Best card for hotels, honestly
No invented "average spender": where the best card for hotels actually changes as your spending grows — caps, annual fees, and earning rates measured against a flat 2% cash-back baseline, counting only cards you can get today.
What counts as hotels: Hotel stays booked directly with the hotel. Booking sites like Expedia usually code as travel agencies, which many cards treat differently.
Who wins, by annual hotels spend
Every card that beats a flat 2% card on hotels
- U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card — 4x points (≈3.20¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, no annual fee; wins $0–$5,278/yr
- Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card — 5x points (≈5.00¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $95/yr fee; beats 2% above $3,167/yr of hotels; wins $5,278–$70,000/yr
- Chase Sapphire Reserve — 4x points (≈6.00¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $795/yr fee; beats 2% above $19,875/yr of hotels; wins over $70,000/yr
- AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature — 3% cash back, uncapped, no annual fee
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards — 3% cash back, capped at $10,000/yr, no annual fee
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi — 3% cash back, uncapped, no annual fee
- Venmo Credit Card — 3% cash back, uncapped, no annual fee
- Wells Fargo Autograph Card — 3x points (≈3.00¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, no annual fee
- Citi Strata Premier — 3x points (≈3.00¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $95/yr fee; beats 2% above $9,500/yr of hotels
- PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature Card — 3x points (≈2.55¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $95/yr fee; beats 2% above $17,273/yr of hotels
- Bilt Obsidian Card — 2x points (≈2.50¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $95/yr fee; beats 2% above $19,000/yr of hotels
- Chase Sapphire Preferred — 2x points (≈2.50¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $95/yr fee; beats 2% above $19,000/yr of hotels
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — 5x points (≈2.50¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $99/yr fee; beats 2% above $19,800/yr of hotels
- United Explorer Card — 2x points (≈2.40¢/$ at the card's default value), uncapped, $150/yr fee; beats 2% above $37,500/yr of hotels
Rates only — statement credits and perks are deliberately not counted here. They depend on how you'd actually use them, and each card's page asks those questions before adding a cent.
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