What To Look For In Your Credit Card with Hotel Rewards
Frequent travelers tend to spend a lot of time at hotels so it makes perfect sense to have a hotel rewards card or at least an airline miles credit card which also offers hotel rewards. It is quite easy for business travellers to rack up more miles than they would ever use just by booking free tickets. What's more some programs do not allow for transfer of miles and even worse there are programs where the miles expire. A good way for these travelers to get the most of the miles they earn is to cash in rewards on other aspects of their travels such as car rentals, dining and of course for accommodation at premier hotels.
When it comes to hotel reward cards many of them are tied to loyalty programs as they are for airline miles cards. For this reason it is also a good idea to first look to your hotel of preference to see what loyalty programs they have in place so that you can get the best of both worlds. If you plan to stay at these hotels why not get rewarded for your stays and earn credits that you can use later on? Aside from that sticking to one particular chain will push you up to elite status faster than trying to join too many programs at once.
If you are not particularly loyal to one chain you can go the route of a non-affiliate program that gives you the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards at any hotel of your choice. More often than not these programs would already have some option for accumulating airline miles and so you can have your airline and hotel rewards built into the same program.
If you are just starting out you can research your options. Start by detailing the cities you frequent. Do your trips only involve domestic destinations or do you also fly internationally? What hotels are best for you on your domestic stays? Do they also have international locations which will allow you to earn and redeem rewards even when you are out of the country? Does the hotel have an in-house loyalty program? Do they provide the opportunity to earn rewards in other ways? For instance can you accumulate points by making everyday purchases?
Check the reviews. What are members of the program saying? Is the rewards hassle free? Some programs offer great rewards that look good on paper but when trying to redeem they force members to jump through so many hoops that in the end they are not worth the paper they are printed on. There are a few programs that consistently get high ratings and those are the ones that you should be on the lookout for.
If you decide that hotel rewards are the way to go you need to do everything possible to maximize your rewards. You can maximize your rewards by choosing one program and sticking to it no matter how great the offer of another program looks. Spreading yourself too thin can not only spread out your rewards in a way that is not feasible but also put you in unwanted debt. Other ways you can maximize your hotel rewards are by making use of mobile technology such as iPhones and Blackberries to make reservations, taking note of blackout dates (yes even hotels have them), choosing a program that allows you to accumulate and redeem rewards in a currency that works for you (miles points, cash back etc) and by using your rewards when you need them most.
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| Intro APR: N/A | Intro Period: N/A | Regular APR: 15.24-19.24% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $0.00 1st year, then $65.00 |
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 | - Starpoints® Bonus: 10K with your first purchase and another 15K when you spend $5k within 6 months - enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel
- Free nights, free flights: Redeem Starpoints with over 350 airlines through SPG Flights and more than 1,000 hotels and resorts worldwide. No blackout dates
- 2011 SmarterTravel® Award for "Best Travel Rewards Card"
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
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| Intro APR: N/A | Intro Period: N/A | Regular APR: 15.24-19.24% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $0.00 1st year, then $65.00 |
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| - Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints®: Receive 10K after your first purchase, and another 15K when you spend $5,000 in 6 months-enough for up to 6 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel
- Redeem Starpoints at over 1,000 hotels and resorts in nearly 100 countries, and for flights on more than 350 airlines through SPG Flights. No blackout dates.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
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| Intro APR: N/A | Intro Period: N/A | Regular APR: 15.24% (Fixed) | Annual Fee: $85.00 |
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| - Earn 50,000 Bonus Points after your first use
- Receive 1 free night stay upon account approval and each year upon account anniversary
- Earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Marriott® locations
- Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on qualifying airline, dining, and rental car purchases
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cardmembers achieve Silver elite status with 15 nights credit toward Elite status
- Redeem Marriott Rewards® points at Marriott properties including Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Fairfield Inn & Suites
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| Intro APR: N/A | Intro Period: N/A | Regular APR: N/A | Annual Fee: $450.00 |
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| - 25,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend $2,000 during your first three months of Card membership
- Global Travel Benefits: Access over 600 lounges worldwide with Priority Pass™ Select, no foreign transaction fees, skip U.S. customs lines with Global Entry.
- Up to $200 in Airline Fee Credits annually to cover incidental charges on your airline of choice, including checked-baggage fees.
- Receive a companion ticket for discounted travel when you purchase a qualifying First- or Business-Class international ticket.
- 24/7 Platinum Card® Concierge service for assistance with reservations, travel, gifts, and more
- Fine Hotels & Resorts Program: exclusive upgrades and amenities at over 700 boutique, resort, and luxury hotels worldwide
- Get 20% back when you use Pay with Points to book your travel.
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| Intro APR: 0.00% | Intro Period: 12 months on purchases | Regular APR: 17.24-22.24% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $0.00 |
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| - No annual fee
- Travel rewards with no blackout dates or travel restrictions. Redeem with any airline, any car rental, any hotel- anytime
- Pay your bill all at once, or over time. It's up to you.
- Blue Savings Program®: big deals on big brands, all the time
- Rated "Best Airline Credit Card" by Card Ratings Consumer's Choice Awards in 2010
- Get approved in 60-seconds
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| Intro APR: N/A | Intro Period: N/A | Regular APR: N/A | Annual Fee: $0.00 1st year, then $175.00 |
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| - Membership Rewards® bonus: 25K points, redeemable for select gift cards valued at $250, when you spend $2,000 in your first three months of Card membership
- Membership Rewards® points multiply fast! Earn 3X points on airfare, 2X points on gas and groceries, 1X points on everything else
- Exclusive access to Gold Card Destinations and events - Enjoy special travel packages and amenities at hotels worldwide, as well as select concerts, shows, sporting events, and more.
- Introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $175
- Get a decision in as little as 60 seconds.
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| Intro APR: 0.00% | Intro Period: Until 02/2013 on purchases | Regular APR: 11.90-19.90% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $0.00 |
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| - 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel
- Redeem miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals and more
- No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire
- Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates
- 0% intro APR on purchases until February 2013
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
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| Intro APR: 0.00% | Intro Period: 6 months on purchases | Regular APR: 10.99-16.99% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $0.00 |
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| - Earn up to $120 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first year
- 1 Mile on every $1 you spend - Plus flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Travel benefits include secondary collision damage insurance when you rent a car with your Miles by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
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| Intro APR: 0.00% | Intro Period: 6 months on purchases | Regular APR: 10.99-16.99% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $60.00 |
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| - Earn up to $250 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first 25 months
- Double Miles on every $1 you spend
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- Travel Insurance benefits, including primary car rental, lost or damaged luggage, travel delay, and trip cancellation when you book with your Escape by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
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| Intro APR: N/A | Intro Period: N/A | Regular APR: 9.25% (Variable) | Annual Fee: $0.00 |
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| - Excellent Credit Required - Applicants that do not have excellent credit will not be approved
- Low 9.25% variable standard purchase APR and platinum benefits
- No balance transfer fee for balances transferred in response to this online offer
- Travel Rewards - cardholders who enroll in the program receive one point per net dollar spent
- Choose any U.S. based airline or ticket class. No blackout dates or seating restrictions
- Other travel related options are hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rental, and restaurants
- No Annual Fee
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*Check with the online credit card application for further details about the terms and conditions for each card. Airline Miles Credit Cards has done everything possible to ensure that the information provided is up to date. Any changes made to these programs will be presented in the terms and conditions on the credit card issuer's website.
