Hotel rewards cards are great for earning points that can be used towards free nights. They also typically feature benefits that mirror having elite status as well as offer great bonuses such as annual free night awards and qualifying nights towards achieving a higher status.
If you're loyal to a specific hotel chain, I recommend checking out any co-branded hotel credit cards that chain may offer as the benefits could be well worth it.
Best Hotel Credit Cards
Listed below are a handful of the best credit cards for hotels. You can check out the full list and calculate which cards earn you the best return by jumping over to our list of best hotel credit cards.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
See Rates & Fees
Terms Apply.
Intro Bonus
Limited Time Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, enjoy $0 intro Annual Fee for the first year, then $95. Offer expires 8/25/2021.
Rewards Rate
12X
Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
6X
Earn 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
3X
Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card
Main Card Highlights
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer expires 8/25/2021.
- Limited Time Offer: Enjoy $0 intro Annual Fee for the first year, then $95. Offer expires 8/25/2021.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
- Terms Apply.
Annual Fee
Enjoy $0 intro Annual Fee for the first year, then $95
Authorized User Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Chase World of Hyatt Card
Intro Bonus
Earn up to 60,000 Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Rewards Rate
4X
Earn 4 bonus Hyatt Points per $1 spent at Hyatt Hotels
2X
Earn 2 bonus Hyatt Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
1X
Earn 1 bonus Hyatt Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Main Card Highlights
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
Annual Fee
$95
Authorized User Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
Intro Bonus
Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases + 10X total points on eligible purchases in select categories.
Rewards Rate
10X
10X total points per $1 spent on up to $2,500 in combined purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores within 6 months from account opening
6X
Earn up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy™
2X
Earn 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Main Card Highlights
- Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases + 10X total points on eligible purchases in select categories.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy™ thanks to complimentary elite status.
- 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
- 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points and get Free Night Stays faster.
Annual Fee
$95
Authorized User Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
See Rates & Fees
Terms Apply.
Intro Bonus
Limited Time Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, Earn Up to $100 in Statement Credits on eligible purchases made on the Card at any of the Hilton family of hotels in the first 12 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 8/25/2021.
Rewards Rate
12X
Earn 12X at hotels & resorts in the Hilton portfolio
6X
Earn 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases
3X
Earn 3X on all other eligible purchases.
Main Card Highlights
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, Earn Up to $100 in Statement Credits on eligible purchases made on the Card at any of the Hilton family of hotels in the first 12 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 8/25/2021.
- Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases, 3X on all other eligible purchases. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Enjoy complimentary Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
- Terms Apply.
Annual Fee
$95
Authorized User Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Hotel Rewards Programs
Hotel rewards programs offer many ways to earn points, but the best ways for raking in lots of rewards will be through hotel stays and using co-branded hotel credit cards.
Several hotel rewards programs are direct transfer partners of major travel rewards programs. This means you can earn travel rewards points with partner programs and transfer those hard-earned point directly to your hotel rewards account.
Use the links below to calculate credit card earnings and the cash value of credit cards based on spend, the value of points based on redemption, the transfer of points to and from hotel programs, and much more.
No credit cards. Difficult to earn for U.S.-based members.
Two credit cards in which the Premium Mastercard is the best for earning Best Western Points on spend.
One credit card which is great for benefits with Choice. Direct transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One Venture & Spark Rewards.
One credit card which is the best option for earning Drury Inn Points.
Four credit cards that offer high value and great benefits. Direct transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards.
One credit card which is the best option for spending with Hyatt. Direct transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Two credit cards in which the Premier is the best option for IHG spend. Direct transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Four credit cards with most offering a free annual night which can be redeemed for great value. Direct transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Two credit cards with Premier being the best option for points and benefits with Radisson.
No credit cards. Points are primarily earned on hotel stays.
Three credit cards with the business card offering the best return and benefits. Direct transfer partner of Capital One Venture & Spark Rewards.
Best Credit Cards For Hotels Calculator
The Best Credit Cards For Hotels Calculator will give you an idea of which credit cards will offer you the most rewards and best return on your spend.
Results will consist of top-rated hotel credit cards and travel rewards credit cards from our partners. These results will be sorted by net return which is the average value of the rewards earned, plus annual credits, and minus annual fees.
When deciding on a card, be sure to also consider the benefits that a card offers and not just the overall return. If you're loyal to a hotel, it may be worth picking up both travel rewards credit cards and a co-branded hotel card.
Results
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