Hotels, Europe
Best Cards For Hotels In Europe
Updated on Tue, 10 Feb 2026
There is a lot of variety when it comes to hotels in Europe, but value depends on choosing the right program. Some brands shine in major cities, others excel in smaller towns, and depending on what type of traveler you are, luxury perks can outweigh raw point value. The following cards give you the best flexibility and coverage for hotel stays across Europe.
Our Rankings
1 | Citi Strata Elite
The Citi Strata Elite tops our list for European hotel redemptions because of its partnerships with three hotel chains that have an exceptionally strong presence across the continent. Accor has the largest hotel footprint in Europe, and while Citi transfers to Accor at a 2:1 ratio, redemption rates are fixed at €0.02 per point. In practice, Accor points function more like a discount, where every 2,000 points equals a €40 credit toward your stay. You won’t get outsized value with Accor, but you often will with Choice Hotels and Preferred Hotels and Resorts, as Citi transfers at a 1:2 ratio with Choice and a 1:4 ratio with Preferred, both of which have extensive European portfolios. The Strata Elite also includes a $300 annual hotel credit when booking a stay of two nights or more through the Citi portal, which helps offset lodging costs. When booking a Citi Reserve Hotel, you’ll receive benefits similar to Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts and Chase’s The Edit, adding even more value for European stays.
Honorable Mentions
2 | Amex Platinum
The Amex Platinum ranks second and is best suited for shorter European trips with luxury in mind. Its Fine Hotels and Resorts program has a strong presence across Europe, allowing you to take advantage of the two $300 annual credits offered by the card. Those credits can be used on one-night stays through Fine Hotels and Resorts or two-night stays at The Hotel Collection properties, where your dollar can go further. A guaranteed 4pm checkout is especially valuable on European trips where you’re often moving between cities, eliminating the long gap between hotel checkout and your next check-in. Free breakfast for two, a $100 property credit, and possible early check-in and room upgrades are also included. You’ll also receive Hilton Gold status, which provides meaningful perks at Hilton properties, and Amex points can be used to top up those stays. While Bonvoy doesn’t always offer strong award value, Amex transfers give you flexibility there as well, and Marriott’s footprint in Europe is massive.
3 | World of Hyatt
Hyatt still delivers strong value in Europe, just as it does in the U.S. The only reason it doesn’t rank first or second on this list is its more limited footprint across the continent. That said, if you’re planning a trip focused on major European cities, you’ll find Hyatt properties in most of them, allowing you to take advantage of some of the best hotel award redemptions available. The annual free Category 1–4 night certificate can easily cover at least one stay on your trip, and the ability to top up with Chase points makes it simple to build an entire European hotel strategy around Hyatt while minimizing out-of-pocket costs.
Honorable Mentions
4 | IHG One Rewards Premier
IHG has a very large footprint across Europe, especially in smaller cities and towns, which earns the IHG Premier card a spot on this list. The card’s low annual fee is easily justified by the annual free night certificate worth up to 40,000 points. If you stay longer than a few nights, the fourth night free on award bookings can add meaningful value. You also receive complimentary Platinum Elite status, which includes priority check-in, late checkout when available, free internet, and room upgrades, though upgrades do not apply to award stays. Award prices are higher than Hyatt’s, but the large signup bonus helps offset that, and you can top up with either Chase or Bilt points.
5 | Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Sapphire Reserve doesn’t dominate this ranking like it does many others, but it’s still a solid option for booking hotels in Europe. Its ability to transfer points to Hyatt is the biggest draw, as Hyatt continues to offer some of the best hotel redemptions available. The $300 annual travel credit is extremely flexible and can be used on any travel purchase, including hotels booked directly through any site. Chase’s The Edit doesn’t have the same footprint in Europe as Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts, but it still offers a meaningful collection of properties, along with two $250 annual credits. Unlike Amex, these credits can be used back to back or within the same trip (each Amex credit is semi-annual), and each stay comes with perks like free breakfast, a $100 property credit, and possible early check-in, late checkout, and room upgrades. Chase Ultimate Rewards also transfer to Marriott and IHG, giving you plenty of additional hotel options if Hyatt isn’t available.
6 | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant
Bonvoy isn’t our favorite hotel program because of its high award prices, but its massive global footprint extends across Europe, which makes it an important option to consider. One strategy is to open the Bonvoy Brilliant card ahead of your trip, earn the large signup bonus, and take advantage of its benefits before deciding whether to keep, downgrade, or cancel after a year. You receive an annual free night certificate worth up to 85k points, with the ability to top it up with an additional 15k points, which can go a long way toward offsetting the high annual fee. Platinum Elite status adds real value in Europe, with guaranteed 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.
Honorable Mentions
7 | Hilton Honors Aspire
You can take much of the same advice from the Bonvoy Brilliant and apply it to Hilton’s top card, the Aspire. Like Marriott, Hilton has a large footprint across Europe, and like Marriott, Hilton’s award pricing is high compared to a program like Hyatt. That said, if you time it right, the Aspire can still deliver strong value. Open the card when it has an elevated signup bonus and when you know you’ll be traveling to Europe within the next year. You can use the signup bonus and free night certificate for your trip, take advantage of Hilton Diamond status to make your stays more comfortable, and stack the fifth night free on award bookings. Cardmembers also 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.
8 | Bilt Palladium
Rounding out our list is the Bilt Palladium. Its partnership with Hyatt earns it a spot, especially if your trip is centered around big cities, where Hyatt redemptions are most useful. The Palladium also comes with two, $200 annual hotel credits that must be used through the Bilt portal. You can further stretch that value by stacking Gold status perks and Bilt Cash to add up to $100 more per stay. The most efficient way to maximize this card is by using it for the majority of your spending in order to unlock points on your housing payments, which won’t appeal to everyone. But if you’re willing to consolidate your spend, the Palladium can deliver strong value for hotel stays across Europe.
Honorable Mentions
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