I’m often asked by readers which credit card they should be using to maximize points for a given hotel stay, or if there’s an overall best hotel credit card.
Typically recommending which credit card is best for a particular bonus category (like dining, grocery stores, gas stations, everyday spending, etc.) is easy. That’s not really the case when recommending which credit card to use at hotels, though.
The added wrinkle with making this recommendation for stays at chain hotels is that you don’t just have to consider which credit cards broadly offer the best bonus categories for travel, but you also have to consider whether the hotel brand you’re staying at has a co-branded credit card that offers bonus points for stays at that specific brand.
In this post, I wanted to look at the most rewarding credit cards for hotel spending in general (regardless of the brand you’re staying at), and then compare that to the bonuses offered by specific co-branded hotel credit cards.
In this post:
The most rewarding cards for hotel spending
For this section, I’m excluding co-branded hotel credit cards. That’s because I’m looking at the cards that offer the best bonuses on hotel spending in general, rather than the best bonuses for a particular brand of hotel.
So, which major rewards cards offer bonuses for hotel spending?
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Reward for hotel spending: 5.1% (3x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $550
Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve, apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
2. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Reward for hotel spending: 5.1% (3x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $95
Things to be aware of: This is a business card, and the 3x points is limited to the first $150,000 in combined purchases in bonus categories each account anniversary year
Learn more about the Ink Business Preferred, apply for the Ink Business Preferred.
3. American Express® Green Card
Reward for hotel spending: 5.1% (3x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $150 (Rates & Fees)
Learn more about the Amex Green, apply for the Amex Green.
The information and associated card details on this page for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
4. Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Reward for hotel spending: 5.1% (3x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $95
Learn more about the Citi Strata Premier, apply for the Citi StrataPremier.
5. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Reward for hotel spending: 3.4% (2x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $95
Learn more about the Sapphire Preferred, apply for the Sapphire Preferred.
6. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Reward for hotel spending: 3.4% (2x miles, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $395
Learn more about the Venture X, apply for the Venture X.
7. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Reward for hotel spending: 3.4% (2x miles, which I value at 1.7 cents each)
Card annual fee: $0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Learn more about the Spark Miles, apply for the Spark Miles.
The most rewarding co-branded hotel credit cards
As you can see above, there are four cards with the same return (by my valuation). All offer 3x transferable points, and all are points that I value at 1.7 cents each.
That means you’re looking at a return of ~5.1% regardless of which card you use. Do you get a better or worse return when using a co-branded hotel credit card?
To be comprehensive, let’s look at the co-branded credit cards issued by Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and Wyndham Rewards. First let me share how much I value a point in each of these currencies:
- Choice Privileges — 0.6 cents each
- Hilton Honors — 0.5 cents each
- IHG One Rewards — 0.5 cents each
- Marriott Bonvoy — 0.7 cents each
- World of Hyatt — 1.5 cents each
- Wyndham Rewards — 0.7 cents each
To keep things fairly simple, let’s look at the co-branded credit card(s) from each of the hotel groups that offers the highest return on hotel spending (keep in mind the main reason to get hotel credit cards could be for the elite status and free night certificates that they offer).
Choice Privileges
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers 10x points on Choice spending, which I value at a return of 6%. This is excellent, and beats the return on spending offered by all transferable points cards.
Hilton Honors
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (review) offers 14x points on Hilton spending, which I value at a return of 7%. This is excellent, and beats the return on spending offered by all transferable points cards.
The information and associated card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
IHG One Rewards
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (review) offer 10x points on IHG hotel spending, which I value at a return of 5%. This isn’t quite as good as the return on spending offered by some transferable points cards, though others may feel differently based on their valuation of points.
Marriott Bonvoy
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (review), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review), Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card (review), and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review) offer 6x points on Marriott hotel spending, which I value at a return of 4.2%. This isn’t as good as the return on spending offered by some transferable points cards.
That being said, some may wish to still use a Marriott co-branded credit card, since there aren’t many other ways to efficiently earn Bonvoy points. Furthermore, keep in mind that the Bonvoy Bevy Card offers 1,000 bonus points per eligible Marriott stay for cardmembers.
World of Hyatt
The World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review) offer 4x points on Hyatt hotel spending, which I value at a return of 6%. This is excellent, and beats the return on spending offered by all transferable points cards.
Wyndham Rewards
The Wyndham Earner Business Card (review) offers 8x points on Wyndham hotel spending, which I value at a return of 5.6%. This is very good, and beats the return on hotel spending offered by transferable points cards.
Crunching the numbers
Everyone will value points differently, and those with different points valuations may also come up with different conclusions.
Personally, I think the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, American Express® Green Card, and Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, offer the best general return on hotel spending, at 5.1%.
What’s surprising is that co-branded hotel credit cards largely don’t offer a better return for stays at their “own” hotels than these cards do for travel purchases.
Based on my valuation of hotel points:
- You should use the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard for Choice spending
- You should use the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for Hilton spending
- You should use the World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card for Hyatt hotel spending
- You should use the Wyndham Earner Business Card for Wyndham hotel spending
The information and associated card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and American Express Green Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Other considerations with hotel spending
There are other potential considerations when deciding which card to use when staying at a hotel:
- The Citi Prestige Card offers a fourth night free benefit on hotel stays, which can be used up to twice per year, but requires booking through the Citi Travel portal
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card offers 10x points on hotels booked through the Chase Travel Portal, while the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers 10x miles on hotels booked through the Capital One Travel Portal; for some people that could be worth it, though you’re often forgoing points or elite benefits directly with a hotel group when booking this way
- Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts offers extra perks for stays at certain hotels, and requires paying with an Amex Card; you can even earn 5x points on these bookings when prepaying with The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Often there are Amex Offers for discounts on hotel stays, which can make it worthwhile to use an Amex Card
- Often hotel credit cards have spending bonuses that could make them worth using, even if it leads to a slightly lower return on the points you earn:
- The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes it easy to earn elite status, as you receive two qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card, plus a second free night certificate when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
- The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers a Hilton free night reward when you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
Bottom line
In many cases, you’re actually not best off using a co-branded hotel card for your hotel spending, counterintuitive as it might be. Hilton and Hyatt have especially good co-branded hotel credit cards, where it can be worth spending money on their cards at hotels.
Otherwise, you’re generally best off using a transferable points card for your hotel spending.
What’s your go-to card for hotel spending? Do you find it more worthwhile to use the hotel’s co-brand card, or do you use a card earning transferable points?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: American Express® Green Card (Rates & Fees).
Citi Prestige and Citi Strata are offering 10x points at hotels booked through the Citi travel site through December 31st of this year.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey get 5x on all hotels. It's better if you don't have hotel branded CC or when you book non chain hotels.
Knowing which card to use for groceries and dining is not as straightforward as it seems, especially when travelling. It would be fantastic if the credit card company allowed me to look up any vendor and see how they are coded before committing to the transaction. Airports and hotels are easy examples, but many smaller vendors are not coded as they seem.
Grocery vendors are often specialty or food and drink, which are not...
Knowing which card to use for groceries and dining is not as straightforward as it seems, especially when travelling. It would be fantastic if the credit card company allowed me to look up any vendor and see how they are coded before committing to the transaction. Airports and hotels are easy examples, but many smaller vendors are not coded as they seem.
Grocery vendors are often specialty or food and drink, which are not dining or groceries. Same with coffee shops. I realize it isn't in their interest, but any traction from AX, Chase, etc to provide this service to allow us folks with no access to the information to make better decisions?
Citi Pretige, for those who still have it, 3X on hotels, which is roughly the same as Sapphire Reserve.
Got a World of Hyatt card six years ago when a flyer at the hotel caught my attention: 100,000 points and no first year fee for signing up. I had never had a hotel card before nor ever considered one. "100,000 points" means nothing if the points aren't valuable. That is, "50,000 points" gets far fewer free nights at Hilton (1) than at Choice (3-6). A quick search showed me that 100,000 points could get...
Got a World of Hyatt card six years ago when a flyer at the hotel caught my attention: 100,000 points and no first year fee for signing up. I had never had a hotel card before nor ever considered one. "100,000 points" means nothing if the points aren't valuable. That is, "50,000 points" gets far fewer free nights at Hilton (1) than at Choice (3-6). A quick search showed me that 100,000 points could get me $1000+ in free Hyatt stays, so I got the card.
Six years later, I still have the card. Even if I NEVER use the card, it's still worth it: The annual fee is $95 and comes with a free night ALWAYS worth way more than $95 (my most recent bonus stay was a $350/night room).
The bonus night must be used during the anniversary year, and I frustratingly discovered I lost 2-3 nights during the pandemic because I had not read the fine print. I thought it was adding points each year (like Choice does), so I was using points for free nights while the "free anniversary stay" expired. Grrrr. They could have told me that "Your free night is expiring!" with a very easy and very free email, instead of me discovering it accidentally after the missed free stays when I discovered my anniversary came but my point balance didn't change.
The downside is that Hyatt has fewer properties so I don't use it much. It also has no international surcharge, so it is my backup card during overseas travel.
Thoughts on the Best Western "premium" AF c.c? I know FNBO is a pound bank, but I have found it decently rewarding, especially next to Choice and Wyndham.
Podunk*
CSR:
"Reward for hotel spending: 5.1% (3x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)"
Choice Privileges:
"The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers 10x points on Choice spending, which I value at a return of 6%."
According to @Ben, because the rate of return for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is 6% and that for CSR is 5.1% (and all other CCs that earn transferable points), it must be concluded that the...
CSR:
"Reward for hotel spending: 5.1% (3x points, which I value at 1.7 cents each)"
Choice Privileges:
"The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers 10x points on Choice spending, which I value at a return of 6%."
According to @Ben, because the rate of return for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard is 6% and that for CSR is 5.1% (and all other CCs that earn transferable points), it must be concluded that the [Choice Privileges Select Mastercard] return beats the return on spending offered by all transferable points cards.
For that conclusion to be true, one has to assume that
1 Choice Privileges point = 1 Chase UR point
Is that what you are claiming, ey, Ben?
Csr hotel portal 10x has restrictions. I believe the rate has to be prepaid. I forget if that meant prepaid non-refundable or prepaid but cancel later is still possible.
The other thing to note is trip cancelation insurance through the credit card. This just happened to me. Your flight and lodging must be on the same credit card and the flight must be round trip.
Amtrak Preferred Mastercard, 5.2% (2x AGRs on travel) $99AF, to my knowledge no referral links which is likely the reasons for exclusion.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey gets 5x on all hotels
Citi AAdvantage Executive card gets 10x AA miles on hotels booked on AAdvantagehotels.com; in fact if you have AA elite status you can typically get 20-30x AA miles per dollar spent at hotels booked on said website when paying with the Citi AA Exec card.
Wells Fargo? Don't we know better by now?
There is another wrinkle to this—Many hotel cards give you status with the hotel chain. This can really boost your earnings if you don’t otherwise have status. Earnings from the Hilton Aspire card in particular go through the roof because of Diamond status from the card. I am not a fan of Wells Fargo, but I agree that their new Autograph Journey card should be considered.
Yeah, Wells Fargo Autograph Journey generates 5X for hotels. The card only has a few transfer partners but I like Flying Blue and can routinely get 3+ cents per mile with Air France so this is 15% or more in return.
No love for the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card earning 5 points per dollar?
Which credit card should you use at hotels? The one on which you're trying to meet a spending threshold for the signon bonus.
Overseas, always use American Express, because they make it easiest to dispute billing problems. Double-billing is a huge problem overseas and the language barrier with the hotel accounting department could make a resolution on your own impossible.
Doesn’t Venture X offer 10x miles for hotels when you book through their portal?