It’s no surprise that the World of Hyatt card tops our list of the best cards for hotel stays. It carries a low annual fee that is easily offset by an annual free Category 1–4 night certificate and complimentary Hyatt Discoverist status. While Discoverist is Hyatt’s entry-level status, you still receive perks like late checkout when available, preferred room upgrades, and a 10% bonus on eligible Hyatt spending. The biggest advantage of the card is the consistently high redemption value Hyatt offers on award stays, which is why Hyatt remains our favorite hotel program in the points and miles hobby. The main drawback is a relatively modest signup bonus, but the required spend is also low, and you can build additional points through everyday spending or by transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt for top-ups.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has gone through changes that haven’t been universally popular, but its value for hotel stays has improved in the process. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to Hyatt, which immediately makes this card a strong contender. A high signup bonus also gives you a solid base of transferable points to use for Hyatt award nights. You’ll earn 4x points on hotel bookings, further accelerating point accumulation. The addition of two annual $250 Edit Hotel credits, which can be stacked, along with the $300 annual travel credit, makes it possible to offset much of the card’s high annual fee with credits alone. Beyond the statement credits, bookings made through the Edit Hotel Collection include perks like free breakfast, a $100 property credit, and room upgrades, early check-in, and late checkout when available. The one downfall of the program is that each booking requires a two-night minimum to earn the credit and benefits, and because many of these are luxury properties, you’ll most likely have to pay something out of pocket, either in points or cash.

The Hilton Aspire is Hilton’s top-tier co-branded card and offers strong value for travelers who are loyal to the brand. The annual fee is high, but frequent Hilton guests can easily justify it through the card’s benefits. Everything about the Aspire feels premium. You receive a free night certificate each year, starting in your first cardmember year and again upon renewal. The card also comes with complimentary Hilton Diamond status, which includes free breakfast, late checkout when available, premium Wi-Fi, executive lounge access, and room upgrades, including suites, along with a fifth night free on award stays. Cardmembers receive $400 in Hilton credits, issued as $200 twice per year, plus a $100 on-property credit when staying at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad hotels. When you pay with the card at Hilton properties, you’ll earn 14x points on Hilton purchases. The standard signup bonus is strong, but since this is an Amex card, it can be worth waiting for an elevated offer due to Amex’s 1/7 bonus rule.

We rank the Amex Platinum highly among transferable points cards for hotel stays, in part because of its partnerships with Hilton and Marriott, but primarily because of the Fine Hotels + Resorts program. Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts is similar to Chase’s The Edit, but it has been around longer, includes a larger portfolio of properties, and offers more guaranteed benefits. The Amex Platinum provides $600 in annual hotel credits, split into two $300 credits, that can be used with Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection. Unlike The Edit, a single-night stay qualifies when booking an FHR property, while The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum. With either option, you’ll receive free breakfast, a $100 property credit, and room upgrades and early check-in when available, along with guaranteed 4pm checkout on FHR bookings. The standard signup bonus is already strong, but because of Amex’s 1/7 Rule, it can make sense to wait for an elevated offer.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is the top-tier card in Marriott’s lineup. The annual free night certificate, valid for properties costing up to 85,000 points, goes a long way toward offsetting the card’s high annual fee. You can also top up the certificate with up to 15,000 additional points to book a stay costing as much as 100,000 points. The card includes complimentary Platinum Elite status, which comes with benefits like 4pm late checkout, enhanced room upgrades, lounge access where available, a welcome gift, and a 50% bonus on eligible Marriott spending. You’ll also receive a $100 property credit when staying at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis hotels. Marriott award pricing is high, so a typical signup bonus may not stretch very far on its own. Since this is an Amex card, waiting for an elevated offer is often worthwhile. We have seen welcome offers as high as 185,000 points.

The Bilt Palladium is the top card in Bilt’s lineup and earns a spot on this list thanks to Bilt’s partnership with Hyatt. It is the only Bilt card that offers a signup bonus, and when paired with 2x points on all purchases and the ability to earn points on housing payments, it creates a clear path to building a sizable balance of points to transfer to our favorite hotel program. The card also includes $400 in annual hotel credits, split into two $200 credits. Each credit requires a two-night minimum stay, which is a drawback, but the value can be improved by stacking it with Bilt Cash. As a Gold member, you can redeem up to $100 per month in Bilt Cash toward hotel stays, and Gold status is included with the card for the year you earn it and the entire following year. Combining the hotel credit with Bilt Cash can effectively create a $300 discount twice per year, making this benefit far more compelling.

While Citi’s hotel partners aren’t the most obvious names, the Strata Elite earns its place thanks to the value and variety it offers. Citi transfers to Preferred Hotels at a favorable 1:4 rate and to Choice Hotels at a 1:2 rate, both of which can deliver outsized value on the right redemptions. Citi also partners with Leaders Club, where points can be worth around 1.6¢ each and bookings include perks like upgrade priority, daily continental breakfast for two, and early check-in and late checkout when available. The Strata Elite adds $600 in annual hotel credits, split into two $300 credits, which must be redeemed through Citi’s portal with a two-night minimum stay. Citi’s version of Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Edit is The Reserve, which includes benefits like a $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for two, and room upgrades when available.

Rounding out our list is the IHG Premier, the top co-branded card for IHG. It carries a low annual fee that is easily offset by an annual free night certificate valid for properties costing up to 40,000 points. The card also includes complimentary Platinum Elite status, which comes with perks like priority check-in, late checkout when available, free internet, and room upgrades, though upgrades are not available on award stays. If you don’t book with points, you can also earn up to 26x on IHG purchases when paying with the card. When booking with points, you’ll receive a fourth night free, which helps stretch the value of your redemptions. While IHG award pricing can be high, the card’s signup bonus is typically generous and the required spend is relatively low.