There are plenty of great co-branded hotel credit cards on the market. However, some of the top products have extremely high annual fees, costing cardholders hundreds of dollars each year.
While frequent travelers can take advantage of the earning rates and benefits these cards offer, having a premium hotel card isn’t always feasible for leisure travelers (or even frequent travelers with multiple annual-fee cards).
The good news is, there are several great mid-range hotel credit cards available – let’s dive into which ones make the most sense for different types of travelers and budgets.
Best mid-range hotel card
Our favorite mid-range hotel cards have annual fees of $150 or less.
There’s only one card: Hilton Surpass, with an annual fee of more than $100. Our other three options keep the cost under $100.
Before we go any further, let’s outline the monetary value each card earns based on TPG’s October 2025 valuation:
- Hilton Honors Points: 0.5 cents each
- IHG One Rewards points: 0.5 cents each
- Marriott Bonvoy points: 0.7 cents each
- World of Hyatt points: 1.7 cents each
Related: How to tell if a credit card annual fee is worth paying
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Welcome offer
Each card offers a welcome offer for new cardholders, allowing them to earn tons of points upon signing up.
| card | Welcome offer | Welcome Offer Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton Cypas Hotel | Earn 155,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases within your first six months as a card member. Offer valid until January 14, 2026. | $775 |
| InterContinental Hotels Group Premium Hotels | Earn 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. | $825 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited | Earn 125,000 points and free night bonuses worth up to 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 in qualifying purchases within the first three months of account opening. Some hotels charge a resort fee. | Maximize your free night awards up to $1,225 |
| World of Hyatt Card | Earn up to 60,000 bonus points: Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, earn 2 points for every $1 spent within the first six months of account opening, up from 1 point on typical purchases, up to a maximum of $15,000 in bonus points. Additionally, earn 2 tier-eligible stay points for each qualifying Hyatt stay between October 16, 2025, and January 31, 2026 (up to 15 nights). | Up to $1,020 |
*Welcome offer value is determined by TPG’s valuation.
Which card appears on top?
When you think about TPG’s valuation, Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Offering the best value—as long as you maximize your 50,000 free night award points.
RELATED: Cards Currently Offering Welcome Bonuses of 100,000 Points or More
Yield
You can earn points in each program when you pay with the card. Here’s what you need to know about your earnings rates, and what you can expect in return on your spending.
| card | Yield and return on expenses* |
|---|---|
| Hilton Cypas Hotel |
|
| InterContinental Hotels Group Premium Hotels |
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited |
|
| World of Hyatt Card |
|
*Return on payout is determined by TPG’s valuation.
Which card appears on top?
As a general rule of thumb, co-branded hotel credit cards are usually best for hotel spending only—even if they have additional bonus categories. This is because cards with transferable points have greater redemption flexibility and generally earn more valuable points.
So we’re going to focus on analyzing which cards offer the most bang for your buck when it comes to hotel spending.
Because TPG takes Hyatt points seriously, you’ll earn 15.3% back when you book a Hyatt stay World of Hyatt Card Outperform your competitors.
However, you’ll get up to 13% back when you book a stay with IHG InterContinental Hotels Group Premium Hotels Marriott loyalty members can earn up to 11.9% back Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Impressive too.
Related: How to Earn Over 300,000 Points in One Year
benefit
Each card offers a unique set of benefits that may be useful to loyal fans of a specific brand. Here’s what to know.
| card | benefit |
|---|---|
| Hilton Cypas Hotel |
|
| InterContinental Hotels Group Premium Hotels |
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited |
|
| World of Hyatt Card |
|
Which card appears on top?
The benefits category is a bit difficult to quantify as to which card is actually the best. People may value certain benefits differently.
The Hilton Honors Surpass is certainly a strong contender, with automatic Gold status that you can convert to Diamond status at the end of the next calendar year if you spend $40,000 a year on the card.
Plus, your annual free night bonus can be used on any night after you spend $15,000.
Even so, we think the IHG One Rewards Premier comes out on top in this round. For an annual fee of just $99, you get great benefits.
The Anniversary Reward alone is worth up to 40,000 points per night, and Platinum Elite members also enjoy 60% off paid stays, room upgrades (excluding suites), welcome gifts and more. Add in the free fourth award night benefit and reduced Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee, and you’ve got an all-star list of benefits for a midrange hotel credit card.
RELATED: I Use Hotel Credit Card Deals for Luxury Travel — Here Are 5 Ways
Which mid-range hotel card is best for you?
Before choosing a hotel credit card, consider your travel habits and which benefits you personally find most useful. The price differences between these cards are minimal, so which card is best for you really depends on which hotel brand you want to stay at more often and which offers you find most useful.
For example, if you rarely stay at IHG, don’t buy points, and already have Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, then InterContinental Hotels Group Premium Hotels It won’t be that valuable to you.
Likewise, if you know you won’t spend at least $15,000 on your card each year, you won’t be able to earn free night awards through: Hilton Cypas Hotelso this might not be the best option either.
Each card on this list has its pros and cons. On paper, InterContinental Hotels Group Premium Hotels It offers the best benefits and yield compared to the annual fee, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone.
Hilton and Marriott are larger hotel brands with more luxury hotel options around the world, so travelers who are new to using hotel points may want to start earning points in one of these programs. TPG’s valuation, on the other hand, sees Hyatt points as the most valuable hotel currency.
Overall, there are several factors to weigh here, and each traveler’s decision will be different.
Related: 4 Reasons You Need a Credit Card to Join Your Favorite Hotel Loyalty Program
Other cards to consider for hotel spending
Even so, if you’re a leisure traveler or a beginner, you might be better off with a transferable rewards card. What they may lack in hotel benefits, they make up for in flexible redemptions.
Some of our favorite mid-level transferable rewards cards for hotel bookings include:
Each card unlocks a unique set of transfer partners. Speaking of hotels, you can expect:
| Reward currency | Hotel pick-up partners and ratios |
|---|---|
| capital mile |
|
| Chase the ultimate reward |
|
| Citi Appreciation Rewards |
|
Transferring Chase points to Hyatt hotels remains one of the most valuable redemption options. Because of this, Sapphire preferred Hands down one of our favorite mid-tier transferable rewards cards for hotel bookings.
But if you’re tempted by the options offered by Capital One miles or Citi Thank You Rewards, consider a mid-range travel card from either issuer.
And if you’re more interested in getting a specific brand’s benefits, you’ll want to apply for a co-branded card like the one discussed earlier.
Related: Why Hyatt remains my favorite Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner
bottom line
As with any credit card decision, consider your spending habits and goals for the card. Also, think about which brand you like best, since you want a card that earns rewards you actually use.
Finally, if you’re not committed to any hotel brand and plan to become a free agent, a card that earns transferable points may be a better choice. However, if you’re loyal to any brand, check out their midrange cards and see if it makes sense for your strategy.
Related: How to Choose a Hotel Credit Card
For Hilton Honors Surpass rates and fees, click here.
