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Stay on Top of Your Travel Game with the 8 Best Credit Cards for Hotels

For the road warriors out there, myself included, hotel spending captures a significant amount of my yearly business spending. Whether it’s a shack (Fairfield) in rural Pennsylvania or The Thompson Dallas, understanding the best credit cards for hotel purchases has helped to complement the points earned from my non-bonus spending.

A recent development we’ve seen with these best credit cards for hotel purchases is that hotel brands have launched business credit cards. It’s clear hotel brands understand that one excellent way to make their brands sticky is to incentivize spending on a co-branded hotel business credit card. This strategy from hotel brands has certainly made me reconsider which cards to use for my hotel spending. What backdrop, let’s dive into this list!

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Best Credit Cards for Hotel Purchases

Chase Sapphire Reserve

  • Earning Structure: 3x Ultimate Rewards points
  • Annual Fee: $550
  • Details: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

American Express Green Card

  • Earning Structure: 3x Membership Rewards points
  • Annual Fee: $150
  • Details: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Citi Premier Card

  • Earning Structure: 3x ThankYou Rewards points
  • Annual Fee: $95
  • Details: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases with your card within the first 3 months of account opening.

Best Business Credit Cards for Hotel Purchases

Chase Ink Business Preferred

  • Earning Structure: 3x Ultimate Rewards points
  • Annual Fee: $95
  • Details: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.

Best Hotel Credit Cards for Hotel Purchases

Hilton Aspire Card

  • Earning Structure: 14x points on Hilton spending
  • Annual Fee: $450
  • Details: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.

IHG Premier Card

  • Earning Structure: 10x points on IHG hotel spending
  • Annual Fee: $450
  • Details: Earn 140,000 bonus points + 1 Free Night valued at up to 40,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

  • Earning Structure: 6x points on Marriott hotel spending
  • Annual Fee: $450
  • Details: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

Hyatt Credit Card

  • Earning Structure: 4x points on Hyatt hotel spending
  • Annual Fee: $95
  • Details: Earn 60,000 Bonus Points- 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Best Business Hotel Credit Cards for Hotel Purchases

IHG Business Credit Card

  • Earning Structure: 10x points on IHG hotel spending
  • Annual Fee: $95
  • Details: Earn 140,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business

  • Earning Structure: 6x points on Marriott hotel spending
  • Annual Fee: $125
  • Details: Earn 75,000 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer expires 8/31/22.

Hyatt Business Credit Card

  • Earning Structure: 4x points on Hyatt hotel spending
  • Annual Fee: $199
  • Details: 60,000 Bonus Points Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Common Best Credit Cards for Hotel Purchases Questions

Why should you use a credit card at a hotel?

Hotel customers can pay for additional charges such as hotel meals, snack bar purchases, and on-property services that aren’t covered by their room payments per this article.

Does a credit card have to match a hotel reservation?

The credit card used to book the room does not have to be the same credit card put on hold for incidentals per this article.

What credit score is needed for a hotel credit card?

700 or better per this article.

How many credit cards are too many?

Credit bureaus suggest that five or more accounts — which can be a mix of cards and loans — is a reasonable number to build toward overtime per this article.

Conclusion on Best Credit Cards for Hotel Purchases

The best credit cards for hotel purchases include Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Green Card, Citi Premier Card, Chase Ink Business Preferred, Hilton Aspire Card, IHG Premier Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, Hyatt Credit Card, IHG Business Credit Card, Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business, and Hyatt Business Credit Card.

What credit cards do you use at hotels? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.

Disclaimer: If you click and/or sign up for a credit card through certain links on this site or any of my related social media platforms, I may make a commission from that click-through.  The editorial content on this page and the user comments are not provided by any of the companies mentioned and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The opinions expressed here are mine alone.