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Best Hotel Credit Cards for No Annual Fee in 2024
Updated: September 30, 2024
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No-annual-fee hotel credit cards typically offer higher reward earn rates when you use them to pay at participating properties. Depending on the card you have, you might benefit by getting a membership status upgrade in your hotel loyalty program.
Co-branded hotel cards account for the best cards from this category. These cards are linked to specific groups of hotels and offer brand-specific benefits. For example, the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors Card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status and offers 7x points for eligible purchases made at properties within the Hilton portfolio. Similarly, the IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card lets you earn up to 15x points at IHG Hotels and Resorts.
The top no-annual-fee hotel credit cards come without foreign transaction fees. Some such cards offer basic travel insurance coverage as well.
OUR REVIEW AT A GLANCE
Each month, MoneyGeek experts comb through our extensive database and look for existing hotel credit cards with no annual fees. An in-depth comparison of these cards follows, during which we pay due attention to parameters such as reward rates, foreign transaction fees and welcome offers
20%Hotel Rewards Rate
10%Welcome Offer
-3%Annual Fee
MoneyGeek’s Take: Top 2 Hotel Credit Cards With No Annual Fees
Quick Summary
- IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Great card for earning points fast for IHG loyalists.
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: A good travel rewards card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts.
The rewards you stand to earn will vary from one hotel card to the next. While the best hotel credit cards with no annual fee come with introductory bonus offers, not all are equally rewarding. We’ve accounted for these factors when selecting the top no-annual-fee hotel credit cards, and we’ve also paid attention to APRs, foreign transaction fees and other benefits.
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Great card for earning points fast for IHG loyalists
- 2-17 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 21.49% – 28.49% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
We recommend the no-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card to people who frequently stay at properties that are part of the InterContinental Hotels Group and wish to earn reward points faster. You earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 3X points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
If you spend $10,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year, you get Gold Elite Status that remains valid until the end of the following year. If you redeem your points for stays of four or more nights, you get a free reward night. This card is perfect to use outside of the U.S. as it comes with no foreign transaction fees.
Additional benefits include purchase protection and travel insurance coverage.Pros
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Points expiration period extension
- High reward rate
- Numerous hotel redemption options
Cons
- Gold Elite status requires high spending
- High APR depending on your credit
- No luxury benefits or perks
- Must pay to transfer points
Introductory Offers
- Earn 100,000 IHG One Rewards Points after spending $2,000 in the first three months.
Rewards
- Earn up to 17 points per dollar spent at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
- Earn 3 points per dollar on monthly bills, gas stations, and restaurants.
- Earn 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
APRS, Fees, and Penalties
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Perks & Benefits
- Redeem three nights and get the fourth night free at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
- Hilton Honors American Express Card
A rewarding travel card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts
- 3–7 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a traveler's dream come true. With no annual fee and a generous welcome bonus, it's a financial no-brainer for those frequenting Hilton properties or just seeking exceptional value. Whether dining out stateside or shopping abroad, you'll accumulate points seamlessly without those pesky foreign transaction fees. And here's the kicker — this card instantly boosts you to Hilton's Silver status! Want more perks? Just up your spending game, and Gold status awaits. This card truly embraces both the occasional and the dedicated traveler.
Pros
- No annual fee See Rates and Fees
- Generous welcome bonus
- High earning rates with Hilton
- No foreign transaction fees See Rates and Fees
- Automatic Hilton Silver status
Cons
- Potentially high APR
- High credit requirement
Introductory Offers
- Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $2,000 in the first six months. Offer ends January 8, 2025.
Rewards
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar spent directly with Hilton hotels and resorts.
- Earn 5X points on purchases at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations.
- Earn 3X points on all other eligible purchases.
Perks & Benefits
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status.
- Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status by spending $20,000 in a calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees for international purchases.
APRS, Fees, and Penalties
- No annual fee. See Rates and Fees
Summary of the Best Hotel Cards for No Annual Fee
Learn about the best no-fee hotel credit cards by going through this no-annual-fee hotel card comparison table. Here we’ve summarized aspects such as reward rates, welcome offers and foreign transaction fees.
- Credit CardBest ForAvg. Reward RateAnnual FeeCredit Needed
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Great card for earning points fast for IHG loyalists2-17 Points per $1$0 - Hilton Honors American Express Card
A rewarding travel card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts3–7 Points per $1*$0 - Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Great no-annual-fee card for earning points at Marriot properties1–3 Points per $1$0
MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP
While hotels may offer different versions of their cards, the best hotel cards with no annual fees offer attractive perks for the occasional traveler. These cards provide additional benefits and the ability to earn more points during your stay without needing to commit to one hotel brand. — Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com.
How to Compare Hotel Credit Cards & Intro Offers
Even the best hotel cards with no annual fees come with several differences, so it's best practice to compare them across different parameters based on your spending patterns and specific requirements.
- 1
The brand
Narrow down on a suitable option based on the hotels you use most frequently. This could be Hilton, Marriott, IHG or any other brand.
- 2
Rewards rate
Take into account the rewards you stand to earn. If you’re a high spender, you might benefit by getting a hotel card with an annual fee that offers a high rewards earn rate. For example, while the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card offers up to 14x points on spending at participating Marriott properties, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card with a $95 annual fee lets you earn up to 17x points at participating Marriott properties. The latter also comes with a better new cardholder bonus and other benefits.
- 3
APR
Pay attention to the interest you’ll need to pay if you maintain revolving balances. If you don’t plan to pay off your balances in full each month, you might benefit more by taking a look at what the best low APR cards have to offer.
- 4
Introductory offers
It’s common for the top no-annual-fee hotel credit cards to come with introductory spend- and time-based welcome offers. For example, you might earn 30,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 within three months from account opening.
- 5
Status upgrades
You might qualify for a complimentary status upgrade through your hotel credit card’s corresponding loyalty program. For instance, you get complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status with the Hilton Honors Card.
- 6
Foreign transaction fees
If your travels take you outside of the U.S., getting a no-annual-fee hotel credit card that also does away with foreign transaction fees might work best for you. The IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card, the Amex Hilton Honors Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card fit this bill.
- 7
Additional benefits
While no-annual-fee hotel credit cards refrain from offering extensive features and perks linked with premium hotel cards, you may still expect some benefits. For instance, the IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card offers a reward night when you redeem points for a stay of four or more nights.
These might come in the form of basic travel insurance coverage, purchase protection, fraud protection and free additional cards.
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About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.