5 ways my hotel credit cards help me travel in luxury
Editor's Note
Quick summary
Many people newer to points and miles initially gravitate toward airline programs. That isn't a huge surprise — the ability to get to your destination for almost free is a logical first step. But what about once you arrive?
Over the past decade of being in the points and miles world, I have tweaked my credit card strategy to not only fly in style but also stay at luxurious properties.
Here's how my hotel credit cards — which make up almost a third of my portfolio — help me get free nights, suite upgrades and statement credits for dining and travel.
My hotel credit cards
Eight of the 27 credit cards — about one in three — that I currently have open are cobranded hotel cards. They cover four major hotel chains, with five from Chase and three from American Express:
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*
- The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
- IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- IHG One Rewards Select Card*^
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Premier Plus Business Card from Chase*^
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
*The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
^These cards are not open to new applicants.
Between these eight cards, I pay over $1,700 in annual fees, which is a substantial amount. However, as I explain below, I do get a lot of value from them, especially from the free nights and elite status.
We recommend holding between three and 10 credit cards if you are interested in travel rewards. TPG director of content Eric Rosen suggests the average traveler cover their bases with one transferable points card, one cash-back card with different bonus categories for everyday expenses, one airline card and one hotel card if they stay with a chain more than a couple of times a year.
Free nights
One of the top two hotel credit card benefits I value most are the free night awards (also known as free night certificates) that come with several cobranded options.
This benefit often makes the annual fee worth paying year after year. I aim to use these free nights at properties where cash prices are high and on one-night stays at airport hotels.
For example, I used the 35,000-point certificate I got on my Marriott Premier Plus Business Card to book an award stay at an upscale Bavarian mountain town property called Caro & Selig, Tegernsee, Autograph Collection this summer. Rates were 37,000 points a night, so I topped it off with 2,000 points to complete this redemption.
Related: 7 great uses of Marriott 35,000-point free night certificates
Elite status
The other benefit I value most from my hotel credit cards is the complimentary elite status I receive.
In my opinion, the best credit card for this is the Hilton Aspire card, which grants you top-tier Diamond status just for having it.
This spring, I was upgraded to a huge suite with a plunge pool at the highly rated Hilton Yala Resort on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Between safari rides through the adjoining national park, my friend and I enjoyed lazying by our own private pool.
Plus, we effectively got an over 20% return on the cost of our safaris, as we put this charge on our hotel bill and paid with my Aspire card, which offers a stellar earning rate on purchases at Hilton properties.
Discounted stays
Marriott, Hilton and IHG all offer a free night on eligible longer award stays, but it sometimes depends on which card or status you hold.
Marriott is the most generous, offering a fifth night free on award stays of five nights or longer — and it's available to all Marriott Bonvoy members, regardless of status.
Hilton offers the same benefit but only to those with elite status. That said, Hilton Honors Silver status is easy to get, even with a no-annual-fee Hilton card.
IHG offers eligible cardholders a fourth free night on award stays of four nights or longer.
At the start of the year, I took advantage of this perk by booking four nights at the Kimpton Margot Sydney, where I was attending a wedding. Cash prices were high as it was the peak summer travel season in Australia, but I was able to book the first three nights for 35,000 IHG One Rewards points each and got my fourth night free.
Related: Get your fourth or fifth night free on hotel award stays
Statement credits
While not the most exciting hotel credit card benefit, statement credits can help offset the annual fee.
The up to $25 monthly dining credit on the Marriott Brilliant is simple to maximize. You only need to use the card at any restaurant worldwide — including food delivery and takeout — to receive the credit, giving you an effective $300 off the card's high $650 annual fee each calendar year (see rates and fees). Enrollment is required; terms apply.
I use the up to $50 (up to $200 each calendar year) quarterly flight credit on my Hilton Aspire to load up my United TravelBank balance, which I then use to book positioning flights from Austin, where I live, to major United hubs like Houston.
Transferable points
Finally, I convert my flexible points currencies into hotel points — but usually only with one partner. One of the best uses of my Chase Ultimate Rewards points is transferring them to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.
Hyatt points are worth at least double the other major currencies (Marriott, Hilton and IHG), according to TPG's August 2024 valuations, so it's usually only Hyatt I will consider transferring my flexible points to (unless I need to top up my Marriott account with a couple thousand points for a redemption, for example).
I love finding Hyatt Category 1 properties during off-peak dates to stay at hotels for as few as 3,500 points. I did this recently to stay four nights at the highly recommended Hyatt Place Krakow in Poland for a total of only 14,000 Chase points (transferred to Hyatt).
Bottom line
Hotel credit cards are pivotal in my travel rewards strategy, providing me with free and discounted stays, elitelike benefits and the ability to stay at highly rated properties.
I advise starting with a mid-tier hotel card with an annual fee of around $100 and getting a taste of its benefits. Then, you can diversify to other hotel brands and higher-tier hotel cards.
Related: How to choose a hotel credit card
For rates and fees of the Marriott Brilliant, click here.