Hiring a car can be a fantastic way to explore more of Spain, whether you’re venturing to the mainland, the Canary Islands, or the Balearic Islands. However, before you pick up the keys, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the local driving regulations.
Apart from the obvious switch to driving on the right-hand side, holidaymakers should adhere to local rules and speed limits, and ensure they possess a valid licence. If your licence was issued in the UK, you can use it in the EU for up to six months.
2025 will bring about some changes to Spanish driving laws, so even if you’ve rented a car during a previous holiday, it’s important to stay updated with the new regulations. Here are the key changes to keep an eye out for – and remember, some of these also apply if you’re renting a scooter.
1. Drink drive limits are due to be cut
According to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), Spain is planning to slash its drink driving limit by over half. Currently, the limit stands at 0.05% BAC (blood alcohol content) or 0.03% BAC for novice drivers or those driving for work.
In contrast, the UK limit is 0.08% BAC. The impact of alcohol varies among individuals, based on factors like metabolism, and men typically can consume more than women before reaching the limit.
Under the existing Spanish laws, consuming more than one 330ml bottle of beer could push someone close to, or beyond, the limit.Two small glasses of wine could also put someone over it, and Spanish measures are smaller than the UK.
The law change could potentially see the limit cut to just 0.02% BAC, which would mean even one small drink could put you at risk of legal trouble. Drink drive laws in Spain are also relatively strict. Being slightly over the limit can lead to a €1,000 fine, while the worst offenders with a BAC of over 0.12% can face six months in jail.
If you’re driving in Spain, you may wish to avoid drinking altogether before getting behind the wheel and ensure any alcohol from the night before has had plenty of time to leave your body.
2. Emergency corridor rule
A new law that came into play in January 2025 aims to make it easier for emergency vehicles to get to their destination. It’s known as an emergency corridor – if you hear an emergency vehicle approaching you should move to the right.
When drivers on both sides do this, it creates a ‘corridor’ in the traffic, that vehicles such as ambulances can easily zip through.
3. Helmet laws will come into play
For those thinking of zipping around Spain on a motorbike, be aware that the government is making changes to the requirements for protective gear. Open faced helmets are no longer allowed.
Riders will need to wear a full, closed-face helmet and gloves while on their bike, and this is likely to extend to people hiring a moped too. The law has been proposed for a few years now, and although no date has been set, it’s likely to come into force in 2025.
4. Motorbikes will be able to use the hard shoulder during traffic
Motorcyclists will be thrilled to learn that they’ll be able to use the hard shoulder from 2025 when traffic is heavy. However, they should note that a speed limit of 30 km/h will be enforced, and motorbikes must give priority to emergency vehicles, cyclists, and other vehicles permitted to use the hard shoulder.
5. Introduction of low emission zones (ZBEs)
As of January 1, Spanish cities with a population exceeding 50,000 have been designated as Zona de Bajas Emisiones (ZBE) — low emission zones. These zones were already established in some major cities, although enforcement varies from area to area.
ZBEs prohibit older or more polluting vehicles from entering the city centre during specific times. This is typically indicated on signs around the zone. It’s unlikely to impact rental cars, as they are usually newer models, but it could affect drivers travelling from the UK to Spain in their own vehicle.
The 2012 comic book adaptation Dredd has become a streaming hit on Max. As more people revisited the film or experienced it for the first time, it moved up from the #8 spot on the top 10 movies list to #3. Karl Urban stars as the titular character in the film, which takes place in the violent and crime-ridden Mega City One. Cops called Judges, who serve as judges, juries, and executioners, patrol the streets and deliver brutal justice.
Urban’s Dredd and his rookie psychic partner Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby) enter the dangerous territory of powerful drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), with a power struggle ensuing and the two Judges trapped in an apartment complex filled with hardened criminals. In the vein of the Indonesian action film The Raid: Redemption, Dredd traps its characters and creates tension in the confined environment with thrilling action sequences.
Before Garland would impress audiences with his official directorial debut with the A24-produced 2015 film Ex Machina, the writer would be better known for his screenplay credits, writing such films as Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later. Interestingly enough, Garland’s work on Dredd extends beyond his credit for the film’s screenplay. In fact, Garland completed uncredited directorial work on the film, triggering plenty of discussion online about how much of the film is his work, as opposed to Pete Travis, the director officially credited for the film.
Is ‘Dredd’ Alex Garland’s Secret Directorial Debut?
The production stories of Dredd are just as fascinating as the film itself, with various rumors and reports of in-fighting between Travis and the executives at Lionsgate. Apparently, the disagreements about the director’s creative choices for the movie were so heated that Travis was removed from the film altogether during the post-production process. While Garland would never directly comment on whether he directed the film, Karl Urban would state his belief that Dredd should be considered Alex Garland’s directorial debut, as the actor would tell JoBlo:
“A huge part of the success of ‘Dredd’ is in fact, due to Alex Garland and what a lot of people don’t realize is that Alex Garland actually directed that movie… I just hope when people think of Alex Garland’s filmography that ‘Dredd’ is the first film that he made before ‘Ex Machina.’”
The imminent release of ‘Warfare’ gives Alex Garland a chance to continue his streak of dominating the box office for A24.
Besides the troubled production and rumors of Alex Garland’s hand in directing the film, Dredd is also a fascinating film to revisit due to its impressive visual effects, mainly thanks to the “slo-mo” drug that plays a critical role in the film. Unlike many films converted to 3D in post-production, Dredd was shot with 3D cameras throughout its production. Moreover, high-speed photography was used to capture its action and violence in a slow-motion style that exudes the feel of reading a comic book while efficiently showcasing the drugs’ powers at the center of the movie.
Overall, Dredd is a fascinating chapter in the career of Alex Garland, who would shift his focus from adaptations to creating more original films, from Annihilation to Men and, most recently, last year’s Civil War. While a sequel to Dredd never came to fruition, and Garland himself said he isn’t interested, the movie is a thrilling and visceral piece of Sci-Fi action cinema that deserves the attention it is receiving on Max.
Superman’s secret identity is crucial to his character, but at least one story showed how the Man of Steel keeping secrets was a bad idea. For as long as there’s been a Superman, there’s been a Clark Kent, as the mild-mannered reporter provides an important counterpoint to the all-powerful Man of Steel. But there’s at least one downside to Superman keeping a secret identity.
All-Star Superman #5 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely features a story in which Clark Kent is assigned to follow Lex Luthor for a day while the villain is serving time in maximum security prison. The interview goes fine – until Clark follows Lex into the general population, where the two encounter the Parasite.
The energy-feeding villain senses a massive surge of power when Clark enters the room, causing him to get a super-charge of power. Given that no one knows that Clark Kent is actually Superman, the mild-mannered reporter unknowingly puts everyone around him in danger.
Parasite Gets the Meal of a Lifetime with Clark Kent, Proving Superman’s Secret Identity Is Truly Dangerous
All-Star Superman #5 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Jamie Grant, and Phil Balsman
Clark Kent’s secret identity winds up backfiring big time, as the prison had no reason to put any safeguards on the Parasite to prevent him from feeding on Superman’s powers. Things are further complicated by the super-charge of solar energy that the Man of Steel got at the beginning of All-Star Superman, which pushed Superman to his highest power levels yet seen. Parasite gorges on this newfound power like a pet dog who got hold of the Christmas turkey, which causes chaos at the prison.
Superman’s iconic prison, the Phantom Zone, might be one of the harshest punishments around, but Lex Luthor is responsible for an even worse jail.
Clark still pretends to be the mild-mannered reporter, saving several prisoners, guards, and even Lex himself, all while pretending to look like a bumbling idiot. Lex and Clark manage to get away from the power-gorged Parasite, but the energy-absorbing villain chases after them, eager to keep feeding on his new power source. Clark manages to fake an earthquake by stomping on the floor, causing the Parasite to be trapped in the rubble, whereupon Lex savagely attacks the fallen Parasite in a pretty brutal beat-down.
Superman Shows That When Secret Identities Go Wrong, They Go Really Wrong
All-Star Superman Shows the Downside of Clark Kent’s Secret
While his secret identity as Clark Kent is an important aspect of his character, there is the undeniable fact that Superman is lying to the public. Writer Brian Michael Bendis attempted to address this snag during his run on the Superman titles, where Superman revealed his secret identity as Clark Kent to the entire world. If he’d done the same during the out-of-continuity All-Star Superman, Superman might have prevented the riot while visiting the max security prison to interview Luthor. Yet even though he was the cause, Superman winds up taking care of the problem, saving everyone while still keeping his secret identity intact.
All-Star Superman #5 is available now from DC Comics.
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
Created By
Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
First Appearance
Action Comics
Alias
Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
Alliance
Justice League, Superman Family
Race
Kryptonian
Summary
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
Justin Hurwitz has never thrown a chair at the drummer in his “Whiplash in Concert” band. But the drummer does have to know the score inside and out — not just because some of the jazz solos are quicksilver and tricky, but because the drummer might suddenly have to stop and start in strange intervals to mirror drama and chaos unfolding on screen.
“They’ve studied it,” says Hurwitz of the 2014 Damien Chazelle film he scored and that inspired the concert series named for it. “It’s not one of those parts where you can just, if you’re a good player, sight-read it.”
The composer is bringing “Whiplash in Concert” to L.A. this weekend for three shows at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, with an 18-piece big band of area musicians. A studio percussionist named Jamey Tate will be rocking the drum kit, with Hurwitz conducting.
“Live to picture” film concerts are everywhere: the L.A. Phil did John Williams’ “Home Alone” in December, and many other symphony orchestras around the world regularly have blockbuster movie screenings on their subscription calendar. All require orchestras to be in sync with the films — a feat accomplished by a sophisticated system of “click tracks” in everyone’s headsets and visual “streamers” on the conductor’s monitor.
A recent performance of “Whiplash in Concert” in Mexico City.
(Jorge Gomez)
But “Whiplash” is somewhat unusual in that much of its music is seen performed by characters on the screen. When Miles Teller’s panicked and obsessive character, Andrew, is pouring sweat and pounding out rhythms in a practice room, the live drummer is doing the exact same thing in the exact same tempo (albeit with less sweat).
The score comprises both existing jazz tunes — including John Wasson’s “Caravan” and the titular piece, composed by Hank Levy in the 1970s — and original Hurwitz charts. Additionally, there is the underscore that, for the actual film, was heavily processed and quasi-electronic; Hurwitz had to get creative for the live shows, so saxophones bend pitches and a vibraphone is stroked with a cello bow.
The event is essentially a musical, with characters constantly practicing on their own, running through whole numbers together, or getting interrupted by a foul-mouthed, chair-throwing J.K. Simmons, who plays the film’s jazz conservatory despot, Fletcher. Perched under the screen, the band and Hurwitz — who conducts at every show — have to stay militantly with Fletcher’s merciless tempo.
Musicians must keep in sync with “Whiplash,” starring Miles Teller as Andrew, left, and J.K. Simmons as Fletcher, as it is screened during the concert.
(Daniel McFadden / Sony Pictures Classics)
“It’s always a little nerve-racking,” Hurwitz admits. “You never want to screw up. But it works. And also jazz big bands, they’re so good — you obviously have to hire the right musicians, but when you do, they’re good and they know what they’re doing. And honestly, it takes less work as a conductor in certain respects.”
Plus: “I’ve seen the movie a lot.”
“Whiplash” put Hurwitz and Chazelle in the Hollywood big leagues; it was critically lauded and given many prizes, and it helped the young duo (and former Harvard roommates) get their dream musical, “La La Land,” made, with Oscars to eventually follow for each. Hurwitz, 40, has in fact only ever worked with Chazelle; their other films include the Neil Armstrong drama “First Man” and the libidinous epic “Babylon.”
Music is almost always a driving element in their films — Chazelle was a jazz drummer himself — and Hurwitz always gets involved early in development, spending several years crafting each score.
That is primarily why he has invested a lot of time and energy into building his company, Hurwitz Concerts. After a sour experience with his old management — the composer sued WME in 2022 over claims of self-dealing in its touring “La La Land” concerts, reaching a settlement in 2024 — he made the bold move of fighting for the concert rights in all of his future film contracts, and he’s turned “Whiplash” and “La La Land” into a booming concert business.
“I work on so few films, and it takes me years to get a new one,” he says. “I invest so much in my work and in my scores, and so then to be able to continue to give them life and create a livelihood for myself around those scores has just become a really big part of what I do. Not just financially, but emotionally. I love to stay connected to those works. I give everything I have to them when I’m working on them, so I don’t want to have to be done with them.”
He learned from observing mistakes made by “the old folks” who ran his concerts, and from the model of companies like Film Concerts Live — which typically book and sell its packages to symphony orchestras — and decided to treat his solo operation quite differently. Hurwitz seeks out and partners with savvy promoters; he has taken his film concerts as far as France, Japan and Bangkok. By now he fields incoming emails from interested promoters around the world more than he needs to send inquiries himself.
Hurwitz heavily invests in production of these shows, constantly improving his visual and aural aids that get sent to tech teams, and he handpicks and pays the star drummer for “Whiplash” (and the pianist for “La La Land”) to study the score and film with all the same aids. He promotes concerts on social media; two shows at Carnegie Hall sold out last week after he posted about it. And he brings merch — including signed LPs, T-shirts and custom posters for each city.
In other words, he treats this more like a touring pop band than an evening at the concert hall.
It’s clearly working, and on a major scale. Hurwitz recently filled a 10,000-seat arena in Mexico City to capacity for “La La Land,” and 7,000 people turned out for “Whiplash.” Hurwitz went there after noticing it was one of the top cities for listeners of his music on Spotify. He texted Chazelle after the shows, reporting that the unique passion there rivaled the energy they’ve experienced in Paris.
“La La Land” has an ardent and massive following around the globe; attendees often show up in costume, and many of them cry. The crowd for “Whiplash” is growing, and he’s also hoping to add the ill-received but cultish “Babylon” to the tour soon enough.
“Well, Damien made great movies,” Hurwitz says, attempting an explanation for this phenomenon. “And they’re music-driven. People really think about the music.”
It will definitely be a family affair at Sunday’s (Feb. 9) Super Bowl LIX. At least according to Jason Kelce. The retired Philadelphia Eagles great confirmed to People that Taylor Swift will be on hand at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans to watch boyfriend Travis Kelce‘s Kansas City Chiefs take on the Eagles in their bid to become the first-ever NFL team to win three championships in a row.
Asked who’s traveling to the Big Easy for the game, Jason Kelce said, “Yeah, I think everybody’s coming in,” before he got specific about the guest list. “I mean, I don’t want to speak for everybody, but I think obviously, our whole family. I believe, obviously Trav and Taylor, and his family and his friends. I mean, Trav always travels like, full,” Jason said.
“Even when he’s in regular season mode… he’s always got a bunch of his friends there. It’s been this way his whole career,” Jason said of his tight end younger brother, who is looking to add a fourth total Super Bowl ring to his collection. “He’s kept in touch much better with a lot of the people from our hometown. So there’s always a loaded contingency for the Kelces, wherever we’re at.”
Swift, of course, has been a regular presence in the family skybox at Chiefs games over the past year and a half, including at the thrilling AFC championship game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 26 that helped punch the Chiefs’ ticket to the big game for the fourth time in five years.
She was also on hand last year when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas, where she partied with friends Ashley Avignone, Ice Spice and Blake Lively, as well as Kelce’s parents, Jason Kelce and her own parents.
When Travis took questions from reporters on Monday, he was, naturally, asked if he plans to pop the question to his longtime love at the game. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he said with a smile in response to the long-swirling engagement rumors that have followed the couple for much of their relationship.
At press time a spokesperson for Swift had not returned a request for comment on the singer’s plans for Super Bowl Sunday.
Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs), a lesser-known discount scheme, can help those who don’t qualify for free prescriptions reduce their medication costs.
Available to anyone in England who pays for their prescriptions, PPCs are particularly beneficial for individuals with more than one monthly prescription.
However, if you only have one prescription per month, the savings might be minimal or could even result in additional expenses if you opt for the three-month certificate.
It’s worth noting that there’s a separate PPC for people receiving prescribed hormone replacement therapy, which has a different price and application process.
The standard PPC comes in two forms: a three-month certificate costing £32.05 and a 12-month certificate priced at £114.50. To put this into perspective, a single NHS prescription item currently costs £9.90.
A PPC covers an unlimited number of your own prescription items during its validity period, excluding support tights. You also have the option to spread the cost of a year-long certificate over 10 monthly instalments.
If you’re only getting one prescription a month, it will cost £29.70 over three months and £118.80 a year, making it not particularly cost-effective for those with just one prescription.
However, two prescription items a month costs £237.60 a year, meaning the certificate would save you £123 a year or £27 over three months.
Those receiving four prescription items every month can make a staggering saving of £360 a year or £86 over three months. PPCs can be purchased online through the NHS site or over the phone on 0300 330 1341.
For people on eligible prescription hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, a specialised PPC is available for £19.80 for 12 months. This will cover all of your eligible prescriptions during that time regardless of how many different medications you need and will save money if you require more than two per month.
However, if your medication isn’t eligible under the HRT PPC it may be better to get a standard PPC which may cover the prescriptions. You can buy HRT PPCs online or through the phone on 0300 330 2089.
Brooks Nader‘s new Instagram photos were all about fur coats as she went braless to embrace her wild side in snow-filled Wyoming. Her latest social media dump was a continuation of her previous photo series from the wilderness area of Jackson Hole. In her recent carousel, Nader exhibited her bold side, delivering a risqué pose by wearing nothing underneath her coat. The following portraits captured more looks with fur galore and a touch of cowboy fashion.
Brooks Nader flaunts her ‘casual sunrise moments’ in new photos
Recapping her “casual sunrise moments,” Brooks Nader dropped new Instagram photos with fur coats and a far-from-casual braless look. In the first still, Nader went overboard with the fur, going all out in an animal-print coat and nothing underneath to brave the snow-packed setting of Jackson Hole. Showing off her wild side, Nader dared to pose alongside a wolf as they stood tall inside the truck with the first rays of sun shining bright on them. In addition, she paired her fit with denim a furry trapper hat, and leather gloves.
The remaining photos in the carousel exhibited the reality star in more furry coats. The second slide also comprised a racy snap of her posing in a partially unbuttoned shirt and layering it with another warm-looking coat. Nader again paired the fit with denim, leather gloves, and an eccentric neckpiece with gorgeous blue embellishments. The next images further captured the true cowboy essence and her unique fashion elements and looked like a continuation of her previous post.
Last month, Brooks Nader dropped similar photos from Wyoming outside the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar as she posed inside the Ford Bronco with the wolf. The picture showed the canine holding onto the roof frame of the windshield while the former “Dancing With the Stars” contestant drove. However, the new post comprised the cropped version of the stills only displaying Nader, styling another fur coat with a cowboy hat and gloves. She looked fearless looking away from the camera with stunning full-face makeup.
It’s a case of one-and-done for Rebecca Minkoff, who has announced she is leaving Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City after filming just one season of the long-running reality series.
The handbag designer revealed the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday night (February 4) following the conclusion of the show’s 15th season, which wrapped up with a two-part reunion special.
“2025 is a new beginning for me and with current events in the world, I am reminded the importance of family, friends and community now more than ever,” Minkoff wrote. “The last month has given me a new perspective on wanting to focus on my wildly amazing 4 kids, my supportive husband, my business of 20 years, the Female Founder Collective, my podcast and MY BOOK.”
Minkoff joined the RHONY cast in Season 15 in a “friend of role,” meaning she appeared in a recurring capacity instead of a full-time cast member. Throughout her time on the show, she struggled with confrontation, particularly when challenged on her Scientology beliefs. In one instance, she got into a heated debate over the topic with her co-star Brynn Whitfield.
“As much as I have learned along the way with this franchise and fans, I want to reprioritize the things that mean the most to me: designing, giving back, supporting women and raising my family,” she continued in her statement. “I am truly grateful for the experience, the friendships and the fans that have been part of this RHONY chapter. Time to turn the page.”
During Tuesday’s reunion, Minkoff said her co-stars’ questions about Scientology didn’t seem genuine. She also hit back at a fan who said she should “stop normalizing cults” by talking about Scientology on the show.
“That is a bigoted term. It’s hate speech to keep calling a religion a cult,” Minkoff told host Andy Cohen. “I’m tired of the attacks.”
Speaking with Us Weekly ahead of Tuesday’s show, Minkoff admitted to going into RHONY “with rose-colored glasses.”
“It’s a tough show. It can be very tough personally. You’re dealing with relationships,” she shared. “I never regret anything. I’m done with regrets. I learned so much and it was incredible for business. I made some good friends out of it.”
One of the best ways to extract value from the Hilton Honors program is by leveraging Free Night Rewards on the Amex US Hilton credit cards.
Hilton’s Free Night Rewards can unlock some incredible stays around the world for zero out-of-pocket, so in this article, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about these potentially very powerful instruments.
How to Earn Hilton Free Night Rewards
For the most part, you’ll need to have started your journey with US credit cards in order to rack up Hilton’s Free Night Rewards.
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to take the first step along this journey, as you can earn your first certificate pretty much immediately with a single US credit card application.
1. Amex US Hilton Aspire Card: Free Night Reward Every Year
The Hilton Aspire Card is the only credit card that gives you an annual Free Night Reward every year as an ongoing perk, without having to “work” for it through spending.
Note that the Hilton Aspire’s Free Night Reward is earned immediately in the first year.
This makes it superior to the corresponding Free Night Awards on, say, the Canadian Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards, which are only earned as an anniversary benefit starting in the second year.
In addition to the free night that you get just for holding the card, you can also earn a second free night every year if you spend $30,000 (USD) on the Hilton Aspire in a calendar year, and a third free night every year if you spend $60,000 in a calendar year.
Alas, that’s probably out of reach for most of us, and the return on spending probably isn’t worthwhile even if you could spend that much.
2. Amex US Hilton Surpass Card: Free Night Reward Upon Spending $15,000
In addition to the Hilton Aspire, the Hilton Surpass Card allow you to earn a Free Night Reward upon spending $15,000 (USD) in a calendar year.
After the instant Free Night Reward from the Aspire Card, this is the Free Night Reward that is most easily within reach year after year, although it does require a fairly significant spending capacity to achieve.
The strategy here is to prioritize spending on the Surpass Card since its spending requirement is lower than the Aspire Card’s.
3. Amex US Hilton Cards Welcome Bonuses
The Amex US Hilton credit cards frequently offer different types of elevated welcome bonuses. In the past, in addition to higher amounts of Hilton Honors points, the cards have occasionally also offered Free Night Rewards as part of the signup incentive.
For example, in the past, the Amex US Hilton Card, Hilton Surpass Card, and Hilton Business Card have all offered a Free Night Reward as part of the signup bonus in addition to their usual points totals.
Earning a welcome bonus with Free Night Rewards tends to be more valuable than only getting Hilton Honors points, since Free Night Rewards have uncapped redemption potential (as we’ll discuss below).
Therefore, if you aren’t in a rush to apply for one of the Hilton cards, consider timing your application during a promotional bonus with a Free Night Reward attached to come out ahead.
4. Amex US Hilton Cards Spend-Based Promotions
Lastly, the Amex US Hilton cards have also been known to offer the occasional spend-based promotion for existing cardholders, with a Free Night Reward on the table if they can reach a certain spending threshold in a given time period.
For example, in the past, Amex US Hilton cardholders have been targeted for a promotion in which they could earn a Free Night Reward simply by spending $8,000 (USD).
There’s no predicting when these promotions may come around, but it’s certainly very rewarding when they do.
It’s best to register for these promotions using a Hilton Surpass Card if possible, since the spending you complete would also help you progress towards the annual $15,000 (USD) threshold for a Free Night Reward as part of the card’s benefits as well.
How to Redeem Hilton Free Night Rewards
Hilton’s Free Night Rewards get deposited into your account within eight weeks of earning them. Generally speaking, they tend to show up a lot sooner than eight weeks, shortly after meeting the criterion that was used to earn them.
You’ll receive an email confirming the arrival of your Free Night Reward, which will also mention an expiration date for your certificate. This is the date you must stay by, not book by.
Free Night Rewards are valid for 12 months from the date of issuance, so you’ll want to make sure to make a booking before the expiry date.
Redeem your Free Night Reward
The Hilton Honors website allows you to track your Free Night Rewards on your online dashboard, but it doesn’t allow you to redeem these certificates through the online booking engine.
Instead, you’ll have to call Hilton Honors at 1-800-446-6677 to make your redemption. Before calling in, you’ll first want to conduct a search on the Hilton Honors website to decide where to redeem your certificate.
You’ll need to look for a “Standard Room Reward” on your chosen date – if a standard room isn’t available and only “Premium Room Rewards” are showing, then you won’t be able to apply your Free Night Reward to the stay.
Properties excluded from Hilton Free Night Rewards
Notably, there is a list of excluded hotels that do not qualify for Free Night Reward redemptions, which you can find on the Hilton website.
These are largely Hilton Grand Vacations, all-inclusive, or residence-style properties. Thankfully, most of the best hotels in Hilton’s portfolio are not on this list and remain eligible for booking a free night.
Strategies for Maximizing Hilton Free Night Rewards
With the two Hilton co-branded credit cards, it’s theoretically possible to rack up four Free Night Rewards per year.
However, it almost certainly doesn’t make sense to aim for the free nights at the $60,000 (USD) spending thresholds.
Even if you intended to redeem these certificates in the Maldives where you might otherwise pay $2,000+ (USD) per night, you’d still most likely come out even further ahead if you placed that $60,000 (USD) in spending on another card(s) instead.
Therefore, some Hilton Honors members could earn up tothree certificates per year if they can stump up $45,000 (USD) in spending across the Hilton Aspire and the Hilton Surpass.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of members will probably be satisfied with one certificate per year from simply holding the Hilton Aspire year after year.
On the redemption side, as with all instruments like these, the key to maximizing value lies in booking a hotel that would otherwise cost as much in cash as possible, while still remaining true to your travel goals and the places you want to visit.
Because Hilton Honors is largely a dynamically priced program, we can use the points price of a hotel as a barometer for assessing the value you’re getting from your Free Night Reward:
The most expensive properties are priced at 150,000 Hilton Honors points per night for a Standard Room Reward, including the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.
Other top-tier properties are priced at a maximum of 120,000 Hilton Honors points per night for a Standard Room Reward.
In general, any property that would otherwise cost you 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night represents a good use of the Free Night Reward. This price point corresponds to a cash price of about $400+ (USD).
In general, you’d maximize the value of your Free Night Reward by doing one of the following:
Redeeming at Hilton’s higher-end luxury brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR
Redeeming for far-flung aspirational destinations like the Maldives or Bora Bora
Redeeming for very popular places during peak season, like Hawaii over the winter
Now, some of the luxury hotels in major cities might make for a fun one-night hop, but if you’re going to the Maldives or Bora Bora, you’ll certainly want to stay longer than one night.
In that case, you’ll want to combine your free night with a Hilton Honors points redemption to chain together a longer stay.
(Just keep in mind that you can unlock the Fifth Night Free benefit when redeeming Hilton Honors points, but not when redeeming Free Night Rewards.)
Finally, if you’re earning points with a spouse, then the sheer power of the Hilton Aspire Card ought to be harnessed by both yourself and your partner.
As a household, you’d earn at least two Free Night Rewards every year, which you could redeem back-to-back for a luxurious getaway once a year, all while enjoying top-tier elite treatment as Hilton Diamond members.
Conclusion
Hilton’s Free Night Rewards are one of the strongest benefits of the Hilton Honors program and the suite of co-branded cards issued by American Express US.
Compared to Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton’s Free Night Rewards are stronger in many ways: you can earn them immediately in the first year, and you can redeem them for the best luxury hotels in the portfolio with no upper limit.
If you’d like to experience some world-class hotel stays without paying out-of-pocket, then diversifying into Hilton Honors – and in particular, getting the Hilton Aspire Card – is a great strategy for doing so.
Now, the 24-hour roadside stalwart is making a statement about the breakfast staple—by adding a 50-cent surcharge (per egg) to orders nationwide.
Waffle House notes, “Rather than increasing prices across the menu, this is a temporary, targeted surcharge tied to the unprecedented rise in egg prices.”
Egg prices have increased by 50% over the past year, and in some cities, like New York, customers might be paying $1 per egg at the grocery store—a dozen cage-free eggs at Whole Foods were selling for $11.99.
And it’s not just hitting Waffle House. Local news outlets from Tampa, Florida to Upstate New York report that area restaurants are grappling with rising prices by making changes in-house, from switching suppliers to even changing recipes.
