If you have a preference for one hotel brand over another — and many travelers do — you’ll find immense value in carrying that hotel’s branded credit card.
A hotel rewards credit card is the fastest way to earn hotel rewards points and gain elite status to ensure an elevated experience during your hotel stays. Over and above the on-site benefits offered with hotel-branded cards, you may also enjoy free hotel nights at renewal and earn additional free nights by hitting specific spending levels.
To illustrate the value of these rewards cards, we’ve put together a breakdown of our choices for the best hotel-branded personal and business credit cards, including cards that offer complimentary elite status and free nights. If you’re not loyal to a specific hotel brand, we have you covered with recommendations as well.
Let’s get started finding the best hotel credit card for your travel preferences.
The 6 Best Personal Hotel Credit Cards — Summary
The 6 Best Personal Hotel Credit Cards — Comparison Table
| Card |
Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee |
Hotel Rewards and Benefits |
| Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card |
- Earn 150,000 points after spending $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $450
|
- 14x points per $1 on Hilton stays
- Hilton Honors Diamond status
- Annual Free Weekend Night Reward, plus another when you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year
- $250 Hilton Resort credit
- $250 airline fee credit
- $100 credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties
- Priority Pass lounge access
|
| The World of Hyatt Credit Card |
- Earn 30,000 points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, up to 30,000 additional points by earning 2x in the first 6 months on purchases that normally earn 1x, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Annual fee of $95
|
- Up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays
- Automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist status
- Category 1-4 Free Night Certificate each year, plus an extra Free Night Certificate after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
- 5 Elite Qualifying Nights each year, plus the ability to earn 2 more Elite Qualifying Nights for every $5,000 spent on the card
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card |
- Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $650
|
- 6x points per $1 on Marriott stays
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at Marriott hotels costing up to 50,000 points per night
- Priority Pass lounge access
|
| IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card |
- Earn 140,000 bonus points + 1 Free Night valued at up to 40,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Annual fee of $99
|
- Up to 26x points per $1 on IHG stays
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at IHG hotels costing up to 40,000 points per night
- Fourth night free on award stays
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS statement credit
- Up to $50 in United Airlines TravelBank Cash each year
- Earn a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card |
- Limited Time Offer – Earn 100,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $95
|
- Up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott stays
- Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status
- Automatic 15 Elite Night Credits each year
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at properties costing up to 35,000 points
|
| The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card |
- Earn 130,000 points after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
|
- 12x points per $1 on Hilton stays
- Hilton Honors Gold status
- 10 Priority Pass lounge visits each year
- Free Weekend Night Reward after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
|
The 6 Best Personal Hotel Credit Cards To Maximize Your Rewards
The Hilton Aspire card’s Free Weekend Night Reward can be used at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Zanzibar Nungwi. Image Credit: Hilton
- 14x Hilton Honors points per $1 spent at Hilton
- Up to $250 Hilton Resort credit
- $100 credit at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties
- Hilton Honors Diamond elite status
- $250 airline fee statement credit
- Priority Pass lounge access
- Free Weekend Night Reward after card approval, additional weekend night at card renewal
One fantastic card when it comes to automatic elite status is the Hilton Aspire card, which offers Hilton Honors top Diamond elite status just for holding the card. Usually, you need to stay 60 nights in a year to qualify for Diamond status, and it offers perks like executive lounge access, complimentary suite upgrades, a daily food and beverage credit, 100% bonus points on stays, and more.
The Hilton Aspire card’s Free Weekend Night Reward is uncapped, meaning it can be used at virtually any Hilton hotel worldwide. Given that many of the very best Hilton hotels can cost up to 95,000 points per night, these Free Weekend Night Rewards can be very useful!
- Up to 9x World of Hyatt points per $1 on Hyatt stays
- World of Hyatt Discoverist elite status
- 5 qualifying nights towards annual elite status, additional 2 qualifying nights per $5,000 spend
- Spend $50,000 to receive Explorist elite status
- Free night at card anniversary (Category 1-4)
- Additional free night for $15,000 spent on the card during the card anniversary year
The World of Hyatt card is the perfect option for Hyatt loyalists as it helps you earn more points on all of your Hyatt stays and gives you a free night certificate each year. It also offers automatic Hyatt Discoverist status and helps you achieve higher levels of elite status by offering 5 complimentary Elite Night Credits and another 2 for every $5,000 spent on the card.
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
- Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide
- Marriott Gold Elite status
- 15 qualifying nights towards elite status
Another great option is the annual free night award offered on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, as it can be used at any Marriott hotel costing up to 50,000 points per night. While Marriott Bonvoy no longer offers an award chart, you can find many fantastic hotels worldwide that fall within this pricing. Further, Marriott Bonvoy will allow you to apply up to 15,000 points on top of your Free Night Award if you wish to use it at a more expensive property costing up to 65,000 points per night.
- Up to 26x IHG One Rewards points per $1 on IHG stays
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at IHG hotels costing up to 40,000 points per nights
- Fourth night free on award stays
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS statement credit
- Up to $50 in United Airlines TravelBank Cash each year
- Earn a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year
If you regularly stay at IHG hotels, then the IHG Premier card is the perfect complement. Thanks to the automatic Platinum Elite status, it offers late checkout, early check-in, and complimentary room upgrades. Cardholders also get their fourth night free on award nights, which is 1 night better than the fifth-night free perk offered with Hilton and Marriott.
You’ll also get a free night certificate redeemable at any IHG hotel costing up to 40,000 points per night — plus, you can add points on top of it to stay at a more expensive property if you’d like.
- Up to 17x Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 on Marriott stays
- Marriott Silver Elite status as long as you have the card
- Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite status for every $5,000 you spend
- 15 nights stay credit towards annual elite status (maximum no matter how many affiliated cards you have)
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary
Those who frequent Marriott hotels would benefit from a card like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card thanks to its 6x points per $1 on spend, automatic Silver Elite status, and annual free night certificate. When you factor all of those benefits together, they can more than make up for the card’s annual fee.
- 12x Hilton Honors points per $1 on Hilton stays
- Hilton Honors Gold elite status
- Free weekend night after spending $15,000 in a calendar year
The Hilton Surpass card is great for helping people earn extra Hilton points on all of your stays, plus it offers automatic Hilton Honors Gold status which offers space-available room upgrades, a daily food and beverage credit, a fifth night free on award stays, and more.
The 4 Best Personal Cards for Earning Rewards at Any Hotel — Summary
The 4 Best Personal Cards for Earning Rewards at Any Hotel — Comparison Table
| Card |
Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee |
Hotel Rewards and Benefits |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $550
|
- 10x points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through Chase Travel
- Up to $300 annual travel credit
- Points are worth 50% more when redeemed through Chase Travel
- Access to The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
- Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $395
|
- 10x miles per $1 on hotels booked through Capital One Travel
- Up to $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 anniversary bonus miles
|
| The Platinum Card® from American Express |
- Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Annual fee of $695 (rates & fees)
|
- 5x points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
- Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (upon enrollment)
- Up to $200 annual Fine Hotels and Resorts credit
- American Express Global Lounge access
|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $95
|
- 5x points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through Chase Travel
- $50 annual statement credit towards hotel purchase through Chase Travel
- Points are worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Travel
|
The 4 Best Personal Cards for Earning Rewards at Any Hotel
Earn 5x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent for prepaid hotels using your Amex Platinum card through Amex Travel. Mandarin Oriental New York. Image Credit: Mandarin Oriental
- 10x Ultimate Rewards points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
- 5x Ultimate Rewards points on air travel
- 3x Ultimate Rewards points on other travel worldwide
- Up to $300 annual travel credit
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is another stellar option with its 3x Ultimate Rewards points on all travel purchases, 10x points on hotels booked through the Chase travel portal, complimentary Priority Pass lounge membership, and a 50% boost in value when redeeming Ultimate Rewards points for travel. If you spend a lot on hotels, you’ll find that this card will serve you well — both on the earnings side and when it comes time to redeem your points. You’ll also receive a $300 annual travel credit (which can be used for hotels) just for having the card.
- 10x Capital One miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles per $1 on all other non-bonused purchases
- Up to $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel
Another fantastic option is the CapOne Venture X card thanks to the up to $300 in annual travel credits on bookings made through Capital One Travel, 10x Capital One miles per $1 on hotels booked through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles per $1 on all other non-bonused purchases made with the card. Plus, the card offers access to Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and Capital One Lounges to keep you traveling comfortably.
The Amex Platinum card earns 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. Add premium lounge access, travel statement credits, access to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts along with a $200 annual credit for Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings, and a long list of other perks, and it’s clear this card is a leader in travel rewards credit cards.
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Platinum card! (The current public offer is 100,000.)
- 5x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 2x Ultimate Rewards points on all other travel purchases
- $50 annual statement credit towards hotel purchase through Chase Travel
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, one of the most popular travel rewards cards, is a solid option that earns 2x valuable Ultimate Rewards points on every travel purchase, along with 5x points on travel booked through the Chase travel portal, and 25% extra value when redeeming in the Chase travel portal. Cardholders also receive a $50 annual credit toward hotel bookings made through the Chase travel portal.
Hot Tip: It’s important to note that booking hotels from any third-party site such as Amex Travel, the Ultimate Rewards travel portal, or Capital One Travel will generally cause you to forfeit hotel loyalty program elite benefits.
The 4 Best Business Hotel Credit Cards — Summary
The 4 Best Business Hotel Credit Cards — Comparison Table
| Card |
Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee |
Hotel Rewards and Benefits |
| IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card |
- Earn 140,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $99
|
- Up to 26x points per $1 on IHG stays
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at IHG hotels costing up to 40,000 points per night
- Book 3 award nights at get the fourth night free
|
| World of Hyatt Business Credit Card |
- Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $199
|
- Up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays
- World of Hyatt Discoverist status
- Up to $100 annual Hyatt statement credit
- Earn 5 Elite Night Credits for every $10,000 spent on the card
- Access to Hyatt Leverage program
- Spend $50,000 in a calendar year and get 10% of your redeemed points back for the rest of the year, on up to 200,000 points redeemed
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card |
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer expires 11/2/22.
- Annual fee of $125
|
- 6x points per $1 on Marriott stays
- Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status
- Annual 15 Elite Night Credits
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at a property costing up to 35,000 points per night, plus another after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year
|
| The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card |
- Earn 130,000 points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $95 (rates and fees)
|
- 12x points per $1 on Hilton stays
- Hilton Honors Gold status
- 10 Priority Pass lounge visits each year
- Free Weekend Night Reward after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, plus another after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year
|
The 4 Best Business Hotel Credit Cards To Maximize Your Rewards
Hotel-branded business cards come with elite status and a host of on-property benefits. Image Credit: Monkey Business Images via Shutterstock
- Up to 26x IHG One Rewards points per $1 on IHG stays
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at IHG hotels costing up to 40,000 points per night
- Book 3 award nights at get the fourth night free
Cardholders get automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status which offers them complimentary upgrades, early check-in, and late checkout. You’ll also earn 10x points per $1 on IHG stays, your fourth night free on award stays, and a free night certificate that can be redeemed at any IHG hotel costing up to 40,000 points per night.
- Up to 9x World of Hyatt points per $1 on Hyatt stays
- World of Hyatt Discoverist status
- Up to $100 annual Hyatt statement credit
- Earn 5 Elite Night Credits for every $10,000 spent on the card
- Access to Hyatt Leverage program
- Spend $50,000 in a calendar year and get 10% of your redeemed points back for the rest of the year, on up to 200,000 points redeemed
For those looking to help reach high levels of World of Hyatt elite status, the World of Hyatt Business card offers automatic Hyatt Discoverist status, plus 5 Elite Night Credits for every $10,000 spent on the card. You’ll also get a $100 annual Hyatt statement credit, access to the Hyatt Leverage program, and 10% of your redeemed points back after you spend $50,000 on the card in a calendar year.
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 on Marriott stays
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Annual 15 Elite Night Credits
- Annual Free Night Award redeemable at a property costing up to 35,000 points per night, plus another after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card is great for business owners that regularly stay at Marriott hotels thanks to its complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status, 15 Elite Night Credits each year, and annual free night certificate that can be redeemed at any Marriott hotel costing up to 35,000 points per night.
- 12x Hilton Honors points per $1 on Hilton stays
- Hilton Honors Gold status
- 10 Priority Pass lounge visits each year
- Free Weekend Night Reward after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, plus another after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year
The Hilton Business Amex card doesn’t offer an annual free night certificate like the other hotel business cards, unless you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. However, it does offer 12x points per $1 on Hilton stays, complimentary Hilton Gold status, and 10 Priority Pass lounge visits each year.
Methodology – How We Selected the Best Hotel Credit Cards
At Upgraded Points, we evaluate which hotel credit cards are best based on the amount of value the card can offer to travelers. Our evaluation process analyzes each card based on important factors including its benefits, earnings structure, welcome bonus, redemption value/rewards program, fees, and more.
Here is some insight into our thought process when selecting the best hotel cards:
Associated Benefits
The best hotel cards should offer great benefits when staying at that hotel chain. This can include automatic elite status, which might offer room upgrades or late checkout, an annual free night certificate, hotel statement credits, and more.
Earnings Structure
At the end of the day, a hotel credit card is still a travel rewards credit card, so the amount of points it can earn you towards future stays is very important. That said, a good hotel rewards card shouldn’t just reward you for hotel says … it should also offer bonus categories for everyday purchases.
Welcome Bonuses
The welcome bonus on a hotel card can give your points balance a nice boost early, which will help kickstart future award redemptions. Given that welcome bonuses are a one-time bonus and can be lucrative, they are a factor in how we evaluate cards.
We’ll provide you with the current welcome bonus information available for each card, but we encourage you to confirm the welcome bonus and review earnings offers before applying for any card.
Fees
Most hotel cards have fees, so take these into account as well. Many will charge an annual fee for holding the card, so make sure you’re getting enough value from the card each year to justify it.
Redemption Value
Considering the hotel chain’s points redemption values is vitally important, as this will tell you about how much value you can expect to get from the hotel points you’re earning. The more valuable the hotel’s points are, the more valuable its credit card will be!
Hot Tip: While the most desired benefits and features of a card will vary by person, our holistic approach gives readers the full picture of what they can expect from every card we review. To learn more about how we review cards, read through our methodology page.
Pros and Cons of Using a Hotel Card
Pros
The pros of using a hotel card are that they can help enhance your stays at a certain hotel group by offering you complimentary elite status, which might get you room upgrades, free breakfast, late checkout, and other perks. Not to mention that hotel cards will also help you earn more points on each stay, getting you closer to your next free night redemption.
Cons
The downside to hotel cards is that the rewards you earn are tied to that specific hotel group. You aren’t able to redeem them for hotels outside of the specific hotel chain, for flights, or for any other travel-related items.
Who Should Get a Hotel Credit Card?
You should consider getting a hotel credit card if you regularly stay at a hotel chain such as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, or Marriott, and are looking to get more value out of each of those stays.
Hotel cards can help you gain instant status with a hotel chain, which offers immediate benefits on your future stays. Plus they can offer elite night credits to help you achieve a higher level of status, and help you earn more points on each of your stays.
Final Thoughts
If you spend significantly on hotels, it makes sense to earn rewards and enjoy the associated benefits for an expense you’re incurring. Not doing so means you may be walking away from free hotel nights, complimentary elite status, and other associated hotel perks.
The brand you stay at frequently will likely determine the hotel-branded credit card you select. However, you may benefit equally from a travel rewards credit card that earns multiple points or miles on any hotel purchase.
We haven’t focused on the generous sign-up bonuses offered with hotel credit cards since they frequently change, but these bonuses can result in several free hotel nights just for meeting minimum spending requirements (usually in the first 3 months after you’re approved for the card).
Whether you’re staying at a major brand hotel, frequenting small boutique lodging, or booking budget hotels, there’s a way to earn rewards and free nights with a hotel rewards credit card.
The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards card, and Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.
