Best Hotel Credit Cards of September 2024
Updated: Sep 11, 2024
A co-branded hotel credit card — that is, a card that bears the name of a hotel company — often entitles you to great perks and bonus rewards at that company's hotels. Some even offer a free anniversary night. But to redeem your rewards, you're often limited to those same hotels. A general travel credit card, on the other hand, earns flexible rewards that you can use at any hotel — but doesn't give you the perks of a co-branded hotel card.
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
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NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
A co-branded hotel credit card — that is, a card that bears the name of a hotel company — often entitles you to great perks and bonus rewards at that company's hotels. Some even offer a free anniversary night. But to redeem your rewards, you're often limited to those same hotels. A general travel credit card, on the other hand, earns flexible rewards that you can use at any hotel — but doesn't give you the perks of a co-branded hotel card.
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Show summary
NerdWallet's Best Hotel Credit Cards of September 2024
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for Easy redemption
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Best for Hilton
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best for Hyatt
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Best for Hotel card for small business
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for Point transfers to hotel programs
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Best for Holiday Inn/IHG
Choice Privileges® Mastercard®: Best for Choice Hotels points
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: Best for Booking with any hotel
Best Hotel Credit Cards From Our Partners
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Find the right credit card for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Easy redemption
Hilton
Hyatt
Hotel card for small business
Small-business credit cards aren't just for people with storefronts or offices. If you're a freelancer, have a "side hustle" or do gig work, you may a good candidate for a small-business credit card, too. Having a dedicated card for your money-making enterprise helps you keep business and personal finances separate.Point transfers to hotel programs
Holiday Inn/IHG
Choice Hotels points
Booking with any hotel
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST HOTEL CREDIT CARDS
Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: Easy redemption
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks (see rates and fees). Read our review.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card
Our pick for: Booking with any hotel
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card stands out among general-purpose travel cards because it pays its highest rewards rates on travel bookings made directly with airlines and hotels, rather than requiring you to go through the issuer's travel agency, where prices might not be competitive. The points are flexible, you get a good bonus offer, and the card comes with a few other nice perks. Read our review.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Our pick for: Point transfers to hotel programs
For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Our pick for: Marriott
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a worthwhile card whose benefits — especially a free night every year — can easily make up for its annual fee. Not only does Marriott have a wide selection of locations, both economy and upscale, but the card doesn't limit you to using points only for hotel stays. Read our review.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Our pick for: Hilton
If you're loyal to hotels under the Hilton umbrella, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card can more than pay for itself despite relatively low rewards-point values. You’ll be able to hold on to your automatic Hilton Honors™ Gold status as long as you’re a cardholder, making it easier to rack up rewards and earn free stays. Read our review.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Our pick for: Holiday Inn/IHG
If you stay at the brands of InterContinental Hotel Group, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card can be well worth its annual fee for the free anniversary night alone, and you’ll enjoy Platinum Elite status as long as you have the card. Read our review.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Our pick for: Hyatt
Hyatt isn't as big as its competitors, but World of Hyatt Credit Card is worth a look for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road. You can earn a lot of points even on non-Hyatt spending, and those points have a high value compared with rival programs. There's a great sign-up bonus, free nights, automatic elite status and more. Read our review.
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card
Our pick for: Wyndham
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card offers plenty of value for Wyndham loyalists, not to mention rich rewards on dining and grocery store purchases. You'll also get automatic Platinum status, plus anniverary points that could net you a free night every year. Read our review.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Our pick for: Premium hotel card
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with a steep annual fee, but its rich rewards (especially on travel and dining) and generous perks make it near-must for hardcore Hilton loyalists. Enjoy airline and resort credits, airport lounge access, automatic elite status, free weekend night awards and much more. Read our review.
Choice Privileges® Mastercard®
Our pick for: Choice Hotels points
The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® earns a fairly high rate on stays at Choice Hotels, as well as on major everyday spending categories. It's a solid choice if you're a Choice loyalist, but a general-purpose travel card offers more flexibility. Read our review.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Our pick for: Hotel card for small business
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is an outstanding small-business hotel credit card — if you frequent Hilton properties. The card features rich ongoing rewards, automatic elite status with Hilton and an annual statement credit for purchases at Hilton properties. But there's no free night award (a standard perk of hotel cards with annual fees) and AmEx scrapped the card's complimentary Priority Pass perk. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.
• • •
How much is a hotel point worth?
By Sam Kemmis, NerdWallet travel rewards expert
Hotel credit cards earn loyalty program points every time you use the card, but the value of these points depends both on the hotel chain that issued them and how you redeem them.
To better understand what points are worth, NerdWallet researched the cash prices and reward-redemption values for hundreds of hotels rooms. See our valuations page for our findings.
Our valuations are different from many others you may find. That’s because we looked at the average value of a point based on reasonable price searches that anyone can perform, not a maximized value that only travel rewards experts can expect to reach.
Use these values as a baseline for your own redemptions. If you can redeem your points for the values listed on our valuations page, you are doing well. Of course, if you are able to get higher value, that’s even better.
• • •
To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, see this page. All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.
Last updated on September 11, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
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