Even if you only travel on occasion, hotel credit cards can unlock benefits usually reserved for frequent flyers. These perks include generous welcome bonuses, travel discounts, complimentary hotel services and flexible redemption options. Though there aren’t as many hotel branded credit cards available in Canada when compared to the U.S., many airline and, more generally, travel credit cards also have many hotel perks along with their travel benefits, making these credit cards that much more flexible for the Canadian consumer. This is why with so many more choices as to what constitutes a hotel credit card, we’ve ranked the best hotel credit cards in Canada to help you get the most rewards value for every dollar you spend.
When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With cash back, the scoring model used takes into account factors such as, but not limited to, cash back rates and categories, fees, welcome bonus, and other rewards and features. Keep in mind what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers high earn rates for those who spend a lot on groceries, dining, entertainment and fuel.
Rewards: Get 6 points per dollar at select grocery stores, 5 points per dollar on other groceries, dining, food delivery and entertainment purchases, 3 points per dollar on fuel, transportation and streaming services and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Welcome Offer: 40,000 Scene+ points (Earn 20,000 points by making at least $1,000 in the first three months, get 20,000 points when you spend at least $7,500 in your first year). Must open card by October 31, 2023 to qualify.
Annual Fee: $120
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card includes flexible rewards on hotel and travel purchases with no blackout dates or foreign transaction fees. Accelerated earn rates will drop to 1 point per dollar for all bonus categories after reaching the $50,000 annual spending limit.
———————————————————————————-
The American Express Cobalt® Card can maximize the earning potential on everyday purchases to claim extra travel benefits and hotel credits.
Rewards: Earn 5 Membership Rewards per dollar spent on groceries (up to $30,000 annually), 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada, 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on rideshares, transit and gas in Canada 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases and 1 additional Membership Rewards point for every dollar spent on eligible hotel or car rental bookings made with American Express Travel.
Welcome Offer: In your first year as a new Cobalt cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Cardmembers will receive a one-category room upgrade and a hotel credit worth up to $100 for one room per stay. While the elevated earn rates help offset the high annual fee, they are only available on purchases in Canada.
———————————————————————————-
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is a solid business card for travel rewards with versatile points and no blackout periods.
Rewards: Get 5 points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar on gas, dining and travel and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points after you spend $5,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of card membership.
Annual Fee: $150
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card’s annual free hotel stay and Elite Night credits can quickly recoup the annual fee. Some airlines even off a 3:1 ratio on point transfers. The value of points fluctuates with demand, so you may need more points to book trips during peak season.
———————————————————————————-
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is an excellent option for travellers who frequently stay at Marriott hotels and resorts.
Rewards: Collect 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at Marriott Bonvoy Hotels and 2 points per dollar on everyday purchases.
Welcome Offer: Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards points after you charge $1,500 in purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership. Subject to change at any time.
Annual Fee: $120
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Additional perks include complimentary Marriott Silver Elite Status, hotel credits and special events access. There is no coverage for medical care or flight cancellations, so you will need to pay extra for this while travelling.
———————————————————————————-
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is a convenient way for international travellers to save on foreign currency exchange fees.
Rewards: Earn 3 points for every dollar at eligible grocery stores and 2 points for every dollar on dining, entertainment, daily transit and purchases at other grocery stores.
Welcome Offer: Claim 30,000 Scene+ Points on $1,000 in eligible purchases during the first three months and 10,000 bonus points for spending $40,000 during the first year.
Annual Fee: $150
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Domestic travellers will likely earn better rewards with other premium hotel credit cards. For those who travel abroad, the money saved with no foreign transaction fees can cover the cost of the annual fee in just a couple of trips.
———————————————————————————-
The American Express Gold Rewards Card makes it easy to earn rewards on everyday purchases and convert points for travel perks and credits.
Rewards: Collect 2 points per dollar on hotels, flights, car rentals, travel, fuel, groceries and drugstore purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Welcome Offer: Get up to 60,000 Membership Rewards® points; New Cardmembers earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points in each monthly billing period when you spend $1,000 in net purchases on your Card, this could add up to 60,000 points in a year. That’s up to $600 towards your next vacation.
Annual Fee: $250
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Beyond the lucrative welcome offer, this card offers a $100 annual travel credit. Staying two consecutive nights at eligible hotels also earns a $100 credit for amenities and a room upgrade. The rewards value is high, but there are other hotel cards with better earn rates.
———————————————————————————-
The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card is best suited for active Aventura points collectors who qualify for the income requirements.
Rewards: Earn 3 points per dollar on travel, 2 points per dollar on dining, entertainment, transportation, gas and groceries and 1.25 points per dollar on everyday purchases.
Welcome Offer: Collect 50,000 Aventure Points for $3,000 in eligible spending during the first four months and 30,000 points as an anniversary bonus.
Annual Fee: $499
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The initial bonus is high for a premium card, in addition to offering free lounge passes and a $200 annual travel credit. Cardholders will have to use all of the available perks to make the annual fee and income requirements worth it.
———————————————————————————-
The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card is ideal for those who want multiple redemption options for flights, hotels, gift cards and statement credits.
Rewards: Earn 8 TD Rewards Points † for every dollar you spend when you book travel through Expedia® For TD. Earn 6 TD Rewards Points† for every dollar you spend on groceries and restaurants. Earn 4 TD Rewards Points† for every dollar you spend on regularly recurring bill payments set up on your account. Plus, earn 2 TD Rewards Points† For every dollar you spend on other purchases made using your card. Also earn an annual Birthday Bonus† of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points.
Welcome Offer: Earn up to 100,000 TD Rewards Points. Earn 20,000 TD Rewards Points when you make your first purchase with your card and 80,000 TD Rewards Points when you spend $5,000 within 180 days of account opening.† Terms and conditions apply. Not available for residents of Quebec. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
Annual Fee: $139 (Get an annual fee rebate in the first year, account must be approved by June 3, 2024)
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card has extensive insurance and a strong return on travel purchases booked through Expedia. However, point values drop on other redemption options.
———————————————————————————-
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card is a low-maintenance card for casual travellers who prefer flexible redemption options.
Rewards: Collect 1 Avion point per dollar, plus an extra 25% on eligible travel purchases.
Welcome Offer: Get 35,000 Welcome Points on approval. Apply by January 21, 2024.
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card earns points at a much lower rate than other hotel credit cards. However, members can convert points during a transfer bonus to get more value with loyalty programs, including WestJet dollars and Hudson’s Bay Rewards.
———————————————————————————-
The American Express Platinum Card offers excellent value for frequent travellers with high spending.
Rewards: Collect 2 points for every dollar on eligible dining and food delivery, 2 points per dollar spent on eligible travel and 1 point per dollar on everyday purchases.
Welcome Offer: New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 70,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. Plus, earn 30,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership.
Annual Fee: $799
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The bulk of this card’s value lies in its automatic upgrades, premium travel benefits and complimentary hotel services. Although, this card is only worth it if every dollar you spend makes its way back into your pocket, including the $799 annual fee.
Data research and analysis by Tia Duncombe and Debra Toews.
Simply put, many major hotel chains have loyalty programs to entice repeat customers. Most of those loyalty programs have an affiliated credit card—just like how you can have an Optimum Points card and a PC Financial Mastercard that earns them, too. By spending with your “hotel” card, some of which are broader travel reward programs that offer hotel perks, you can earn points and perks at that hotel chain or travel program.
There is quite a bit of overlap between the best hotel credit cards in Canada and the best travel reward credit cards, simply because they both offer rewards pertaining to travel—and of course, a hotel stay is part of that experience. While every program is different, both rewards cards earn points that are redeemable for travel expenses, including hotel stays. Hotel credit cards often offer a favourable redemption rate for hotels, meaning that you can redeem your points for great value at a selection of hotels affiliated with the brand. For example, with a hypothetical reward program, 100 points could translate to $1 in gift card or airfare value, but $1.50 at a select hotel chain.
Every hotel credit card differs, but there are a few benefits that seem to be a throughline in the category. Often, the types of benefits hotel credit cards can offer include:
Credit card hotel points are similar to most credit card reward points—you’ll earn them on most (if not all) your purchases, and often at a higher rate per dollar spent in a particular category. They can be redeemed in a variety of ways. With hotel credit card points in particular, they can usually be earned at a more favourable rate when spending at that hotel chain in particular, and can be redeemed there too. Most can also be transferred to other loyalty or frequent flyer programs, some at a 1:1 ratio.
Two well-known hotel loyalty programs are Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honours.
Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty program for Marriott Hotels, which include The Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Westin, Four Points and more. The program can be joined for free, but is also included with certain co-branded credit cards (including business cards) that earn even more Marriott points.
All members of this program get discounted rates on hotels, free Wi-Fi and points toward free nights. Those who stay at the hotels under this brand’s umbrella can eventually earn elite status, meaning they get even more benefits like late checkout, free breakfast and more.
You earn points either through hotel stays or credit card spending. Once you earn enough points, you can redeem them for free award nights, travel packages, flights, merchandise, gift cards and car rentals. You can also transfer points to airline partners.
Hilton Honors is the Hilton hotel chain’s loyalty program, which includes hotels like Hampton, Embassy Suites and Doubletree. Like Marriott Bonvoy, you can sign up for free or through a co-branded credit card to start earning points, though they don’t currently offer a credit card in Canada. You earn points by spending at Hilton hotels, with partners or by spending on your Hilton co-branded credit card.
Once you are a member, you can begin to level up to different tiers of membership, achieving Silver, Gold or Diamond status. With just a membership, you get perks like free Wi-Fi and a discounted rate. Even Silver members get their fifth hotel night free, and the perks increase with each tier of membership, eventually including things like executive lounge access and room upgrades.
The first step in choosing a hotel credit card is determining which hotel brand would work best with where you want to travel, or travel most often. Many hotel brands are chains that have thousands of locations worldwide, so if you tend to travel more broadly, those brands might be more beneficial to your needs.
Some cards offer sign-up bonuses for new cardholders. Often, these offers mean earning a number of points just for signing up or spending a certain amount within a period of time. Many often waive the annual fee as well.
An earning rate is the number of points you earn per dollar spent on the card. These earning rates can vary by spending category. With hotel cards, they typically earn you more points at the specified hotel chain or partner brands.
Other benefits, like award nights, travel insurance, lounge access and status upgrades are common among hotel cards.
Related: Best credit cards to have in Canada
If you’re a frequent traveller who has a preference for a particular hotel brand (or chain of hotels), you should consider a hotel credit card to meet your needs, earn points and offer perks.
If you’re planning to do a lot of travelling, you might want to maximize your hotel credit card to get the most value. This would involve earning points at a solid rate, as well as getting as many free award nights and upgrades as possible.
If you want a card that gives you free nights faster, choose the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card, since you’ll get one free award night per year. You’ll also get 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year that can help you achieve elite status faster. The business version of this card, Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card, has the same offer, too.
That said, it might be better to pick a card that aligns well with your spending habits, as that will earn you the most points in the long run.
The American Express Platinum Card is the best option for luxury hotel benefits like automatic room upgrades, late check-out and free amenities unique to each property.
Most hotels require a credit card on file for cancellations and damages. Using a credit card to book a hotel can also earn rewards and discounts.
Credit scores between 660 and 900 are generally considered good, very good or excellent. Some hotel credit cards will accept scores starting at 600, while others require scores over 740.
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card automatically gives you Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, giving you access to member rates, among other perks.
Our partners are not responsible for anything reported by Forbes Advisor. To the best of our knowledge, everything is accurate at the time of publishing as of the date posted. For full information and details, please visit the advertiser’s website.
