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If you're a frequent guest of any hotel chains, picking up one of the best hotel credit cards is a game changer. These cards all earn rewards points that you can turn into free nights and score big savings on every trip. In addition, many hotel cards have special benefits that improve your travels, such as elite status in hotel loyalty programs, complimentary breakfasts, and even a statement credit towards hotel purchases. All you need is the right hotel credit card for you. You'll find the best offers below.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Great for: Travel rewards bonus
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
With a big sign-up bonus, the sky’s the limit for this top-rated travel rewards card. Plus, the premium points program for travel and dining make it a no brainer for travel enthusiasts everywhere. Read Full Review
Great for: Luxury travel perks
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
The sign-up bonus, premium rewards for travel & dining, and wide array of valuable travel credits make this a compelling offer that will offset the cost of the annual fee for many. The array of limited time offers make it even more compelling. Read Full Review
Great for: Hotel rewards and savings
On Citi's Secure Website.
On Citi's Secure Website.
A solid pick with a big bonus and nice list of airlines transfer partners, plus it includes a robust rewards program beyond just travel Read Full Review
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Great for: Luxury travel perks
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
The high annual fee is justifiable for frequent travelers who can take full advantage of a deep bench of valuable perks, including the big welcome bonus, robust rewards, and lucrative annual travel credits. Read Full Review
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Great for: Marriott benefits
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
The free nights sign-up bonus, premium hotel rewards earn rate, and deep bench of hotel properties makes this a compelling pick for hotel stays. Read Full Review
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Great for: Frequent Marriott stays
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
This card has a hefty annual fee, but taking advantage of the big offer and litany of perks it offers can easily make it worth it for the right type of cardholder. Read Full Review
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
Great for: IHG® benefits
This card has a very lucrative bonus you can earn after opening an account, and allows you to rack up tons of point on hotel stays.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
Great for: Hyatt benefits
The annual fee is well justified for even occasional Hyatt hotel customers, given the cards big bonus, free hotel stays, and robust points program.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Great for: Premium Hilton benefits
This card comes with a high annual fee, but if you travel frequently and love to stay with Hilton, the benefits of the card can easily outweigh the fee.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Great for: Hilton benefits
Automatic Hilton Gold status is one of the many lucrative perks, including sky-high points for Hilton stays and for restaurants, groceries, and gas.
Here are the key details for the top hotel credit cards.
Great for: Travel rewards bonus
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers one of the bigger travel rewards bonuses we've come across. It earns versatile and valuable Ultimate Rewards points that you can use with multiple hotels.
Read the full Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review
Great for: Luxury travel perks
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a high-end travel card with a $300 annual spending credit towards travel purchases. Cardholders get special hotel benefits when booking with The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection℠.
Read the full Chase Sapphire Reserve® review
Great for: Hotel rewards and savings
The Citi Premier® Card earns an impressive 3 points per $1 in multiple bonus categories, including hotel purchases. It includes a $100 hotel savings on a single hotel stay of $500 or more booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year.
Read the full Citi Premier® Card review
Great for: Luxury travel perks
The Platinum Card® from American Express is packed with travel benefits, including a robust rewards program and valuable statement credits. Terms apply.
Read the full The Platinum Card® from American Express review
Great for: Marriott benefits
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has a modest annual fee that is justifiable even for the occasional traveler staying at Marriott properties. The rewards program and sign-up bonus are standout features.
Read the full Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card review
Great for: Marriott benefits
If you frequent Marriott properties, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card is a practical no-brainer. While the annual fee is high, it packs in a big welcome bonus and lucrative rewards program. Terms apply.
Read the full Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card review
Great for: IHG® benefits
The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card offers a free night every account year, complimentary Platinum Elite status, and up to 25 points per $1 spent at IHG® hotels.
Read the full IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card review
Great for: Hyatt benefits
The World of Hyatt Credit Card includes up to two free nights per year, complimentary Hyatt Discoverist status, and a big introductory welcome bonus.
Read the full The World of Hyatt Credit Card review
Great for: Premium Hilton benefits
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card includes a robust rewards program on Hilton Hotels, certain flights, and U.S. restaurants (terms apply). But you'll need to frequent the properties to make the most of the annual fee (see rates and fees).
Read the full Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card review
Great for: Hilton benefits
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is the lower annual fee cousin of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. While the fee is lower, the card still includes a big welcome bonus and rich rewards program (terms apply, see rates and fees). This is the Hilton card to choose if you're staying at Hilton properties a few times per year.
Read the full Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card review
A hotel credit card earns points that you can redeem for free hotel stays. Most hotel credit cards are tied to a specific hotel chain and earn points in that hotel's loyalty program. These cards often have special hotel benefits, such as complimentary elite status in the hotel brand's loyalty program and free night certificates every card membership year.
There are also hotel credit cards that aren't tied to a specific hotel brand. Instead, they earn travel points that you can use for bookings with multiple hotel chains. Some of the best travel credit cards let you book with a variety of hotels and airlines using your rewards. Since they're not connected to a single hotel chain, these cards give you more flexibility with the hotels you book. But they usually don't have the hotel-specific benefits you get with more traditional hotel credit cards.
To compare hotel credit cards, first decide if you want a card tied to a hotel chain or a more general travel credit card with a rewards program that lets you book multiple hotels. This helps you narrow down your options.
Once you know which type of card you want, you can compare credit cards side by side. Here are the most important features to look at:
The best credit card for hotels is The Platinum Card® from American Express. It includes complimentary Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status (enrollment required), premium rewards on hotels booked through amextravel.com, and complimentary benefits at over 1,000 properties through the Fine Hotels & Resorts® program. It also earns American Express Membership Rewards points that are transferable to multiple hotel chains. Terms apply. Although it has a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees), it's the perfect choice if you want luxury perks with a variety of hotels.
Keep in mind that no hotel credit card is right for everybody. Depending on your travel habits, you may prefer a different option, such as a travel credit card with one hotel chain that you visit frequently. Or, if you travel outside the United States quite a bit, it would make sense to review credit cards for international travel. Check out all the best hotel credit cards so you can pick the one that will reward you the most.
Here are the biggest pros and cons of hotel credit cards:
RELATED: See The Ascent's list of the best sign-up bonus credit cards
Now, let's take a closer look at the advantages of hotel cards:
It's also important to consider the disadvantages of hotel credit cards:
A hotel credit card is right for you if you stay at hotels multiple times per year. If you usually stay at the same hotel chain, look for a card with that hotel. Cards tied to a specific hotel loyalty program can be very rewarding for the hotel's most loyal guests. If you don't have a particular hotel you use most, then a more all-purpose hotel rewards card would be a better choice.
Card | Rating | Great For |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel rewards bonus |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Luxury travel perks |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Hotel rewards and savings |
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Terms apply
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Luxury travel perks |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Marriott benefits |
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Frequent Marriott stays |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: IHG® benefits |
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Hyatt benefits |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Premium Hilton benefits |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Hilton benefits |
A hotel credit card earns rewards points that are redeemable for hotel stays. Traditional hotel credit cards are connected to one hotel chain and earn points in the loyalty program for that hotel. They also usually have extra perks with the hotel, such as certificates for free nights or elite status in the hotel's loyalty program. The other type of hotel card is general travel cards that earn points you can use for hotel bookings or other travel.
Compare hotel credit cards by looking at the following features:
The Platinum Card® from American Express is the best card for hotels overall. This card offers the most versatile hotel benefits, including elite status with multiple hotels, complimentary benefits through its Fine Hotels & Resorts® program, premium rewards on hotel bookings through amextravel.com, and flexible points redeemable with several different hotels. Terms apply and select enrollment is required. Instead of being limited to a single hotel, you can use this American Express card to save money at properties from different brands all over the world.
If you have one hotel chain you stay with all the time, then a rewards card with that hotel is likely best for you. In that case, you can get the most value through the benefits a credit card tied to that hotel chain offers.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
For rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here
For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here
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