Hilton, Marriott, IHG Debit Cards Boost
Currensea hotel debit cards now offer higher sign-up bonuses for Hilton, Marriott, and IHG members, plus low FX fees, for a limited time.
Hotel loyalty debit cards are offering substantially increased sign-up bonuses for a limited period. These cards provide a way to earn hotel points on foreign currency spending with low exchange fees. They also offer additional benefits like instant elite status and fast-track routes to higher tiers.
Until September 7, the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card is offering a 50,000-point sign-up bonus. This is a significant increase from the standard 15,000-point offer. The bonus is available even to those who hold the old Barclaycard Hilton credit card or another Currensea-issued debit card.
Two Marriott Bonvoy debit cards also have enhanced promotions until September 15. The Marriott Bonvoy Premium Debit Card bonus jumps from 15,000 to 40,000 points. The standard Marriott Bonvoy Debit Card increases from 5,000 to 15,000 points. Existing Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card holders are also eligible.
Current Hotel Debit Card Bonus Offers
The limited-time sign-up bonuses for the featured hotel debit cards are as follows:
| Card | Standard Bonus | Limited-Time Bonus | Offer End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card | 15,000 Hilton Honors points | 50,000 Hilton Honors points | 7th September |
| Marriott Bonvoy Premium Debit Card | 15,000 Bonvoy points | 40,000 Bonvoy points | 15th September |
| Standard Marriott Bonvoy Debit Card | 5,000 Bonvoy points | 15,000 Bonvoy points | 15th September |
IHG and Revolut Partnership
New IHG x Revolut debit cards are also available. The foreign exchange fee structure depends on the user's underlying Revolut account. Even the free Revolut account includes a £1,000 monthly allowance for fee-free foreign exchange spending from Monday to Friday. Fees apply on weekends and for spending beyond that monthly limit.
Cards for Business Travel Spending
The report notes a different strategy for business travel, where expenses are reimbursed. In these cases, using a card that charges a foreign exchange fee but offers enhanced point earnings can be beneficial. The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card offers double points on spending abroad, yielding 2 Membership Rewards points per £1. These points can be converted into hotel loyalty currencies.
HSBC Premier credit cards also offer bonus points on overseas spend. The standard free HSBC Premier card earns 2 points per £1 abroad, worth 1 Avios. The HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard, which carries a £290 annual fee, earns 4 points per £1 on foreign spend, worth 2 Avios. Both cards require a HSBC Premier current account to apply.
The report from Head for Points concludes that such cards can deliver a return of around 2% on non-sterling spending when airline miles are valued at 1p each. This is below the typical 3% foreign transaction fee, making them more suited to reimbursed business expenditure than personal travel.
