If you’re on the road more days than you’re home and you tend to stay with the same hospitality hotel chains (also called “families”) when you travel, you may already have a hotel credit card or two in your wallet.
Whether it’s delivering the benefits you deserve is another question.
Many co-branded hotel credit cards — cards whose benefits are limited to specific hospitality families — confer complimentary or heavily discounted elite status. Smaller numbers of premium travel rewards credit cards also do, along with a handful of elite small-business credit cards.
Choosing the Right Elite Status Credit Card
Not all elite status benefits are alike, though. The right card with the right elite status benefits can reduce your annual lodging expenses by a four-figure sum, more than offsetting even the greatest of annual fees.
The wrong card, by contrast, may do little but gather dust in your desk drawer, quietly collecting an annual fee you’ve agreed to pay for no good reason.
The difference between “right” and “wrong” here depends, in part, on the specifics of the benefit itself: the base points multiplier, the room upgrade allowance, and the value of any other perks, such as flexible checkout.
It also depends on your travel habits and patterns: how often you travel, to where, at what price points, and your preferred hospitality families and hotel loyalty programs.
Top Credit Cards for Elite Status at Hotels and Resorts
This list includes the very best hotel credit cards for elite status at major hotel brands and resort chains. Several major hospitality families are represented here. Those that aren’t don’t have co-branded credit cards with sufficiently generous elite night benefits. Despite the omissions, there’s a very good chance you’ll find a card and status benefit to suit your travel patterns and preferences.
Unless otherwise noted, status extends through the end of the calendar year following the year in which it’s earned. For instance, status earned on July 31 of Year 1 extends through December 31 of Year 2.
1. The Platinum Card® From American Express
Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status (Enrollment Required and Terms Apply)
The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the few general-purpose travel rewards credit cards with hotel elite status benefits worth mentioning.
Actually, the Platinum Card has two proper hotel elite status benefits for card members: complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. Enrollment is required to earn this benefit and terms apply.
Hilton Honors Gold status normally requires 20 discrete paid stays in a year, 40 total paid nights in a year, or 75,000 base points earned in a year.
Bonvoy Gold Elite status normally requires 25 eligible nights in a year, including redemption nights. Enrollment is required to earn these benefits.
Hilton Honors Gold status holders enjoy select perks such as:
- An 80% boost to base Hilton Honors point earnings on qualifying paid stays
- Complimentary room upgrades when available, up to Executive room type
- Complimentary breakfast with every stay
- Unlimited Milestone bonuses
Select Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status perks include:
- A 25% boost to base Bonvoy point earnings on qualifying paid stays
- Up to 500 bonus points as a welcome gift with each stay
- Flexible checkout times
- No blackout dates for Bonvoy point redemptions
- Complimentary room upgrades when available (terms vary by property)
The Amex Platinum Card has some additional benefits worth noting:
- Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earning Rewards: Earn 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year). Earn 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel. All other eligible purchases earn an unlimited 1 point per $1 spent.
- Redeeming Rewards: Redeem for a wide variety of items at the American Express Membership Rewards portal. The best redemption values typically accrue on travel booked directly through American Express Travel. Other options include statement credits, gift cards, and general merchandise.
- Introductory APR: None.
- Key Fees: The annual fee is $695. There is no foreign transaction fee. See the rates and fees page.
- Other Perks: Amex Platinum has too many value-added perks to name. Additional hotel benefits include perks valued at $550 on average per stay at properties in the Luxury Hotels and Resorts Collection, a $200 annual airline fee credit with the airline of your choice (enrollment required), complimentary access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide (enrollment required), and up to $200 in Uber credits per year (enrollment required).
See our American Express Platinum Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how you can apply here.
2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is one of the best credit cards on the market, period. Elite status is just one of its many benefits.
Bonvoy Brilliant cardholders enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status each year, which normally requires 50 eligible nights (including redemption nights) per calendar year.
Select perks include:
- A 50% bonus on base point earnings
- Complimentary room upgrades where available, including select suites
- Complimentary hotel lounge access where available
- Super-flexible late checkout (up to 4pm)
Here’s what else you’ll get from the Bonvoy Brilliant card:
- Welcome Offer: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earning Rewards: Earn 6x Bonvoy points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Earn 3x points per $1 spent on restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. Earn 2x points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Redeeming Rewards: The best way to redeem Bonvoy points is for free nights at participating hotels and resorts. Redemption requirements for free award nights begin at 7,500 points for budget-friendly Category 1 properties and rise to 85,000 points at pricey Category 8 properties. As a cardholder, you’ll never have to worry about blackout dates.
- Introductory APR: None.
- Key Fees: The annual fee is $650. There is no foreign transaction fee. See the rates and fees page.
- Other Perks: Additional perks include a $300 statement credit each year for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide (up to $25 in statement credits per month), one free night award per year at participating Bonvoy properties after your renewal month, complimentary airport lounge access at more than 1,200 locations worldwide (enrollment required), and a $100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit at participating properties (minimum two night stay).
See our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how you can apply here.
3. IHG One Rewards Premier Card
Complimentary IHG Rewards Platinum Elite Status
The IHG One Rewards Premier Card comes with complimentary Platinum Elite status in the family’s loyalty program.
Platinum Elite status normally requires 40 qualifying nights or 40,000 base points earned in a calendar year. Select benefits include:
- A 50% boost to base points earned on qualifying stays
- Award nights, points plus cash redemptions, and bonus point packages count toward elite status
- No blackout dates for award nights
- Opportunities to earn bonus points with partner vendors, including Hertz
- Complimentary room upgrades where available
- A $30 spa credit per stay where available
Here’s what else to expect from the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card:
- Sign-Up Bonus: Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earning Rewards: Earn up to 26 IHG Rewards points per $1 spent on purchases at Intercontinental Hotel Group hotels, depending on your loyalty status. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and on eligible travel items. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases everywhere else.
- Redeeming Rewards: The best way to redeem is for award nights at participating IHG properties, starting at 10,000 points for standard rooms at the lowest-tier properties and topping out at 60,000 for standard rooms at the highest-tier properties. Cash-assisted redemptions may require fewer points. You can also transfer points to participating airline partners, usually at a 5-to-1 ratio.
- Introductory APR: None.
- Key Fees: The annual fee is $99. There is no foreign transaction fee.
- Other Perks: Earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $20,000 or more with your card in a calendar year. Enjoy one free award night each year your account remains in good standing. When you book an award stay of 4 consecutive nights or longer, you’ll get a complimentary reward night.
See our IHG One Rewards Premier Card review for more information.
4. Hilton Honors American Express Card
Automatically Qualify for Hilton Honors Silver Status
The Hilton Honors American Express Card automatically qualifies cardholders for Hilton Honors Silver status (terms apply). Benefits include:
- A 15% bonus on all Hilton Honors base points earned on Hilton stays
- A free fifth night on stays of five nights or longer
- Complimentary fitness center access at participating properties
And, when you spend at least $20,000 in a year, you’ll automatically qualify for Hilton Honors Gold status (terms apply), whose benefits include:
- An 80% bonus on all base point earnings
- Complimentary room upgrades where available
The Hilton Honors American Express Card’s rewards program is nothing to sneeze at either. Earn:
- 7 Hilton Honors points per $1 spent on eligible hotel stays within the Hilton portfolio
- 5 points per $1 spent on U.S. supermarket and U.S. gas station purchases
- 3 points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
Redeem your Hilton Honors points for hotel stays and more. Terms apply.
- Welcome Offer. Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/17/24.
- Earning Rewards. This card has a three-tiered rewards program. Earn 7 Hilton Honors points for every $1 spent at Hilton Hotels and 5 points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on everything else. Plus, earn 500 bonus points per stay after using your card to reserve your hotel online and then pay for your room upon arrival. Terms apply.
- Redeeming Rewards. Redeem for award nights at Category 1 properties for as little as 5,000 points, or use Points + Money to earn free room nights faster. If you’d like to redeem for another form of travel, transfer your accrued points to participating airline frequent flyer programs. Terms apply.
- Key Fees. There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee. See the card’s rates and fees page.
See our American Express Hilton Honors Card Review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how you can apply here.
5. Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Automatic Complimentary Gold Status; Upgrade to Diamond Status After $40,000 in Eligible Purchases in a Year
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card confers automatic and complimentary Gold status on all cardholders in good standing. Those who spend at least $40,000 in qualifying purchases in a year receive a complimentary upgrade to Diamond status through the end of the following year.
This card has a great rewards program too:
- All eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio earn 12 Hilton Honors points per $1 spent.
- Select business purchases earn 6 Honors points per $1 spent, including purchases at U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases of shipping, and wireless communications purchases made directly with U.S. providers.
- Select partner travel purchases also earn 6 points per $1 spent, including flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel and car rental purchases made directly with car rental companies.
- U.S. restaurant purchases earn 6 points per $1 spent as well.
- All other eligible purchases earn 3 points per $1 spent.
And this card has an excellent limited-time welcome offer too.
- Welcome Offer: Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first three months of Card Membership.
- Key Fees: The annual fee is $95. There is no foreign transaction fee. Cash advances cost the greater of $5 or 3%. Late and returned payments cost up to $39. For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
- Other Perks: Enjoy one free night reward after you spend $15,000 on your card in a calendar year, then another free night reward when you spend an additional $45,000 on your card in the same calendar year (for a $60,000 total annual spend). Plus, enjoy 10 complimentary airport lounge visits at participating lounges with Priority Pass Select (enrollment required).
See our Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Review for more information. Find out how to apply for this card here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
Final Word
This list includes today’s best hotel and general-purpose travel credit cards for elite status at hotels and resorts worldwide. But frequent travelers know better than most that the travel credit card space is in constant flux. Bonuses, promotions, and card perks come and go and come again.
If you expect to be back in the travel credit card market sooner rather than later, do yourself a favor and check back here before you apply. You might be surprised by what’s changed and what — if anything — remains the same about the best hotel credit cards on the market.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this rates and fees page.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please visit this rates and fees page.
