Best Credit Cards for Hotel Stays in 2026
Co-branded hotel cards, flexible point cards, and the math behind which approach actually saves you the most on your next hotel room.
Two Ways to Pay for Hotels with Points (and Why It Matters)
There are two fundamentally different strategies for using credit card points on hotel stays, and most articles don't bother explaining the distinction. Let me, because it determines which card is right for you.
Strategy 1: Co-branded hotel cards. These are cards issued in partnership with a specific hotel chain — like the Marriott Bonvoy card or the Hilton Honors card. They earn hotel-specific points that can only be used within that chain's properties. Stay at Marriott hotels, earn Marriott points, redeem for Marriott rooms.
Strategy 2: Flexible point cards. These are cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Gold that earn general-purpose points you can transfer to multiple hotel programs — or use through a travel portal to book almost any hotel, anywhere.
Neither approach is universally better. Co-branded cards typically earn hotel points faster and come with perks like free nights, room upgrades, and elite status. Flexible cards offer more freedom — you're not locked into one hotel chain, and you can also use those points for flights.
The right choice depends on a simple question: Do you have a hotel chain you love and stay at regularly, or do you prefer to book whatever hotel looks best in each destination?
Let's look at the best cards for both approaches.
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The Best Hotel Cards at a Glance
| Card | Annual fee | Hotel chain | Free night | Best earning rate | Elite status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless | $95 | Marriott | ✅ 1 per year (up to 35K pts) | 6x at Marriott | Silver Elite |
| Hilton Honors Amex Surpass | $150 | Hilton | ✅ 1 per year (after $15K spend) | 12x at Hilton | Gold |
| World of Hyatt Card | $95 | Hyatt | ✅ 1 per year (up to Cat 4) | 9x at Hyatt | Discoverist |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | Any hotel (via portal or Hyatt transfer) | ❌ | 2x travel + 1.25¢/pt portal | N/A |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 (eff. ~$0) | Any hotel (via portal, 10x) | ❌ | 10x hotels via portal | N/A |
Now let's go deeper on each one.
Co-Branded Hotel Cards: For the Loyal Traveler
World of Hyatt Credit Card — "The Best Value Per Point in the Hotel World"
WanderWise Pick: Best overall hotel card
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | 30,000 Hyatt points (spend $3,000 in 3 months) — plus up to 30,000 more from spending milestones in year one |
| Earning rate | 9x at Hyatt · 2x on dining, fitness, and transit · 1x on everything else |
| Free night | 1 per card anniversary (up to Category 4 hotel) |
| Elite status | Discoverist (confirmed suite upgrades at select properties, late checkout, bonus points) |
| Additional elite path | Earn 2 qualifying nights per $5,000 spent, helping you reach higher status tiers |
| Foreign transaction fees | None |
Why this is our top hotel card:
Hyatt points are, by a considerable margin, the most valuable hotel points in the industry. Each Hyatt point is worth approximately 1.7 to 2.2 cents — compared to roughly 0.6 cents for Hilton points and 0.8 cents for Marriott points. That means a 25,000-point Hyatt stay gives you $425–$550 in hotel value, while 25,000 Hilton points gives you about $150.
The annual free night certificate (for Category 4 properties or below) regularly covers rooms that cost $200 to $350 per night. That single perk more than pays the $95 annual fee, every year, without fail.
Hyatt's hotel portfolio includes some remarkable properties: the Park Hyatt chain (Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, New York), Andaz properties, Thompson Hotels, and the Alila resort collection. These are not anonymous business hotels — many are destination-worthy in themselves.
The honest limitation: Hyatt has fewer properties than Marriott or Hilton. In major cities and popular travel destinations, you'll almost always find a Hyatt. In smaller towns or rural areas, options thin out. If your travel style includes a lot of off-the-beaten-path destinations, Hyatt's smaller footprint could be a constraint.
Who should get this card: Anyone who stays at Hyatt hotels even a few times per year and values getting the most room value per point. Couples who enjoy upscale properties will find Hyatt's portfolio particularly appealing.
See current World of Hyatt Card offer →
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless — "The Biggest Hotel Network in the World"
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (spend $4,000 in 3 months) |
| Earning rate | 6x at Marriott properties · 2x everywhere else |
| Free night | 1 per card anniversary (up to 35,000 points value) |
| Elite status | Automatic Silver Elite (priority late checkout, bonus points on stays) |
| Foreign transaction fees | None |
Why size matters:
Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world, with over 8,800 properties across 139 countries. The portfolio spans 30 brands — from the affordable Courtyard and Fairfield to the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and W Hotels. Wherever you travel, there's almost certainly a Marriott property nearby.
That ubiquity has real value. You can earn and burn points whether you're visiting your grandchildren in suburban Ohio, attending a wedding in Savannah, or spending two weeks on the Amalfi Coast. You're never searching for a partner hotel because there's always one within range.
The sign-up bonus of 85,000 points is generous — enough for three to five free nights at mid-range Marriott properties. The annual free night certificate (up to 35,000 points) covers a night at many Courtyard, Residence Inn, and similar properties, easily worth $150 to $250.
The honest limitation: Marriott points are worth less per point than Hyatt's. A night at a premium Marriott property can cost 50,000 to 85,000 points, while a comparable Hyatt night might cost 25,000 to 30,000. You earn more points through Marriott's higher sign-up bonus and wider earning opportunities, but you also need more for each stay.
Marriott's award chart has also experienced several devaluations in recent years — meaning the same hotel room costs more points than it used to. This is worth noting: your points could buy less tomorrow than they do today. That's not a reason to avoid the card, but it is a reason to use your points rather than hoard them indefinitely.
Who should get this card: Travelers who want maximum flexibility in where they stay. If you travel frequently to varied destinations — both domestic and international — Marriott's sheer number of properties is hard to beat. Also excellent for people who have Marriott loyalty from work travel and want to accelerate their points earning.
See current Marriott Bonvoy Boundless offer →
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass — "The Highest Earning Rate (by the Numbers)"
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 |
| Sign-up bonus | 130,000 Hilton Honors points (spend $3,000 in 3 months) |
| Earning rate | 12x at Hilton properties · 6x on dining, groceries, and gas · 3x on everything else |
| Free night | 1 per year (after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year) |
| Elite status | Automatic Gold (room upgrades when available, late checkout, fifth night free on award stays, bonus points) |
| Foreign transaction fees | None |
Why those big numbers need context:
The Hilton Surpass earns points at dizzying rates — 12x at Hilton, 6x on dining, groceries, and gas, 3x on everything else. The sign-up bonus of 130,000 points is the largest on this list. Those numbers look impressive, and they are — but there's important context.
Hilton points are worth approximately 0.5 to 0.6 cents each. So 130,000 Hilton points is roughly $650–$780 in hotel value. That's solid, but it's not as dramatic as the six-figure number suggests. By comparison, 30,000 Hyatt points (the Hyatt card's base bonus) is worth $510–$660. Different numbers, similar real-world value.
That said, the Hilton Surpass earns so many points so quickly that the math works out favorably over time. The 6x rate on dining, groceries, and gas means you're accumulating Hilton points at an impressive pace even when you're not staying at hotels. A couple spending $1,500 per month across those categories earns 108,000 Hilton points per year — enough for two to three free nights at mid-range Hilton properties.
Hilton Gold status is genuinely valuable: room upgrades when available, late checkout, complimentary breakfast at select properties, and the fifth night free on award stays (meaning a five-night award booking costs only four nights' worth of points — a 20% savings).
The honest limitation: Like Marriott, Hilton has experienced point inflation. A standard room at a popular Hilton property can cost 40,000 to 80,000 points per night. The big earning rates help offset this, but you're on a treadmill that moves faster over time.
Also, this is an American Express card, which means slightly less universal acceptance internationally than Visa or Mastercard.
Who should get this card: Frequent Hilton guests who want to earn points quickly across multiple spending categories. Particularly strong for couples who dine out regularly and want to convert that spending into hotel stays. The Gold status and fifth-night-free perk add meaningful value for longer trips.
See current Hilton Surpass offer →
Flexible Point Cards: For the Independent Traveler
Chase Sapphire Preferred — "Book Any Hotel, Anywhere"
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Earning rate | 3x dining · 2x travel · 1x everything else |
| Hotel booking | Chase Travel portal (1.25¢/point) or transfer to Hyatt (1.7–2.2¢/point), IHG, or Marriott |
| Free night | ❌ No, but $50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel |
| Elite status | ❌ None |
| Foreign transaction fees | None |
Why a non-hotel card makes this hotel list:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn't earn hotel-specific points and doesn't come with a free night or elite status. So why is it on a list of best hotel cards?
Because it lets you book any hotel in the world — not just properties within one chain — using points. Through Chase's travel portal, you can search and book hotels the same way you would on any travel site. Your Chase points are worth 1.25 cents each in the portal, so 50,000 points gets you $625 toward any hotel, whether it's a Marriott, a Hilton, a boutique property in Lisbon, or a family-run inn in Tuscany.
Even more powerfully, you can transfer Chase points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. Those same 50,000 points, transferred to Hyatt, could be worth $850–$1,100 in hotel stays. This is one of the best value propositions in the points world.
The flexibility matters because travel isn't always about chains. Some of the most memorable stays are at independent hotels, small properties, and places that don't belong to any loyalty program. A flexible points card lets you book those without losing any value.
Who should get this card for hotels: Travelers who don't have strong loyalty to a single hotel chain. People who like to choose the best hotel in each destination rather than filtering by brand. Anyone who already has the Sapphire Preferred and wants to know they can use their points for hotel stays, too.
See current Chase Sapphire Preferred offer →
Capital One Venture X — "10x Miles on Every Hotel Booking"
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $395 (effectively ~$0 after $300 credit + anniversary miles) |
| Earning rate | 10x on hotels booked through Capital One Travel · 2x on everything else |
| Hotel booking | Capital One Travel portal (any hotel) |
| Free night | ❌ No |
| Elite status | ❌ None |
| Foreign transaction fees | None |
Why the earning rate is extraordinary:
When you book hotels through Capital One's travel portal, the Venture X earns 10 miles per dollar. At a base value of 1 cent per mile, that's effectively a 10% return on every hotel booking. A $200 per night hotel for five nights ($1,000 total) earns you 10,000 miles — worth $100 toward your next trip.
But the value goes further if you transfer those miles to airline or hotel partners rather than using them as statement credits. Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles, for example, can yield 1.5 to 2.5 cents per mile on well-booked flights. Suddenly, that $1,000 hotel booking earns you miles worth $150 to $250 in flights.
The Capital One Travel portal searches the same hotel inventory as major booking sites, so you're not limited to a small selection. Prices are generally competitive with (and sometimes better than) what you'd find elsewhere.
Combined with the $300 annual travel credit, the Venture X's effective cost is near zero — and the hotel earning rate is the highest on the market for a flexible card.
Who should get this card for hotels: Anyone who books hotels regularly and wants the highest earning rate on those bookings without being locked into one chain. Particularly valuable for people who are already planning to book $3,000 or more in hotels per year through a travel portal.
See current Capital One Venture X offer →
Co-Branded vs Flexible: The Real Math
Let's compare the two strategies using a practical example: a couple booking five hotel nights in Rome.
Scenario: 5 nights in Rome, average $250/night = $1,250 total
Using a co-branded card (Hyatt):
If there's a Hyatt in your preferred area of Rome — and there is; the Hotel Eden is a stunning property — you might book a standard room for 25,000 points per night. That's 125,000 points for five nights.
With the World of Hyatt card, you'd need to have earned or accumulated those points. At 9x earning at Hyatt and 1x everywhere else, it takes significant spending to build 125,000 points. The sign-up bonus (up to 60,000 points in year one) gets you nearly halfway there.
Cash price of those same five nights: approximately $2,000–$3,000 depending on dates. The points-to-value ratio is excellent — roughly 1.6 to 2.4 cents per point.
Using a flexible card (Chase Sapphire Preferred):
Through Chase's portal at 1.25 cents per point, you'd need 100,000 points to cover a $1,250 hotel stay. Those 100,000 points could book any hotel in Rome — not just Hyatt. You could choose a boutique property near the Trevi Fountain, a charming hotel in Trastevere, or yes, the Hyatt.
Alternatively, transfer 100,000 Chase points to Hyatt and book the same room for 125,000 points — wait, you'd come up short. But 100,000 transferred Hyatt points would cover four nights, and you'd pay cash for the fifth. Still excellent value.
Using Capital One Venture X:
Book $1,250 in hotels through Capital One Travel. Earn 12,500 miles (10x). Use those miles (plus other miles you've accumulated) for future travel. The $300 travel credit absorbs part of the cost. Net out-of-pocket: $950.
The verdict
| Approach | Points needed | Flexibility | Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt (co-branded) | 125,000 Hyatt pts | One chain only | Free night, upgrades, late checkout |
| Chase portal (flexible) | 100,000 Chase pts | Any hotel | No hotel-specific perks |
| Venture X portal (flexible) | Pay cash, earn 12,500 miles | Any hotel | Lounge access for flights |
There's no single winner. Co-branded cards give you the richest per-night value and hotel perks. Flexible cards give you the freedom to book anywhere. The best approach depends on whether you have a preferred chain or prefer to roam.
Who Should Get What
You love a specific hotel chain and stay loyal
Get the co-branded card for that chain. The free annual night, elite status perks, and accelerated earning within the chain deliver outstanding value for loyal guests. Our recommendation order:
- World of Hyatt Card — best point value, excellent properties
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless — most properties worldwide, solid sign-up bonus
- Hilton Surpass — fastest earning, best for dining-heavy spenders
You prefer independence and variety
Get a flexible card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred (for Hyatt transfers and portal flexibility) or Capital One Venture X (for 10x hotel earning through the portal and lounge access) gives you the freedom to choose the best hotel in every destination.
You want the best of both worlds
Pair a co-branded card with a flexible card. Carry the World of Hyatt card for stays at Hyatt properties and the Chase Sapphire Preferred for everything else. Chase points transfer to Hyatt, so the two programs feed each other beautifully. This is the combination I'd suggest to anyone who stays at Hyatt even three or four times per year.
The Smart Hotel Booking Checklist
Before booking your next hotel stay, ask yourself these five questions:
-
Is there a hotel in my preferred chain at this destination? If yes, check the award price. If it's reasonable, use your hotel points.
-
Would cash booking through a portal give me better value? Sometimes portal rates are lower than what the hotel charges directly. Compare before committing.
-
Am I earning the maximum points on this booking? Make sure you're using the card with the highest earning rate for the purchase — whether that's a co-branded card at the chain or a flexible card through a portal.
-
Have I checked for free night certificates? If your co-branded card issued an annual free night, use it before it expires.
-
Do I have elite status perks I should be using? Late checkout, room upgrades, and complimentary breakfast are worth real money. Make sure you're registered as an elite member when you book.
The Bottom Line
For hotel stays specifically, the World of Hyatt Card delivers the best per-point value in the industry. The annual free night alone justifies the $95 fee, and Hyatt points consistently stretch further than Marriott or Hilton points.
For hotel flexibility — booking any property, any chain, any boutique — the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture X open the entire hotel world to your points balance.
And for the traveler who wants it all, a World of Hyatt Card paired with the Chase Sapphire Preferred creates a system where everyday spending fuels your next hotel stay, whether at a Park Hyatt in Tokyo or a cliffside boutique in Santorini.
The points are waiting. The hotels are ready. You just need the right card to connect the two.
See current World of Hyatt Card offer →
See current Chase Sapphire Preferred offer →
Related Reading
- Best Hotel Loyalty Programs for Travelers Over 55 →
- How to Book a Hotel With Points: First-Timer's Guide →
- How to Use Marriott Bonvoy Points: Complete Guide →
- How to Use Hilton Honors Points: Complete Guide →
- Greece on Points: Destination Guide →
Last updated: February 2026. Card terms, bonuses, and hotel program details are accurate as of publication. Hotel award prices can change — we recommend checking current rates before booking. Affiliate disclosure: WanderWise earns a commission when you apply through our links. Our recommendations are based on value to you, not value to us.