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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
An ideal hotel card for a brand-agnostic traveler: A review of the Hotels.com credit card
Chris was a reporter at The Points Guy, where he covered the intersection of credit card rewards and travel. At TPG, he wrote a broad array of stories ranging from in-depth features and reports to trending travel news as it related to loyalty, card benefits and consumer behavior.
June 15, 2021 • 8 min read
KLAUS VEDFELT/GETTY IMAGES
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This card is no longer accepting new applications.
Quick summary
A hotel rewards card tied to a major online travel agency offers flexibility for travelers who are not loyal to a specific hotel brand.
The card allows users to earn rewards on everyday purchases, redeemable for hotel stays at over 500,000 properties with no blackout dates.
Perks include travel protections, cellphone insurance, and status benefits with the booking platform, but the rewards program has a unique 'stamp' system and limited redemption options.
There are no category bonuses, and rewards can only be used for hotel stays through the agency, not for cash or other options.
What to consider
You must have an active loyalty account with the booking platform to receive and redeem rewards.
Reward nights earned from spending have a fixed value and do not cover taxes and fees, with users responsible for any cost above the reward value or forfeit if the stay is less.
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of this card's benefits, drawbacks and how it stacks up against other entry-level hotel rewards cards.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Related stories
Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card overview
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card (rates & fees) offers flexibility for travelers who aren't loyal to a specific hotel brand. And with no foreign currency conversion fees and travel protection benefits, this no-annual-fee card has some decent perks going for it. However, the lack of category bonuses and an unorthodox redemption process hamper this otherwise solid offering. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
The information for the Hotels.com Rewards Visa has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Frequent travelers are generally best off booking hotels directly to earn points and status. However, those who are newer to the world of travel rewards -- or those that are free agents and brand-agnostic -- may prefer to use a third-party website.
Hotels.com, part of the Expedia Group, is one of the largest online travel agencies (OTA) that specialize in accommodations, and they also offer a travel rewards credit card.
If you prefer the simplicity of booking hotel stays through an OTA, specifically Hotels.com, the card may be a fit for you. However, know that there are some drawbacks to keep in mind. Let's dive in.
Who is this card for?
The Hotels.com credit card is best for those that already book through the Hotels.com platform and are familiar with its rewards program. However, infrequent travelers -- and those who don't care enough about a specific chain -- may also find this card valuable.
This card allows you to earn Hotel.com rewards on everyday spending while bouncing between brands and even when staying at non-chain properties. Cardholders have over 500,000 properties worldwide they can choose from when booking a trip through Hotels.com. There are no blackout dates, either.
However, you can only redeem for hotel stays through Hotels.com -- there is no option to cash out your rewards any other way.
New cardholders will earn up to three hotel reward nights worth $375 total (max. $125 per night) with qualifying purchases. Earn two reward nights worth $250 total (max $125 per night), when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months. Plus, earn another rewards night worth $125 when you spend $4,000 in total purchases within the first six months.
Here's how the reward nights work.
First, you must have an open and active Hotels.com Rewards membership to receive the reward nights. Also, like all reward nights with Hotels.com, you are responsible for taxes, fees and other charges. Note that this can add up, especially if a hotel charges a resort fee, destination fee, etc.
If you do end up booking a hotel night that costs more than $125, you pay the difference. If it costs less than $125, you lose the difference.
How to earn
(Photo courtesy of Hotels.com)
The major benefit of this card is the ability to earn additional Hotels.com rewards from everyday spending. Unfortunately, there are no category bonuses to speak of -- and no bonuses for booking through Hotels.com. However, Hotels.com does offer a solid, albeit slightly confusing, loyalty program.
Hotels.com rewards function as a "stamp" system whereby 10 "stamps," — essentially 10 paid hotel nights — get you one reward hotel night.
The credit card offers the ability to earn stamps from spending. By spending $500 on the Hotels.com credit card, you earn one "stamp". That means, by spending $5,000 on your credit card, you'll earn enough for one reward hotel night.
You can also choose to mix and match some card spending and some paid hotel stays to earn a reward night. (i.e. $2,500 in card spending and 5 paid nights or any combination).
That's all simple enough, but here's the slightly tricky part. When you book 10 nights through the website or app, and you’ll earn one reward night, with the value of the reward night equivalent to the average cost of your 10 paid nights.
The stamp you earn for spending $500 isn't based on a hotel booking, so Hotels.com values one stamp from card spending at a fixed value: $110. That doesn't seem like much, but if you redeem a reward night you earned solely from purchases, your reward night is equivalent to a 2.2% rewards rate ($110/$5000).
Main benefits and perks
The Hotels.com card includes cellphone coverage. (Photo by criene/Twenty20)
Besides the ability to earn reward nights from card spending, the Hotels.com credit card has some solid perks, especially for a no-annual-fee card.
Cellphone insurance coverage: If you pay your monthly cellphone bill with the card, you get up to $600 protection against damage or theft (with a $25 deductible). This benefit does not cover lost cellphones.
Hotels.com Silver status as long as your card is open: Status with Hotels.com gets you priority customer service when calling in for assistance, early access to deals and promotions and sometimes even perks such as free breakfast or room upgrades (but these benefits aren't often seen)
It may make the most sense to redeem at non-chain hotels, like the Ace Hotel. (Photo by Andrew Kunesh/The Points Guy)
The best part about redeeming a reward night with Hotels.com is the ability to use it for almost any hotel stay on any date. Once you reach 10 nights, you’ll have a reward night which you can apply at checkout.
However, remember that the value of the reward night is the average value of your 10 paid nights. If any of your stamps were earned from credit card spending ($500 = 1 reward night), then the value of that stamp is fixed at $110.
The reward night value will also never cover taxes and fees, so you’ll still be on the hook for those even if your reward night average value is higher than the cost of the night you’re covering. If you want to use your reward night for a hotel that’s more expensive than the value of your reward night, you can use it and pay the difference in cost.
Which cards compete with the Hotels.com credit card?
There are other hotel rewards credit cards from specific brands that compete with the Hotels.com credit card. There are no-annual-fee options from Hilton and Marriott, for instance.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is an entry-level hotel card with no annual fee (see rates & fees). It’s a card that is ideal for beginners and offers an array of perks for those that want to be loyal to the Hilton portfolio of brands. Meanwhile, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is the no-annual-fee card option in Marriott’s lineup and offers a way to start earning points and a jump start to elite status.
In addition, a no-annual-fee card such as the Chase Freedom Flex offers an impressive return across a number of spending categories, and the card becomes even more valuable when you pair it with a Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card that has an annual fee.
Bottom line
While it doesn't make sense for frequent travelers who book directly through a hotel's website, the Hotels.com credit card does fill a niche for a certain demographic. That niche includes people newer to the world of travel rewards or those that are completely brand agnostic towards a specific hotel chain.
Remember that for bookings made with online travel agencies like Hotels.com, in most cases you won’t earn hotel points or elite credit, and the properties don’t have to honor your existing elite status.
However, the 2.2% return you get is solid and all in all, the Hotels.com card is a decent option and worth investigating if it fits your specific needs.
Apply here: Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Hilton card, click here.
