How I redeemed 130K Hilton Honors points for my first trip to London
Maybe it's only me, but there have been plenty of times that I've read about a limited-time credit card offer and instantly pictured how I'd redeem those bonus points for a trip. Thus, it can be quite tempting to apply for every new card offer I come across. However, not all card offers are created equal, and some are better than others.
Hence, my most recent card acquisition, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. This card piqued my interest due to it's welcome offer, and currently the Surpass allows new cardmembers to earn 130,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Additionally, enjoy a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees).
As an advocate for earning transferable reward points, I wasn't initially sure if I wanted a cobranded card before I read up on the Hilton Surpass.
Since the Hilton Surpass ticks my annual fee preference, I saw an upcoming trip to London unlocked — mainly thanks to its welcome offer.
Hilton has a large presence in London, so I knew I'd have a lot of options to redeem my Hilton Honors points.
Earning a welcome offer is half the battle, but actually redeeming your points for a good value can prove challenging. That's why I'm going to walk you through how I searched and booked a Hilton award stay in London, so you can easily find the a redemption that's right for you and start daydreaming.
Related: The best ways to travel to London with points and miles
How I searched for a Hilton award stay in London
As soon as I was approved for the Hilton Surpass, I started researching Hilton hotels in London. While you could play it safe and wait until you've earned your welcome offer to start planning a trip, you could also check out award rates while you're still spending on your new card, which is what I did.
Before I applied for this card, traveling to London had been on my bucket list, so much so that I had already been planning when to go and roughly where to stay. Therefore, even before getting my intro offer, it was easy for me to start thinking about how I'd redeem my bonus points.
I wanted a hotel in Central London, walkable to the Tower Bridge and a train station. Canopy by Hilton London City checked all the boxes, so I booked a two-night stay at a rate of 65,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
You can use Hilton's Points Explorer tool to find hotels by location, the number of points you want to spend per night and the type of property you're looking for (whether it be at a beach, a golf club, a resort or an all-inclusive, for instance). This can help people narrow down their search.
When searching for award rates, make sure you're logged in, and then check the "Use Points" box to see the points price per night instead of cash rates.
Related: How to redeem Hilton points for upgraded rooms
How to find the best rates to book award stays
Flexibility is often the key to getting the most value for your points.
Since Hilton utilizes dynamic award pricing, redemption rates can vary widely depending on multiple factors. You can often find the best prices on off-peak dates. So, if you're willing to travel on one of these dates, you'll get a better deal.
If you want to get a birds-eye view at award prices, don't put in a specific date when you search. Once you find a hotel that is of interest, click "Select Dates" on your preferred hotel to view a calendar, which will show the number of points required per night throughout the year.
I found availability to stay at Canopy by Hilton London City for 65,000 points per night.
However, these award rates are higher in July, with most dates priced at 80,000 points per night.
If you look at award prices for January 2026, you can see there are some dates for as low as 59,000 points per night.
While winter may not be the best time to visit London, it could be a great way to get outsize value for your points. It all depends on how you want to travel.
For example, if you were to stay in a king room in July, it would cost Hilton Honors members $549 with the Flexible Rate, or 80,000 Hilton points. That comes out to a redemption rate of about 0.7 cents per point, which is above TPG's April 2026 valuation of Hilton points at 0.4 cents per point.
For a king room in January priced at 65,000 points per night, cash rates are about $262 per night. This gets you just 0.4 cents per point, which is below TPG's valuation of 0.4 cents per point. With the rate falling just below our valuation, you may want to opt to pay cash and save your points. However, if you want to cut costs on an international trip, paying with points for your hotel stay can help you save money.
Overall, if you want to maximize your rewards, TPG recommends always comparing the cash price to the points cost per night, as sometimes it may be a better value to pay cash if you are looking to maximize your points.
Related: How to use Rooms.aero to find the best hotel award availability
How to book a hotel with Hilton points
Once you've identified the dates you'd like to stay, your next step is selecting a room.
You may see multiple rates here, depending on the bed or room size. When I booked my London redemption, I selected a king room for 65,000 points per night.
Be mindful of your balance here, but know that you can also supplement your Hilton points with cash if your ideal redemption is more than what you have in your account.
You can see an example of a Points & Money redemption here.
Since I've already redeemed my welcome offer, my Hilton Honors balance is on the leaner side. But you can see how much I'd currently have to pay in cash if I were to book another stay.
Related: 6 ways to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions
Bottom line
Redemptions come in every shape and size, and there's no one perfect way to book your trip. However, redeeming Hilton points can be simple, especially if you're able to pick dates that work well with your current balance.
When I applied for the Hilton Honors Surpass, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend those welcome offer points — and I did it. The next time you're applying for a rewards card, consider letting your imagination take you to your next redemption. It could be easier than you think.
For more information, see our full review of the Hilton Honors Surpass.
Apply here: Hilton Honors Surpass
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass, click here.
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