Getting the Hilton Honors American Express Card is considered moderately difficult, as it generally requires a "Good" to "Excellent" credit score. As of early 2026, the average credit score for successful applicants is approximately 733, though some users with scores in the high 600s may be approved if they have a strong existing relationship with American Express or a low debt-to-income ratio. Because this is a co-branded travel card with no annual fee, it is more accessible than the "Aspire" or "Surpass" versions, but Amex still looks for a clean payment history and low credit utilization. If you are a student or someone building credit, you might find it harder to get approved without a co-signer or a few years of established credit history. Fortunately, American Express often uses a "Apply with Confidence" tool that performs a soft credit pull to tell you if you're approved before you agree to a hard pull that could impact your score.