A number of factors influence how much you enjoy a trip, whether traveling on business or vacation. For many, a good hotel experience is key to happy travel, since it’s very hard to overcome a disappointing hotel stay. Often, it’s the perks — or lack thereof — that color your opinion of your lodgings. That’s where a hotel rewards credit card can help.
The best hotel credit cards not only earn you points toward a free hotel stay, but many come with additional perks such as room upgrades, complimentary meals, and in-room WiFi. Here’s our list of the nine best hotel credit cards, including our picks for the best overall credit cards, the cards with the best sign-up bonuses, the best rewards programs, and the best branded hotel cards.
Best Overall | Best Sign-Up Bonuses | Best Rewards Programs | Best Branded Cards
Best Overall Hotel Rewards Card
A good hotel rewards card provides a range of offers and bonuses in addition to extra features that save you money and make your hotel stay more enjoyable. We’ve examined all the pros and cons of the top hotel cards, and identified the best ones for you:
We named the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as the best overall hotel rewards card for 2017 because it does everything well. You get a generous number of bonus points when you meet the new-account purchase requirements or add an authorized user, especially considering its modest annual fee.
The points can be used for dining, cash, or gift cards — but you get extra point-power by redeeming them for travel booked through Chase. The points you earn with your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can be transferred to any Chase travel partner for additional flexibility.
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also gets bonus points for style; the unique metallic card has a great design and feel.
Best Hotel Sign-Up Bonuses
You earn a sign-up bonus by spending the required amount on purchases during the initial period after opening the account. For example, a card might offer you 50,000 points or miles if you purchase $5,000 in goods and services during the first three months.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a great trade-off between bonus miles and required spending. The card rewards are flexible — you redeem a statement credit to use your miles, and there are no restrictions on hotel brands or airlines. Flyers will appreciate the fact that there are no blackout dates. The ratio of miles rewarded to dollars spent is excellent.
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You can apply for a Chase Sapphire Reserve® through the online application. Keep in mind, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will have more stringent requirements for approval than the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Best Hotel Rewards Programs
A good rewards program offers generous rewards as well as easy redemption, with a limited number of blackout dates or unavailable room types.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ pays generous cash back on purchases within the quarterly bonus categories, up to the capped amount. All you have to do is opt into the bonus category each quarter. It also has an excellent introductory interest rate on purchases, as well as a low spending requirement for its introductory bonus.
This card is currently not available. Additional Disclosure: The information related to Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.5. Chase Freedom Flex℠
The sign-up bonus is modest but easily earned, and there is a separate bonus for signing up an authorized user. Cash-back rewards don’t expire as long as you keep the account open.
Best Branded Hotel Rewards Cards
A branded card carries the name of a company, separate from the bank issuing the card. In most cases, the points you use will only be redeemable through the branded company and its partners. Here’s a look at the top options.
6. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card is the new mid-tier card that resulted from the rebranding of the Marriott and Starwood programs after their merger. The card offers six points per dollar on Marriott purchase and two points on everything else.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at eligible Marriott Bonvoy properties
- Earn 2X on all other purchases
- Pay $95 annual fee
Cardholders receive automatic Silver Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy and can earn Gold Status by spending $35,000 on purchases each account year. Users can also enjoy free premium in-room wifi and an annual free night award after the account anniversary.
(Non-Monetized. The information related to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card was collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates.com does not receive commission for this product/card.)
7. Hilton Honors Ascend Card
The Hilton Honors Ascend Card is not only a quick route to free stays with its double-digit rewards rate for Hilton purchases, but the card also provides you with complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and airport lounge access passes.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors™ points per dollar for Hilton purchases
- Earn 6X points for purchases at US restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations
- Pay $95 annual fee
The Hilton Honors Ascend Card is also great for big buyers, as you can earn a free Weekend Night Reward when you spend at least $15,000 on your card in a single calendar year.
How to Choose the Best Hotel Offer for You
Hotel rewards cards (and the perks that go with them) are perfect for frequent travelers and voracious vacationers — or those who simply want to take advantage of a great sign-up bonus to earn a free hotel stay. Whatever your motivation, you can likely find a hotel card that fits the bill.
If you know you’ll be making big-ticket purchases during the introductory period, pick the card with the best sign-up bonus. If you regularly travel abroad, you’ll want to select a card with no foreign transaction fees. Otherwise, choose the card that gives you the most perks and most generous rewards — for the least money.
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CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
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