Posted: 6/3/2022 | June 3rd, 2022

When I started traveling the world, I stayed in hostels. Money was tight and hostels were unseemly so it was a no-brainer. Plus, I was a bit introverted and hostels were a unconfined way to connect with other backpackers and make friends.

I still love hostels but since I now run a merchantry while I travel I often need increasingly space — and privacy — when I’m on the road. However, I’m still a upkeep traveler at heart so I hate paying hundreds of dollars for a room I’m just going to be in for a few hours.

Enter travel hacking.

Travel hacking is the art of collecting points and miles from credit cards and loyalty programs and using those points and miles to get self-ruling perks and upgrades, including self-ruling hotel stays.

Over the years, I’ve used my points and miles to earn myriad self-ruling stays at hotels, which has saved me thousands and thousands of dollars in accommodation. Whether you’re a unstudied tourist or die-hard backpacker, every traveler needs at least one hotel credit vellum in their wallet. These cards come with big welcome bonuses, tomfool perks, and self-ruling nights that can help you save money on accommodation.

All the major brands have multiple credit vellum options but the unelevated are my favorite from each brand:

Below, you’ll find a detailed review of each card, including the perks and cost, so you can pick the weightier hotel credit vellum for your travel style and budget.
 

Hilton Honors American Express

This no-fee card comes with a generous 80,000-point welcome offer without you spend just $1,000 in the first 3 months. This is a unconfined way to get started with earning points for hotel stays if you don’t want to pay an yearly fee right away. You’ll moreover earn 5x points at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations, as well as 3x points on all other purchases.

When you sign up for this card, you get:

• 100,000 points without spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
• 7x points on Hilton hotels and resorts
• 5x points on U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations
• 3x points on all other purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Silver status
• No foreign transaction fees

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

With this card, you unlock self-ruling stays at the largest hotel uniting in the world. With just a $95 yearly fee, this is a unconfined vellum for fans of Marriott Bonvoy hotels and resorts, as you’ll increasingly than recoup that forfeit with just a few stays per year.

When you sign up for this card, you get:

• 3 self-ruling nights (up to 150,000 total point value without you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
• 17x points on spending at Marriott Bonvoy properties
• 3x points on the first $6,000 of spending on gas stations, grocery stores, and dining
• 2x points on all other purchases
• One self-ruling night per timetable year (up to 35,000 point value)
• Automatic Bonvoy Silver peerage status (10% bonus points on Marriott stays, among other benefits)
• No foreign transaction fees

IHG Rewards Club Premier

This card from InterContinental Hotel Group has a unconfined sign-up bonus of 140,000 points without spending only $3,000 in the first 3 months of worth opening. It’s moreover easy to earn points, with 5X points on travel, dining, and gas stations, as well as up to 26X points on IHG purchases. The card’s perks increasingly than outweigh the $99 yearly fee, with one self-ruling stay per year, and a $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS every 4 years. When you sign up for this card, you get:

• 140,000 points without spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
• 5x points on travel, dining, and gas stations
• 3x points on all other purchases
• Up to 26x points on IHG purchases
• Automatic Platinum Peerage status
• Free year-end night
• $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS every 4 years
• Up to $50 United® Airlines TravelBank Cash each timetable year

The World of Hyatt

While this card offers a slightly lower welcome bonus compared to other hotel cards on this list, if you’re a fan of Hyatt hotels, the self-ruling yearly stay hands makes up for the $95 yearly fee. And with 2x points on popular categories like restaurants, local transportation, flights, and gym memberships, it’s relatively easy to rack up points.

When you sign up for this card, you get:

• 30,000 bonus points without you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
• 2x points on categories that normally earn 1x point in first 6 months of worth opening
• 9x points on Hyatt stays
• 2x points at restaurants, flights, gym memberships, and local transportation
• 1 self-ruling stay per year (plus 1 increasingly self-ruling night when you spend $15,000 in a timetable year)
• Automatic Hyatt Discoverist status (10% bonus points on Hyatt stays, among other benefits)
• No foreign transaction fees

No matter your travel upkeep or style, every traveler should have a hotel credit vellum in their wallet. From the self-ruling loyalty status to self-ruling yearly nights, the weightier hotel credit cards offer tons of wondrous perks that can significantly lower the forfeit of your trip.

Don’t spend hundreds of dollars for walk-up that could be free. Grab one of these cards, start earning points, and you’ll be on your way to self-ruling walk-up in no time!

Advertiser Disclosure: “Nomadic Matt has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit vellum products. Nomadic Matt and CardRatings may receive a legation from vellum issuers.”

Editorial Disclosure: “Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or tried by any of these entities.”

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