REGISTER NOW: Hilton cracks first, launches a 2nd autumn promo for double elite nights
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Hilton has just launched two new UK debit cards – and they come with Hilton Honors elite status! You can get Hilton Honors Gold status simply by applying for the Plus debit card. You can learn more here and you can apply here.
Hilton Honors is offering a 100% bonus when you buy points by 29th May 2025. The annual purchase limit is also increased to 240,000 points pre-bonus. Click here to buy.
Keep up to date with new hotel offers by signing up for our free daily or weekly newsletters.
The so-called ‘status cliff’ is approaching rapidly. There are literally millions of business travellers about to lose status in their preferred hotel and airline programmes due to reduced 2022 travel.
In the hotel sphere, it seemed that the schemes had decided to draw a line. Whilst Hilton Honors had reduced its qualification requirements for 2023, IHG and Marriott did not. No scheme had been offering bonus elite nights since Spring either.
Hilton Honors has now broken ranks. Will other schemes follow?
You can register for double elite nights here. This stacks with the current ‘double points’ promotion which will run alongside it – you can register for that here.
What is the new Hilton Honors promotion?
It is very simple.
From yesterday (11th October) until 31st December, you earn two elite nights for every night spent in a Hilton Honors hotel.
You must register before your stay – well, before check out technically, so if you spent last night in a Hilton then do it now! – via this page.
If you have already renewed your status for 2023, these bonus elite nights will roll over into 2023 along with your existing ‘spare’ nights.
As a reminder, Hilton Honors has already reduced its thresholds for status for 2023:
- Silver: 7 nights, 3 stays or 17,500 base points
- Gold: 28 nights, 14 stays or 52,500 base points
- Diamond: 42 nights, 21 stays or 84,000 base points
It is important to note that you do NOT receive ‘double stays’ credit – it is only your number of nights which are doubled.
You have always been able to qualify for Diamond for 2023 by doing 21 one-night stays during 2022. The difference now is that you would also qualify for Diamond by doing one consecutive 21 night stay, since that would now double up and count as 42 elite nights.
As usual with Hilton, existing bookings count. You don’t need to rebook anything to earn double elite night credits.
Reward nights also count for double elite night credit.
Based on a similar offer run during the pandemic, I think that day rooms will also count.
Remind me about the existing Hilton Honors promotion ….
The ‘other’ Autumn promotion works like this.
You receive double Hilton Honors base points on all stays, plus an extra 2,000 bonus points on stays with a Monday to Friday checkout, between 6th September and 31st December.
You can register for this offer here, if you haven’t already done so.
Conclusion
If you thought that you weren’t going to be able to renew your Hilton Honors status for 2023, even with the reduced thresholds, you now have another shot at it.
What will Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards do now? I will, on current plans, just scrape into Platinum with Marriott Bonvoy for next year (I will end the year on 52 nights on current plans) but I have zero chance of retaining Titanium at 75 nights.
IHG One Rewards now requires 70 nights for its new Diamond Elite tier level.
These numbers look a bit chunky in the face of Hilton offering Diamond for 42 elite nights, and awarding double elite night credits for the last 11 weeks of the year.
If Hilton is panicking about having a low number of elite members next year, due to the slow pick up of travel in Europe and the virtual shuttering of Asia, then Marriott and IHG must be in a similar position. Perhaps Marriott and IHG have decided to ‘thin the herd’ – although it is debatable whether their real customers, ie the hotel owners, will be happy if there are fewer elite members around.
You can register for the new ‘double elite night credits’ promotion here.
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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.
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