Many people newer to points and miles initially gravitate toward airline programs. That isn't a huge surprise — the ability to get to your destination for almost free is a logical first step. But what about once you arrive?
Over the past decade of being in the points and miles world, I have tweaked my credit card strategy to not only fly in style but also stay at luxurious properties.
Here's how my hotel credit cards — which make up almost a third of my portfolio — help me get free nights, suite upgrades and statement credits for dining and travel.
Eight of the 27 credit cards — about one in three — that I currently have open are cobranded hotel cards. They cover four major hotel chains, with five from Chase and three from American Express:
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Between these eight cards, I pay over $1,700 in annual fees, which is a substantial amount. However, as I explain below, I do get a lot of value from them, especially from the free nights and elite status.
We recommend holding between three and 10 credit cards if you are interested in travel rewards. TPG director of content Eric Rosen suggests the average traveler cover their bases with one transferable points card, one cash-back card with different bonus categories for everyday expenses, one airline card and one hotel card if they stay with a chain more than a couple of times a year.
One of the top two hotel credit card benefits I value most are the free night awards (also known as free night certificates) that come with several cobranded options.
This benefit often makes the annual fee worth paying year after year. I aim to use these free nights at properties where cash prices are high and on one-night stays at airport hotels.
For example, I used the 35,000-point certificate I got on my Marriott Premier Plus Business Card to book an award stay at an upscale Bavarian mountain town property called Caro & Selig, Tegernsee, Autograph Collection this summer. Rates were 37,000 points a night, so I topped it off with 2,000 points to complete this redemption.
Related: 7 great uses of Marriott 35,000-point free night certificates
The other benefit I value most from my hotel credit cards is the complimentary elite status I receive.
In my opinion, the best credit card for this is the Hilton Aspire card, which grants you top-tier Diamond status just for having it.
This spring, I was upgraded to a huge suite with a plunge pool at the highly rated Hilton Yala Resort on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Between safari rides through the adjoining national park, my
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London is in its global hotel brand era: In the last year, it’s added a Raffles, a Peninsula and a second Mandarin Oriental; a Waldorf Astoria, a St. Regis and a Six Senses are on their way. This new guard is taking over historical icons and throwing up gleaming towers, and it’s upping the ante on amenities, too. A posh afternoon tea is no longer enough, it seems; now, five-stars come with signature scents, subterranean spas, museum-worthy art and long-stay residences. Rooftop bars, a rarity here a decade ago, are now seemingly obligatory (Bar 33 at the Emory wins for views, with everything from Big Ben to Battersea Power Station in its sights). But there’s still room for the occasional independent hotel, like the Broadwick, a maximalist love letter to the owner Noel Hayden’s hotelier parents and the creative Soho of the ’90s in which he came of age. “It’s a bit of a sensory overload,” Hayden says. Naturally, there’s a rooftop bar there, too.
Hotel contracts with hospitality union UNITE HERE are ending this month, and if hotel workers don’t receive the better benefits and higher wages they’re asking for, an estimated 10,000+ workers could go on strike across the country in what could be the biggest hotel strike in American history.
I'm a big proponent of creating a spending strategy when applying for a new credit card. That way, I never miss out on a welcome bonus and don't overspend trying to achieve one.
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I turned 40 in 2022. Along with checking a different box for "age range" on forms these days, I'm also taking a fresh look at both my credit and my credit card strategy.
Skift’s State of Travel 2024 report highlighted that the Middle East and Africa are seeing a surge in international tourism, driven largely by Saudi Arabia’s push in recent years.
Few properties are so inextricably associated with their location as Gleaneagles, where days are composed of traditional clay pigeon shoots on misty moors and fireside whisky tastings. This year marks 100 years of the Scottish estate, which has celebrated by collaborating with the British outdoor brand Barbour and releasing a Rizzoli tome devoted to its glamorous history (royal escapades included), all while planning a centenary ball that will take place this fall. Walk the line between country chic and laid-back glamour with soft creams and pinks that will look as at home in the glen as in the plum-colored American Bar.
Many people use the terms "credit card" and "charge card" interchangeably. "No preset spending limit" is sometimes thrown into the mix. And while these cards have many similarities, they aren't the same.
When you apply for a great travel rewards card, the last thing you want is to be turned down. The sign-up bonus, the benefits and the points earned are luring you in, so you'll want to do everything possible to be approved.