What are hotel credit cards?
Hotel credit cards are specialised credit cards that offer rewards, perks, and benefits specifically tailored for frequent flyers who prefer to stay in hotels. These cards typically earn points or miles that can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, complimentary amenities, and more at participating hotels within a specific hotel chain or brand like Marriott or Hilton.
Example use case of a hotel credit card
Imagine you're a frequent business traveller using a Hilton Honors American Express hotel credit card. Your everyday business expenses — flights, meals, even taxi rides — all land you more points. By the time your annual conference at Hilton rolls around, you've amassed enough points for a free five-night stay in an executive suite!
Credit card reward programs that offer hotel benefits
American Express Membership Rewards
- Travel credit. Certain American Express cards provide travel credits that can be used for hotel bookings.
- Fine hotels & resorts. Platinum Card® Members can book accommodations through the Fine Hotels + Resorts® program, receiving benefits such as room upgrades upon arrival (when available), daily breakfast for two, guaranteed 4 PM late checkout, and a property credit (e.g., for dining or spa services).
- Point transfers.Amex Membership Rewards points can be transferred to partner hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy or to frequent flyer programs for hotel redemptions.
CommBank Awards
- Flight centre and travel booking. Points can be redeemed for hotel bookings at Flight Centre (excluding online bookings) or through the Travel Booking service.
- Point transfers: Transfer points to Velocity or Qantas Frequent Flyer programs for hotel-related rewards.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Hotel bookings. Use Qantas Points to pay for hotel stays booked through Qantas Hotels (offering over 500,000 hotels worldwide), Luxury Escapes, or TripADeal.
- Earning points. Earn Qantas Points with hotel partners, including Qantas Hotels, Luxury Escapes, Airbnb, and TripADeal.
Velocity Frequent Flyer
- Accommodation redemptions. Redeem Velocity Points for stays at over 400,000 properties worldwide.
- Point transfers. Transfer hotel loyalty points from programs like Accor, Hilton, Marriott, and Choice Hotels to Velocity Points.
- Earning Points: Earn Velocity Points when booking directly with partner hotels.
Amplify Rewards
- Amplify Travel. Points can be used to book hotel accommodations worldwide through Amplify Travel.
- Point transfers: Transfer points to Velocity Frequent Flyer or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles to redeem for hotel stays.
- Visa Luxury Hotel Collection. Holders of Visa Platinum and Signature cards can access hotel offers through the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, which may include benefits like best available rate guarantees, room upgrades upon arrival (when available), and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Citi Rewards
- Gift cards and offers: Redeem points for travel or hotel gift cards from brands like Luxury Escapes and access special hotel offers with discounts and other benefits.
- Point transfers: Transfer points to partner loyalty programs, such as Velocity or KrisFlyer, for hotel redemptions.
NAB Rewards
- Hotel bookings and gift cards. Use points to pay for hotel bookings made through Webjet or redeem points for travel or hotel gift cards from brands such as Accor Hotels, Airbnb, or Webjet.
- Point transfers. Convert NAB Rewards Points to Accor Live Limitless (ALL) Points or transfer to partnered frequent flyer programs like Velocity, Cathay Pacific, or KrisFlyer for hotel rewards.
Credit Card Compare expert explains how he uses his hotel card
David Boyd, the co-founder of Credit Card Compare, shares: "My personal travel experiences were completely transformed after getting a hotel credit card. Almost instantly, those mundane business trips turned into delightful mini-vacations and, of course, family trips!"
Are they worth the hassle?
Benefits of hotel credit cards
A hotel credit card can be a valuable addition to your wallet if you frequently stay at hotels affiliated with the card issuer. Here are some compelling reasons to consider getting a hotel credit card:
- Earn hotel points. With a hotel credit card, you can earn points or miles on your everyday purchases, which can then be redeemed for hotel stays, room upgrades, or other travel-related perks. You may be able to transfer points into your preferred hotel chain's rewards program, although not necessarily at a 1 : 1 ratio.
- Exclusive benefits. Credit card with elite hotel status mean you can benefit from complimentary late check-out, free Wi-Fi, and more.
- Bonus offers. Lucrative sign up bonuses are quite widely available, giving you a way to boost your points balance after meeting minimum spending requirements.
- Travel protection. Some come with free travel insurance, rental car coverage, and other travel protections that can provide peace of mind during your trips.
How hotel credit cards work
Hotel credit cards operate similarly to other rewards credit cards but focus on earning and redeeming points for hotel-related expenses. Here's how hotel credit cards typically work:
- Earning points: You earn points or miles on eligible purchases, with accelerated earnings on hotel stays and sometimes on specific bonus categories.
- Redeeming points: Points can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, dining credits, spa services, and other hotel-related expenses within the hotel chain's loyalty program.
- Elite status: Some hotel credit cards offer automatic elite status or shortcuts to achieving higher loyalty tiers, granting access to additional benefits and perks.
How to choose the right hotel credit card
Selecting the best hotel credit card for your needs requires careful consideration of various factors. Here are some key points to keep in mind while choosing a hotel credit card:
- Hotel preferences. Consider your preferred hotel chains and locations to ensure the card's rewards align with your travel habits.
- Annual fees. Compare the annual fee against the card's benefits and rewards to determine if the cost is justified by the value received.
- Perks and benefits. Look for cards with valuable perks such as complimentary nights, elite status, travel credits, free Wi-Fi, and other travel-related benefits.
- Earn rates. Compare the earned rates for points/miles on different types of purchases to maximise your rewards potential.
- Sign up bonuses. Assess the sign up bonus offered by each card, as it can significantly boost your points balance in the short term.
