Best Hotel Credit Cards with Free Nights

Comparing the top credit cards with free hotel nights

Finding the best free hotel credit card will not be easy as there are many different options to consider. Additionally, bonus perks and rewards make the decision all the more difficult, which is why breaking down the highlights of some top cards can help:

A closer look at the best credit cards with free hotel stays

While the above table does an excellent job at calling out the highlight features of many credit cards which offer hotel discounts, it barely scratches the surface of those cards. The following will dive deeper into the specificities of each card and why they should be considered:

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Rewards Rate:

1. Earn 14x Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases at participating hotels
2. Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible purchases on flights booked through partner airlines or amextravel.com
3. Earn 3x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases

Annual fee: $450

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 20.74%-29.74% Variable

Signup bonus: Earn 150,000 points after spending $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months

Our verdict: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a must-add for your wallet if you are a loyal Hilton member. This card has a high annual fee of $450, meaning you’ll need to use this card often to justify it, but the 14x and 7x rewards categories in Hilton and airline purchases, respectively, assist in the matter. For the avid traveler who is in love with Hilton properties, this Aspire card is one of the best hotel credit cards with free nights.

Pros:

• Multiple different rewards earnings categories to utilize

• An annual free night issued as a statement credit

• Complimentary Hilton Diamond status

• Priority Pass Select membership

• $250 airline fee credit

Cons:

• High annual fee of $450

• High starting APR and no introductory APR period

Apply now: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Rewards Rate:

1. 4 bonus points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels
2. 5 base points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
3. 2 bonus points per $1 spent at restaurants, airline tickets, local transit, and fitness club memberships

Annual fee: $95

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49% variable

Signup bonus: Earn 30,000 points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

Our verdict: Those who swear by Hyatt properties should certainly consider the World of Hyatt credit card to be one of the best credit cards with free hotel nights. With ample benefits that go beyond rewards earned from hotel purchases alone, the World of Hyatt credit card is a must-have for anyone’s wallet. Additionally, the DoorDash DashPass subscription and elite night credits are bonus perks that holding this card offers, which makes it all the better.

Pros:

• Up to 9x points total per $1 spent on Hyatt properties

• Bonus 2x points on extra spend categories

• 1 free night awarded every cardmember anniversary

• 5 automatic elite night credits each year

• DoorDash DashPass subscription

Cons:

• There is still an annual fee associated with the card

• The cutoff to get a second night free is $15,000 spent on the card

• No introductory APR period

Apply now: The World of Hyatt Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Rewards Rate:

1. Earn 6 points per dollar for eligible purchases at participating hotels
2. Earn 3 points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
3. Earn 2 points on all other eligible purchases

Annual fee: $650

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 20.99%-29.99% variable

Signup bonus: Earn 95,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months

Our verdict: The Brilliant American Express card offered by Marriott Bonvoy is a great option to consider, but it isn’t the cheapest. With a $650 annual fee, the people who should consider this card are those who have large expenditures at Marriott Bonvoy properties and those who constantly travel, thus taking advantage of the rewards categories offered by this card.

Pros:

• Multiple rewards earning categories that span common expenses

• Priority Pass select membership once enrolled

• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit

• Annual free night award after card renewal

• Complimentary Platinum status

Cons:

• Large annual fee of $650

Apply now: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Rewards Rate:

1. Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when staying at IGH Hotels and Resorts
2. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
3. Earn 3 points per $1 on all other purchases

Annual fee: $99

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable

Signup bonus: Earn 140,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months

Our verdict: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a unique offering by Chase and is certainly one of the best credit cards with free hotel stays. The large sign up bonus is equivalent to up to 4 free nights at certain locations around the world, not to mention additional expenses at those locations will earn 26x points. This means a person can quickly make back the $99 annual fee in terms of value, making this a must-add card to any travellers’ wallet.

Pros:

• Up to 26x points per $1 on IHG stays

• Multiple additional rewards earning categories

• Free anniversary night certificate

• 20% off when buying IHG rewards points

• Automatic Platinum Elite status

Cons:

• There is a $99 annual fee on the card

• The card does not earn transferable points

Apply now: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card

Rewards Rate:

1. Earn 8x points per $1 spent on eligible purchases at Hotels by Wyndham
2. Earn 5x points per $1 spent on eligible marketing or advertising services
3. Earn 1x points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Annual fee: $95

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 15.99%, 19.99%, or 24.99% Variable

Signup bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 90 days and earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 within the first 12 months

Our verdict: The Wyndham Rewards Earner Businesses Card is a low-cost best hotel credit card with free nights that is a solid option to consider. The real selling point of this card is the 50,000-point bonus offer after $3,000 is put on the card within three months, with an additional 25,000 bonus points on the table after $10,000 is put on the card in a year. An added bonus of this card is the low starting APR rate at just 15.99%, which is far lower than other rates on this list.

Pros:

• 8x points on purchases at Wyndham hotel properties

• Additional earnings categories to garner points from

• Receive 15,000 bonus points on your account anniversary each year

• 10% discount on award night redemptions

Cons:

• $95 annual fee

Apply now: Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

Rewards Rate:

1. Earn 3x points per $1 spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
2. Earn 2x points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Annual fee: $95

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 20.99%-27.99% Variable

Signup bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on your first six months and 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at hotels

Our verdict: As the second Marriott Bonvoy card on this list, it’s already clear that this brand offers some of the best credit card for free hotel stays to consider. An added benefit to this card is the fact that a person gets automatic Silver Elite status which comes with hotel-based benefits. On top of this, all of these benefits come at a low price point of $95 per year.

Pros:

• Automatic Silver Elite Status

• 1 free night award each cardmember anniversary

• DoorDash DashPass subscription

• No foreign transaction fees

Cons:

• $95 annual fee

Apply now: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

Rewards Rate:

1. Earn 6x points per $1 spent on eligible purchases made at Hotels by Wyndham
2. Earn 4x per $1 spent on eligible dining and grocery purchases
3. Earn 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Annual fee: $75

Intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 15.74%, 19.99%, or 24.99%

Signup bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points which is enough for 10 free nights at participating properties after $1,000 has been spent on the card in the first 90 days

Our verdict: Finally, the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card is the last free hotel stay card on this list, but it is certainly one of the most affordable. With just a $75 annual fee, this card also provides cardholders with 6x back on eligible purchases made at Wyndham hotels along with 4x points back on eligible dining and grocery purchases.

Pros:

• Earn 6x points on eligible purchases at Wyndham hotels

• Receive 7,500 bonus points on your account anniversary each year

• 10% discount on award night redemptions

Cons:

• $75 annual fee

Apply now: Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card

How hotel credit card free nights are awarded

The way a free night for a hotel is awarded varies depending on the card it was earned through. With that said, the majority of cardholders will issue the free stay as a statement credit or an award/perk within your rewards portal. Alternatively, some card issuers may provide you with a code that requires you to call the hotel and inform them so that you can redeem your rewards.

How to maximize your credit-card-free nights

Staying a single night free in a hotel is a great way to get away from the stresses of daily life, but it is only scratching the surface of how to use the reward effectively. Consider utilizing the points of the existing reward on your travel credit card to redeem multiple “free” nights by using points for the purchase, then add on your truly free day at the end to extend the trip.

Methodology

There were several factors taken into account when determining the best credit cards to use to earn a free hotel stay. The most notable of these factors include:

• Annual Fee: First, whether or not the credit card in question had an annual fee associated with it was taken into account, as this may make the card unaffordable for some people. After all, if there is an annual fee of $500, but the only perk earned on that card is a free hotel stay worth $200, a person would theoretically be out a net of $300.

• Cost of Owning the Card: Second, the introductory APR period (if applicable) along with the regular APR were considered to evaluate the true cost of owning the card. For those who carry balances on their card, this rate will determine what they owe back to the card issuer over time.

• The Sign-Up Bonus Offered: A major bonus for many credit cards and the third point considered was whether or not there was a sign-up bonus offered by the card issuer and how large that bonus was. For perspective, a card with a higher annual fee may be worth the money if the sign-up bonus was worth far more in value than that annual fee.

• Any Additional Earnings Through the Card: Finally, if the card used to get a free night’s stay at a hotel also had additional perks and rewards beyond this it was ranked higher.

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