5 Things to Know About the Sonesta World Mastercard

Sonesta may not be as ubiquitous as other hotel brands, but its footprint has grown in recent years. And while it's becoming easier to find a Sonesta hotel, the company remains a small player in the hospitality industry. In turn, only a small number of travelers will benefit from its co-branded credit card.

The Sonesta World Mastercard, issued by Bank of America®, could be valuable for those who are loyal and frequent guests of Sonesta hotels. The card has a $75 annual fee, but it’s waived in the first year. For everyone else, other hotel credit cards — or general travel cards — can offer more value and flexibility.

Here’s what else you need to know about the Sonesta World Mastercard.

» MORE: Sonesta hotels guide

1. The sign-up bonus isn't as generous as it sounds

New cardholders of the Sonesta World Mastercard will earn the following bonus, phrased this way: "Earn 60,000 points after spending at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of the account opening date, and you’ll get 5,000 more points if you add an authorized user to the credit card, also within the first 90 days of account opening." A potential 65,000 points is a solid welcome bonus.

The card's application, though, touts a bonus "up to 95,000 points." And while you could earn that much in your first year, the remaining 30,000 points aren’t actually tied to signing up for the card. Rather, you get 30,000 points every year on your account anniversary if you meet certain spending requirements (more on that below).

The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card, by comparison, also offers anniversary bonus points if you meet spending thresholds. But the card doesn't add those anniversary points to the sign-up bonus to make it sound larger.

» MORE: Best credit card sign-up bonuses

2. The anniversary bonus comes with a catch, too

You’ll receive 30,000 points on your account anniversary — as long as you spend at least $7,500 in purchases every year with the Sonesta World Mastercard. A spending requirement isn’t the standard among hotel credit cards.

For example, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers a free night’s stay every year you renew the card, regardless of how much you spend.

» MORE: Top hotel credit cards that offer free nights

3. You earn the highest rewards rate for eligible Sonesta purchases

As is the norm on co-branded credit cards, you'll earn the most credit card rewards from purchases made at that brand. The Sonesta World Mastercard earns:

• 3x points per $1 spent on eligible Sonesta purchases.

• 2x points per $1 spent on eligible car rental, airfare and dining purchases including catering and restaurants.

• 1x points per $1 spent on everything else.

» MORE: Best travel credit cards

4. It gives automatic elite status

The Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program has four tiers. Having the Sonesta World Mastercard automatically gives you Gold tier status (the second highest tier). Elite status confers some decent perks including a complimentary daily continental breakfast, room upgrades, and early check-in and late check out.

This is definitely a nice perk, but it's not unique. Other co-branded hotel credit cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and World of Hyatt Credit Card also give you an automatic status bump in their rewards programs.

» MORE: Best hotel credit cards

5. The card travels well

If you're an international traveler who prefers to keep only one or two cards in your wallet, the Sonesta World Mastercard is a solid choice, since it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. These fees usually cost around 3% of each purchase. Not only does this increase the amount of money you'd spend on an international vacation, but it also effectively wipes out any rewards you'd earn on purchases.