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No more churning of the Hilton HHonors Visa card?

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UPDATE – JUNE 2025:  This is an old article, and the credit card information given is likely to be out of date.

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The Hilton HHonors Platinum Visa is my preferred first pick for anyone who is new to this hobby.  This is because it offers a quick win – a free weekend night for spending just £750 – which is easy to redeem at any of their global hotels.  The card is also free.

A free night at, say, the Conrad in London or the Waldorf-Astoria in Amsterdam, Rome or Berlin is an easy way of showing someone how rewarding this hobby can be.

Unofficially, you have always been able to re-apply for the Hilton credit card after a six month gap as long as you don’t hold any other cards from Barclays.

Yesterday, however, an eagle-eyed HfP reader spotted what appears to be a change in the Barclays terms and conditions:

Free Night Reward Certificate will only be awarded for first time applicants of the Hilton HHonors Platinum Visa card.

It remains to be see if Barclays actually imposes this rule or if there is an unofficial time period.  MBNA has a similar rule on most of its credit cards but you can usually reapply, with a bonus, after a couple of years.

If you were thinking of applying for the first time, be certain that you can use the voucher for a high-value free weekend night over the next six months.  If you don’t have a plan in mind then you may want to hold back until you do if this is now a one-off lifetime benefit.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (June 2025)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

Get 5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card

30,000 Avios and the famous annual Companion Voucher voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express Credit Card

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn points worth 0.8 Avios per £1 on the FREE standard card and 1 Avios per £1 on the Pro card. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

Capital on Tap Visa

NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 0.8 Avios per £1 Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business Card

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

The American Express Business Platinum Card

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

The American Express Business Gold Card

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Category

Hilton Honors

Comments (70)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Martin says:
    23 Apr23 April 05:44

    I’ve taken the card out in the last 4 weeks, for the 3rd time and straight after cancelling my ihg card..
    I’ve phoned and checked I’m eligible last week to be told I am, I asked for a note to be left on my account saying I am.
    I’ll know in about 4 weeks if I get the email certificate.

  • Anon says:
    23 Apr23 April 07:16

    Applying in the summer after at least a 2 year gap, hoping that should be plenty.

    If they improved the long term benefits on the card I’d be tempted to keep iit for securing the God status.

  • Heather says:
    23 Apr23 April 07:53

    Sorry a bit off topic, but when using the free night voucher can I book a standard room, then upgrade using cash, I’m wanting a family room as travelling with a child but there aren’t many standard rooms available on my dates, managed to get the park lane last time.

    • Raffles says:
      23 Apr23 April 11:24

      You would need to agree it with the hotel, it is entirely at their discretion

    • Globetrotter7 says:
      23 Apr23 April 16:19

      It’s probably different for each hotel but I used mine at the Conrad Hong Kong in Feb 2015 and I was able to book a room 4 people (2 adults and 2 kids) and upgrade to a suite. This was through e-standby so it wasn’t confirmed until check in but the e-standbys were offered straight after booking.
      It’s worth noting that, to the hotel, this was just another points booking as your voucher is converted into 80k points when you use it…. At least mine was!

  • Brian says:
    23 Apr23 April 07:58

    OT – but if anybody is looking for hotels for the Bank Holiday weekend, Accor are doing their Happy Mondays deal already – you can book at the usual (very cheap) prices from now until Tuesday.

  • Mycity says:
    23 Apr23 April 10:26

    Hmm interesting changes, I’ve not had my card yet but these changes will stop people using their card for cash, it also make them uncompetitive for cash withdrawals overseas

  • Daz says:
    23 Apr23 April 11:24

    Thanks for the heads up, I got mine at the start of the month and this change has definitely dampened the benefits of this card.

    Still pretty useful card though.

  • Alan says:
    23 Apr23 April 11:28

    Thanks, Harry – that certainly makes more sense. Am loving Supercard for this just now, I just use it whenever I want cash out rather than using my bank debit card!

    • Dynamo says:
      23 Apr23 April 22:10

      Alan what are the limitations (max withdrawal) when using super card at the atm in the UK? Assume still not charging the 50p?

      • Alan says:
        29 Apr29 April 15:35

        Still not charging the 50p and I took out a max of £250 as that seems standard for most cards.

  • Genghis says:
    23 Apr23 April 11:41

    So one of the main benefits of the card – ATM withdrawals abroad and earning points on a linked Amex – has now effectively gone. Over £200, the charge is effectively 3% + £1 right? This doesn’t make it the gateway to my money!

    • The Urbanite says:
      23 Apr23 April 12:54

      Can’t exactly blame them for putting the stop on this activity. The product already allows accrual of Amex points where Amex isn’t accepted, which is useful in itself. High volume free cash withdrawals was never going to last for long, more fool anyone who punted £35-£75 solely to do this!

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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