The Best Credit Cards for Hotels – May 2026

Q: Should I choose a hotel-branded card or a flexible-points card?

It depends on your travel habits. Hotel-branded cards like the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card give you an annual Free Night Award (up to 35,000 points) plus 15 Elite nights toward status, which is unbeatable if you stay at Marriott properties at least once a year. Flexible-points cards like the American Express Cobalt® Card or the American Express® Gold Rewards Card let you transfer Membership Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy at a 5:6 ratio (10,000 MR = 12,000 Bonvoy), but also to airlines like Aeroplan or British Airways. If you mostly stay at independent or boutique hotels, flexible points win every time. If you're loyal to one brand, the co-branded card pays for itself with the free night.

Q: How can I get free hotel elite status without staying often?

The fastest way is via a premium credit card. The American Express Platinum Card® grants Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status automatically, no qualifying nights required. Hilton Gold gets you free breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, and a 80% bonus on base points. Marriott Gold gets you 25% bonus points, late checkout, and welcome gifts. The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card also adds 15 Elite nights per year, which puts you halfway to Platinum status (50 nights) just by holding the card. Combined with stays, this can fast-track you to higher tiers without changing your travel patterns.

Q: What is a Free Night Award and how do I use it?

A Free Night Award is a certificate good for one paid night at a Marriott property, capped at a points value (35,000 points for both the personal and business Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cards). You receive one each year on your card anniversary. To maximize value, redeem it at properties where the cash rate is high relative to the points cost — a 35,000-point night at a Mexican beach resort or a European 4-star city hotel often returns $300-$500 in value, easily covering the $120-$150 annual fee. You can also top up with up to 15,000 of your own points to book a property worth up to 50,000 points per night.

Q: Which credit card is best for transferring points to Marriott Bonvoy?

The American Express® Gold Rewards Card is the workhorse: 60,000 Membership Rewards welcome bonus = 72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after a 1:1.2 transfer. The American Express Cobalt® Card earns 5x at groceries, restaurants and food delivery, which converts to 6 Bonvoy points per dollar — the highest hotel earn rate in Canada on those categories. The American Express Platinum Card® earns 2 MR (= 2.4 Bonvoy) per dollar on travel and dining. For a no-fee option, the American Express® Green Card still offers the same 1:1.2 transfer ratio on its 10,000-point welcome bonus.

Q: Are there hotel cards without an annual fee?

There is no true co-branded hotel card with no annual fee in Canada — every major chain (Marriott, Hilton, IHG) requires a paid card to access status, free nights or elite night credits. However, you can still earn hotel points with no-fee general rewards cards: the American Express® Green Card (no fee) earns Membership Rewards transferable to Marriott Bonvoy at 1:1.2. Cash-back cards like the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card work for hotel bookings paid in cash. If avoiding fees is your top priority, you'll get more value from a no-fee transferable-points card than from any branded option.

The Best Credit Cards for Hotels – May 2026

These credit cards are perfect for getting free hotel nights.Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, read on or click on the name of a card.

Marriott Bonvoy points

Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card for free hotel nights.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points:

Earn 60,000 points after spending a total of $3,000 on your Card within your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
In addition, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.

It’s a card we recommend you keep, because each year at renewal, you’ll get an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points, plus 15 Elite nights per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Last but not least, this Card comes with a wide range of insurance coverages: baggage delay, baggage loss or theft, $500,000 travel accident, flight delay, hotel/motel burglary, rental car theft and damage, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card

The Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card is the best credit card for the self-employed, professionals and small business owners who travel.

With this welcome offer, you can get up to 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy points:

Get 70,000 points after charging a total of $5,000 to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points when you spend $1,000 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar for all your spending at Marriott Bonvoy establishments, and you can earn 3 points per dollar for :

Gas
Dining
Travel

And 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Hotel Elite Status

American Express Platinum Card®

The Platinum Card^® is the best Premium Card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points:

70,000 points when you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in the first 3 months after joining;
30,000 points if you make a purchase between 15 to 17 months after signing up.

With this Card, you get:

2 points per dollar for dining purchases
2 points per dollar on travel purchases
1 point per dollar for other purchases

You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:

Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta Skymiles, etc.
Transfer your points to hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)
Redeem points for statement credits to offset any travel purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
Redeem points for statement credits towards other purchases (1,000 points = $10)
And more!

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to :

100,000 Aeroplan points
100,000 Avios
100,000 Flying Blue Miles
120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

$200 Annual Travel Credit
An annual meal credit of $200
$100 NEXUS Card Statement Credit
Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to over 1,400 airport lounges in more than 130 countries
Hilton Honors Gold Elite status (complimentary breakfast at all Hilton hotels)
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
Access to the Fine Hotels and Resorts program

Last but not least, the Platinum Card^® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Points you can redeem on hotel or Airbnb reservations

TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 165,000 TD Rewards points^†and a rebate on the annual fee for the first year:

20,000 TD Rewards points for the first purchase made with your Card^†
145,000 TD Rewards points if you spend $7,500 within 180 days of opening^†
A birthday bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards points^†

Plus, get an Annual Fee Rebate for the first year.^† This is the highest offer we have ever seen!

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn:

8 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia^® For TD^†
6 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on Groceries, Dining, and Public Transit^†
4 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on Recurring Bill Payments and Streaming, Digital Gaming & Media^†
2 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card^†

This TD credit card is one of the best TD travel rewards cards. As of April 30, 2025, it now offers access to airport lounges with 4 free visits per year.

Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite +* Card

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Visa Infinite ^+* Passport^MC Card, you get up to 60,000 Scene+ points as a welcome bonus (a value of $600):

40,000 points after $2,000 in purchases within the first three months
10,000 points after $10,000 in purchases within the first six months
10,000 points after $40,000 in purchases in the first year

Then, each year, if you make at least $40,000 in purchases on the card, you’ll earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 points, which represents a $100 value.

With the Scotiabank Visa Infinite +* Passport^MD Card, you earn 3 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

You also earn 2 points per dollar spent, including on foreign purchases, in the following categories:

Grocery shopping
Restaurants
Entertainment centers
Transit

The Scotiabank Visa Infinite +* Passport^MD Card is an excellent Visa credit card for these types of purchases.

These points can be used for any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusive packages, and even Airbnb). You can also redeem your points as cash back with Scene+, for example, at your grocery store checkout at the same rate of 1,000 points = $10.

The Scotiabank Visa Infinite +* Passport^MD Card also offers:

No fees for foreign currency transactions
6 access to VIP airport lounges
Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
Concierge service
Travel with confidence with 10 GB of free GigSky global mobile data for 15 days, plus access to GigSky Travel Essentials for essential apps on the go.
Cardholders also receive a free 1 GB/15-day GigSky global mobile data package annually, plus a 20% discount on future GigSky purchases.

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

National Bank World Elite Mastercard

With Milesopedia, enjoy an exclusive offer to get up to 50,000 points with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available through the Milesopedia network and allows you to quickly earn points by following these steps:

10,000 reward points upon enrollment in your credit card payment protection, for a minimum of 3 months of membership.
10,000 points when you make $5,000 in net purchases within the first 3 months.
20,000 points when you reach $20,000 in purchases within the first 12 months.
10,000 points when you combine your credit card with the opening of your first current account within 7 days of your credit card application.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
2 points per dollar on recurring bills
2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

Airport parking
Baggage fees
Seat selection
Access to Airport Lounges
Flight upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card

If you do not meet the income requirements of CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card, you can apply for CIBC Aventura^® Gold Visa* Card. The minimum annual income required for this card is $15,000 (household).

CIBC has a digital offer with which you can earn up to 45,000 Aventura points :

15,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase^†
30,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods^†

In addition, you can benefit from a rebate on the first year’s annual fee for the primary card holder ($139 value) and up to three authorized users ($50 each).

With this CIBC Aventura Credit Card, you get:

2 points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre^†
1.5 points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores^†
1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases^†

The CIBC Aventura^® Gold Visa* Card also offers:

Access to airport lounges: one Visa Airport Companion Program membership and 4 free visits per year
Reimbursement of NEXUS membership fees ( $160 value)

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

With this exceptional limited-time welcome offer, you can earn up to 70,000 Avion points as a welcome bonus with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card!

Receive 35,000 points upon approval
20,000 additional points when you spend $5,000 within the first six months of account opening
15,000 points on your account anniversary

You can use your Avion Rewards points to book flights with over 500 airlines or transfer them to select partner loyalty programs, such as:

American Airlines AAdvantage
The British Airways Club (and Qatar Airways Privilege Club)
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
WestJet Rewards

You can also maximize the value of your points using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule, which offers fixed pricing year-round based on the destination and flight type.

Depending on your goals, this offer can represent strong value, particularly for transfers to partner programs or for using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule.

With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card, you earn 1.25 Avion points per dollar on eligible travel purchases¹² and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases².

The card also includes several insurance coverages⁷, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance, rental vehicle collision/loss damage insurance, and mobile device insurance.

BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard credit cards with travel points in Canada. With our exclusive welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 BMO Rewards points.

These points have a value of approximately $650 to $700, according to our estimate, and can be applied to your travel expenses.

Plus, there is no annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders.

You can also take advantage of a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months, with a 2% balance transfer fee.

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you get:

5 points per dollar on eligible travel*
3 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments*
1 point per dollar on all other purchases*

You can use BMO Rewards points for your travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, packages, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The card also offers:

4 complimentary airport lounge accesses per year via Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days*

Finally, enjoy six months of Instacart+ membership and a $10 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.*

Transferable Points to Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt^® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for every $750 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points.

You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.

Alternatively, transfer them to Aeroplan points, Avios (British Airways/Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors.

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:

15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With the American Express Cobalt^® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category	Points per dollar
Grocery (Métro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)	5
Home food delivery	5
Restaurants and bars	5
Convenience stores	5
Streaming services	3
Service station	2
Transport	2
Travel	1
Other	1

This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or restaurants and/or food delivery, you’ll earn $50 cash back per month, or $600 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And if you decide to transfer your points to other programs like Aeroplan, you could get even more value!

In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express® Gold Rewards Card

Earn up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer for the American Express Gold Rewards Card. That’s a value of $600 toward travel or any purchase charged to the Card:

5,000 Membership Rewards points per month when you charge $1,000 in net purchases to your Card, for 12 months (a total of 60,000 points in the first year).

You can also transfer your points to airline partners such as Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways, Qatar Airways, Finnair), Flying Blue, and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to :

60,000 Aeroplan points
60,000 Avios
60,000 Flying Blue Miles
72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this Card, you get many benefits like:

$100 annual travel credit
Priority Pass membership and 4 complimentary Plaza Premium visits per year
$50 NEXUS credit

You earn 2 points per dollar for travel purchases, and at:

gas stations
grocery stores
drugstores

And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express® Green Card

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here’s an option for you: American Express^® Green Card.

By signing up for the American Express^® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.

You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning:

10,000 Aeroplan points
10,000 Avios points
10,000 Flying Blue Miles
12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.

You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions about credit cards for hotels

Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards for hotel stays in Canada.

Should I choose a hotel-branded card or a flexible-points card?

It depends on your travel habits. Hotel-branded cards like the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card give you an annual Free Night Award (up to 35,000 points) plus 15 Elite nights toward status, which is unbeatable if you stay at Marriott properties at least once a year. Flexible-points cards like the American Express Cobalt^® Card or the American Express^® Gold Rewards Card let you transfer Membership Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy at a 5:6 ratio (10,000 MR = 12,000 Bonvoy), but also to airlines like Aeroplan or British Airways. If you mostly stay at independent or boutique hotels, flexible points win every time. If you’re loyal to one brand, the co-branded card pays for itself with the free night.

How can I get free hotel elite status without staying often?

The fastest way is via a premium credit card. The American Express Platinum Card^® grants Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status automatically, no qualifying nights required. Hilton Gold gets you free breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, and a 80% bonus on base points. Marriott Gold gets you 25% bonus points, late checkout, and welcome gifts. The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card also adds 15 Elite nights per year, which puts you halfway to Platinum status (50 nights) just by holding the card. Combined with stays, this can fast-track you to higher tiers without changing your travel patterns.

What is a Free Night Award and how do I use it?

A Free Night Award is a certificate good for one paid night at a Marriott property, capped at a points value (35,000 points for both the personal and business Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Cards). You receive one each year on your card anniversary. To maximize value, redeem it at properties where the cash rate is high relative to the points cost — a 35,000-point night at a Mexican beach resort or a European 4-star city hotel often returns $300-$500 in value, easily covering the $120-$150 annual fee. You can also top up with up to 15,000 of your own points to book a property worth up to 50,000 points per night.

Which credit card is best for transferring points to Marriott Bonvoy?

The American Express^® Gold Rewards Card is the workhorse: 60,000 Membership Rewards welcome bonus = 72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after a 1:1.2 transfer. The American Express Cobalt^® Card earns 5x at groceries, restaurants and food delivery, which converts to 6 Bonvoy points per dollar — the highest hotel earn rate in Canada on those categories. The American Express Platinum Card^® earns 2 MR (= 2.4 Bonvoy) per dollar on travel and dining. For a no-fee option, the American Express^® Green Card still offers the same 1:1.2 transfer ratio on its 10,000-point welcome bonus.

Are there hotel cards without an annual fee?

There is no true co-branded hotel card with no annual fee in Canada — every major chain (Marriott, Hilton, IHG) requires a paid card to access status, free nights or elite night credits. However, you can still earn hotel points with no-fee general rewards cards: the American Express^® Green Card (no fee) earns Membership Rewards transferable to Marriott Bonvoy at 1:1.2. Cash-back cards like the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card work for hotel bookings paid in cash. If avoiding fees is your top priority, you’ll get more value from a no-fee transferable-points card than from any branded option.

Can I earn hotel points through third-party booking portals?

Yes, but be careful — booking through Expedia, Booking.com or Hotels.com usually disqualifies you from earning hotel-brand points (Marriott, Hilton, IHG only credit stays booked direct or with the chain’s own travel agency). However, you can still earn credit-card points: the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card earns 8 TD Rewards per dollar on Expedia bookings, and the Scotiabank Passport^™ Visa Infinite +* Card redeems Scene+ points at 1,000 = $10 toward any hotel. The trade-off: you skip hotel status benefits (room upgrades, late checkout, free breakfast). For loyalists, always book direct.

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex better than the personal version?

If you have business income to declare, yes — and you can hold both. The Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card offers a higher welcome bonus (up to 80,000 points vs 70,000), the same 35,000-point Free Night Award and the same 15 Elite nights, plus better category multipliers: 3 points per dollar on gas, dining and travel vs the personal card’s flat 2 points. Both cards stack their 15 Elite nights, meaning two cards = 30 nights toward status — essentially Gold Elite handed to you. The business card requires a Quebec NEQ or federal BN, plus a personal guarantee.