Hotel credit cards don’t have to come with sky-high annual fees to deliver real value. In fact, some of the best cobranded hotel cards charge $100 or less while still offering perks like annual free nights, automatic elite status and bonus points that can meaningfully improve your travel experience.
Whether you’re looking to save money on trips abroad, rack up points on everyday spending or secure status that unlocks upgrades and late checkout, these cards punch well above their weight.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through six of the best hotel credit cards with annual fees of $100 or less, explain what makes each one valuable and help you decide which card fits your travel style.
The best hotel credit cards with annual fees under $100
The information for the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard and Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
How to choose a hotel credit card
When deciding which hotel card is right for you, a few key factors should guide your choice:
- Hotel loyalty comes first: Choose the card tied to the chain you stay with most. That means IHG if you stay at a lot of Holiday Inn properties or Marriott for Courtyard by Marriott stays. Or, choose Choice, Hilton, Hyatt or Wyndham if it is your regular brand.
- Start with flexible points: Your first travel rewards card should earn transferable points, like Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Capital One miles. Next, add a hotel card for perks, then consider an airline card.
- Decide between free nights and elite perks: Some cards offer free night certificates that outweigh the annual fee, while others focus on bonus earnings and perks like late checkout.
- Check bonus categories: Extra points on dining, gas or groceries can add value beyond travel spending.
- Match to your habits: The best card is the one that fits how you actually travel and complements the rest of your wallet.
Related: How to choose a hotel credit card
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
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This welcome bonus is worth $360, per our September 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $95.
Key benefits:
Why it’s worth it: The 30,000 anniversary bonus points easily outweigh the annual fee, and automatic Platinum status (with 20 annual elite night credits) gets you halfway to Diamond status, where free breakfast becomes a valuable perk (at select brands).
Choice Privileges points shine when redeeming in regions with high hotel costs, especially across northern Europe, where they can offset steep nightly rates. Combined with perks like the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit (up to $120 every four years) and cellphone protection (up to $800 against damage or theft with a $25 deductible when paying your phone bill with the card), this card is a smart low-cost option for travelers. It provides consistent value while also offering a path to elevated elite status with Choice Privileges.
To learn more, read our full review of the Choice Privileges Select.
Apply here: Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
This welcome bonus is worth $400, per our September 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees).
Key benefits:
Why it’s worth it: This card is a simple way to earn Hilton Honors points without an annual fee. Silver status provides meaningful perks like a fifth night free on award stays, and bonus categories make it easy to collect points through both hotel and everyday spending.
This card is a practical, low-commitment option for travelers who want Hilton benefits without paying for a premium Hilton card.
To learn more, read our full review of the Hilton Honors Amex Card.
Apply here: Hilton Honors American Express Card
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This welcome bonus is worth $825, per our September 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $99.
Key benefits:
Why it’s worth it: The free night certificate alone can justify the $99 annual fee, especially when redeemed at properties where cash rates exceed $200. I’ve had this card for many years and often use the certificate to offset pricey summer hotel stays in Europe, which easily makes the card pay for itself.
The fourth-night-free perk stretches your points even further, making long award stays significantly cheaper. And Platinum Elite status in the IHG One Rewards program elevates your stays with room upgrades (subject to availability), welcome perks and bonus points.
For travelers who stay with IHG at least a couple of times a year, this card is a reliable way to unlock both savings and perks.
To learn more, read our full review of the IHG One Rewards Premier.
Apply here: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn three free night awards (each night valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. (Certain hotels have resort fees.)
This welcome bonus is worth up to $1,050, per our September 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $95.
Key benefits:
Why it’s worth it: The annual free night certificate alone easily covers the $95 annual fee and can deliver even more value when used at high-cost properties. The built-in Silver Elite status, with its benefits like late checkout (subject to availability) and bonus points, combined with 15 elite night credits, gives you a nice head start on status without extra stays.
If you spend or stay enough to achieve Gold Elite status (25 nights in a calendar year), you unlock better perks like room upgrades (subject to availability) and extra bonus points, making the card a solid mid-tier choice for anyone with even occasional Marriott stays.
(Note that all Marriott Bonvoy members, even those without status or a Marriott credit card, get their fifth night free on award stays.)
To learn more, read our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn up to 60,000 bonus points: 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 bonus points per dollar spent on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point (on up to $15,000 spent) in the first six months from account opening.
This welcome bonus is worth up to $1,020, per our September 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $95.
Key benefits:
Why it’s worth it: I’ve had this card for many years, and the annual free night certificate (especially at Category 4 hotels) delivers outsize value compared with the $95 annual fee. It’s also an excellent option to spend toward an extra free night and to push closer to Explorist status (or even Globalist, Hyatt’s top status tier).
Discoverist status offers perks like room upgrades and late checkout (subject to availability) and faster Wi-Fi, all of which make Hyatt stays more comfortable. Combined with the ability to earn more elite nights through card spending, this card is a smart way to unlock both short-term savings and long-term elite perks.
To learn more, read our full review of the World of Hyatt Card.
Apply here: World of Hyatt Credit Card
Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening.
This welcome bonus is worth $495, per our September 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $75.
Key benefits:
- Award night discount
- Bonus anniversary points
- Complimentary Platinum elite status
Why it’s worth it: Platinum status in the Wyndham Rewards program provides you with perks like early check-in and late checkout (subject to availability) and bonus earnings on stays. The 7,500 anniversary points you get each year already cover a free night at some properties, making it easy to recoup the $75 annual fee.
On top of that, you enjoy a 10% discount on award redemptions, which stretches your points further. And it’s also a great option for gas purchases, earning bonus points in a category many travelers use heavily.
For travelers who often stay with Wyndham, particularly at its affordable brands, the Earner Plus Card packs excellent value into a low annual fee.
To learn more, read our full review of the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus.
Bottom line
You don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars in annual fees to get real value from a hotel credit card. With options from all the major chains, it’s possible to unlock free nights, status perks and strong earning potential at a modest cost.
If I had to narrow it down, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Credit Card are top achievers, while the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card is a solid pick for Bonvoy loyalists. But whichever program you prefer, these sub-$100 hotel cards prove that you can travel better without overspending on fees.
Related: My top 3 picks for the best cobranded hotel credit card
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex, click here.