Earning better rewards "value" for hotels than the BCP?

[Anonymous]

So, I'm looking around for good cards out there that give me most rewards value for the dollars spent on every day stuff, like Groceries, Gas, bills etc.....but I'd like to know the best rewards value received for hotel stays. I already have the AMEX BCP, and earn 6% "cash back" on groceries and 3% on gas, and I know that there's the AMEX EDP has MR points that could be used for flights and hotels, but I don't fly too often, so I'd rather have something more geared towards rewards for hotel stays than flying. I like road-tripping once in a while, so it'll be nice to have a card that earns me points over time, which then could be used for stays at hotels whenever I'm far away from home. Name of hotel isn't too much of a big deal, so it doesn't matter whether it's a dedicated card for a specific hotel chain, or more of a general hotel rewards card.

So, are there any cards out there that reward me at a better rate than compared to the cash back I'm already receiving with the BCP card? Or is the BCP in my situation, already giving me the best value for my expenses? I don't stay at hotels too often, nor do I fly too often, so preferably not a card that receives max rewards when using it for booking flights, or staying at hotels often, mostly for every day expenses. Some point systems are a bit confusing, and I'm not always completely sure if the reward value of those "points" are worth more or less than the cash back I'm already receiving with BCP.

Any advice or hints would be helpful!

EDIT: I probably should add that I also have a Discover it, Chase Freedom, as well as an Amazon Prime Visa Sig that give me cash back.

[Anonymous]

Well, firstly, you're pretty much looking at an annual fee to get the value you expect. A few cobranded hotel cards offer a free night every year, including the Hyatt card, IHG card, and Marriott card. You'll still earn points toward future stays by using the cards, but the most significant reward is the free night. Of course if you get one of those cards and use it at another hotel it won't be particularly useful.

The Citi Prestige offers a 4th free night if you stay at a place for 4 paid nights. Add to that some places give you the 5th night free, you could practically get 5 nights for the cost of 3. The Prestige also offers unlimited use of its free roadside assistance. If your road trip habit is to stay for like 1 night at a given hotel, you won't get to use the 4th night free perk, but if you drive to a destination and stay 4 or 5 nights, this card could be very lucrative.

Otherwise, generally a solid approach to free hotel nights is to get a Chase Sapphire Preferred (or Reserve), a Chase Freedom, and even a Freedom Unlimited to earn significant amounts of Ultimate Rewards points which can be used toward hotels.

[Asmodai66]

The Marriott CC is great, you get triple points faster and you get free night certificates and you can use it pratically anywhere like a normal CC. I know, well because I offer it everyday

[Anonymous]

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@Asmodai66wrote:

The Marriott CC is great, you get triple points faster and you get free night certificates and you can use it pratically anywhere like a normal CC. I know, well because I offer it everyday

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Marriott card is not great.  You get 2 points on some purchases and 1 point on other pruchases. If you get an SPG card you get 3 Marriott points on every purchase.

[NRB525]

For domestic road trips there is not a hotel card that can help earn general hotel value. 

Most hotel CC have an AF, and the points work onLy in that chain. Hyatt and SPG points are valuable, and if you stay at Hyatt those Card points can be valuable, but that are not in small towns. 

The one card to red to consider is the Wyndham Rewards. The points earned on that card can be used in 3,000 point chunks to reduce the cost at Wyndham, which includes some of the lower budget hotels one finds on road trips. 

Your BCP cash, if you bank that, is a good earning source, convert the statement credits to savings for later. A no-AF 2% Card like the new SDFCU Card is a good addition as well. By staying away from other AF cards, then you are not trying to earn your way out of the AF before realizing earnings. Save that AF cash for paying the next hotel. 

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymouswrote:
So, I'm looking around for good cards out there that give me most rewards value for the dollars spent on every day stuff, like Groceries, Gas, bills etc.....but I'd like to know the best rewards value received for hotel stays. I already have the AMEX BCP, and earn 6% "cash back" on groceries and 3% on gas, and I know that there's the AMEX EDP has MR points that could be used for flights and hotels, but I don't fly too often, so I'd rather have something more geared towards rewards for hotel stays than flying. I like road-tripping once in a while, so it'll be nice to have a card that earns me points over time, which then could be used for stays at hotels whenever I'm far away from home. Name of hotel isn't too much of a big deal, so it doesn't matter whether it's a dedicated card for a specific hotel chain, or more of a general hotel rewards card.

So, are there any cards out there that reward me at a better rate than compared to the cash back I'm already receiving with the BCP card? Or is the BCP in my situation, already giving me the best value for my expenses? I don't stay at hotels too often, nor do I fly too often, so preferably not a card that receives max rewards when using it for booking flights, or staying at hotels often, mostly for every day expenses. Some point systems are a bit confusing, and I'm not always completely sure if the reward value of those "points" are worth more or less than the cash back I'm already receiving with BCP.

Any advice or hints would be helpful!

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Get a Citi Double Cash it will give you 2 percent back in cash on everything and there is no annual fee.  An Uber credit card would give you 4 percent on dinning.  Combine those two with what you have and you should be doing better than a Hotel Credit card if you don't travel much.  

[NRB525]

The Discover IT and US Bank Cash+ should be considered. 

Discover rotating 5% and base earnings can be converted to gift cards, including things like a $75 Shell Card for $70 in rewards payment. 

Cash+ categories are selectable, could do 2% on Dining out, 5% on fast food, and 5% on cell phone as example. If going to shop in a coming quarter, 5% department stores or 5% sporting goods ( REI ) are options. 

[wingennis]

The Venture/Venture One might be good possibilities for your needs.  They offer the 10x on hotels.com and aren't tied to one hotel chain.  People can say what they want about Cap1 but their rewards are incredibly easy to redeem.  The Venture One has no annual fee but still gets the 10x on hotels.com, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

Agreed with Hyatt, although I'll mention I can get about 3 cpp with them. 

The Marriott card is a joke, but then again, so is their entire rewards system. SPG will be missed. 

[MrDisco99]

Cap1 VentureOne gets 10x back at hotels.com for no annual fee.

You might do well to figure out which hotel chain is most useful for the kind of travel you do and look at co-branded card options for that chain. Some of them can even be had for no annual fee if you’re concerned about that (Hilton, Wyndham) though the fee versions of those cards usually provide far better value.