Why the Hilton HHonors Visa credit card is a good deal

This post has nothing to do with Avios, in case you are looking for the connection.  But this site will wander away from its core topic when there is something worth highlighting.  After all, when you’ve redeemed your Avios for a flight, you are still going to need a hotel.

Historically, the UK Hilton HHonors credit card was rubbish – you got a 10,000 point sign-up bonus, which was 20% of what you needed for a night in a top property.  Since it was relaunched in late 2011, though, it has got a lot more attractive.  The current offer is a free night at ANY Hilton group property worldwide, triggered when you’ve spent just £750 in the first 90 days of having it.

Note that the free night covers the Hilton group, not just Hilton-branded properties.  That means you can also stay at a pricier Conrad or Waldorf-Astoria property, even one of the resort properties in the Maldives.  This freebie is worth well over £200 if used properly.  

There are no catches about redeeming – if a room is available for a standard level Hilton HHonors redemption, it is available for use on the voucher.  You need to call the service centre to book, but that is the only niggle.  The voucher is good for six months from the date of issue.

The card is a Visa issued by Barclaycard, so it is unlikely to clash with any other loyalty card you have.  I think the only other loyalty card they run is the Priority Club one.  There is also no annual fee.

Other perks on the card include 2,500 bonus points on your next four Hilton stays within 12 months (people have had problems with these points posting although it seems to be improving), Silver status in Hilton HHonors (not hugely useful, but better than nothing) and Gold status after you’ve spent £10,000 in a year.  However, there are often promos about that give instant Hilton Gold for a trial period, so this is not such a great deal.

(You can learn all about Hilton HHonors in my review here.)

Long term, this card is NOT a keeper.  The earnings rate is only 2 points per £1 (3 per £1 when spending in a Hilton property), so you’d need to spend £25k to get one free night in a top property.  Not hugely exciting.  

To be honest, you’d be better off with a decent cashback card like the Capital One range and using the cashback to pay for your hotel stays!  However, it is certainly worth getting for the introductory free night.  We used ours at the Waldorf-Astoria Syon Park for over £200 of value, and the card is already cancelled!

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (December 2021)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with American Express Gold (20,000 bonus points), the American Express Rewards Credit Card (5,000 bonus points) and – for small business owners – American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus points) and Business Platinum (40,000 bonus points).

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)