Best Hotel Credit Cards

Why We Like It: The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card offers an initial bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, worth $600 in travel. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey also gives 1 - 5 points per $1 on purchases, and hotel reservations get the maximum rewards rate.

What We Don’t Like: This card has an annual fee of $95, as well as a high APR.

Who Should Get It: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey is the best credit card for hotel rewards if you don’t want to commit to a particular hotel chain.
 

Why We Like It: Citi Custom Cash® Card offers $200 for spending $1,500 in the first 6 months. In addition, you’ll earn 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category (up to $500 spent per billing cycle) and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Hotel purchases are eligible for the 5% reward rate and you can also get an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026. This is what makes Citi Custom Cash a great card for any hotel chain.

This card brings more than rewards and a $0 annual fee to the table, too. New cardholders will also enjoy a 0% introductory APR.

What We Don’t Like: This card’s regular APR could be pretty high, depending on your overall creditworthiness when you apply. Plus, it has a foreign transaction fee of 3%.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for Citi Custom Cash if you have good credit or better, want to earn travel rewards, but don’t want to pay an annual fee.

Why We Like It: The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is the best Hilton credit card thanks to its big initial bonus offer and high ongoing earning rates. For starters, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points for spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. Those bonus points are worth about $741 Hilton reservations, according to our calculations.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card also rewards users with 12 points per $1 spent with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio, 6 points per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, 4 dollars per $1 spent on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases. In addition, charging at least $15,000 in purchases to the card in a calendar year will get you a free reward night at a Hilton hotel or resort, and charging $40,000 in a calendar year will get you an upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status.

What We Don’t Like: This card has an annual fee of $150, along with a high APR.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you have good credit or better and want to save on Hilton stays.

Why We Like It: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers an initial bonus of 140,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, worth about $938 according to our calculations, and gives a free night after each account anniversary. Cardholders also earn 10 points per $1 spent at IHG hotels, 5 points per $1 at gas stations, restaurants and on travel, as well as 3 points per $1 on all other purchases.

Plus, cardholders get a free night when redeeming points for at least four consecutive nights at IHG properties.

What We Don’t Like: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card charges a $99 annual fee. The card also has a high APR.

Who Should Get It: Apply for this card if you have good credit or better and you’ll be able to stay at IHG properties when you travel.
 

Why We Like It: The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® offers an initial bonus of 60,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, worth about $594 in Choice reservations according to our calculations. You'll also earn 10 points per $1 spent at Choice Hotels, 5 points per $1 spent at gas stations, grocery stores and home improvement stores, 5 points per $1 spent on phone plan services, and 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases. 

In addition, you will get automatic Platinum Elite status in the Choice Privileges loyalty program, and you can earn 25% bonus points every time you book a qualifying stay at a Choice property.

What We Don’t Like: The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® charges a $95 annual fee and it also has a high APR.

Who Should Get It: Apply for this card if you have good credit or better and you’ll be able to stay at Choice properties when you travel.
 

Why We Like It: The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card has a great initial bonus offer: 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 6 months, worth $1,333 according to WalletHub’s calculations. You can also earn 1,000 bonus points every time you book directly with Marriott properties, plus points on every purchase you make, and you’ll enjoy benefits like 25% bonus points on stays thanks to complimentary Gold Elite status.

What We Don’t Like: The card’s $250 annual fee might be too pricey for the average traveler.

Who Should Get It: The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card is the best credit card for big-spenders who frequently stay at Marriott properties. People looking for travel benefits like lounge access and statement credits should also check out the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
 

Why We Like It: The World of Hyatt Credit Card is the best hotel credit card overall because it offers lots of valuable bonus points that can quickly turn into free nights. For starters, you can earn an initial bonus of 30,000 points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. That bonus is worth about $735 in Hyatt reservations. 

This card also gives you a free night after each account anniversary as well as good ongoing rewards. If you get The World of Hyatt Credit Card, you’ll earn 1 - 4 points per $1 spent on purchases: 4 points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels, 2 points per $1 at restaurants, on tickets booked with airlines, transit and gym memberships, 2 points per $1 on all other purchases in the first 6 months (on up to $15,000 spent), 1 point per $1 on all other purchases after that.

The World of Hyatt Card provides plenty of other perks, too. They include an extra free night after spending $15,000 in a year and Discoverist status in the World of Hyatt loyalty program for as long as your account is open. Discoverist status gets you things like premium internet, a daily bottle of water and bonus points on stays.

What We Don’t Like: The annual fee is $95. There’s also a high APR.

Who Should Get It: Apply for this card if you have good credit or better and you’ll be able to stay at Hyatt properties when you travel.

Why We Like It: The Wyndham Credit Card has a $75 annual fee but more than makes up for it with bonus rewards, including an easy-to-earn initial rewards bonus. New cardholders get 90,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days – worth about $828 in Wyndham reservations.

The Wyndham Credit Card offers bonus rewards on an ongoing basis, too. Cardholders earn 6 points per $1 spent on gas and with Wyndham, along with 4 points per $1 spent on dining and grocery store purchases. All other purchases yield 1 point per $1.

Among the Wyndham Credit Card’s other perks are 7,500 bonus points (worth about $69 in Wyndham reservations) after each account anniversary, which further dull the impact of the card’s annual fee. Plus, cardholders automatically earn Platinum status in the Wyndham Rewards program with this card.

What We Don’t Like: The Wyndham Credit Card has a $75 annual fee and a high regular APR.

Who Should Get It: The Wyndham Credit Card is the best hotel credit card for Wyndham Rewards members because frequent travelers would earn more with it than with the no-annual-fee version.

Why We Like It: The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is the best Marriott credit card as well as one of the best hotel rewards credit cards overall because it offers lots of opportunities to earn bonus points and free nights. The bonuses range from 6 points per $1 spent on purchases at eligible Marriott-owned hotels to an initial bonus good for free nights at Marriott Bonvoy properties.

Cardholders also receive a free night after each account anniversary and automatic Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, among other perks.

What We Don’t Like: This card has a $95 annual fee and a high APR.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you have good credit or better and want to save on Marriott stays.

Why We Like It: The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the best hotel credit card with no annual fee because it offers very lucrative rewards, starting with a welcome offer of 30,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. The bonus points are worth around $258 in Marriott reservations, according to our calculations.

In terms of ongoing rewards, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card gives 3 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott hotels, 2 points per $1 at grocery stores and for rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services, 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. That works out to roughly 0.86% to 2.58% back on purchases made with this card according to our research, assuming you redeem for Marriott stays.

As a result, the average person would earn more rewards value with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card than any other hotel credit card with no annual fee, according to WalletHub’s calculations. Cardholders also get automatic Silver Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy that renews each account anniversary year.

What We Don’t Like: The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has a high APR of 20.49% - 27.49% (V).

Who Should Get It: Apply for this card if you want a hotel rewards credit card but don’t want to pay an annual fee.

Why We Like It: The Best Western Premium Credit Card is the best hotel credit card for people who typically stay at Best Western or could easily begin doing so. Like the rest of the best hotel cards, the Best Western Premium Credit Card offers lots of bonus rewards.

New cardholders get up to 80,000 points on qualifying purchases, worth roughly $528 in Best Western reservations. Plus, the card rewards users with 10 points per $1 spent on Best Western stays and purchases, 4 points on gas station and grocery store purchases, as well as 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

In addition, cardholders enjoy automatic Platinum Elite status. Platinum members get bonus points on qualifying nights, no blackout dates, and more.

What We Don’t Like: The Best Western Premium Credit Card has a high APR, so carrying a balance from month to month would be expensive.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you have good credit or better and want to save on Best Western stays.

Why We Like It: The Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® is one of the best rewards credit cards for people with fair credit, offering 1.5% cash back on all purchases (every time you make a payment) as well as an initial bonus of $200. To earn the bonus, new cardholders need to get an Upgrade Rewards Checking Account and make at least 3 debit card purchases within 60 days of opening the credit card account. The Upgrade Visa also has a $0 annual fee.

What We Don’t Like: The card’s APR could be very high for people with fair credit.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you have fair credit or better, you want to earn rewards on all purchases (including hotel reservations), and you plan to pay the bill in full monthly.

Why We Like It: Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card offers 1% cash back on all eligible purchases, up to 1.25% back after 6 months of on-time payments, and 1.5% cash back after 12 consecutive months of paying on time. It also has a $0 annual fee.

What We Don’t Like: This card has a high APR, so it’s best to pay your balance in full each month.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card if you’re new to credit and want to earn rewards on your purchases. The Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card is the best rewards credit card for people with limited credit, and there aren’t any hotel-branded credit cards available to newcomers that would be better.

Why We Like It: The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card is among the best rewards credit cards for people with bad credit, who won’t be able to qualify for any co-branded hotel credit cards with better terms. The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured Card has a $0 annual fee, for one thing. It also gives 3% cash back on purchases in a category of your choice (travel is an option), plus 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, up to a total of $2,500 spent per quarter in the bonus categories. You’ll get 1% on all other purchases.

What We Don’t Like: Cardholders must place a refundable security deposit of at least $200, and the amount they put down becomes the card’s spending limit. Plus, the interest rate is pretty high.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you want to build or rebuild your credit and its rewards match up well with your spending habits.

Why We Like It: The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is the best hotel credit card for business owners. For one thing, it offers an initial rewards bonus of 60,000 bonus points plus Explorist status through 2/28/26 after spending $7,000 in your first 3 months (limited-time offer, ends 6/30/25). Those bonus points are worth up to $1,470 in Hyatt reservations, according to WalletHub’s research.

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card provides plenty of ongoing perks, too. For instance, cardholders earn 4 points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels, 2 points per $1 spent in top three spend categories each quarter, 2 points per $1 on fitness club and gym memberships, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases after that. Users also get up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits per year and achieve World of Hyatt Discoverist status automatically, enjoying benefits such as free WiFi, room upgrades (when available), and late checkout as a result.

Plus, cardholders don’t have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees.

What We Don’t Like: This card comes with a $199 annual fee and a high regular APR.

Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you’re a small business owner with good credit personally who travels often and is able to stay at Hyatt properties.