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Hilton Confirms Late Check-Out, For a Price
Few things are better when traveling than a confirmed late check-out and extra sleep on the last day of a trip. But, as you probably know, a late check-out is never guaranteed, and you can find yourself stranded in a lobby for that awkward amount of time before a flight.
Hilton appears to want to change that with its new check-out system. The hotel chain will be rolling out a confirmed late check-out system in 2026.
How will it work?
Guests can purchase late check-out for anywhere between $40 and $60, depending on the hotel line they are staying at. Late check-out can be confirmed up to 72 hours in advance either through the website or app. It’s still not clear exactly how late a late check-out will be, but the system will be based on availability. As of right now, it looks like it will be 20 rooms at full-service hotels and 10 rooms at more limited-service properties.
Is this good or bad?
The short answer is, it’s hard to tell. Would I be willing to pay $40 for a few extra hours? I’m not sure. For one thing, I’m cheap. Plus, it’s hard to swallow paying a bit extra when other hotels don’t charge or have it as a free perk for elite members.
Still, it is a nice option for people who aren’t elite members to get a chance to book, not based on the discretion of the front desk, but simply based on availability. I guess we will have to wait until 2026 to see if Hilton’s new system will run smoothly. But, elite Hilton members can at least rest assured that late checkout is complimentary for them.
All I really know is that it’s time for me to start working towards elite membership with any hotel chain because that’s where the real perks are.
- Best for: Free Hilton Stays
- Annual Fee: $150
- APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
- Reward Rate: 3X - 12X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points + Free Night Reward
Offer Details:
Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/29/2025.
Why we like it
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an excellent hotel card, with a strong intro bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership. It’s worth having this card even for a couple of stays a year, as the $150 annual fee is already validated by the free breakfast and strong points earnings. If free Hilton nights is the goal, its earning potential is stellar, with 4X points for each dollar on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3X points for all other eligible purchases on your card.
Reward details
12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Strong 130,000-point intro bonus, which could translate to multiple free nights or one night in a luxury property in some places
Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. That’s up to $200 in statement credits annually.
Get complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. This entitles the cardholder to room upgrades if available, free breakfast, 80% bonus points on Hilton spends, and fifth night free on an award stay. It’s more than worth the annual fee.
Strong spending categories on popular purchases like U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status
Cons
No automatic free anniversary nights
You’ll need a lot of Hilton points to redeem for a free night at a luxury property
$150 annual fee
- Best for: Premium Hotel Perks
- Annual Fee: $550
- Regular APR: 20.24% to 29.24% (Variable)
- Reward Rate: 3X - 14X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
150,000 Bonus Points
Offer Details:
150,000 Bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening.
*Information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Daily Navigator and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
Why we like it
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is big ticket hotel card with a hefty $550 annual fee to match. But with complimentary Hilton Diamond elite status, a whopping 150,000-point intro bonus worth around $900, an annual free night certificate, free Priority Pass membership, $250 in resort credits, and a further $250 in airline fee credits, the Aspire has a lot to offer, even if you only stay in Hilton properties a few times a year.
Reward details
14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per $1 of eligible purchases on your Card made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.
3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other purchases
Pros & Cons
Pros
The 150,000 point intro bonus is worth around $900 and can score you several nights in some excellent hotels. It’s earned by spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening the card.
Complimentary Diamond elite status with Hilton Honors is a huge perk as its the hotel’s top-tier status. It offers free breakfast, executive lounge access, room upgrades, and strong bonus points earning opportunities.
Cardholders get a free night on their anniversary each year which can be used at any Hilton hotel around the world, and big spending customers will get another free night if they spend $60,000 in a year on the card. This is on the top of the points you already earn for spending on the card.
The $250 resort credit can be used to cover room rates or on-site expenses at almost 250 resorts worldwide, further validating the annual fee.
The $250 yearly airline fee can be used to offset checked bag fees, among other costs, with your selected airline. This perk makes the card more flexible, as you don’t need an airline card to enjoy free checked bags if you only travel a few times a year.
The Priority Pass Select membership allows for unlimited visits to 1400+ airport lounges around the world, a major benefit for anyone traveling regularly. You can even bring two guests for free.
Cons
The $550 yearly fee is high, and while it’s easy to gain the value back, infrequent travelers may want to look at a less expensive Hilton credit card
The airline and resort credits have rules that make them a little more complicated to use, so gaining maximum value isn’t always easy
Hilton Honors awards nights can have very high rates
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
