Get VIP tickets to The Boat Race with Hilton Honors (with a VERY generous twist)

Well, here’s something different.

Hilton Honors is auctioning five VIP packages to the 2025 Boat Race, which takes place on Sunday 13th April.

The minimum bid is 100,000 Hilton Honors points for two people. However, this package is worth SUBSTANTIALLY more as I will explain.

Hilton is using this event to promote its acquisition of Graduate Hotels. Graduate has a niche in upmarket boutique hotels in university towns – primarily in the USA but also in Oxford (The Randolph) and Cambridge.

Each package comes with two VIP tickets for official Boat Race hospitality at the Thames Rowing Club, with a riverside balcony. You will be hosted by ex-Boat Race rowers and enjoy a free full bar, canapes and afternoon tea.

But there’s more ….

According to the Hilton website, you also receive:

One (1) Be My Guest Certificate, valid for a one-night stay in a standard room at any Hilton property. Explore our Graduate by Hilton hotels in Oxford and Cambridge or use the certificate to book a stay in London for the race.

Hilton is being a little disingenuous here. A ‘Be My Guest’ certificate is hotel gold dust.

You can book a standard room (at a cash rate) at ANY Hilton Honors hotel in the world. You don’t need redemption availability. When you arrive, you hand over your ‘Be My Guest’ certificate and say ‘I’m not paying for my room, send the bill to Hilton’. And they will.

I don’t know for how long the ‘By My Guest’ certificate is valid. However, if you are planning a trip to anywhere in the world where there is a good Hilton Honors property (Small Luxury Hotels are probably excluded) then you can have one very pleasant night with this.

With top Hilton Honors redemptions now costing 150,000 points per night, the Boat Race hospitality could effectively be free! As you don’t need reward availability to book, the certificate would be a great way to try hotels such as Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam where reward nights are very hard to get.

You can find out more, and bid, on the Hilton Honors experiences site here. Remember that the race date is Sunday 13th April.

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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (March 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)

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Gold is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 60,000 points. You receive 40,000 points when you spend £6,000 within three months and a further 20,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to 120,000 points. You receive 80,000 points when you spend £12,000 within three months and a further 40,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton 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.