I Ran the Numbers on 6 Hotel Credit Cards. Here’s What I’m Actually Keeping.
I thought I understood hotel credit cards. Turns out? I didn’t know the half of it. Then I spent 47 nights across Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG properties with six different cards in my wallet. By the end of that eight-month stretch, I had spreadsheets full of point totals, redemption math, and a much clearer picture of which cards quietly outperform the hype. Honestly, this became the most surprising project I’ve done since starting AgeBound, and it completely shifted how I evaluate the best hotel rewards credit cards compared across real travel.
Most reviews talk about theoretical earnings. Real numbers mattered more to me. So I booked work trips, climbing weekends, and photography getaways using the cards travelers ask me about the most. Every dollar and every point got tracked, plus little surprises like which hotel front desks actually honored elite perks from credit card status. Spoiler: it varies wildly.
Ever wondered how to choose the right travel credit card for hotel rewards without getting lost in marketing promises? This breakdown should help.
What You’ll Take Away From This Experiment
This isn’t another “here’s what the brochure says” credit card roundup. This is what happened after 47 real hotel nights, $12,000 in tracked spend, and a mildly obsessive spreadsheet phase I’m not proud of (but also… kind of proud of).
By the time you finish this, you’ll know:
The Testing Methodology: Which 6 Cards We Used and How We Tracked Real Value
Six cards that tend to dominate travel forums made the cut:
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
- Hilton Honors Surpass
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- IHG One Rewards Premier
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Amex Gold
Three were hotel co-branded cards, two were flexible travel cards, and one sat somewhere in the middle. Rooms got booked under my own accounts, each card was used where appropriate, and I logged:
- Total spend: $12,000 across 47 nights
- Base hotel points earned
- Bonus points from credit cards
- Point value at redemption
- Elite perks used: upgrades, late checkout, breakfast, and welcome points
- Fees avoided or added
Paying attention to how friendly or rigid each program felt also mattered. That sounds subjective, sure. But as someone who’s spent plenty of nights in hotels while traveling across Southeast Asia during my gap year, ease of use matters to me. A perk that requires five steps is rarely a perk.
Points Earning Reality Check: Advertised vs. Actual Points Across $12,000 in Spending
Here’s the part that surprised me: advertised earning rates almost never matched real earning rates.
The top question I get? Which credit card gives the most hotel points per dollar. On paper, Hyatt wins. In practice, Hilton produced the highest raw number of points, but Hyatt gave me better value per point. Marriott sat in the middle, and IHG jumped around depending on promos.
A few takeaways:
- Hilton points pile up fast but often redeem at lower value.
- Hyatt points earn slower but stretch farther.
- Marriott gives huge bonuses only during promos.
- IHG is feast or famine. When it hits, it hits big.
The flexible cards, Chase Sapphire vs. Amex Gold for hotel rewards, landed behind the co-branded cards for hotel bookings. Chase performed better than Amex for hotel stays booked through hotel websites, but Amex pulled ahead for dining, which helped offset weaker hotel earnings.
Free Night Certificate Showdown: Which Cards Delivered the Best Redemption Value
Four free night certificates got used during this test. This was the most satisfying part of the experiment. Genuinely fun.
Here’s how they stacked up in real use:
- Hyatt Hyatt delivered the best redemption value, easily. My weekend climbing trip to Utah saved me $380 on a room that would’ve cost full price otherwise.
- Marriott Marriott was decent, but many properties sat just above the certificate cap. Annoying.
- IHG IHG offered the quickest option to redeem, and using it at a mid-range hotel saved me a solid chunk on what would’ve been a full-price booking.
- Hilton Hilton didn’t have a certificate from this particular card, so it sat out of this round.
For travelers searching for credit card free night certificate comparison advice? Hyatt wins almost every time for flexibility and value.
Elite Status Through Credit Cards: When It Matters and When It’s Marketing Fluff
Elite status sounds glamorous. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s just a fancy label.
What actually mattered:
As for getting elite hotel status through your card: don’t chase status unless you know you’ll use the benefits. A card that gives Silver or Gold-style perks might be enough, and anything beyond that usually requires real loyalty, not just credit card shortcuts.
The Brand Loyalist vs. Point Hacker Decision Tree: Finding Your Card Match
Picking the right card is messy. So a simple framework helps.
Choose a hotel card if:
- You stay with one brand at least six times a year.
- You want breakfast and late checkout without begging for it.
- You value the free night certificate more than flexible points.
Choose a flexible travel card if:
- You hop between Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG.
- You want points that can handle flights one month and hotels the next.
- You travel seasonally, not constantly.
Want the short version of how to choose the right travel credit card for hotel rewards? Think about whether you want simplicity or flexibility. That decision steers everything else.
No Annual Fee Options: When They Make Sense and the Hidden Trade-Offs
A lot of people ask about beginner travel credit card for hotel stays options. And honestly, that makes sense. No one wants to pay fees if they don’t have to. No annual fee cards do have a place, but the trade-offs matter.
No annual fee hotel credit cards ranked by practicality:
Without an annual fee, you rarely get free night certificates or meaningful elite status perks. That’s the trade-off. Even modest travelers often find that a $95 card with a $250 free night is usually a better deal. Do the math. It’s not complicated.
After 47 nights, something clicked that I wish I’d known years ago while backpacking through Thailand and trying to stretch every dollar. The best hotel rewards credit cards compared in real use aren’t always the ones with the flashiest bonuses. They’re the ones that match your actual travel habits.
A quick framework to use:
Travel smarter, earn more, and let the card work for you. Not the other way around.