18 Best Hotel Credit Cards of October 2026

Frequently asked questions

• Are hotel credit cards worth it?

  Even if you only stay in hotels a few times a year, it can be worth it to carry a hotel credit card. That’s especially true if you stay with one chain in particular, but not enough to earn elite status on your own.

  Hotel credit cards offer generous sign-up bonuses of hundreds of thousands of points or several free nights that can be worth well over $1,000, depending on how you use them. They also field valuable benefits, such as anniversary free nights, that can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, plus automatic hotel elite status with value-added perks, like early check-in, late checkout, food and beverage credits and the ability to earn even more bonus points on stays.

  What’s more, some hotel credit cards provide even more premium perks — such as on-property statement credits during stays, application fee refunds for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, airport lounge access and comprehensive travel protections like trip delay insurance — that can add up to tremendous savings.

• How do you get hotel points?

  There are a few ways to earn hotel points, and carrying a hotel credit card is among the best.

  First, you can earn hotel points by signing up for a hotel chain’s loyalty program and staying with participating properties. For instance, if you stay at World of Hyatt brands like Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Place, you can earn points on each and every paid stay.

  Carrying a hotel credit card is a great way to supplement that earning since you accrue points not only on stays that you pay for with your card, but also on everyday purchases that you use your card to make. Finding a hotel credit card that earns multiple points per dollar on the purchases you make the most, such as groceries or gas, can boost your earning even further.

  Some hotel rewards programs have online shopping or dining portals, such as Eat Around Town by Marriott Bonvoy. When you sign up and dine out, you can earn several points per dollar on meals at participating restaurants.

• What is the best hotel rewards program?

  The best hotel rewards program will depend on your travel habits and goals. If you tend to stay at the brands that are part of one chain, such as Hilton or IHG, then its loyalty program will probably be the best choice for you to focus on.

  On the other hand, if you are not loyal to a particular brand or two, you’ll want to evaluate your strategy for earning and redeeming points in the best way possible. It’s worth looking at all the brands that participate in each hotel loyalty program, which can run the gamut from no-nonsense, budget-conscious motels to ultra luxurious resorts. Choose a hotel rewards program that has the types of hotels where you tend to stay.

  Aside from your potential travel plans, you should look at which hotel credit cards will offer you the rewards and benefits you’ll be able to maximize most easily and put to use most frequently. After all, you don’t want to get stuck paying the annual fee for a hotel credit card whose perks you don’t use and whose hotels you don’t stay at. On the other hand, if you find a hotel credit card that offers benefits you can derive real value from, that earns bonus points on your major purchase categories each month and that has hotels where you actually want to redeem those points, then you’ve probably pinpointed the best hotel rewards program for you.

• Do hotel points expire?

  Whether or not your hotel points expire depends on the specific program. Best Western Rewards points do not expire, for instance. However, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of no account activity. Wyndham Rewards points expire after just 18 months of no account activity, but they also expire four years after you earn them, whether your account has been active or not.

  Account activity in all these cases means earning or redeeming points, so it’s not just about having to book extra stays to keep your account in good standing. If you redeem points for a stay, that should reset your clock, too.

  Keeping your miles from expiring is also an excellent reason to carry a hotel credit card, since any points you earn with it, including on your day-to-day spending, will register as account activity and reset your points’ lifetime.

  We have a handy guide to expiration policies for airline miles and hotel points that can help you keep track of your points balances and ensure your hard-earned points stay safe.

• Are hotel points transferable?

  Many types of hotel points are transferable, and even transferable in different ways, depending on the terms and conditions of the specific hotel loyalty program.

  For instance, Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to 39 airline loyalty programs. For most, the transfer ratio is 3 Marriott Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile. And, with most partners, when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points, you earn 5,000 bonus airline miles, meaning you end up with 25,000 miles instead of just 20,000. Likewise, World of Hyatt members can convert their hotel points into airline miles with 25 airline loyalty programs, though the value proposition of doing so is not great.

  Many hotel loyalty programs also allow members to transfer points between their accounts. For instance, both Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt members can transfer points to one another for free, though certain terms, conditions and limits apply regarding how many transfers members can make, the minimum and maximum number of points that are transferable and how long both accounts must have been open.

• What hotel credit cards offer “free night” stays/certificates?

  Many premium hotel credit cards offer "free nights" awards. In addition, some cards offer additional free nights if you meet a spending threshold. Some notable cards that offer free nights include:

  • World of Hyatt Credit Card
  • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
  • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
  • IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

• What hotel credit cards offer free breakfast?

  Many hotel credit cards offer complimentary breakfast at your hotel as a perk. Some notable cards that offer this include:

  • American Express Platinum Card®
  • Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
  • The World of Hyatt Credit Card
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Which credit cards offer the most lucrative rewards for hotel stays?

  Choosing a card that offers lucrative rewards will typically depend on whether or not you are loyal to a specific hotel chain. You should also consider whether an annual fee is worth having a given card in addition to the benefits a card has to offer.

  Once you've answered these questions, scope out current welcome bonuses to see which cards will provide you with a solid number of base points you can redeem in the future.

  Some TPG favorite cobranded hotel cards include:

  • World of Hyatt Credit Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Card
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
  • Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
  • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

  These cobranded hotel cards feature elevated earning rates when you book stays with their respective properties. Some cobranded hotel cards also offer credits you can use to offset the cost of on-property dining or amenities like spa services.

  If you're an occasional traveler who only needs to book a hotel room a couple of times a year, you may want to opt for a general travel card like Chase's Sapphire Preferred® Card or Sapphire Reserve®.

• Why do hotels have a credit card "hold"?

  Most hotels will put a hold on your room for potential incidentials such as damages. The hold is not deducted from your account and will be removed if no additional charges are incurred. These hotel holds can last as long as a week but are generally released within 24 hours of checking out depending on the credit issuer.