Travel for less: leveraging credit card hotel & travel credits

As travelers, we are always looking for ways to make our adventures more rewarding, luxurious, and ultimately more memorable. One avenue that often gets overlooked is hotel credit offered through various credit card programs. Today, we’ll explore how you can make the most of hotel credit offered by leading credit card issuers and enjoy exclusive perks and savings on your travels.

American Express Platinum Credit Card

The American Express Platinum Card is our first card on this journey through hotel credit offerings. This card is known for its exclusive benefits, and it provides a significant annual $200 credit that can be used specifically for Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties. You can easily book your stay through Amex Travel to use this benefit and get up to $200 back in statement credits each year.

We recently used our credit to stay at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas this year.

Moreover, although parking fees and resort fees are not included with your Card Membership credit, you receive the following signature perks, courtesy of Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel collection:

•   12:00 p.m. early check-in, when available
•   Suite upgrade upon arrival, when available
•   Guaranteed 4:00 p.m. late checkout
•   $100 onsite credit per stay, on qualifying charges at one of the venues
•   Daily breakfast for two (2), with daily breakfast credit

You can read the full American Express Platinum Credit Card review here.

Capital One Venture X Card

Our next recommendation is the Venture X Card by Capital One, and you won’t want to miss out on this one. This card offers an incredible $300 travel credit that can be used toward hotel stays. With Venture X, you can choose from a wide range of hotels across the globe to perfectly suit your preferences and travel goals.

So, as a cardholder, you can receive up to $300 in travel credits annually for purchases made through Capital One Travel. This credit brings the annual fee down to a mere $95, making it a steal. Simply book your travel, such as flights, hotels, and rental cars at a discounted rate through capitalonetravel.com and pay with your Venture X card.

You can either make a single $300+ purchase or multiple smaller purchases over time, receiving credits until you reach the maximum of $300 in a card membership year.

You can read the full Capital One Venture X Credit Card review here.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

While the Chase Sapphire card may offer a relatively modest annual $50 credit for hotel bookings made through the Chase portal, its value lies in the versatility and convenience it provides. By leveraging the Chase portal, cardholders gain access to a vast selection of hotels, ensuring that they can find the perfect accommodation for their needs and preferences.

To receive a maximum of $50 in statement credit, simply use your Chase card to book hotel accommodations through the Chase Travel portal.

You can read the full Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card review here.

Citi Premier

The Citi Premier card is a great option for those who travel frequently and want to save some money. It offers a $100 credit towards hotel bookings of $500 or more made through the Citi ThankYou portal. With this card, you can choose from a wide range of hotels and resorts available in various destinations.

In order to get a discount of $100, you just need to book a hotel stay worth $500 or more through thankyou.com with your Citi Premier credit card. The discount will be automatically applied at the time of booking.

Bottom line

No matter which premium travel card you have, be sure to take full advantage of the annual hotel and travel credits. They can provide significant savings to offset the annual fees on these cards. Just be aware of how and where you need to book to utilize each credit properly. A little upfront research can pay off with hundreds in travel discounts.