Hotel Credit Cards Compared — United States

Most hotel cards justify their fee through one annual free-night certificate, not their earn rate. If your card costs $95 and the certificate covers a room that runs around $200 to $300 a night, you're ahead the moment you use it, plus you often get automatic mid-tier elite status. The trap is the certificate's cap: a 35,000-point night won't cover a peak-season resort, and unused certificates expire. Skip a hotel card if you don't stay with that chain at least once a year, or if you chase the cheapest room regardless of brand. Confirm the certificate's point cap, expiration, and status benefits on the issuer's official site.

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