Source: The Points Guy
Summary
The author, who spends over 100 nights a year in hotels, carries five hotel credit cards from four different hotel loyalty programs. They prioritize cards that offer an annual free night, which can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. The author uses free night certificates from their World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and Hilton Honors cards to book stays at various hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, saving over $3,500 in value compared to annual fees totaling $869.
Our Reading
The escape is carefully planned.
Hotel credit cards offer annual free nights, but with restrictions. Some cards offer additional free nights for meeting spending thresholds. The author focuses on free nights that come automatically each year as a cardholder benefit. They calculate the value of the free night and compare it to the annual fee to ensure it’s worth keeping the card.
The author’s favorite annual free night award is the one from their Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, which is valid at nearly any Hilton-affiliated property. They used it to book a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, saving over $1,400.
The author concludes that an annual free night is the single most valuable benefit any hotel credit card can offer, and that maximizing this benefit can reap hundreds or thousands of dollars’ worth of value each year.
Annual free nights are the new status symbol.
Author: Evan Null
