How do hotel credit cards work?
Hotel credit cards let you earn rewards on your everyday purchases and then redeem them toward future hotel stays, room upgrades and other hotel perks.
There are generally two main types of hotel credit cards: co-branded hotel credit cards and travel credit cards. Both options let you earn and redeem rewards for hotels, but the right type of hotel card for you depends on how often you travel, whether you’re a hotel loyalist and if you can offset an annual fee with rewards and other perks.
Co-branded hotel credit cards: These cards are offered by major card issuers, including Chase and American Express, in partnership with hotel loyalty programs such as Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. With a co-branded credit card, you’ll earn points toward the hotel’s loyalty program. A major benefit is the added brand perks and benefits. Some hotel credit cards offer automatic elite status, credits toward elite status, annual hotel credits and free night awards.
However, you won’t be able to redeem your rewards with other hotel loyalty programs -- which makes these cards less valuable if you’re interested in the best deal anywhere instead of brand loyalty. On the other hand, some co-branded hotel credit cards let you enhance your travel in other ways -- like redeeming points for flights or rental cars.
General travel credit cards: If you’re not loyal to a single hotel brand, or you’re looking for a more flexible card option, general travel cards are another way to earn rewards toward trips. We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* because of their flexible redemption options.
You’ll accrue points or miles on your regular spending, bills and travel. You can then redeem them for hotel stays through the issuer’s travel portal, or you can transfer them directly to a hotel loyalty program.
Many premium travel credit cards offer increased points for hotel stays booked through the issuer’s portal. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 10x points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel℠.
While travel credit cards offer more flexibility, this option focuses on helping you save on your trip altogether -- not just hotels. Some travel credit cards will offer hotel perks or more points to use toward a hotel stay. But you can also redeem rewards towards flights, rental cars and other travel expenses. Some even come with concierge service, travel insurance and lounge access.
Are hotel credit cards worth it?
To decide whether a hotel credit card is right for you there are a few factors to consider.
First, consider how often you book hotels and which loyalty program you use the most. If a good portion of your spending goes toward hotel stays and travel, a hotel credit card may be worth considering.
In general, co-branded hotel credit cards are most valuable for people who stay with a specific hotel brand a few times per year and want some added benefits within the loyalty program -- like early check-in or free award nights.
Occasional travelers should look for cards that offer free night certificates or easy-to-use credits for stays like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card’s quarterly $50 Hilton credit.
For business travelers who might spend several weeks in a hotel each year, co-branded hotel credit cards can be even more helpful to climb the elite status ladder and score extra benefits along the way.
The decision may be different depending on a number of factors, including whether you prefer travel with one brand, you’re interested in earning status or you want more flexible redemption options.
On the other hand, if you’re more flexible in your hotel preferences, a hotel credit card may not be as beneficial. Instead, consider a general travel rewards credit card. This way, you can rack up rewards based on your spending -- ranging from travel to everyday purchases like dining and groceries.
Most flexible travel credit cards let you redeem your rewards for hotel stays through the issuer travel portal, or even transfer your points to specific hotel loyalty programs, among other redemption options.
Alternatives to hotel credit cards
A general travel credit card offers more flexibility since it isn't tied to a single brand. Instead, you can earn rewards across all hotels and then redeem those rewards for travel or transfer them to the card issuer's partners.
If you don't want to open a new credit card to earn hotel points, most hotels have loyalty programs. While a co-branded hotel card may jump start you a few tier levels, you can still work your way through loyalty program levels without a credit card.
Do hotel rewards expire?
When it comes to flexible travel credit cards that earn points you can use for hotels, rewards typically don't have an expiration date as long as your account is open. On the other hand, points you earn in hotel loyalty programs often do expire if you don’t have any qualifying account activity for a specific length of time (which can vary by program).
Here’s a rundown of the expiration policies for many major hotel loyalty programs.
| Loyalty program | Expiration policy |
| Choice Privileges | 18 months with no qualifying activity |
| Hilton Honors | 24 months with no qualifying activity |
| IHG Rewards | 12 months with no qualifying activity |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 24 months with no qualifying activity |
| World of Hyatt | 24 months with no qualifying activity |
| Wyndham Rewards | 18 months with no qualifying activity |
While these expiration policies may seem severe, even very minor activity on your account can reset the clock and keep your points alive. For example, your expiration timeline for hotel points starts over any time you earn any hotel points or you redeem points for a hotel stay or other redemptions. If you have a hotel credit card that you use to earn points on a regular basis, you can continue to keep your hotel points alive in perpetuity.
If you don’t travel often enough to meet these deadlines, you may find better value from a general travel credit card or cash-back credit card that you can use to earn more flexible rewards on your everyday spending without worrying about expiration dates.
How to apply for a hotel credit card
Follow these steps to apply for a hotel credit card.
- Choose a card with your favorite hotel brand that fits your travel budget.
- Follow the appropriate link above to be taken to the credit card issuer’s secure site.
- Fill out your financial and personal information, including your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, income, and monthly rent or mortgage payment
- If approved, use the card responsibly and remember to always pay your bill in full and on time.
FAQs
Hotel credit cards work similarly to a general travel rewards card. The more you spend, the more points you can earn to redeem for hotel stays, status upgrades and more. Most cards have varying rewards rates based on the type of purchase with the highest earnings potential for spending at the hotel property. Depending on the card you choose, you may be limited to a particular hotel loyalty program or the card’s travel booking purchases.
Hotel credit cards are best for travelers who are loyal to a particular hotel brand, book hotel stays at least occasionally and are interested in earning free hotel stays based on spending or can make use of the free night certificates included with many cards.
The best hotel rewards credit cards can upgrade you to higher-level hotel status such as Gold or Elite. That can open doors to more perks such as free upgrades, late checkout, free stays each year and more, depending on the hotel loyalty program.
When deciding what type of rewards credit card is best, think about how often you travel and where you like to stay when traveling. If you need a card that gives you the flexibility to redeem points for hotels or airfare, a travel rewards credit card may be best since a hotel credit card lets you redeem rewards only at the particular hotel brand and its partners.
To earn free stays with a hotel credit card, make everyday purchases with your hotel or travel rewards card to earn points. Then, redeem these points toward hotel stays. In many cases, you can also earn an annual certificate for a free night or bonus points, depending on the card. But discipline is key — be sure you’re not overspending simply to earn points for free hotel stays or the interest charges could offset the free nights.
Elite status is typically reserved for frequent travelers who earn it through a combination of credit card spending and stays. Hotels reward the most loyal customers with perks for elite status, which include later checkout times, free room upgrades, redemption discounts and more. Many hotel rewards credit cards automatically upgrade cardholders to elite status.
Credit card annual fees are typically a trade-off for more valuable rewards and perks. If you stay with a specific hotel brand a few times per year, the automatic elite status, annual hotel credits and free night awards you could earn may offset the cost of the card’s annual fee. Whether a hotel credit card’s annual fee is worth it depends on how much value you can get from the card.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone's financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.
Other cards we researched
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard®
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Choice Privileges®️ Mastercard®️
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature® Card
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card
- The World Of Hyatt Credit Card
- Wyndham Rewards Earner®️ Plus Card
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card from American Express, click here.
*All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and hasn't been reviewed by the issuer.
