If you’re like most people in the United States, you probably have a few credit cards in your wallet or purse. These days, most credit cards offer travel benefits like accident insurance and rental car coverage, but did you know some also offer free hotel benefits? Let’s talk about some of the upgrades and perks you can get simply by paying with your credit card.
Free Room Upgrades
There are a handful of premium credit cards on the market that have arrangements with certain hotel chains; if you pay for the room with their card at check in, the hotel will automatically upgrade your room for free if a better one is available. American Express offers a few cards that include this benefit.
Reservations Hotline
Most of the American Express cards issued in the U.S. give members access to the company’s special travel reservations hotline. This is a phone number that allows AmEx card members to book hotel rooms, airfare, and more – sometimes at discounted prices. Although this feature is most popular on their premium credit cards, even their no annual fee AmEx Blue Sky includes it as a benefit. The Visa Black Card and Diners Club also offer similar services.
Hotel Discounts
The AmEx Gold Card gives cardmembers a free $100 travel credit once per year when they book they make their reservations through American Express Travel (the hotline discussed above). This $100 statement credit could be applied towards a hotel room reservation. Although the American Express Gold Card application lists this as a current benefit, please double check because it’s always possible this benefit could be discontinued in the future.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many hotel benefits that some credit cards offer. Although the AmEx Gold and Platinum cards carry annual fees, there are other great cards that are free like the American Express Blue Sky. So before you book your trip, you may want to check to see if any of the cards you have include these perks.
15 Feb
