Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Is Hotels.com gearing up to launch a UK reward credit card?

Links on Head for Points may support the site by paying a commission.  See here for all partner links.

We have mentioned before that Hotels.com appears to be planning a UK credit card.

Plans seem to be progressing, with a job ad currently running for a Senior Marketing Manager to drive the project.  See here.

There is no clue about how the card may work.  I am not very enthusiastic because I struggle to see how you can integrate Hotels.com Rewards (a free night for every 10 nights you stay, based on the average price paid) and credit card spending.

It may end up as something very bland – perhaps 0.5% of total spend returned as Hotels.com credit, with a higher level of 2% or so for spending at Hotels.com itself.  That said, if the company felt it could offer something higher than 0.5% back – which is the current benchmark for rewards on free cashback and shopping voucher credit cards – I would get interested.

The job ad also says that the card “leverages a world-class rewards program” so perhaps there will be a way to earn free night credits from your spending.  Let’s see.

Want to earn more points from credit cards? – April 2024 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current 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

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

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

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

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

15,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

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

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

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

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending.

Barclaycard Select Cashback Business Credit Card

1% cashback uncapped* on all your business spending (T&C apply) Read our full review

Category

General

Comments (101)

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

  • Mark says:
    16 Mar16 March 11:22

    On the somewhat OT subject of Amex churn and referral, if I receive a link for an Amex gold, but sign up to the SPG/Bonvoy card, does a) the referrer get the referral bonus and b) do I get the extra 3,000 points for using a referral? (Referrer is Amex gold, not plat.)
    Thanks,

    • Rob says:
      16 Mar16 March 11:32

      Yes

    • Simon says:
      16 Mar16 March 17:06

      On the subject of Amex referrals, if I was referred for BAPP when already having BA free card (appreciate that BAPP bonus unavailable this time), does the referrer (from Plat) still get 18K if I get approved for this effective upgrade?

  • Alex D says:
    16 Mar16 March 11:58

    OT; Not sure if everyone would have been it but BA has realeased a few teaser pictures of the new BA Club World seat on social media. Instagram seems to have the most detail(which is still very little) but it looks like very good quality

    • Rob says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:00

      Might be, might not be …. 🙂

    • Dan says:
      16 Mar16 March 12:53

      Pics appear consistent with Rob’s theory that it will be the new Rockwell Collins ‘Elements’ seat — aka Super Diamond with a door on it.

  • Munch says:
    16 Mar16 March 14:44

    OT Looking to book a Hilton stay through a Tesco voucher. Do I still receive points for the stay, including the current 2000 points / stay bonus? Will the hotel recognise my status with free breakfast etc.

    • Rob says:
      16 Mar16 March 14:53

      Yes, my understanding is that they are treated as standard stays and you get status benefits (you are booking direct with Hilton after all).

  • Graham Walsh says:
    16 Mar16 March 15:00

    Should be fine, just another card from the list of available cards via the referral link

  • Graham Walsh says:
    16 Mar16 March 15:02

    OT Re the Virgin Money Life Insurance offer that I took out last summer, points still not awarded. Called them up today as its 2 weeks over since the 6 months + 60 days and they are going to contact the marketing dept to chase it up. He could see that I used the correct code when taking the policy out. I know others reported that the points appear back when you took the policy out. Nothing in my VS account.

    • Genghis says:
      16 Mar16 March 16:14

      And you’ve gone back to summer 18 to check for the backdating of points?

      • Shoestring says:
        16 Mar16 March 16:20

        got screenshots if you need them!

      • Graham Walsh says:
        16 Mar16 March 17:48

        Yep. Nothing there. Jumps from March 18 to September 18 with credit card and Virgin Trains points.

  • Benylin says:
    16 Mar16 March 18:19

    OT: If you trigger the 2-for-1 / upgrade via Virgin credit card spend (20k on free card), is this the line item I should see on my Flying Club Statement: “VIRGIN ATLANTIC REWARD CREDIT CARD – REWARD QUALIFICATION”?

    Also can you use th voucher online or over phone only?

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

New to Head for Points?

Welcome!  We’re the UK’s most-read source of business travel, Avios, frequent flyer and hotel loyalty news. Let us improve how you travel. Got any questions? Ask them in our forums.

Latest Forum Posts

Get 40,000 bonus points (worth 40,000 Avios) and £300 dining credit with The Platinum Card

Check reward flight availability instantly for free!

See a whole year of reward seat availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Get £10 when you spend £150 on your free Currensea card

Booking a luxury hotel?

Our luxury hotel booking service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct. Works with Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz Carlton, St Regis and more. We've booked £1.7 million of rooms to date. Click for details.

SME? EARN POINTS WORTH 10,500 AVIOS WITH CAPITAL ON TAP

Get 20,000 bonus points, four airport lounge passes and your first year free with American Express Gold

The UK's biggest frequent flyer website uses cookies, which you can block via your browser settings. Continuing implies your consent to this policy. Our privacy policy is here.

Got it!