Hotel credit cards are a fascinating tool that can enhance your travel experiences by providing access to exclusive benefits, rewards, and privileges. In this article, we will delve into 10 hotel chains that offer their own co-branded credit cards, highlighting the exceptional advantages they bring. Additionally, we will discuss interest rates and the general qualification requirements associated with these credit cards. So, let’s explore the world of hotel credit cards and discover how they can take your travels to new heights!
- Marriott Bonvoy: Unveiling Luxury Rewards Marriott Bonvoy credit cards open the door to a constellation of esteemed brands. With these cards, you can enjoy exclusive benefits, rewards, and access to a diverse range of luxury properties. The interest rates for Marriott Bonvoy credit cards vary based on the specific card and issuer, so it’s essential to review the terms and conditions to understand the rates associated with each card. Qualification generally depends on factors such as credit history, income, and responsible financial behavior.
Marriot Bonvoy offers 4 levels of cards to those who qualify. They offer cards with either the Visa logo issued by Chase or the American Express logo, meaning these cards can be used anywhere. Each card comes with a higher potential bonus points awarded depending on how much you spend during the first months that you have the card. The 4 cards offered within the Marriott Bonvoy program are –
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- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase – You can earn up to 125,000 Bonus Points,
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card from Chase – you can earn up to 100,000 bonus points,
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy America Express Card – potentially earn up to 175,000 bonus points, and the
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, which is the highest tiered card they have and where you can earn up to 200,000 bonus points.
Each point is worth about .008 cents, this would mean that if you find a room that costs $151 a night it would cost you 17,000 points. Therefore you could potentially stay at a hotel for free for 11 nights if you unlocked the top tier of bonus points. However 3 of the 4 cards above come with an annual fee and you will need to spend a certain amount of money within the 6 months of owning the card. For example the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card requires you to make $6,000 in purchases the first 6 months which get you 150,000 points, you can earn an additional 50K points if you spend 6 nights in one of their eligible locations and it comes with a $650 annual fee.
You can earn up to 6X points staying at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 4X points earing at restaurants worldwide (will vary depending on the card that you have) and on flights booked and 2X points on all other purchases.
Some of the other benefits the cards offer are Free Night awards each year after your 1 year anniversary, Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status and 15 elite Night Credits.
2. Hilton Honors: Unlocking VIP Privileges Hilton Honors credit cards provide an opportunity to elevate your stays at Hilton properties worldwide. These cards offer exclusive perks, upgrades, and access to unique experiences. The interest rates associated with Hilton Honors credit cards can vary, so it’s important to review the terms and conditions for each card to understand the specific rates. Qualifying for these cards typically involves meeting creditworthiness criteria, demonstrating stable income, and responsible credit usage.
Being a Hilton Honors member unlocks certain benefits depending on your membership level. With the Hilton Honors Credit Card you get access to member benefits at a tier of Silver through Diamond depending on the card that you are accepted for. Some of the benefits include guaranteed hotel discount rates, no resort fees on reward stays, digital key and checkout, ability to choose the room you stay in, plus point towards free night and available to spend with travel partners.
Hilton Honors offers 3 levels of cards all with the American Express logo:
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- Hilton Honors – No annual fee and an opportunity to earn 70,000 bonus points after yo spend $1,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first 3 months. This card grants you automatic silver status, no foreign transaction fees from American Express, and an opportunity to upgrade to Gold Status if you spend over 20,000 through the end of the calendar year. You’ll also earn 7X Bonus Points and Hilton Hotels, 5X Bonus points and US restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets and 3X bonus points on all other eligible charges.
- Hilton Honors Surpass – $95 annual fee with a chance to earn 130,000 bonus point and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of owning the card. This card grants you automatic Gold Status in the Hilton Honors program. You can be moved to Diamond status with eligible purchases of over 40K for the year, and a free night reward with 15K spending in the year. You also get 10 complimentary lounge visits each year of Priority Pass Select membership once enrolled.
- Hilton Honors Aspire – $450 annual fee with a welcome offer of 150,000 bonus points after $4,000 in eligible purchased on the card within the first 3 months. This card will grant you automatic Diamond Status in the Hilton Honors program. You also will earn a free night reward each year of card membership. You get unlimited acces to Priority Pass Select lounge visits. You may also receive $250 in statement credits each anniversary year and a $250 Airline Fee Credit, making thet $450 annual fee worth it!
Hilton Honors points are worth about .002 cents each which is about 4 times lower than Marriot points.
3. IHG One Rewards Club: A World of Possibilities IHG Rewards Club credit cards grant you access to a wide range of InterContinental Hotels Group properties. With these cards, you can earn valuable rewards, enjoy elite status benefits, and embark on unforgettable adventures. The interest rates for IHG Rewards Club credit cards may vary, so it’s advisable to review the terms and conditions provided by the issuer. Qualification generally depends on factors such as credit history, income, and responsible financial management.
IHG One Rewards have different tiers available. These tiers range from Club Member, Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite. Each tier offers late checkout of 2PM, free internet, ability to earn point for reward night and no blackout dates for Reward Nights. The Club Member tier is the only tier where points expire.
The IHG Rewards credit cards off enhanced benefits and the ability to earn up to 26X points per dollar spent. They offer 2 cards issued by Mastercard:
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- IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card – This card does not come with an annual fee. You can earn 80,000 points after spending $2,000 within the first 3 months of owning the card. You earn up to 17X total points staying at IHG locations, 3X points on dining, utilities, internet, cable, and phone services. You also earn 2X on all other purchases. This card gets you automatic silver Elite status in IHG One Rewards.
- IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card – This card does come with an annual fee, however the annual fee is only $99. You will receive $140,000 bonus point after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after opening the account. You will also earn up to 26X total points staying at an IHG hotel, 5X points on travel, dining and at gas stations and 3X points on everything else. This card get you Platinum Elite Status in the IHG One Rewards club.
Both cards offer the opportunity to move to the next teir (Gold, Diamond Elite) based on spending during the year. You get an anniversary free night with each card and if you redeem 3 nights you get a 4th night free. You can also get a statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus of $100 every 4 years, a $50 United Airlines TravelBank Credit and you save 20% when you buy IHG rewards points.
With 80,000 points you can stay for free for 3 nights in places like Hotel Indigo in Miami, Crowne Plaza in Palo Alto or Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown.
4. World of Hyatt: Unforgettable Moments Await World of Hyatt credit cards offer a gateway to exceptional experiences at Hyatt hotels and resorts. These cards provide complimentary nights, elite status perks, and a range of benefits tailored to enhance your travel. The interest rates associated with World of Hyatt credit cards may vary, so it’s crucial to review the specific terms and conditions.
The World of Hyatt loyalty program offers 4 different tiers for members. Those tiers are Member, Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist.
Each of these tiers come with their own benefits and awards offered. The Member tier is free to join and doesn’t require a stay in their hotel to become a member. You move up in tier based on either nights you stay at a qualifying hotel or base points earned on qualifying purchases or having meetings or events at a hotel. Membership includes points earnings, free nights, member rates, resort fee benefits and MGM Rewards.
You can use your points free night stays, to pay for spas and dining at participating hotels or even turn your points into miles on 25 different participating airlines. A World of Hyatt credit card offers a quick way to earn points that can be used as part of the World of Hyatt Loyalty program. World of Hyatt only offers one credit card and is a platinum VISA card.
The World of Hyatt card comes with an annual fee of $95. They currently have an offer of 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening the credit card. You earn complimentary Discoverist status when opening a credit card with World of Hyatt. You can earn 9X points for every dollar spent on a Hyatt stay or experience which includes their restaurants and spas.
You can earn 2X points on things like local transit and commuting, outside restaurants, cafes and coffee shops and purchasing flights directly from affiliated airlines. For everything else you purchase with the card you’ll earn 1 bonus point per dollar spent. The card gets you 1 free night at a Category 1 – 4 hotel each card anniversary, which is worth the annual fee alone.
5. Wyndham Rewards: Flexibility and Rewards Wyndham Rewards credit cards allow you to explore a diverse portfolio of hotels and earn valuable rewards. These cards offer flexible redemption options and the potential for exciting travel adventures. The interest rates for Wyndham Rewards credit cards can vary, and it’s advisable to review the terms and conditions for specific details.
The Wyndham Rewards program offers 4 tiers for members. They have Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Blue is the automatic tier you are assigned when you sign up. You are then able to move up to a higher tier based on the number of nights you stay in one of their hotels. Gold is acquired after only 5 nights stay, Platinum is aquired after 15 nights and Diamond can be acquired after 40 nights.
All reward tiers offer member savings on booking prices, 10 points earned per dollar spent, Free night using as few as 7500 points , rollover free nights and free Wifi. The rewards increase based on tiers with each tier offering more rewards.
Wyndham rewards offer two different levels of credit card. They have Earner and Earner Plus and the cards are issued with the Visa logo.
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- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card – With the earner card you get a bonus of 45,000 which is enough for up to 6 free nights after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. You will also earn 2 points per $1 spent on eligible dining and grocery store purchases, 5 point per dollar spend on purchases make at Hotels by Wyndahm and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. With this card there is no annual fee and you are automatically given a Gold level in their rewards program. You’ll also receive 7500 bonus points each year you spend 15,000 on qualifying purchases.
- Wyndham Rewards Earner+ Card – The earner+ card is the higher tiered card and comes with an annual fee of $75. If you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months you will also received 75,000 points after qualified purchases. This card had the following perks for members, automatic platinum status, 6X points booking Hotels by Wyndham and gas, 4X points on dining and at grocery stores and 1x points on everything else. Also with this card you’ll receive 7,500 bonus points each year.
6. Choice Privileges: Tailoring Your Travel Experiences Choice Privileges credit cards allow you to curate your ideal travel experiences by earning valuable rewards, bonus points, and enjoying a range of benefits. The interest rates for Choice Privileges credit cards may vary, and it’s advisable to review the terms and conditions for specific details.
Similar to the Wyndham Rewards program Choice privilege offers 4 tiers of membership. The tiers are Member, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. All of the tier include exclusive member rates, Your Extras and them park discounts. The higher level tier are earned based respectively on how many nights you stay at their hotels, 10 for Gold, 20 for Platinum, and 40 to obtain Diamond Status. The 3 upper level tiers also allow you to rollover free nights.
Choice Privileges offers 2 credit cards both issued by MasterCard. They have the Choice Privileges Mastercard and the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard.
Choice Privileges Mastercard – You can earn up to 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 month which can be used for up to 7 reward nights in certain properties. There is no annual fee for this card. You can earn up to 16X points per dollar when staying at their properties, 5X point at other participating properties, 10X points for being a choice privileges member and 10% bonus points as you will automatically receive Gold status in their rewards program. You can earn 3X points at grocery stores and gas stations and cell phone purchases and 1X points on all other purchases.
Choice Privilege Select Mastercard – This card has a $95 annual fee (waived the first year) but comes with many more perks and points accumulations. You can earn 90,000 bonus points when spending $3,000 in purchases the first 3 months which may be enough to redeem for up to 11 reward nights at select hotels. When using this card you earn 22X points at participating hotels, 10X points at their other locations, 10X points for being a choice privileges member and 25% bonus points as you will be given Platinum membership status with this card. On all other purchases you will earn 5X points on grocery store and gas station purchases and 1X points on everything else.
While not an exhaustive list of hotel credit cards and rewards programs these are some of the most popular with hotels located throughout the US and the world. The benefits of hotel credit cards can make owning a few perfect for your travel goals. Hotel credit cards offer a wealth of benefits, rewards, and exclusive experiences that can transform your travel adventures. While interest rates and qualification requirements may vary, exploring the offerings of these 10 hotel chains can guide you toward the perfect credit card that aligns with your travel goals. Remember to review the terms and conditions of each credit card to fully understand the interest rates and eligibility criteria. By leveraging the power of hotel credit cards, you can elevate your travel experiences and unlock a world of extraordinary possibilities.