Best Hotel Credit Cards
Selected by WalletHub Editors from 1,000+ credit cards — Dec 12, 2018
The best hotel credit cards have initial bonuses worth $250 or more in hotel reservations, annual fees as low as $0, foreign transaction fees as low as $0, and rewards of at least 1 point per $1 in purchases. But they’re not all the same. Some of the best hotel credit ca… show more
show less The best hotel credit cards have initial bonuses worth $250 or more in hotel reservations, annual fees as low as $0, foreign transaction fees as low as $0, and rewards of at least 1 point per $1 in purchases. But they’re not all the same. Some of the best hotel credit cards are affiliated with specific hotel chains. Others offer great rewards no matter where you stay. And while most of the best hotel reward credit cards require good or excellent credit for approval, there are some offers for people with lower scores.
This content is not provided or commissioned by any issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of an issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by an issuer.
To identify the best hotel credit cards for different types of travelers, we compared more than 1,000 credit card offers (including cards from WalletHub’s partners), based on their initial rewards bonuses, ongoing earning rates, cardholder perks and fees.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any co-branded hotel credit cards for bad credit or fair credit right now. The Best Western Secured Credit Card stopped accepting new applications in October 2018. So the best hotel credit cards for bad/fair credit are just the best general-purpose rewards cards for people with such scores.
Below, you can learn more about all of the top options available to hotel-goers right now. Check them out before your next trip, and you might just check-in for free!
show more
show less The best hotel credit cards have initial bonuses worth $250 or more in hotel reservations, annual fees as low as $0, foreign transaction fees as low as $0, and rewards of at least 1 point per $1 in purchases. But they’re not all the same. Some of the best hotel credit cards are affiliated with specific hotel chains. Others offer great rewards no matter where you stay. And while most of the best hotel reward credit cards require good or excellent credit for approval, there are some offers for people with lower scores.
This content is not provided or commissioned by any issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of an issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by an issuer.
Best Hotel Credit Cards:
- Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card - Best Hotel Credit Card Overall
- Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card - Best Rewards for Any Hotel
- World of Hyatt Credit Card - Best for Free Nights Each Year
- Hilton Honors American Express Card - Best for No Annual Fee
- Starwood Preferred Guest® Luxury Credit Card - Best for Elite Status Perks
- Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express - Best for Business Travel
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card - Best for Points on Everyday Spending
- Discover it® Secured - Best for Bad Credit / Easy Approval
- Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students - Best for Students
To identify the best hotel credit cards for different types of travelers, we compared more than 1,000 credit card offers (including cards from WalletHub’s partners), based on their initial rewards bonuses, ongoing earning rates, cardholder perks and fees.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any co-branded hotel credit cards for bad credit or fair credit right now. The Best Western Secured Credit Card stopped accepting new applications in October 2018. So the best hotel credit cards for bad/fair credit are just the best general-purpose rewards cards for people with such scores.
Below, you can learn more about all of the top options available to hotel-goers right now. Check them out before your next trip, and you might just check-in for free!
show more
Best Hotel Credit Cards for Specific Chains
Best Hotel Credit Cards for Specific Chains
Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card Proceed 2 Reviews
World of Hyatt Credit Card 222 Reviews
Best Hotel Credit Card for Free Anniversary Nights: The World of Hyatt Credit Card is one of the best hotel rewards cards overall because it offers lots of opportunities to earn bonus points and free nights. The bonuses range from 4 points per $1 spent on Hyatt purchases to 40,000 points for spending $3,000 in the first three months to 20,000 more points for spending another $3,000 within six months. Plus, cardholders receive one free night at a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel after each account anniversary. And those who spend at least $15,000 in a year get an extra free night.
Those yearly giveaways help soften the blow of the card’s $95 annual fee. The fact that the World of Hyatt Card has a minimum starting credit limit of $5,000 might add to its appeal, too. You do need good or excellent credit for approval, though.
Those yearly giveaways help soften the blow of the card’s $95 annual fee. The fact that the World of Hyatt Card has a minimum starting credit limit of $5,000 might add to its appeal, too. You do need good or excellent credit for approval, though.
Radisson Premier Visa Signature® Credit Card 114 Reviews
Best Hotel Credit Card for Bonus Points: The Radisson Premier Visa Card gives bonus points early and often, starting with 50,000 points after your first purchase and continuing with 35,000 points for spending $2,500 in the first 90 days. You can’t forget about the 10 points per $1 that cardholders earn on Radisson purchases, either, or the 5 points per $1 the card provides on all other purchases.
Big-spenders are especially in luck with this card. Every $10,000 in charges gets you a free night, up to $30,000 spent and three free nights every 12 months. You just have to pay the next year’s $75 annual fee to qualify. Renewing your account also gets you 40,000 bonus points each year.
Big-spenders are especially in luck with this card. Every $10,000 in charges gets you a free night, up to $30,000 spent and three free nights every 12 months. You just have to pay the next year’s $75 annual fee to qualify. Renewing your account also gets you 40,000 bonus points each year.
Hilton Honors American Express Card Proceed 308 Reviews
Best Hotel Credit Card with No Annual Fee: The Hilton Honors Amex is the best hotel credit card with no annual fee because of its big initial bonus: 75,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first three months. It also gives 7 points per $1 spent directly through Hilton as well as 3-5 points per $1 on all other purchases. And in addition to its $0 annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Card has a $0 foreign transaction fee.
Marriott Premier Plus Credit Card 4 Reviews
Best Hotel Credit Card for Frequent Travelers (International): Cardholders receive a bonus of 75,000 points for spending at least $3,000 during the first three months, plus one free night after each account anniversary. The Marriott Premier Plus Card also provides 6 points per $1 spent at Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Starwood Preferred Guest properties, along with 2 points per $1 spent on everything else. There is a $95 annual fee, but no foreign transaction fee, and good or excellent credit is required for approval.
Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express Proceed 133 Reviews
Best Hotel Credit Card for Business: The Starwood Business Card offers 75,000 points when you spend $3,000 within three months of opening an account. You also get up to 6 points per $1 spent on purchases and 1 free night after each account anniversary. You don’t need to worry about paying an annual fee the first year, either ($95 after).
Radisson Credit Card 0 Review
Best Hotel Credit Card with No Annual Fee for Big-Spenders: In addition to a $0 annual fee, the Radisson Credit Card offers 30,000 bonus points for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. Plus, users earn 3 points per $1 spent at Radisson hotels and 1 point per $1 on everything else. And perhaps the most intriguing part of the offer is the fact that you get one free night for every $10,000 you charge, up to $30,000 spent per year.
So if you have good credit or better and your travel destinations have Radisson-branded hotels, this is certainly a card worth considering.
So if you have good credit or better and your travel destinations have Radisson-branded hotels, this is certainly a card worth considering.
Starwood Preferred Guest® Luxury Credit Card 0 Review
Best Hotel Credit Card for Elite Status Perks: The Starwood Luxury Card gives complimentary SPG Gold Elite status to cardholders, with the opportunity to earn Platinum Elite status by spending $75,000 in a calendar year. The SPG Luxury Card has a long list of other types of perks, too. That includes 75000 for spending $3,000 in the first three months, a free night after each account anniversary, up to 6 points per $1 spent and more.
Elite perks have a price, though, and it’s quite high in this case. The Starwood Luxury Card charges a $450 annual fee. So it’s only worth considering if you travel a ton and spend a lot in the process.
Elite perks have a price, though, and it’s quite high in this case. The Starwood Luxury Card charges a $450 annual fee. So it’s only worth considering if you travel a ton and spend a lot in the process.
Best Hotel Credit Cards for Any Hotel
While many hotel and airline rewards credit cards are affiliated with specific travel providers, meaning their points and miles can only be redeemed with that particular company or one of its transfer partners, another class of rewards cards offers generic points and miles that can be redeemed for any travel-related expense. This flexibility makes such cards quite useful to travelers who aren’t loyal to a given hotel chain, and their stand-out value should have even broader appeal. The best offers in this category are as follows:
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card Proceed 2,439 Reviews
Best Any-Hotel Rewards Credit Card Overall: $500 initial bonus redeemable for any travel-related expense, the miles equivalent of 2% cash back across all purchases as long as you redeem for travel, no first-year annual fee ($95 thereafter) and no foreign transaction fee.
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card Proceed 79 Reviews
Best Any-Hotel Rewards Credit Card for Points on Everyday Spending: The Wells Fargo Propel Amex Card is the best hotel rewards credit card for points on everyday purchases because it gives bonus points in lots of common spending categories. Cardholders earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel, which includes hotels, homestays, airfare and car rentals. The Propel Card also gives 3 points per $1 spent at gas stations, at restaurants, on rideshares and more.
Plus, new applicants who spend $3,000 within three months of getting approved score 30,000 points, worth $300. That’s an attractive package, especially when you consider the Propel Card’s $0 annual fee.
Plus, new applicants who spend $3,000 within three months of getting approved score 30,000 points, worth $300. That’s an attractive package, especially when you consider the Propel Card’s $0 annual fee.
Discover it® Secured Proceed 2,298 Reviews
Best Any-Hotel Rewards Credit Card for Bad Credit / Easy Approval: The Discover it Secured Card is the best hotel rewards credit card for bad credit because it gives at least 1% cash back on all purchases and doubles the rewards you’ve earned at the end of the first year. Plus, Discover it Secured has no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and no problem approving people with poor credit scores.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students 272 Reviews
Best Any-Hotel Rewards Credit Card for Students: 25,000-point initial bonus, 3 points for every $1 in purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center, excluding insurance purchases, 1.5 points per $1 on everything else and no annual fee.
It’s also understandable if you want to take a closer look at the top hotel rewards cards, now that you’re more familiar with how to go about choosing and using them. Please find a summary below.
WalletHub’s Picks for the Best Hotel Credit Cards of 2018:
| Card Name | Best For | Annual Fee | Credit Required |
| Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card | Bonus Hotel Rewards | $95 | Good |
| Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card | Rewards at Any Hotel / Hotels.com Bonus | $0 for 1st yr, $95 after | Good |
| World of Hyatt Credit Card | Free Nights Each Year | $89 | Good |
| Hilton Honors American Express Card | No Annual Fee | None | Good |
| Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express | Business Travelers | None 1st yr, $95 after | Good |
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card | Points for Everyday Spending | $0 | Good |
| Discover it® Secured | Bad Credit / Easy Approval | $0 | Limited History |
| Starwood Preferred Guest® Luxury Credit Card | Elite Status Perks | $450 | Good |
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students | Students | $0 | Limited History |
There aren’t many hotel rewards credit cards for people with fair, limited or bad credit. So if you have less-than-good credit, your options are likely limited to secured cards as well as credit cards with rewards that don’t emphasize hotel stays.
You can see if your credit is good enough for elite hotel rewards by checking your latest credit score for free on WalletHub. You can also check out our editors’ picks for the best overall rewards credit cards to see which of these offers made the cut.
Tips for Finding the Best Hotel Credit Card
- See How Much You Spend on Hotel Rooms: You need to determine whether hotel reservations represent a big enough portion of your total spending to warrant getting a hotel points card tied to a specific chain. After all, a card offering everyday cash back or general-purpose travel rewards could also help you save on hotel stays, plus everything else you buy. And such a card would provide much more flexibility.
The basic rules of thumb are that you should only make a co-branded hotel card your primary spending vehicle if you spend at least 20 nights in that chain each year. Supplementing an existing card with hotel plastic when a big initial bonus is available could be a great move as well. But you should have plans to use that bounty for a hotel stay within six months of account opening. Otherwise, the points could lose value or be forgotten over time. - Decide How Long You Want to Keep Your New Card: Your plans for a new hotel credit card will dictate how you evaluate offers. If you think you’ll have the card for only a year or two, then you should focus more on initial rewards bonuses. But if you have no timetable for closing your account, regular rewards earning rates and ongoing amenities such as room upgrades will be more important.
- Double-Check Hotel Point Redemption Values: There’s often little rhyme or reason to the number of points needed to book a free night. The clearest trend you’ll find is that reward nights during peak season and weekends tend to provide the least value. Hotel credit card users also have several other redemption options. They often include gift cards, merchandise, statement credits and special experiences.
So figuring out how much hotel points are worth, whether redeemed for free nights in your favorite destinations or something else, is essential to getting good value from your earnings. This may seem like a lot of work. But it’s worth it if you want to avoid money-losing surprises. - Learn About the Reward Night Booking Process: Start by confirming that a given hotel chain actually has properties in all your favorite travel destinations. Then check out customer reviews as well as the redemption page on the chain’s website. Feedback from previous guests is a great screen against obvious limitations. And doing a little digging online gives you the chance to scan the fine print for less obvious drawbacks.
Finally, if you’re thinking about getting a hotel credit card tied to a particular chain, you’d better get acquainted with that hotel’s overall loyalty program. Anyone can join a hotel rewards program for free, but having the credit card to match helps boost your benefits. Some hotel rewards programs are better than others, though, just like hotel credit cards.
Below, you can find a breakdown of how the major chains performed in WalletHub’s latest analysis.
Best Hotel Rewards Programs for 2018
| Best for… | Hotel Rewards Program | WalletHub Score | Number of Hotels |
| Overall | Wyndham Rewards | 73.40 | 9,000 |
| Rewards Value | Wyndham Rewards | 73.40 | 9,000 |
| Points That Won’t Expire | Best Western Rewards | 69.53 | 4,200 |
| International Travel | Marriott Rewards | 62.31 | 6,782 |
| Fewest Earning Limitations | Radisson Rewards | 68.89 | 1,400 |
| Redemption Options | Wyndham Rewards | 73.40 | 9,000 |
| Transfer Partners | Hilton Honors | 57.68 | 5,500 |
For more, including a custom calculator that will help you identify the right loyalty rewards for your needs, check out WalletHub’s complete report on the Best Hotel Rewards Programs.
Ask the Experts: Best Hotel Credit Cards
To aid in the search for the best hotel credit cards for different consumers’ needs, WalletHub asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following questions. Just click “Read More” to check out an expert’s comments.
- Even the best hotel credit cards usually aren’t among the best or most popular cards overall - why do you think that is?
- Who should get a hotel rewards credit card? Is there a minimum number of nights a person should spend in hotels per year to justify getting one?
- How much is flexibility worth when it comes to credit cards and travel rewards? For example, how much more does a branded hotel credit card need to offer to be a better deal than a card with rewards that are good for travel at any hotel?
- What are the most important things to watch out for with hotel rewards?
Stephanie Jung-in Bae
Maggie Daniels
Community Discussion
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When it comes to ongoing rewards, the Hilton Ascend Card gives 12 points for every $1 spent directly with Hilton properties, plus 6 points per $1 at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations, and 3 points per $1 on all other purchases. This card charges a $95 annual fee and has no foreign transaction fee.