Hilton has teamed up with Currensea to offer two branded debit cards in the UK. While the Hilton Honors Debit Card isn’t really very attractive, the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card can quickly end up being worthwhile, especially if you spend quite a few nights per year at Hilton Hotels, but not enough to earn a status. In this article, we’ll list the pros and cons of these debit cards.
Currently, you’ll get 2,500 Hilton Honors points if you spend £1000 in your first 6 months. For the Plus card, you’ll get 10,000 points if you spend £2,500.
Hilton Honors Debit Card for £60/Year
The cheaper debit card costs £60 per year, but its benefits are quite unattractive:
- Earn 1 Hilton Honors point per £1 spent
- Earn 2 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties
- Earn 2 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent in foreign currency
- Earn 3 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties in foreign currency
- Get instant Silver status
- Get two free bottles of water when you arrive.
- Fifth night free on reward stays
- 0.5% fee when you spend in foreign currency. Not terrible, but not great either
- 0.5% fee on ATM withdrawals abroad. Increases to 2.5% if you withdraw over £250 in a month
As you can see, the cheaper Hilton Honors Debit Card is nothing to get excited about, and it’s debatable if it’s even worth £60.
Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card for £150/Year
Now, despite costing over twice as much, the Plus debit card is actually very attractive. Here are the benefits:
- Earn 1.5 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent
- Earn 3 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties
- Earn 3 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent in foreign currency
- Earn 4.5 Hilton Honors points per £1 spent at Hilton properties in foreign currency
- Get instant Gold status
- Get two free bottles of water when you arrive.
- Fifth night free on reward stays
- Free breakfast at all Hilton Hotels (except in the USA)
- Space-available room upgrades, up to Executive Floor room types.
- No fees when you spend in foreign currency.
- No fees for ATM withdrawals abroad, up to £500 per month; 2.5% afterwards.
This is far more appealing. First of all, the debit card functions are great, as you’ll pay no fees abroad. But getting free breakfast at all Hilton Hotels outside the US is also worth quite a lot. This can quickly recoup the yearly fee of £150 per year.
Are the £150 Worth It?
We believe that the £150 are worth it if you spend between 5 and 35 nights at Hilton hotels. Obviously, the more you stay, the more it’s worth it. Here’s a table with some examples, showing you how much this debit card could save you.
| Nights stayed at Hilton | Money saved through breakfast (assuming daily price of £15pp for 2) | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | £150 | £0 |
| 10 | £300 | £150 |
| 20 | £600 | £450 |
| 35 | £1,050 | £900 |
| 40 | £0 (as you’d have earned Gold Status anyway) | – £150 |
As you can see, assuming that you’d pay £15 for breakfast and are travelling as a couple, you’d already have recouped the card’s fee after only 5 nights. And if you stay at Hilton hotels more often, your savings can quickly reach the hundreds. On the other hand, the card doesn’t make as much sense for people who usually stay over 40 nights at Hilton Hotels, as they would already get the Gold Status without the card, making it harder to justify and recoup the £150 fee.
Conclusion
While the cheaper card is pretty useless, the Plus card is a great deal for those staying over 5 nights at Hilton hotels. Not only will you get upgrades and free breakfast, but the card’s conditions regarding FX fees and ATM withdrawals are also very attractive.
FAQ
Yes, you’ll get 2,500 Hilton Honors points if you spend £1000 in your first 6 months. For the Plus card, you’ll get 10,000 points if you spend £2,500.
No, you can only get one debit card per account. Your partner will need to apply for his/her own debit card.
You can apply for the Hilton debit card if you have a bank account at one of the following banks:
AIB, Bank of Ireland, Bank Of Scotland, Barclays, Coutts, Danske, First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds, Monzo, Nationwide, Natwest, Revolut, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Starling, TSB, Virgin Money, or Ulster
When you activate the debit card, you’ll be prompted to enter your Hilton Honors membership number, and you should instantly get your status.
Yes, you can use this card on your smartwatch or phone’s digital wallet.