Tesco to Virgin Atlantic to Hilton …. a good deal?
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One of the lesser known uses of Tesco Clubcard vouchers is the ability to convert them into Hilton HHonors points via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
(You can also convert Tesco Clubcard vouchers into Hilton vouchers for stays at certain hotels – see here – but that is a topic for another day.)
The conversion looks like this:
250 Clubcard points gets you 625 Virgin miles – see here – then,
10,000 Virgin miles gets you 20,000 Hilton HHonors points – see here
I tend to value Hilton points at 0.5p each. The most luxurious Hilton properties, which are usually the Conrad and Waldorf Astoria branded hotels (the Waldorf Astoria New York is pictured above), are 50,000 points and they would sell for around £250. If you can get a hotel where Hilton offers ‘cash and points’, you can get even better value.
At the standard conversion rate of £2.50 Tesco to 625 Virgin to 1250 Hilton, using the 0.5p valuation, this is not bad. A £2.50 Tesco voucher gets you a notional £6.25 of Hilton stay if you redeem smartly, albeit you need to convert 10,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles at a time, and in 5,000 increments above that.
Until 31st August, though, Tesco is offering a 50 per cent bonus on Virgin conversions. A £2.50 voucher gets 937 Virgin miles, or £9.37 of Hilton stays if you can get 0.5p of value for them. This is good, and worth thinking about if you are a Hilton HHonors member.
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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.
