Hilton Honors Amex: What Do Groceries and Gas Earn?
Loading article…
The Hilton Honors American Express® Card earns 4 Hilton Honors points per dollar on eligible purchases at grocery stores and gas stations in Canada. The card launched on October 29, 2026, as explained in Milesopedia Canada’s article about the new Hilton Honors card. It also offers an annual bonus of 50,000 points after $12,000 in purchases per calendar year.
For your grocery and gas budget, that annual bonus matters more than the points earned per dollar alone. The examples below show your estimated return after the annual fee. You can use the rewards for Hilton stays: the dollar amounts represent estimated travel value, rather than cash deposited into your bank account.
Hilton Honors Amex: Key Numbers
- Groceries and gas in Canada: 4 points per dollar on eligible purchases.
- Restaurants in Canada: 4 points per dollar on eligible purchases.
- Participating Hilton properties: 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases.
- Other eligible purchases: 2 points per dollar.
- Annual bonus: 50,000 points after $12,000 in purchases during a calendar year.
- Annual fee: $150 for the basic card; no annual fee for supplementary cards.
- Hotel status: complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status.
These features appear in the American Express and Hilton launch announcement. Our Hilton Honors American Express Card page lists the current offer and product details.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$300Total$300Plus $50 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $300
- Welcome offer+ a Free Night RewardEarn 60,000 Hilton Honors™ Points and a Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 10,000 Points after spending $500 in month 13.
- Up to 70,000 points
- + a Free Night Reward
- Ends Jan 11, 2027
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
What Are Your Everyday Purchases Worth?
4 points per dollar does not mean 4% cash back. We use Milesopedia’s reference value of 0.5 Canadian cents per Hilton Honors point, explained in its Hilton Honors program guide. At that value, eligible grocery and gas purchases earn an estimated 2% return before the annual fee, excluding the annual bonus.
- A $200 grocery bill: 800 points, worth about $4 towards a stay.
- An $80 gas purchase: 320 points, worth about $1.60.
Eligible restaurant purchases in Canada earn the same rate. Other eligible purchases earn an estimated 1% before fees. When you spend abroad, do not automatically apply the Canadian bonus rate to your calculations.
The actual value depends on the stay you book. Before choosing this card, check that your usual grocery stores and gas stations accept American Express and that your purchases qualify for the bonus rate. Buying food at a store does not by itself establish eligibility: review the applicable conditions with American Express Canada.
The $12,000 Annual Spending Threshold
The annual bonus has an estimated value of $250, using our assumption of 0.5 cents per point. It adds to the points earned on purchases. Eligible spending across several categories can count towards the threshold, beyond groceries and gas.
Over a full calendar year, $12,000 works out to $1,000 per month. Here is an example based on everyday spending:
- Groceries: $800 per month, or $9,600 per year, earning 38,400 points.
- Gas: $200 per month, or $2,400 per year, earning 9,600 points.
- Annual bonus: 50,000 points if you meet the conditions.
- Total: 98,000 points, worth about $490.
- After the annual fee: about $340, or an estimated 2.83% return on $12,000 in spending.
This example excludes the welcome offer, the Free Night Reward, and the value of Gold status. It assumes all grocery and gas purchases earn 4 points per dollar, the spending threshold is met within one calendar year, and you pay your balance in full by the due date.
Calendar Year Versus Cardmembership Year
The annual bonus follows the calendar year, rather than the 12 months after you open your account. Opening a card in late October therefore leaves less than a full year to reach the threshold before December 31.
- Purchases in late 2026: $3,000 in this example.
- Purchases in 2027: $9,000.
- Result: these purchases do not total $12,000 within the same calendar year. The welcome offer follows your cardmembership months. Track the two targets separately, and avoid unnecessary purchases to earn a bonus.
Your Return at Different Spending Levels
The following table assumes every purchase listed qualifies for 4 points per dollar on groceries and gas. It includes the 50,000-point bonus once annual spending reaches $12,000.
Net values deduct the $150 annual fee. They exclude the welcome offer, hotel benefits, and interest charges. All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars.
| Monthly budget | Annual purchases | Points including bonus | Value after annual fee | Return after annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $6,000 | 24,000 | -$30 | -0.50% |
| $750 | $9,000 | 36,000 | $30 | 0.33% |
| $1,000 | $12,000 | 98,000 | $340 | 2.83% |
| $1,500 | $18,000 | 122,000 | $460 | 2.56% |
| $2,000 | $24,000 | 146,000 | $580 | 2.42% |
Below $12,000, you do not earn the annual bonus. At $6,000 in annual purchases, the points alone do not cover the annual fee in this example.
Beyond the threshold, eligible grocery and gas purchases continue to earn 4 points per dollar. The bonus stays fixed: doubling your spending does not earn a second 50,000-point bonus.
If You Add Other Purchases
You can reach the threshold with a smaller grocery and gas budget by adding other eligible purchases. Your return then depends on how much spending earns 2 points instead of 4.
- Groceries: $600 per month.
- Gas: $150 per month.
- Other eligible purchases: $250 per month.
- Annual total: $12,000, earning the following rewards:
- Groceries and gas: $9,000 per year, earning 36,000 points.
- Other purchases: $3,000 per year, earning 6,000 points.
- Annual bonus: 50,000 points.
- Total: 92,000 points, worth about $460.
- Value after the annual fee: about $310, or an estimated 2.58% return.
Comparing the Card With Cash Back
This card makes the most sense if you plan to use your rewards for Hilton stays. A cash back card serves you more directly if your goal is to reduce your card balance or receive money.
- Hypothetical comparison: a no-annual-fee card earning 2% on the same $12,000 in purchases would provide $240 in cash back.
- Hilton Honors card: about $340 after the annual fee in our first example, assuming you earn the bonus and use points at 0.5 cents each.
- Difference: an estimated $100 advantage for the Hilton card under these assumptions.
The value you obtain from your points can change the result. For the same 98,000 points:
- At 0.3 cents per point: about $294 before the annual fee, or $144 after.
- At 0.5 cents per point: about $490 before the annual fee, or $340 after.
- At 0.7 cents per point: about $686 before the annual fee, or $536 after.
These are calculation assumptions, rather than guaranteed exchange rates. Compare the cash price and points required for a stay you actually plan to book.
See our selections of the best grocery credit cards, best gas and EV credit cards, and best cash back credit cards. Annual fees, spending caps, and eligible merchants vary by card.
The Launch Welcome Offer
The current welcome offer provides up to 70,000 Hilton Honors points and a Free Night Reward. It ends on January 11, 2027. You earn the rewards in two stages:
- 60,000 points and a Free Night Reward: after spending $3,000 in your first 3 months.
- 10,000 additional points: after spending $500 in month 13.
The first 60,000 points have an estimated value of $300 at our reference valuation. The first-year annual fee still applies. The additional 10,000 points arrive in month 13, when you need to account for a second annual fee; exclude them from your first-year total.
A budget of $1,000 in eligible purchases per month could meet the initial $3,000 requirement over 3 months. It does not guarantee the annual bonus, which follows a different calendar. Check your eligibility for the offer and all conditions before applying.
The Hilton Honors Benefits
Complimentary Gold status can add value when you stay at participating hotels. Depending on the brand and region, benefits include breakfast or a food and beverage credit. Our calculations give these benefits no dollar value, since their usefulness depends on your stays.
To learn more about the program, status benefits, and using your rewards, read Milesopedia Canada’s Hilton Honors American Express Card analysis. It covers the hotel benefits that complement this assessment of your grocery and gas budget.
Our Take for Your Budget
The Hilton Honors American Express Card deserves consideration if your regular purchases can reach $12,000 per calendar year, your merchants accept American Express, and you plan to stay with Hilton. The annual bonus can improve the return on your grocery and gas spending.
If your spending falls below the threshold or you prefer cash, compare other options first. The purchase interest rate is 21.99%: all examples assume you pay your balance in full without interest charges.
Use our credit card comparison tool to compare products against your spending, then browse our selection of the best credit cards in Canada.
How much does the Hilton Honors card earn on groceries and gas?
The card earns 4 Hilton Honors points per dollar on eligible purchases at grocery stores and gas stations in Canada. Using Milesopedia’s reference value of 0.5 Canadian cents per point, that works out to an estimated 2% return before the annual fee and annual bonus. The value you receive depends on how you use your points for stays. Check that your merchants accept American Express and that your purchases qualify before choosing this card for everyday spending.
Do you need to spend $12,000 on groceries and gas to earn the annual bonus?
No. Eligible purchases across several categories can count towards the $12,000 calendar-year threshold. You can combine groceries and gas with other purchases, even when those purchases earn only 2 points per dollar. The 50,000-point bonus adds to the points earned on purchases if you meet the conditions. Your total rewards therefore depend on your spending mix: our examples distinguish a budget entirely earning 4 points per dollar from a budget that also includes purchases earning 2 points.
What can you earn with a $1,000 monthly budget?
If every purchase qualifies for 4 points per dollar and you spend $12,000 within one calendar year, your purchases earn 48,000 points. The annual bonus adds 50,000 points, bringing the total to 98,000. At 0.5 Canadian cents per point, that represents about $490 in value, or $340 after the $150 annual fee. This calculation excludes the welcome offer, the Free Night Reward, hotel benefits, and interest charges, and assumes that you pay your balance in full.
Are Hilton points a substitute for cash back?
You can use points for Hilton stays, and their value varies by hotel, dates, and award rate. The dollar figures in this article therefore estimate travel value, rather than money paid into your bank account. If you want to reduce your card balance directly or receive cash, compare Ratesopedia’s cash back card options as well. The number of points earned per dollar, on its own, does not tell you which type of reward gives you the better return.
Do the welcome offer and annual bonus follow the same calendar?
No. The first stage of the welcome offer requires $3,000 in purchases during the first 3 months; the additional stage requires $500 in month 13. The 50,000-point annual bonus instead requires $12,000 in purchases within a calendar year. If you open your account late in the year, track these two calendars separately. The welcome offer ends on January 11, 2027; review your eligibility and the current terms with American Express before applying for the card.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$300Total$300Plus $50 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $300
- Welcome offer+ a Free Night RewardEarn 60,000 Hilton Honors™ Points and a Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 10,000 Points after spending $500 in month 13.
- Up to 70,000 points
- + a Free Night Reward
- Ends Jan 11, 2027
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Read next
