How do I activate the Hilton Honors American Express card benefits?

Benefits activate automatically when you use the card to pay. For rental car CDW, charge the full rental to your Hilton Honors AmEx card and decline the collision damage waiver at the counter. For purchase protection and extended warranty, pay for the item with the card. No pre-registration is required. The Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855 is available 24/7 when you are more than 100 miles from home.

Who is covered under the Hilton Honors American Express card benefits?

For rental car CDW, the eligible renter is the card member who signed the rental agreement as the primary driver, their spouse or domestic partner, and any authorized driver listed on the rental agreement. For purchase protection and extended warranty, the card member who made the purchase is covered. Additional card members on the same account may also be covered for CDW when they are the primary driver on the rental contract.

Does the Hilton Honors American Express card cover rental car damage?

Yes. The Hilton Honors American Express Card includes Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance up to $50,000 per rental agreement through AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is secondary: your personal auto insurance pays first in the event of damage or theft, and this benefit covers the remainder up to $50,000. Charge the full rental to your Hilton Honors card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver at the counter. Coverage applies for rentals up to 30 consecutive days. Rentals in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand are excluded.

How do I file a claim with the Hilton Honors American Express card?

For CDW, purchase protection, or extended warranty claims, file at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670. For CDW claims, notify AMEX within 30 days of the incident and submit complete Proof of Loss within 60 days. Required documents include the rental agreement, itemized repair bill, and a copy of personal auto insurance. For purchase protection, file within 30 days of the damage or theft. CDW claims are paid within 30 days of satisfactory proof. Review typically takes about 45 days.

What does the Hilton Honors American Express card NOT cover?

The Hilton Honors American Express Card does not include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, emergency medical coverage abroad, or medical evacuation. There is no baggage insurance, no travel accident insurance, no cell phone protection, and no price or return protection. CDW is secondary, so personal auto insurance pays first on any rental damage claim. For international travel, a standalone travel insurance policy covering at least $100,000 in emergency medical and trip cancellation is necessary.

Does the Hilton Honors American Express card protect purchases against theft or damage?

Yes. Purchase protection covers eligible purchases against accidental damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per item and $50,000 per account per year. The item must be purchased with the Hilton Honors American Express card. Mysterious disappearance, normal wear and tear, and mechanical breakdown are not covered. File within 30 days of the incident at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670.

Does the Hilton Honors American Express card extend manufacturer warranties?

Yes. Extended warranty adds up to one additional year to the original manufacturer warranty for eligible purchases made with the card. The original manufacturer warranty must be 5 years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item. Keep the original purchase receipt and manufacturer warranty documentation. File claims at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670.

Is the Hilton Honors American Express card enough for international travel?

Not on its own. The card provides secondary CDW for rental cars and purchase protection, but it has no trip cancellation, no trip delay reimbursement, no emergency medical coverage abroad, and no baggage insurance. A medical emergency overseas can easily exceed $50,000. For international travel, a standalone travel insurance policy covering at least $100,000 in emergency medical and including trip cancellation is necessary. The card works well as a Hilton points-earning tool, not as a travel protection card.

Does the Hilton Honors American Express card cover trip cancellation?

No. The Hilton Honors American Express card does not include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance. If you need to cancel a non-refundable trip for any reason, the cost is entirely your responsibility. This includes Hilton hotel stays, airline tickets, and pre-paid tours. The base Hilton Honors card has no travel insurance of any kind. For trip cancellation coverage, consider upgrading to the Hilton Honors Surpass or Aspire card, or purchase a standalone travel insurance policy.

What is the Global Assist Hotline on the Hilton Honors American Express card?

The Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855 (or collect at +1-715-343-7977 from abroad) provides 24/7 emergency coordination services when you are more than 100 miles from your home. Services include emergency medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wire assistance, emergency translation, and help replacing lost passports and travel documents. The hotline is a coordination and referral service, not an insurance benefit: AMEX does not pay medical or evacuation costs through this service.

Hilton Honors American Express card benefits: which insurance protections actually hold up?

American Express·$0/year·American Express·AMEX Assurance Company

Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated July 7, 20268 min read

0,9/5Independent review · verified July 2026

Travel Insurance

0,0

Car Rental

3,0

Protection

1,9

Our Verdict · Travel Insurance

Our take on travel insurance for the American Express Hilton Honors Card

Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews

Zero. This is the floor for Hilton travel coverage. The Hilton Honors American Express card includes no trip cancellation, no emergency medical, and no evacuation. Every dollar spent on non-refundable flights, hotels, or tours is at risk if you need to cancel. A six-hour weather delay means you front meals and lodging at the gate. A hospital visit abroad can run $20,000 to $80,000 with zero coverage from this card. The Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855 provides emergency coordination and referrals when you are more than 100 miles from home, but it is a logistics service, not insurance. For a no-fee card, the absence of travel insurance is expected. What surprises cardholders is the medical gap: zero dollars of coverage for emergency care outside the US.

What works on travel

Global Assist Hotline available 24/7 at 1-800-228-6855 when traveling more than 100 miles from home: emergency medical and legal referrals, cash wires, and emergency translation available
No annual fee: the absence of travel insurance is proportionate to the $0 cost

Where travel breaks down

No trip cancellation or interruption: non-refundable airline tickets, hotels, and pre-paid tours are fully at risk if you need to cancel
No emergency medical coverage abroad: all hospital costs outside the US are the cardholder's responsibility
No medical evacuation: an emergency helicopter from a remote location runs $50K to $150K out of pocket
No trip delay benefit: meals, lodging, and incidentals during weather delays are out of pocket
No baggage protection: lost, delayed, or damaged checked bags have no credit card reimbursement
Global Assist Hotline provides referrals only, not direct insurance payments

Our methodology

Every score is derived from official bank documents: terms and conditions, benefit guides, and claim procedures. No commercial relationship influences our ratings.

Travel Insurance · 11 guarantees

What does American Express Hilton Honors Card Travel Insurance actually cover?

No trip cancellation on any Hilton Honors base AmEx card. A non-refundable airline ticket or cruise booking canceled for any reason is a full loss.

No trip cancellation. This benefit is not included with this card. All non-refundable travel bookings are the cardholder's responsibility.

No emergency medical insurance. The Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855 provides referrals only. A serious ER visit abroad runs $20K to $80K or more, entirely the cardholder's responsibility.

No emergency medical coverage. The Global Assist Hotline provides referrals only. All medical and hospital costs abroad are the cardholder's responsibility.

No evacuation benefit. An emergency helicopter from a remote area runs $50K to $150K. All repatriation costs are the cardholder's full responsibility.

No emergency evacuation coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. All evacuation and repatriation costs are the cardholder's responsibility.

No trip interruption. This benefit is not included with this card. Unused pre-paid travel arrangements after an unexpected interruption are the cardholder's responsibility.

No trip delay on any Hilton Honors base AmEx card. A weather delay can easily mean $300 or more in unplanned hotel and meal costs.

No trip delay benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. Meals, lodging, and incidentals during a flight delay are out of pocket.

No missed connection benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. Transportation costs due to a missed connection are the cardholder's responsibility.

No early return coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. Transportation costs to return home early due to an emergency are the cardholder's responsibility.

No baggage delay coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. Emergency purchases during a baggage delay are the cardholder's responsibility.

No lost or stolen baggage coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. Recovery is limited to whatever the airline pays under its own liability rules.

No travel accident insurance. This benefit is not included with this card. Accidental death or dismemberment during common carrier travel is not covered.

No hotel burglary or theft protection. This benefit is not included with this card. Personal property stolen from a hotel room is the cardholder's responsibility.

Policy document

We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?

Report an error Send updated PDF

Coverage Radar

Where the American Express Hilton Honors Card wins, where it loses

Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.

Trip Cancel: not covered by this card

Medical: not covered by this card

Evacuation: not covered by this card

Compare

Hilton Honors CardThis card0.9/5?

$0/yr

With travel insuranceIdeal

Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5

Premium card avg.

$167 avg. annual fee

Click a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.

Side-by-side comparison

How the American Express Hilton Honors Card stacks up against the alternatives

Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Hilton Honors Card shoppers also consider.

Card	This card Hilton Honors Card American Express · $0/yr 0.9/5?	Hilton Honors Aspire American Express · $550/yr 2.9/5?	Aeroplan Chase · $95/yr 3.2/5?	Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr 3.9/5?
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap	Not covered Cover this gap →	$10,000 per trip 7 covered reasons	$1,500 per person All prepaid travel	$10,000 per person 13 covered reasons
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad	Not covered Cover this gap →	Not covered	$2,500 Reimbursement only	$2,500 \| $50 deductible $50 deductible
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation	Not covered Cover this gap →	Not covered	$100,000 Pre-auth required	$100,000 \| pre-auth required Pre-authorization required
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in	Not covered Cover this gap →	6h / $500 Trigger: 6 hours	12h / $500 Trigger: 12 hours	$500 after 6 hours Trigger: 6 hours
Trip interruption Covered amount	Not covered Cover this gap →	$10,000 per trip Same 7 reasons as cancel	$1,500 per person All prepaid travel	$10,000 per person Shared limit with cancellation

StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered

Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.

Cardholder reviews

What cardholders say about the American Express Hilton Honors Card

Real experiences on CDW claims and purchase protection 2,147 reviews

r/hilton

2024

CDW saved me at the Hertz counter in Orlando

Used the CDW benefit in Orlando. Declined the rental agency collision waiver, charged the full rental to the Hilton Honors card. Slight parking lot damage on return. Filed at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits. Reimbursed in about 5 weeks. For a no-fee card, CDW being included was a real surprise.

r/creditcards

2024

Zero travel insurance of any kind

Had to cancel a Hilton reservation last minute for a medical reason. Zero coverage from the card. The no-fee card earns 7x points at Hilton properties and the CDW is useful, but there is no travel insurance of any kind. If you stay at Hilton more than twice a year, upgrade to the Surpass or Aspire.

AwardWallet

2024

Bare minimum insurance at the right price

The Hilton Honors AmEx is a solid starter card for the Hilton ecosystem. CDW at $50,000 secondary and purchase protection at $1,000 are included at $0 annual fee. That is the floor. No delay, no cancellation, no medical abroad. Use it to earn Hilton points and supplement with a travel insurance policy for anything serious.

US Assistance

1-800-228-6855

24/7

International Assistance

+1-715-343-7977 (collect)

Collect calls accepted · 24/7

Benefit administrator: AMEX Assurance Company for Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance | AMEX Assurance Company for Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty

Claims & pre-authorizations

How to file a Hilton Honors Card claim

Notify within 30 days of the incident

File online at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670 (international collect: 1-303-273-6497). For CDW claims, notify AMEX as soon as possible after the rental vehicle damage or theft. For purchase protection, file within 30 days of the damage or theft.

Gather your documentation

For CDW: itemized repair bill, a copy of the rental agreement, the charge slip for the rental vehicle, a copy of personal auto insurance or a notarized letter confirming no personal coverage, and a police report if applicable. For purchase protection and extended warranty: original purchase receipt, card statement showing the charge, and a description of the damage or malfunction.

Submit Proof of Loss within 60 days

Complete Proof of Loss must be submitted within 60 days for CDW claims. For purchase protection and extended warranty, keep all documentation and submit through americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or mail to the address on the claim form.

Await claim decision

CDW claims are paid within 30 days of satisfactory Proof of Loss. Purchase protection and extended warranty reviews typically take about 45 days. Check claim status online or call 1-800-338-1670.

Benefits activate automatically when you use the card to pay. For rental car CDW, charge the full rental to your Hilton Honors AmEx card and decline the collision damage waiver at the counter. For purchase protection and extended warranty, pay for the item with the card. No pre-registration is required. The Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855 is available 24/7 when you are more than 100 miles from home.
For rental car CDW, the eligible renter is the card member who signed the rental agreement as the primary driver, their spouse or domestic partner, and any authorized driver listed on the rental agreement. For purchase protection and extended warranty, the card member who made the purchase is covered. Additional card members on the same account may also be covered for CDW when they are the primary driver on the rental contract.
Yes. The Hilton Honors American Express Card includes Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance up to $50,000 per rental agreement through AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is secondary: your personal auto insurance pays first in the event of damage or theft, and this benefit covers the remainder up to $50,000. Charge the full rental to your Hilton Honors card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver at the counter. Coverage applies for rentals up to 30 consecutive days. Rentals in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand are excluded.
For CDW, purchase protection, or extended warranty claims, file at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670. For CDW claims, notify AMEX within 30 days of the incident and submit complete Proof of Loss within 60 days. Required documents include the rental agreement, itemized repair bill, and a copy of personal auto insurance. For purchase protection, file within 30 days of the damage or theft. CDW claims are paid within 30 days of satisfactory proof. Review typically takes about 45 days.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card does not include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, emergency medical coverage abroad, or medical evacuation. There is no baggage insurance, no travel accident insurance, no cell phone protection, and no price or return protection. CDW is secondary, so personal auto insurance pays first on any rental damage claim. For international travel, a standalone travel insurance policy covering at least $100,000 in emergency medical and trip cancellation is necessary.
Yes. Purchase protection covers eligible purchases against accidental damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per item and $50,000 per account per year. The item must be purchased with the Hilton Honors American Express card. Mysterious disappearance, normal wear and tear, and mechanical breakdown are not covered. File within 30 days of the incident at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670.
Yes. Extended warranty adds up to one additional year to the original manufacturer warranty for eligible purchases made with the card. The original manufacturer warranty must be 5 years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item. Keep the original purchase receipt and manufacturer warranty documentation. File claims at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670.
Not on its own. The card provides secondary CDW for rental cars and purchase protection, but it has no trip cancellation, no trip delay reimbursement, no emergency medical coverage abroad, and no baggage insurance. A medical emergency overseas can easily exceed $50,000. For international travel, a standalone travel insurance policy covering at least $100,000 in emergency medical and including trip cancellation is necessary. The card works well as a Hilton points-earning tool, not as a travel protection card.
No. The Hilton Honors American Express card does not include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance. If you need to cancel a non-refundable trip for any reason, the cost is entirely your responsibility. This includes Hilton hotel stays, airline tickets, and pre-paid tours. The base Hilton Honors card has no travel insurance of any kind. For trip cancellation coverage, consider upgrading to the Hilton Honors Surpass or Aspire card, or purchase a standalone travel insurance policy.
The Global Assist Hotline at 1-800-228-6855 (or collect at +1-715-343-7977 from abroad) provides 24/7 emergency coordination services when you are more than 100 miles from your home. Services include emergency medical and legal referrals, emergency cash wire assistance, emergency translation, and help replacing lost passports and travel documents. The hotline is a coordination and referral service, not an insurance benefit: AMEX does not pay medical or evacuation costs through this service.