Why the Hilton HHonors Visa credit card is a good deal
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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!
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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (February 2025)
There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit and debit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.
There are two dedicated Hilton Honors debit cards. These are especially attractive when spending abroad due to the 0% or 0.5% FX fee, depending on card.
You also receive FREE Hilton Honors status for as long as you hold the debit cards – Gold status with the Plus card and Silver status with the basic card. This is a great reason to apply even if you rarely use it.
We reviewed the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card here and the Hilton Honors Debit Card here.
You can apply for either card here.

NEW: Hilton Honors Plus Debit
10,000 bonus points, Hilton Gold status and NO FX fees Read our full review

NEW: Hilton Honors Debit
2,500 bonus points, Hilton Silver status and 0.5% FX fees Read our full review
There is another way of getting Hilton Honors status, and earning Hilton Honors points, from a payment card.
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 Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.
We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express
50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review
You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:
- American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
- American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)
and for small business owners:
- American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
- American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)
The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.