Best hotel credit cards of August 2024: Free nights and more
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Bankrate's Best Hotel Credit Cards for 2024
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best no-annual-fee hotel card
- The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Best for business travel
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Best for Marriott fans
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Best for everyday spending
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Best Marriott business card
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Best for flexibility
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for luxury business travel
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for luxury benefits
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Showing 8 results
Intro offer
Earn 80,000 points
Rewards rate
3X - 7X
Annual fee
$0
APR
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Why you'll like this: It offers terrific short- and long-term value for Hilton guests with its welcome offer and everyday bonus categories.
Best for business travel
Intro offer
Earn 130,000 Bonus Points
Rewards Rate
3X - 12X
Annual fee
$195
Regular APR
20.99% - 29.99% Variable
Why you'll like this: The stellar hotel credits, automatic Gold Status and travel rewards potential set this card apart if you typically book with Hilton for business trips.
Best for Marriott fans
Intro offer
Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points
Rewards rate
2X - 6X
Annual fee
$650
APR
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Why you'll like this: It packs some of the best Marriott perks available, offering exceptional value with its award nights, annual credits and elite status.
Best for everyday spending
Intro offer
Earn 130,000 points
Rewards rate
3X - 12X
Annual fee
$150
APR
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Why you'll like this: Complimentary Gold Status enhances the already great rewards rates to make this card a lucrative option for groceries, gas and online shopping.
Best Marriott business card
Intro offer
Three Bonus Free Night Awards
Rewards Rate
2x - 6x
Annual fee
$125
Regular APR
20.99% - 29.99% Variable
Why you'll like this: You can maximize your rewards on business trips with complimentary Gold Elite status, an annual Free Award Night and other Marriott perks.
Intro offer
20,000 miles
Rewards rate
1.25 Miles - 5 Miles
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Why you'll like this: You’ll earn rewards at a generous flat rate and can redeem for hotel stays, flights and other travel — even past travel purchases.
Best for luxury business travel
Intro offer
Earn 150,000 points
Rewards rate
1X - 5X
Annual fee
$695
Regular APR
19.49% - 28.49% Variable
Why you'll like this: It carries top-tier airport lounge access, Hilton and Marriott gold-level loyalty status and a bevy of travel and business expense credits.
Intro offer
Earn 80,000 points
Rewards rate
5X - 5X
Annual fee
$695
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Why you'll like this: It earns rewards with any hotel brand in its travel portal and packs more than $1,500 worth of benefits and credits, plus valuable Marriott and Hilton loyalty status.
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Compare Bankrate's top 2024 hotel credit cards
Card name | Best for | Rewards highlights | Bankrate score |
---|---|---|---|
No annual fee |
7X points on eligible Hilton purchases 5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations 3X points on all other purchases |
4.3 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Business travel |
12X points on eligible Hilton purchases 5X points on made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year 3X points on all other eligible purchases |
4.1 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Marriott fans |
6X points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines 2X points on all other purchases |
4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Everyday spending |
12X points on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and resorts 6X points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations 4X points on U.S. online retail purchases 3X points on other eligible purchases. |
4.5 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Marriott business card |
6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels 4X points on restaurants, U.S. gas stations and wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping 2X points on all other purchases |
4.3 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Flexibility |
5X miles on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel 1.25X miles on all purchases |
4.1 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on Capital One's secure site
|
|
Luxury business travel |
5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com 1.5X points on eligible purchases in key business categories and on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year) 1X points on all other purchases |
4.8 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Luxury benefits |
5X points on up to $500,000 of directly booked flights with airlines per calendar year and 5X on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com |
4.8 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
The information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
What is a hotel credit card?
A hotel credit card is a travel card that typically rewards its users for their loyalty to a specific hotel brand. You earn points in a hotel chain’s loyalty program by using the card to book rooms at the chain’s hotels or resorts and, in some cases, by making eligible non-travel purchases. Other incentives may include free nights, upgrades and access to the hotel chain’s travel partners.
You’ll often find two types of hotel credit cards. One is a co-branded hotel card that works through a partnership between an issuer and a hotel brand. These cards usually include enrollment in the hotel's loyalty program. Another type of hotel credit card is a general travel rewards card that offers hotel-related perks and benefits without being exclusively associated with a single hotel chain.
Pros and cons of hotel credit cards
Whether or not a hotel card is the right choice for you depends on your travel habits, budget and financial priorities. Make sure to weigh the pros and cons before choosing a particular card.
Pros
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Exclusive sign-up bonuses: Hotel cards regularly offer lucrative welcome offers or sign-up bonuses for new cardholders who meet the spending requirements within a specified period.
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Earn extra points: A co-branded hotel card will likely offer a higher-than-average rewards rate compared with a general travel card. You could earn up to 10 points per dollar spent on eligible hotel purchases and even more in some cases.
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Special perks and status: Late check-in, complimentary breakfast and room upgrades are fairly standard across co-branded hotel credit cards. Many hotel cards also offer expedited pathways to elite status with even more perks.
Cons
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Complicated redemption process: To get the most value from your card, you might have to navigate complicated rewards programs and redemption processes. The value can also decline significantly when you transfer points to travel partners or redeem for merchandise.
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Low-value points: Although rewards rates are high with some co-branded hotel cards, the points’ redemption values are generally not worth as much as those earned with non-branded travel cards.
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Higher annual fees: Whether you opt for a co-branded hotel card or a general travel rewards card, you’ll most likely have to pay an annual fee of $95 or more if you want noteworthy perks at hotels.
Tips for choosing the best hotel credit card for you
The right hotel card for you will vary based on your travel habits and preferences. Here are a few first steps to help you in your search.
What people say about hotel credit cards
With so many hotel rewards programs, it can be hard to tell which one is as great as it says it is. We explored what people had to say about their experience with hotel credit cards
Expert tips & tricks for hotel credit cards
Hotel credit cards can be worthwhile, but once you have one, it’s best to know how to manage it effectively. We’ve laid out some of our top tips for hotel credit cards so you can get the most out of yours.
Bankrate Insight
Here’s how a Bankrate expert uses his hotel credit card
Bankrate credit cards writer Ryan Flanigan appreciates the everyday value he can get from the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass.
This card has great practical use for my everyday needs. I go to this card early and often in the year to earn the free night as quickly as possible. If I spend just in the 6X bonus categories, that’s 90,000 points in my pocket. That’s great value for the annual fee. The quarterly Hilton credits also give me a boost while staying on property. This card can almost always be found in my wallet.
— Ryan Flanigan, Writer, Credit Cards
Learn more about hotel cards and loyalty programs
When it comes to hotel credit cards and travel tips, Bankrate's Travel Toolkit and a huge collection of resources are at your service:
- Best Western Rewards Guide
- Hilton Honors Guide
- IHG Rewards Club Guide
- Marriott Bonvoy Guide
- Wyndham Rewards Guide
Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
How we assess the best hotel credit cards
When evaluating the best hotel rewards cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points.
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best hotel cards.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key factors in our rewards card scoring methodology and details we considered when putting together our list.
Hotel cards fall into our “Rewards card” sooring category. Our rating methodology for these cards focuses heavily on rewards value — what kind of return we’d expect based on the average person’s spending and a card’s added bonuses and annual fee.
Here’s how overall scoring breaks down for rewards and cash back cards.
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Value 65.00%
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Flexibility 15.00%
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Perks 15.00%
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Customer experience 5.00%