Hotels.com launches its first ever credit card

Deep into the pandemic, which effectively shut down most travel, many travelers may find it hard to stay on top of their loyalty programs. That has triggered a lot of limited-time offers from airlines and hotel chains – and some new product announcements as well.

On Sept. 14, Hotels.com announced the launch of its first travel rewards credit card: the Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card. The card will allow its users to earn rewards on everyday spending, bringing them closer to reward nights at over half a million properties worldwide, without an annual fee.

“We believe that traveling should be rewarding, and Hotels.com is excited to offer another way for travelers to earn more rewards through their everyday spending,” said Ben Blake, senior vice president for Hotels.com. “The Hotels.com Rewards program already offers freedom and flexibility to redeem reward nights at half a million properties — you’re not tied to any one city, chain or room type. And now the Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card helps unlock way more, even faster.”

What the new Hotels.com card offers

If you’re a Hotels.com Rewards member, you collect one stamp for each night stayed at any eligible property. After collecting 10 stamps, you can get a reward night worth $110.

With the Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card, earning reward nights is easier and faster. For every $500 in purchases on the card, cardmembers will get a stamp to count toward their next reward night.

New cardholders can also earn a reward night worth $125 as an introductory bonus by spending $1,000 on card purchases in the first three months of opening an account.

On top of that, in their first year with the card, users will enjoy an upgraded membership level that offers travel perks such as free breakfast, airport transfers, free Wi-Fi and more at select VIP properties.

The Hotels.com Rewards Visa Credit Card also provides cellphone protection and doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Is the Hotels.com card the right choice for you?

If reward nights are your goal and your favorite way to redeem travel rewards, the new card from Hotels.com may be an excellent choice for you. You’re not tied to any hotel chain and you get a stamp worth $110 for every $500 you spend with the card. If you put your everyday purchases on the card, you can earn quite a few stamps rather quickly.

However, if you’re also interested in other valuable redemption options, like airfare upgrades and reward tickets, a general travel rewards credit card might be a better choice. While you’ll still be able to transfer your rewards to hotel partners – sometimes at a great value – you’ll have other redemption options as well. Of course, these travel credit cards often charge an annual fee, but they also provide valuable perks and benefits, like travel credits and travel insurance.

That said, you can pair your Hotels.com credit card with your other rewards cards. This way, you’ll have an easy way to earn reward nights on top of benefits and options that come with your other cards. Since it has no annual fee, it doesn’t hurt your budget to have it in your wallet for a quick way to add a free night to your next vacation.