American Express Blue Cash Preferred vs Hilton Honors Card
Both are American Express cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.
Everything else
- Hilton Honors Card 1.2% 3x base rate
- Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate
Dining
- Hilton Honors Card 2.0% 5x
- Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate
Groceries
- Blue Cash Preferred 6.0% 6%, capped
- Hilton Honors Card 2.0% 5x
Gas
- Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%
- Hilton Honors Card 2.0% 5x
Ground transportation
- Blue Cash Preferred 3.0% 3%
- Hilton Honors Card 1.2% 3x base rate
Streaming
- Blue Cash Preferred 6.0% 6%
- Hilton Honors Card 1.2% 3x base rate
Hotels
- Hilton Honors Card 2.8% 7x
- Blue Cash Preferred 1.0% 1% base rate
What the numbers are doing
Blue Cash Preferred's 6% on groceries runs out: it applies to the first $6,000 of groceries spend a year, and everything past that earns 1%.
The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Blue Cash Preferred $95 and Hilton Honors Card $0 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.
Where they differ: Hilton Honors Card takes everything else, dining and hotels; Blue Cash Preferred takes groceries, gas, ground transportation and streaming.
| Category | Best card |
|---|---|
| Everything else | Hilton Honors Card1.2% |
| Dining | Hilton Honors Card2.0% |
| Groceries | Blue Cash Preferred6.0% |
| Gas | Blue Cash Preferred3.0% |
| Ground transportation | Blue Cash Preferred3.0% |
| Streaming | Blue Cash Preferred6.0% |
| Hotels | Hilton Honors Card2.8% |
Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.
Every category, every card
Everything else
- Hilton Honors Card — 1.2%
- Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%
Dining
- Hilton Honors Card — 2.0%
- Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%
Groceries
- Blue Cash Preferred — 6.0%
- Hilton Honors Card — 2.0%
Gas
- Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%
- Hilton Honors Card — 2.0%
Ground transportation
- Blue Cash Preferred — 3.0%
- Hilton Honors Card — 1.2%
Streaming
- Blue Cash Preferred — 6.0%
- Hilton Honors Card — 1.2%
Hotels
- Hilton Honors Card — 2.8%
- Blue Cash Preferred — 1.0%
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