Which cards give the best redemption value?
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25% Boarding Area
The cards that consistently deliver the highest redemption value fall into three groups: hotel‑spending cards, everyday‑spending cards that earn points or cash back, and transferable‑points cards that can be moved to top‑value hotel programs.
Hotel‑spending cards with the strongest return
- Sonesta – 2× points, 6.36 % total return on the required spend FrequentMiler
- Hilton Surpass – 6× points, 5.71 % total return FrequentMiler
- Wyndham Business – 8× points, about a 5.6 % return (spend data not disclosed) FrequentMiler
- Marriott Bountiful/Bevy – 4× points, 5.06 % total return FrequentMiler
- World of Hyatt – 2× points, 5.04 % total return FrequentMiler
These percentages reflect the combined value of points earned through regular spending plus the cash value of the sign‑up bonus, divided by the spend required to unlock the bonus.
Everyday‑spending cards that earn the most cents per dollar
- American Express Gold – 4× Membership Rewards on groceries, valued at 6.2 cents per dollar FrequentMiler
- American Express Blue Cash Preferred – 6 % cash back on groceries, valued at 6.0 cents per dollar FrequentMiler
- American Express Hilton cards (Surpass & Aspire) – 12× Hilton points (temporary), valued at 5.4 cents per dollar FrequentMiler
- Citi Premier – 3× points on groceries, valued at 4.35 cents per dollar FrequentMiler
- Marriott Bonvoy cards – 6× points (temporary), valued at 4.32 cents per dollar FrequentMiler
These figures use the Reasonable Redemption Value (RRV) for each program to translate points or cash back into a per‑dollar value.
Transferable‑points cards that excel for hotel redemptions
- Citi I Prefer – transfers to I Prefer yield nearly 4 cents per point in the top 10 % of redemptions, the only program breaking the 3‑cent barrier FrequentMiler FrequentMiler
- Chase Ultimate Rewards – consistently high value when transferred to Hyatt (and other partners) and when used through the Chase Travel Portal (≈1.25 cents per point) Boarding Area
Both Citi and Chase dominate the “transferable” category, delivering outsized value for hotel bookings compared with most other transferable currencies.
Which hotel credit card is the most rewarding for spending?
Co-branded credit cards, and hotel cards specifically, are often frowned upon as a place to put regular spend, especially in comparison to bank cards with transferable currencies and sexy bonus categories. That said, hotel cards can be both rewarding and fun in the right circumstances. The reason is that they tend to have a ton of perks that are offered for holding onto the cards and also for spending on them. These usually include some combination of points bonuses, elite status, elite-qualifying nights, and/or free night certificates. We collectively refer to these cash carrots as “Big Spend Bonuses.”
12x Hilton vs 6x Marriott
A question that we have seen repeated in our Frequent Miler Insiders Facebook group, on our Frequent Miler Ask Us Anything live Youtube broadcast, and in blog comments has been which temporary grocery bonus to use, specifically between the 12x offered by the Hilton cards at US Supermarkets and the 6x being offered by Marriott cards at grocery stores, both through the end of July. While I’ve noted that I’m not picking one over the other but rather using both, a question in Frequent Miler Insiders the other day prompted me to think about this more from the perspective of
Which transferable credit card points are most valuable for lodging?
Transferable points like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Amex Membership Rewards are, by and large, the most sought-after currency in points and miles. The primary reason for this is flexibility: rather than being tied to redemptions through a single loyalty program, such as United Mileage Plus or Hilton Honors, they can be transferred to and used for awards with many different airlines and hotel brands. This means you theoretically have a much larger menu of redemptions and, as a result, a much easier path to receiving outsized value for your points. However, although each transferable currency
Unlocking the Value of Chase Transfer Partners
Well, howdy there, digital drifters! Picture y’all settin’ foot in a plush hotel suite with the Eiffel Tower playin’ peekaboo out your window—or maybe easin’ into first-class to Tokyo without droppin’ a single coin on airfare. Now that’s the power of harnessin’ Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. These hefty little critters rank right up there with the most prized currencies in the travel rewards frontier. Since they can be transferred to a whole stable o’ airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio, it’s mighty easy to rope in exceptional value and wiggle-room for your itineraries. In this here guide, we’re