Comparison Hilton Aspire Card vs JetBlue Plus Card

One focused on premium hotel perks, the other on affordable air travel. Here's how I chose between Hilton luxury and JetBlue simplicity.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

★ 4.9 Best for Luxury Hotel Rewards

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via American Express

JetBlue Plus Card

★ 4.5 Best for JetBlue Travelers

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via Barclays US

Compare Features

📊 Recommended Credit Score

Score Range

Recommended: Excellent Credit (720+)

Ideal for travelers who stay at Hilton properties frequently

Recommended: Good Credit (690+)

Best for frequent JetBlue flyers and domestic travelers

💚 Great For

💳 Annual Fee

Amount

$550 Annual Fee

$99 Annual Fee

🎁 Bonus Offer

Details

150,000 Hilton Honors points after $4,000 spend in 3 months

40,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days

Summary & Opinion

After testing both cards during my travels, I learned that the Hilton Aspire and the JetBlue Plus serve very different purposes — and that’s okay.

The Hilton Aspire is a luxury powerhouse. It gives me Diamond status at all Hilton properties, annual free weekend nights, $400 in travel credits, and insane point-earning potential. If you stay at Hilton even 2–3 times per year, the perks will outweigh the $550 fee easily.

On the flip side, the JetBlue Plus Card is much more accessible. The $99 fee is modest, and it gives you free first checked bags, 6x on JetBlue purchases, and a solid 5,000-point annual bonus for just keeping the card open. If you fly JetBlue regularly — even once or twice a year — it pays for itself quickly.

So which is better?
✈️ For frequent JetBlue flyers who want flight discounts and travel simplicity: go with JetBlue Plus.
🏨 For travelers who value luxury hotel experiences, upgrades, and free nights: Hilton Aspire is unmatched.

I personally keep both — Aspire for my hotel lifestyle, JetBlue for affordable domestic flights.