The 5 best hotel credit cards: Earn rewards while you travel

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card comes strong right out of the gate with 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 within your first three months of having the card. There is also an anniversary bonus that gives you 10,000 bonus miles, or $100 toward travel, every year. Capital One Travel is available to you, as well, giving you up to $300 back in statement credits each year when you use the service to book your travel. 

To simplify your travel, there are additional perks, like up to $100 toward Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® Credit, plus 10x the miles on your hotel and rental car and 5x the miles on flights when you book through Capital One Travel. All other purchases earn you 2x the miles for extra earnings. However, watch out for that annual fee that will cost you almost $400 per year.

Pros:

• Excellent rewards
• Generous intro offer
• Anniversary bonus

Cons

• Excellent credit required
• High annual fee
• No introductory APR

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a low starting APR compared to other hotel credit cards. When you sign up, you automatically receive 60,000 bonus points after you spend your first $4,000 within the first three months of having the card. It is the equivalent of $750 worth of travel when you use Chase Ultimate Rewards to book your travel. 

There are other travel benefits, too, such as 5x the points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 2x the points on your other travel purchases. Plus, there is a $50 annual hotel credit that rewards you with a free night each year. For your dining needs, you earn 3x the points on restaurants, whether it is dine-in, takeout, or delivery. Chase will help you with your grocery purchases if you prefer to eat at home, giving you 3x the points on online grocery orders, excluding wholesale clubs and other specific retailers. After dinner, settle in with a movie because you also will earn 3x the points on certain streaming services. All other purchases will give you 1 point per dollar.

Pros:

• Rental car coverage
• Introductory points
• Bonus cashback

Cons:

• Annual fee applies
• Must have good credit
• No intro APR

There are so many rewards with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card that we almost had to present them in a list. When you stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, you earn up to 17x the points per $1 on every purchase. This includes 6x the points for every dollar spent using the Marriott Bonvoy program. It also includes up to 10x the points from Marriott in exchange for your Marriott Bonvoy membership. The final point comes from Silver Elite status, which comes with the Bonvoy program. 

There are other ways to earn, too. When you spend a minimum of $6,000, you will get 3x the points on your first $6,000 spent on groceries, gas, and dining. This is in addition to 2x the points for every dollar you spend on your card. As a new cardmember, you will earn 100,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 within the first three months of having the card. There is an annual fee, but it's only about $100, which is largely affordable compared to other credit cards.

Pros:

• Introductory offer
• Generous point system
• Immediate Elite status

Cons:

• Must book with Marriott
• Annual fee
• Restrictions apply

The Platinum Card from American Express helps provide the well-rounded benefits you need for your upcoming travel. When you spend $6,000 on your card within the first six months, you will receive 80,000 points. To help you save on extra fees, there is a $200 annual airline fee credit to cover incidental travel fees, plus a $189 credit for CLEAR® security benefits. Each year, you can receive up to a $200 hotel credit in statement credits for certain prepaid hotel stays (minimum two-night stay required) when you book through American Express Travel. There is up to $200 in Uber Cash for rides or eats, your choice, plus $300 back on your Equinox membership. 

To keep you entertained during your travels, there is a digital entertainment credit that is worth $240 and covers many of your favorite services, like Audible, Disney+, Hulu, and SiriusXM. If you are a Walmart+ customer, you can receive up to $155 back for your monthly membership fees. You can also shop at Saks with up to $100 in statement credits each year. You also receive access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection with additional privileges for the Priority Pass™ Select lounge when you sign up in advance. As far as points, you receive 5x the points on flights, up to $500,000, plus 5x the points for hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. All other purchases earn 1x the points on your other purchases. However, the annual fee is expensive in typical Amex fashion, costing almost $700. 

Pros:

• Introductory bonus points
• Generous rewards
• Savings for popular merchants

Cons:

• Very high fee
• Limited categories
• Must have good credit