alone in a van right off the side of the road. It’s three. The first two nights I managed to find a crowded BLM campsite right outside of Zion National Park. Multiple cars and parties makes me feel more comfortable than just one lone school bus across the road. That’s what I saw at the BLM campsite outside of Bryce Canyon.

This road trip was spontaneous. I booked the flights with a significant other, and then rebooked them when I got dumped. It wasn’t until I arrived at my Las Vegas (airport) hotel that I realized that I would be going by myself. And there I was, by myself, in a sleeping bag that could handle 32 degrees, in a campervan called Eucalyptus. It was definitely colder than 32 degrees on that November night, and it was only going to get colder.

I’ve just recently upgraded to renting cars for travel. Before that, I would drive free cars that needed to be transported to one city or the next. Before that, buses or car shares were my only option for getting around. But now I’m evolving, much to the relief of my parents. I drive rental cars when I don’t want to use my own. And instead of relying on hostels and Couchsurfing, I stay in hotels here and there.

So, in a fit of anxiety, hormones, or maybe just good sense, I booked hotels for the next two nights of my road trip. They were both free, thanks to my credit card points.

A little picture of Bryce Canyon, just for fun.

My Favorite Credit Card for Travel Points: American Express Hilton Honors Card

I had my Hilton Honors American Express Card for almost a year before I booked some extra nights in Las Vegas with it. The card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so it was kind of a no-brainer to apply before traveling to South America.

The Hilton Honors American Express credit card comes with a sweet deal – if you spend $1,000 in three months, you can earn 75,000 points. My flights and campsite reservations on the O trek quickly added up, and I had my points!

Hilton Hotel Points: A Breakdown

How many free nights have I gotten with my 75,000 Hilton Honors points? At least two. But I’d be able to get more if I was traveling outside of the states.

Here’s been my experience booking at Hilton brands using their hotel points:

Hampton Inn Las Vegas Airport, 1 King Bed Studio Suite: 30,000 points
Hilton Embassy Suites Nashville Airport, 1 King Bed Mobility Access W/Tub: 32,000 points
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 1 King Bed Guest Bedroom: 10,000 points
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza, 1 King Bed Deluxe Room: 50,000 points
Hilton Warsaw Hotel and Convention Centre, King Guest Room: 33,000 points

Okay, the Kuala Lumpur stay was a gift from the parents. But now I get why it wasn’t such a big deal to let me stay two nights.

(Obviously, these were all for different trips.)

With the Hilton Honors American Express card, you also get Hilton Honors Silver Status. I’m not going to lie – the benefits of being a silver member don’t tickle me that much. I don’t usually stay in hotels for more than one or two nights at a time, so I never redeem the 5th night free deal. Late check-out and free wifi is nice, but you can also get that as a Hilton Honors member without applying for any cards.

I’m pretty happy with just getting a free hotel here and there. And it’s not hard to do with the Hilton Honors card, because you get points with every purchase.

What Else Can You Put Points Toward?

Not interested in staying in a Hilton? No worries. You can also transfer your points to different airlines and even your Amazon account.

If you’re traveling, you can also check out various Experiences that Hilton offers. I was actually impressed by some of the deals available, including:

Mezcal Tasting in Cancun for 25K points
Chef Tasting in LA for 50K points (I’m assuming you’re tasting the food, not the chef)
Two Halsey tickets for 100K points

I haven’t redeemed them yet, but if there are any in Santa Fe when I do a road trip this summer/fall, I’ll let you know…

How to Earn Points With the American Express Hilton Honors Card

How do you get these points? I mean, you spend money. Here’s the breakdown:

7x Points on all Hilton Purchases
5x Points at all U.S. Restaurants
5x Points at all U.S. Supermarkets
5x Points at all U.S. Gas Stations

If you spend $20,000 in 12 months, you can get upgraded to Hilton Honors Gold status. Or….

I’ve Upgraded to the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card

I’ve been very satisfied with my Hilton Honors American Express card. I wouldn’t be writing about it if I wasn’t. So I recently bumped myself up the Surpass Card. If I can get a few free nights in a hotel during my next road trip, I’ll be a happy goose.

There is an annual fee of $95 when you get the Surpass card. But with no foreign transaction fees and more points with every purchase – it’s worth it.

Remember the whole 75,000 points for $1,000 worth of purchases? The Surpass Card has an upgraded offer: 125,000 points for spending $2,000 in your first three months. (I know that $75,000 x 2 is a little more than 125,000, but spending $2K in three months hasn’t been something I’ve really had to worry about.)

How to Earn Points With the American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Card

Each purchase also hits harder with the Surpass card:

12x points on all Hilton purchases
6x Points at all U.S. Restaurants
6x Points at all U.S. Supermarkets
6x Points at all U.S. Gas Stations
3x Points on all other eligible purchases

With the Surpass card, you automatically get bumped up to Gold Status. Whoop! I haven’t used this card at a Hilton yet, but I’m excited to have the upgraded status and maybe more snacks. (With most Hilton brands, you get the choice between snacks on arrival, complimentary breakfast, or extra points on your card. I’ll take the points, but who doesn’t love snacks?)

Spend $15,000 on your card during the year and get a Free Weekend Night. I’m hoping that won’t be too hard.

If you can make it up to $40,000 a year, you can get Diamond status. I don’t travel that much (anymore,) but I’ll keep you updated if having Gold status is the best thing in the world.

Where to Apply For the Hilton Honors American Express Cards

Full disclosure: I will be getting points for referring you. Duh, kinda.

Here’s where you can apply for both cards:

Hilton Honors American Express Card: spend $1,000 in three months for 75,000 points

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card: spend $2,000 in three months for 125,000 points

Other Credit Card Recommendations?

I’ll write an update once I’ve used my Surpass card to get free hotel stays on my next trip. In the meantime, what are your recommendations? What credit cards give you sweet benefits when you travel? Share them, leave a comment, or follow my Instagram (@climb_and_flow) for more travel content.

Cheers!