Bits: free travel in London with Android Pay, bid on a luxury opera experience in Barcelona

News in brief:

Get free travel in London tomorrow

Tomorrow (17th October) and next Monday (24th October) you can travel for free on buses, tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, Thames Clippers River Bus, Gatwick Express and most National Rail services in London – if you have an Android device with Android Pay and a linked Mastercard.

All you need to do is use your Mastercard for contactless payment on your Android device and within 28 days you will get a refund of up to £30.50.

What else do you need on a Monday? Yes, coffee! Head to your nearest Caffe Nero, present your Android phone with your Mastercard on Android Pay and you will get a hot drink for free (without extras like syrup).  You can get more details via the link above.

If you’ve never been on the Emirates Air Line cable car, this could be your chance to give it a try.   Rob’s review is here.

Bid on a luxury opera experience in Barcelona

If you fancy a great night out at the opera and have a few Hilton HHonor points to spend, this auction could be of interest.  You need to be free on the weekends of either 12th or 19th November.

On the HHonors auction website, Hilton @Play, you can currently bid on this package in Barcelona:

• Tickets to “The Marriage of Figaro” and a private dinner at Liceu Theater
• Luxury shuttle to/from Liceu Barcelona from hotel and to/from airport
• Three-course meal for two (including wine)
• One night stay in Presidential Suite at Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona
• Executive lounge access and breakfast

Last time I checked (11pm Saturday) the price was 120,000 Hilton HHonors points. Considering that you’d normally get one standard night at the Hilton Park Lane for 90,000 points, this looks like an amazing deal even if the points you need to pay go a bit further up.

To make a bid, go to this page of the HHonors website. The auction closes tomorrow (Monday 17th) at 5am so there is still time to bid on this experience.  The odd closing time means that there probably won’t be a last minute flurry of bids.

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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (April 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.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 30th April 2025, the annual fee on the basic Hilton Honors debit card is halved from £60 to £30. The sign-up bonus is also easier to earn – you need to spend £1,000 either in the UK or abroad within three months. The usual bonus rule requires you to spend the full £1,000 outside the UK.

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.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 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)

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

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 Honors points is 1:2.

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