7 Hotel Credit Cards That Offer Annual Free Night

Credit card rewards come in many different shapes and forms. Some have to be earned from spending, some from sign-up bonuses and others from meeting a calendar year spending threshold. My favorite kind of rewards is the kind you earn by doing NOTHING! This is the amazing perk that comes with many hotel credit cards. Let me show you the 7 hotel credit cards that offer annual free night just by holding on to the card year after year.

How Hotel Credit Card Free Nights Work

Different hotel credit cards offer their annual free night in different ways. You’ll receive the free night automatically following the anniversary of your account opening. Typically, you’ll receive an email from the credit card issuer letting you know your free night certificate is about to deposit in your account.

Some of the free nights offered by these credit cards are restricted to lower tiers and categories within the hotel chain. If used strategically however, you can still stay at some really nice hotels where the paid rate is way more than the annual fee of the card.

Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus Credit Card

As a Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus Cardmember, you’ll enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, valid for a one night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points.

When you sign up for the card you’ll earn 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening. You will automatically receive Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year as a cardmember.

Annual Fee: $95

World of Hyatt Credit Card

This card offers a free night at a Category 1-4 hotel each year after your cardmember anniversary.

When you sign up for the card you’ll earn up to 60,000 bonus points. Earn 40,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Earn an additional 20,000 Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 total on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening.  You receive Discoverist status in the World of Hyatt program as long as you have the card. You can earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year.

Annual Fee: $95

IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

This card offers a free night that is limited to a redemption value of up to 40,000 points.

With the new IHG^® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, you can earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. You’ll get automatic Platinum Elite Status as long as you remain an IHG® Rewards Club Premier Cardmember. You can also get a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for any stay of 4 or more nights.

Annual Fee: $89

The Starwood Preferred Guest^® Credit Card

This card offers an annual free night award, with a redemption level at or under 35,000 points.

When you sign up for the card you can earn 75,000 Bonus Points (Marriott points not SPG points) after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.

You can transfer Starpoints to over 30 airline frequent flyer programs, mostly on a one-to-one basis. Receive a 5,000 Starpoint bonus every time you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a participating frequent flyer program.

This card offers complimentary Silver status in the new combined Marriott program. You can earn SPG^® Gold Status after spending $30,000 or more in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Effective January 1, 2019, the spend threshold will increase to $35,000.

Annual Fee: $95 waived the first year

Starwood Preferred Guest^® Business Credit Card

This card offers an annual free night award, with a redemption level at or under 35,000 points.

When you sign up for the card you can earn 100,000 Bonus Points (Marriott not SPG points) after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 10/31/2018.

You can transfer Starpoints to over 30 airline frequent flyer programs, mostly on a one-to-one basis. Receive a 5,000 Starpoint bonus every time you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a participating frequent flyer program.

This card offers complimentary Silver status in the new combined Marriott program. You can earn SPG^® Gold Status after spending $30,000 or more in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Effective January 1, 2019, the spend threshold will increase to $35,000.

Annual Fee: $95 waived the first year

Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card

This card offers an annual free night award, with a redemption level at or under 50,000 points.

You will receive complimentary Gold Elite status with your Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card. During each year of your Card Membership you are eligible to receive up to $300 total in statement credits on your Card Account for eligible purchases made directly at participating SPG or Marriott Rewards hotels on your Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card during that reward year. You’ll get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®

Annual fee: $450

Hilton Honors Aspire Card

This card offers one weekend night reward with your new Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and every year after renewal.

When you sign up for the card you’ll earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. With your Hilton Honors Aspire Card, you can enjoy complimentary Diamond status which includes even more perks from Hilton, such as 100% extra Bonus Points on all Base Points you earn, room upgrades, and more.  Enjoy up to $250 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at participating Hilton Resorts. Receive up to $250 per calendar year in credits for incidental fees charged by an airline to your Hilton Honors Aspire Card Account. Book a 2 night minimum stay at HiltonHonors.com/aspirecard and get up to $100 in credits for qualifying charges at participating hotels.

Annual Fee: $450

Bottom Line:

I personally have all these cards except for the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card since it’s not out yet. I also don’t have the Marriott Card because it falls under Chase’s 5/24 rule which makes me ineligible to get the card. I love all these cards and keep them just because of these free nights. I realize that the annual fees add up but I can easily get free nights each year out of each of those cards that will be worth way more than the annual fee.

Are you planning on applying for any of these cards? Let me know in the comments below.

If you have any questions, comment below or tweet me @pointspointers or email me at ramy@pointspointers.com

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