Best Hotel Rewards Credit Cards in 2023

The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card tops our list of the best hotel rewards credit cards, not just for its generous spend-based welcome bonus but also because of its high reward rates, free anniversary nights and a range of other perks. The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card take the second and third spots, respectively. We’ve also selected top cards from other leading hotel loyalty programs, such as World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy, so you can find a hotel rewards card that suits your specific requirements.

Credit card experts at MoneyGeek have scrutinized all the leading hotel rewards credit cards in the U.S. and compared them across categories such as annual fees, cash back and reward points, the value of your rewards and additional perks. While we’re quick to highlight the benefits, we shed light on each card’s possible drawbacks as well.

The links in the table above will take you to one of our partner's sites, where you can compare and apply for a selected credit card.

• Best Credit Cards With Hotel Rewards
• Best Co-Branded Hotel Credit Cards
• How to Compare Hotel Rewards Credit Cards
• What are Hotel Credit Cards
• How Do Hotel Credit Cards Work?
• Can I Pay for a Hotel With Cash?
• Is It Worth Getting a Hotel Credit Card?

The best credit cards with hotel rewards are not necessarily the ones that are co-branded with popular chains of hotels. For instance, if you do not limit your hotel stays to a single group of hotels, you might benefit by getting a travel credit card that offers a high reward rate for spending across hotels of different brands. In this case, you might benefit by earning rewards on your airline bookings as well.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - Best for frequent travelers who use Capital One Travel
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card lets you earn an early spend bonus of 75,000 miles by spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. From the first account anniversary onward, you receive 10,000 bonus miles each year. You may get up to $300 as an annual statement credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. A $100 credit toward Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fees is there for the taking every four years. Additionally, you get to earn from the following:

• Car rental and hotel bookings made through Capital One Travel come with 10X miles per dollar.
• Booking flights through the same platform earns 5X miles per dollar.
• 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases.

You get access to Capital One Lounges as well as Capital One's partner lounge network. You pay no additional transaction fees when you use this card outside of the U.S. However, it charges a $395 annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card - Ideal for earning rewards on travel, dining and grocery purchases
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lets you earn a welcome bonus by meeting a fairly simple spend-based requirement. It offers** up to $50 in statement credits** for hotel bookings made through Chase Ultimate Rewards each account anniversary year. You get to earn the following:

• Travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards earn 5X points per dollar,
• 2X points per dollar on all other travel purchases
• 3x per dollar spent on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery services), eligible online grocery purchases and select streaming services.
• 1x points per dollar on all other purchases.

When you redeem your points for travel purchases through Ultimate Rewards, you get 25% more value. Transferring your points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs is possible. Added benefits include no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - Ideal for frequent travelers who use Capital One Travel
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers an early spend bonus of 75,000 miles if you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. Consequently,

• You earn 5X miles per dollar on hotel and car rental bookings made through Capital One Travel.
• All other purchases earn 2X miles per dollar.

Transferring your miles to any of over 15 travel partners is possible. Cardholders may enjoy two free visits to Capital One or partner network lounges each year. They get complimentary Hertz Five Star status. Using the Venture Rewards Card outside of the U.S. does not incur foreign transaction fees. Added benefits include Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, extended warranty, travel accident insurance and auto rental collision damage waiver. You also get access to Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment. This card comes with a $95 annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card - Ideal for frequent travelers looking at premium benefits
The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card charges a $550 annual fee, but it offers several benefits to offset that fee. You stand to earn a sizable spend-based welcome bonus. Further, you get up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases each account anniversary year. Moreover,

• Flight tickets purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after the $300 mark) earn 5X points per dollar, and it increases to 10X points per dollar for hotel and car rental purchases.
• Dining purchases made through Ultimate Rewards earn 10X points per dollar.
• Other travel and dining purchases earn 3X points per dollar.
• 1X points per dollar on all other purchases.

Redeeming your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards comes with 50% more value. Transferring your points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs is easy. Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS fee credit, complimentary airport lounge access, access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, purchase protection, return protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, and emergency evacuation and transportation.

Co-branded hotel cards are ones that are linked to particular groups of hotels, with examples being the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Most co-branded hotel cards offer higher reward rates when you spend at properties within the group. They also tend to offer brand-specific perks such as free nights, hotel credits and automatic elite status within the respective hotel loyalty program.

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card - Ideal for IHG Rewards members
The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card comes with a $99 annual fee and a reasonably good spend-based welcome offer.

• Spending at IHG Hotels and Resorts lets you earn up to 26X points per dollar.
• Spending at restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores comes with 5X points.
• All other purchases earn 3X points.

You get complimentary IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite status, which brings with it a free anniversary night each year. When you redeem your points for three reward nights, you get a fourth one for free.

Additional benefits include no foreign transaction fees, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS statement credit, purchase protection, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card - Perfect for business owners who stay at Hilton properties
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card comes with a $95 annual fee. You earn a welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors points if you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. You get

• 12X Hilton Honors points for purchases made directly through properties within the Hilton portfolio
• 6X points on business purchases at U.S. gas stations, through U.S. shipping providers and on wireless telephone services purchased directly through U.S. service providers
• 6X points on select travel purchases at U.S. restaurants and on flight and car rental bookings in the U.S
• 3x points on all other purchases.

Spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year comes with one free weekend night reward. If you spend $60,000 or more in a calendar year, you get a second free weekend night. All cardholders get Hilton Honors Gold membership status. Added benefits include no foreign transaction fees, 10 complimentary Priority Pass visits per year, extended warranty and purchase protection.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card - Ideal for people who stay at Hilton properties
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card charges a $95 annual fee. You can earn 130,000 Hilton Honors points as a welcome bonus if you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months. You earn

• 12X points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels and resorts that are part of the Hilton portfolio, and
• 6X points on dining at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), on groceries at U.S. supermarkets and on gas at U.S. gas stations
• All other purchases earn 3X points.

Cardholders get complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. If you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, you get a free weekend night reward. Added benefits include no foreign transaction fees, 10 complimentary Priority Pass visits per year and car rental loss and damage insurance.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Ideal for people who stay at Marriott properties
You need to pay a $95 annual fee if you get the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, which is offset via various perks. For starters, new cardholders get to earn free night rewards by meeting a spend-based requirement. Further,

• you earn up to 17X points per dollar when you spend at participating Marriott properties.
• Combined spending of up to $6,000 per year toward grocery, gas and dining purchases earns 3X points.
• All other purchases come with 2X points.

Cardholders get a free night award on each account anniversary. You get Silver Elite Status automatically, and you receive 15 Elite Night credits each year. Added benefits include no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Best for frequent travelers who stay at Hilton properties
While the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card charges a steep annual fee of $450, it comes with various features and benefits best suited for frequent travelers. As a welcome offer, it lets you earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points by spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.

• Eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio earn 14X points per dollar.
• You get 7X points per dollar on select travel purchases (Including flights booked with AmexTravel.com or directly with airlines and car rentals booked directly with select car rental companies) as well as on dining at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery).
• All other purchases earn 3X points per dollar.

Each year, you may get up to $250 as Hilton Resort statement credit, up to $250 as airline fee credit and up to $100 as property credit. You get one weekend night reward every year and can qualify for a second if you spend $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. Other benefits include complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, no foreign transaction fees, complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, car rental loss and damage insurance and baggage insurance plan.

World of Hyatt Credit Card - Perfect for people who stay at Hyatt hotels
While the World of Hyatt Credit Card charges a $95 annual fee, it offers various benefits to make up for the same. For starters, new cardholders may earn a substantial number of bonus points by meeting a spend-based requirement.

• Spending at Hyatt hotels comes with up to 9X points per dollar.
• You get 2X points per dollar on airline tickets purchased directly through airlines, local transit/commuting, fitness club/gym memberships and at restaurants.
• All other purchases earn 1X points per dollar.

Cardholders get one free night at any category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort after each account anniversary. You may get a second free night at any category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort by spending $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year. All cardholders get complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status along with five qualifying night credits towards their next tier status each year. Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement.

>>MORE: BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR MARRIOTT LOYALISTS IN 2023

All hotel credit cards serve the basic purpose of giving you access to credit, but their features and benefits vary greatly. As a result, it is important that you pay attention to different aspects before selecting one. Factors that require your attention include:

Hotel credit cards are affiliated with a particular group of hotels, and you stand to earn higher rewards when you spend at any of the properties that are part of the group. Depending on the card you select, you might get other benefits such as free nights and hotel credits. Upgrading cardholders’ hotel reward program membership tiers are also a common feature.

You may benefit by getting a hotel rewards credit card if you’re:

• A frequent business traveler - If your business takes you to specific places, you might consider getting a hotel credit card linked to a hotel chain with properties in the cities or towns you frequent. This gives you the means to capitalize on your business spending, and you may also benefit by using some premium services for free. You might also consider looking at what different business credit cards have to offer.
• A vacationer - If you like taking off to go on vacation every so often, a hotel credit card might be worth your while. You get multiple alternatives to choose from if you like vacationing in luxury. Budget vacationers and road-trippers have options too. If you prefer to keep your vacation expenses low, you might consider looking at what Wyndham Rewards cards, Best Western Rewards cards and the Sonesta World Mastercard have to offer.
• A loyal traveler - If you prefer staying at hotels from a particular group, check if there’s a credit card that complements its loyalty program. This way, you get to maximize your rewards-earning potential. Looking for perks - A hotel credit card might work well for you if you feel you may make use of benefits such as room upgrades, free nights, complimentary breakfast and hotel credits.

A hotel credit card is typically linked to a specific chain of hotels, be it Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Wyndham or Best Western. When you use a co-branded card at any of the group’s properties, you stand to earn more reward points than you would as just a member of the hotel’s loyalty/reward program.

For example, when you use the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card credit card at participating Marriott properties, you earn 10x points as a Marriott Bonvoy member, 6x more points as a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit cardholder, and an additional 1x points because of the Silver Elite Status that comes with your card.

Depending on the card you have, you may redeem your reward points for free nights or as statement credits, use them to purchase merchandise or gift cards, or even transfer them to an airline frequent flyer program.

Most hotel credit cards offer very basic reward earn rates when you spend outside of the group’s properties. However, this is not a constraint with the best travel credit cards that let you earn higher rewards no matter which hotel you stay at, as well as on other categories such as air travel and dining.

Hotel reward credit cards come with advantages and disadvantages, and it’s best to look at both before applying for one.

Using a hotel credit card gives you the ability to earn higher rewards when you stay at any property that is part of the same group. In addition, the best hotel rewards credit cards also come with noteworthy sign-up or welcome bonuses. For instance, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers 150,000 bonus points if you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional 50,000 points if you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first six months.

Annual fees of hotel rewards cards tend to vary based on the perks and features they offer. With some cards, this fee can be upward of $500. Very few hotel credit cards come with no annual fees, and examples of ones that do include the Hilton Honors American Express Card and the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card from Barclays.

If you plan to maintain revolving balances in your account from one billing cycle to the next, the annual percentage rate (APR) requires your attention. This is because it affects how much you pay as interest charges. In such a scenario, you need to consider if the card’s rewards and benefits would outweigh not just its annual fee but also how much you pay as interest.

Yes, you may pay for a hotel stay with cash, provided the hotel you stay at accepts cash payments. Bear in mind that there is no federal law that mandates hotels to accept cash payments. Therefore, hotels are free to establish their own policies. If a hotel has a credit-card-only policy, it would ideally communicate this to its guests in advance. But when in doubt, it’s always best to confirm with the property at which you intend to stay.

While it might be possible to pay for hotel stays with cash, using credit cards can help you earn rewards and get access to a variety of perks. For instance, you may earn reward points that you can redeem for free stays and room upgrades. Some cards offer free nights on each account anniversary. Elite membership status benefits, annual property credits, and various travel benefits might also be there for the taking.

Getting a hotel credit card might be worth your while if you can make the most of its rewards and benefits. If you already favor one brand of hotel over others, selecting a suitable card becomes relatively simple. If this is not the case, determine if you might be okay limiting your options to hotels from a particular group. If so, you may consider getting a hotel credit card. If not, a regular travel card might work better for you.

When there’s an annual fee involved, you need to determine if the rewards you earn and the benefits you stand to enjoy would offset this cost.

People who might benefit by getting a hotel rewards credit card include those who remain loyal to a particular group of hotels as well as those who frequently travel (for business or pleasure). While seekers of luxury have different options to choose from, so do budget travelers and road trippers.

If you don’t have a favored group of hotels already and are trying to determine if Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt or IHG would work best for you, know that making the right selection depends on a few different factors. For instance, while Marriott tops the list when it comes to the number of properties, Hyatt offers better redemption value at high-end hotels. IHG, on the other hand, is better suited for budget-conscious travelers. Hilton Honors offers various co-branded cards, making it ideal for travelers who use credit cards to pay for most of their purchases.

IHG Rewards

IHG Hotels & Resorts has over 6,000 properties across 17 brands. The IHG One Rewards program gives people with co-branded IHG credit cards the ability to earn points four times faster as well as spend-based bonus points. Cardholders may also earn free reward nights. Members don't need to pay attention to blackout dates when redeeming their reward nights and can enjoy free Wi-Fi, late check-out and special member rates. Tier-specific benefits include early check-in, guaranteed room availability, complimentary upgrades and reward night discounts.

Hilton Honors

The Hilton collection comprises 18 brands across different market segments and more than 6,800 properties. People who have co-branded Hilton cards have the ability to earn Hilton Honors points faster and may also benefit by getting free nights. All Hilton Honors members may benefit through guaranteed Hilton Honors discount rates, free Wi-Fi and resort-fee-free reward stays. Tier-specific benefits include bonus points on stays, the fifth night free on stays booked with points, room upgrades, food and beverage credits, milestone bonuses and room guarantees.

World of Hyatt

Hyatt’s portfolio includes more than 1,150 hotels and all-inclusive properties spread across 15 brands. If you have a World of Hyatt credit card, you may look forward to receiving a free night each year and earning reward points faster. World of Hyatt members may save up to 10% through exclusive offers. You don’t have to worry about blackout dates when using your points to book stays. Once you stay at five different Hyatt brands, you get a free night award. Tier-specific benefits include free Wi-Fi, late check-out, room upgrades and Club lounge access.

Marriott Bonvoy

With more than 8,000 properties spread across 30 brands, Marriott has something to offer most travelers. It is the only name in this list that offers co-branded cards through two issuers: Chase and American Express. You earn points faster as a Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholder, and you can also qualify for free night awards. As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you get access to member rates and free in-room Wi-Fi. Tier-specific benefits include late check-out, more points on eligible purchases, room upgrades, welcome gifts, room guarantees and access to dedicated ambassadors.

Our lists of the best credit cards are based on publicly available data from card issuers and other reputable sources like the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. We review each card's fees, interest rates, rewards, benefits and more to assign a rating for each feature. These ratings are stack ranked and weighted for each card category to determine our top selections for each type of user. Because card details change regularly, we revisit our data each month to update our ratings, recommendations and other card information as needed. Learn more about our data collection and ranking process.

Here are answers to some other commonly asked questions about hotel rewards credit cards.

Now that you know how hotel credit cards work and the benefits they have to offer, determine if getting one might work well for you based on rewards, perks and fees. If you wish to earn higher rewards across categories that extend beyond hotels, consider looking at what the best travel rewards cards have to offer.