🚨 The New Hilton Charge Cards are Here! What You Need to Know

Hello, Adventurous Travellers, and Happy Sunday!

Hilton has just launched two new travel rewards debit cards. These cards act like regular bank cards, but you'll earn Hilton points.

What I love about the Hilton cards is that they are debit cards, not credit cards. If you don't like credit cards, there are a few options to earn points with everyday spending and get instant Hilton status. You won't be subjected to credit checks, and there is no strict income requirement.

Let's get started:

• 💳 Comparing the Hilton Honors Debit Card with the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card

• ⚖️ How Do the New Hilton Honors Debit Cards Compare to Other Options?

• 🌍 What can you do with Hilton points?

• ✈️ A Little Extra: What are the best and worst airlines for flight delays?

💳 JUST LANDED: The New Hilton Charge Cards are Here

The cards are issued through Currensea, and there are two options:

Hilton Honors Debit Card

This is the basic Hilton card, which costs £60 per year.

For as long as you hold the card, you'll get instant Silver Elite Status with the following benefits:

FX fees are also low at 0.5%.

When you sign up, you'll get 3,500 Hilton points when you spend £1,000 in foreign currency in the first six months if you apply by 30th November.

The card also has fantastic earning rates on everyday spending, including:

• 1 Hilton Honors point per £1 spent in the UK.

• 2 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties in the UK.

• 2 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent in foreign currency.

• 3 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties abroad.

Another great perk is a 0.5% fee on ATM withdrawals abroad up to £250. There’s a 2.5% fee over £250 each month.

Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card

This is the card's premium version, which you can get for an annual fee of £150. For as long as you hold the card, you'll get instant Gold Hilton status.

You would normally need 20 separate stays, 40 nights or 75,000 base points for this! Here are the perks of Gold Status:

The card also has 0% fees on foreign transactions!

If you spend £2,500 in foreign currency in the first 6 months, you'll get 12,000 Hilton points if you apply by 30th November!

The earning rates are also higher than the Hilton Honors Debit Card:

• 1.5 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent in the UK.

• 3 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties in the UK.

• 3 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent in foreign currency.

• 4.5 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties abroad.

You’ll also pay no fees on ATM withdrawals up to £500 and a 2.5% fee over £500.

🔍 How Do the New Hilton Honors Debit Cards Compare to Other Options?

NOTE: If your main reason for having the AMEX Platinum card is Hilton status, now is the time to switch!

💡 Which Card Should You Choose?

If you regularly stay at Hilton hotels, particularly outside the UK, the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card is a great option. The Gold status perks and higher points earning rates on Hilton properties and international spending justify the annual fee. You'll get perks like a free breakfast for 2 people on stays outside the US, food and drink credits (in the US) and room upgrades!

On the other hand, if you don't stay at Hilton properties often but want a simple way to earn points with low fees on foreign spending, the standard Hilton Honors Debit Card might be a better fit. You can always book a complimentary Hilton stay when you've earned enough points!

🌍 Reward Nights

The best way to use Hilton Points is for reward nights. But how many points do you need for a free night?

The cost of Hilton reward nights varies based on the hotel. The cheapest reward nights start at 5,000 points, but the most luxurious properties in the world can be up to 120,000 points.

To increase the value of your points, make sure you use the fifth night free benefit, which is included with your Silver status.

TIP: Remember you can combine points and money to get money off your stay.

🏨 What Else Can You Do with Hilton Points?

If you don't want to use your points for Hilton stays, you can transfer them to family and friends. Hilton has a wide range of airline transfer partners.

These transfers may not give the best value for your points, but they are good options if you're getting the card for FX fees or Hilton status alone and you want to use your points in a different way:

• Aeromexico: 25,000 Hilton points = 6,500 Premier points.

• Air France-KLM: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Flying Blue miles.

• ANA: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Mileage Club miles.

• Asiana Airlines: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Asiana miles.

• British Airways: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Avios.

• Cathay Pacific: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Asia miles.

• Delta Air Lines: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 SkyMiles.

• Etihad Airways: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Etihad Guest miles.

• Malaysia Airlines: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,200 Enrich points.

• Qatar Airways: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 Privilege Club Qmiles.

• Qantas Airways: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,500 Qantas Frequent Flyer points.

• United Airlines: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,000 MileagePlus miles.

• Virgin Atlantic: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,500 Flying Club miles.

• Virgin Australia: 10,000 Hilton points = 1,500 Velocity points.

You can also use points for Hilton Experiences like show tickets or tours.

💼 How to Get Started

1. Apply for the card. Get started here.

2. Connect the card to your bank account. Banks that work with the card include Barclays, Bank of Scotland, Coutts, First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds, Monzo, Nationwide, Natwest, Revolut, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Starling, TSB, Virgin Money, and Ulster.

3. Start earning points

4. Earn free stays!

You can also manage your card through the app:

✈️ The Best and Worst Airlines for Flight Delays

It’s no surprise that Wizz Air has earned the not-so-coveted title of worst airline for flight delays in the UK—for the third year in a row! According to the latest data from the Civil Aviation Authority, Wizz Air’s flights were delayed by an average of 31 minutes and 36 seconds.

And it’s not just Wizz Air—Turkish Airlines and TUI Airways aren’t much better, with delays of an average of 30 minutes.

Here’s the lowdown:

The Best Airlines for Punctuality ✅

On the flip side, Emerald Airlines was the most punctual airline in 2023, with an average delay of just 13 minutes and 6 seconds, followed closely by Virgin Atlantic at 13 minutes and 42 seconds.

These airlines have clearly got it figured out when it comes to getting passengers where they need to be—on time!

This info should help you choose which airline to fly with on your next trip if you want to avoid delays.

Final Words

That’s all for this week! We hope these tips help you maximise your travel rewards and have better experiences.

Safe travels, and always aim for the upgrade!

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Bye for now!

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