Best hotel credit cards for bad to fair credit

If you have bad or fair credit, you may assume it excludes you from the best hotel credit cards with lucrative rewards programs or opportunities to earn enticing room upgrades. Fortunately, there are many options available for people with fair or bad credit to start racking up rewards immediately. While a fair or bad credit score might keep you out of reach from premium perks available on other cards such as the Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire options, you may be surprised at how much you can earn with these picks for best hotel cards for bad credit.

Comparing the best hotel cards for bad to fair credit

Best hotel credit cards for bad to fair credit

Best for straightforward rewards program

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

4

Learn More in our Bankrate review

• Bankrate’s view

  The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards card is a secured option offering a generous rewards program and no annual fee (See Rates & Fees). You earn 1.5 percent cash back on all eligible purchases and an unlimited 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, making it an excellent choice for people interested in hotel rewards. Another bonus with this card is the ability to earn back your security deposit as a statement credit once you have established a responsible track record with the card. The higher APR could make carrying a balance more expensive, but you can avoid it by paying the balance in full each month if possible.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • Capital One’s automatic credit limit increases could accelerate building your credit score without an additional security deposit.
  • If you don’t have the $200 security deposit all at once, you can pay it over time as long as the full amount is received within 35 days of approval.

  

  Cons

  • Carrying a balance on this card can get expensive since it has a high APR.
  • Booking a hotel or rental car outside of the Capital One travel portal earns you significantly less cash back and may limit your hotel choices.

Best travel rewards potential

Credit One Bank® Wander® American Express® with Dining, Gas & Travel Rewards

Rating: 3.6 stars out of 5

3.6

Learn More in our Bankrate review

• Bankrate’s view

  The Credit One Bank Wander Card offers a great opportunity to check for preapproval without a hard inquiry from the application on your credit score — ideal for someone concerned about a negative impact on their credit score or is on the fence about applying for a credit card. The rewards program is generous too, as it earns 10X points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked using the Credit One Bank travel site, 5X points on eligible travel, dining and gas purchases and 1X points on all other purchases. This generosity comes at a price though, with a hefty annual fee of $95, so ensure that you can earn back that much in rewards each year.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • The rewards rate on hotels booked through Credit One Bank’s travel portal is better than most hotel cards for fair or bad credit.
  • You don’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees with this card.

  

  Cons

  • The $95 annual fee takes a chunk out of any rewards you’ll earn with the card.
  • Purchases outside of the boosted rewards categories earn significantly fewer rewards points.

Best secured hotel rewards card

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

4.5

Learn More in our Bankrate review

• Bankrate’s view

  If you aren’t booking a hotel room every month, but if you still want to earn rewards to put towards your travel plans, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card* is a smart option for fair credit. This card earns the same rewards as the unsecured version so you won’t lose out on cash back while building your credit: 3 percent cash back on up to $2,500 in purchases each quarter in a category of your choice, then 1 percent.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • The higher rewards rate on this card is comparable to some of the top unsecured cards.
  • Redeeming your cash back is just as flexible as earning it with options to receive your cash back as a deposit, statement credit or paying for Amazon purchases.

  

  Cons

  • Traveling internationally could get expensive since there’s a 3 percent foreign transaction fee.
  • If your spending exceeds $2,500 per quarter in the 2 and 3 percent categories, then you’ll miss out on cash back.

Best for students

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5

4.6

Learn More in our Bankrate review

• Bankrate’s view

  If you’re a student who’s just starting to build credit, you’ll want to consider the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. It’s a strong unsecured card contender for students with fair credit since there’s no credit history required for approval. The rewards program is unusually generous, offering 8 percent back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 5 percent on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel and 3 percent on dining, groceries (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), entertainment and streaming services. The welcome offer is rare for fair credit cards, with a $50 cash bonus after spending $100 within the first three months. Since it lacks foreign transaction fees and an annual fee (See Rates & Fees), it also makes a decent beginner travel card for students studying abroad.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • This card has high rewards rates on typical student spending categories and hotels.
  • There’s no annual fee or foreign transaction fees to cut into your budget.

  

  Cons

  • The 3 percent cash back on groceries doesn’t apply to superstores like Walmart and Target.
  • Your creditworthiness determines your APR. If you have fair or bad credit, your APR will likely be the higher than average..

How to choose a hotel card for bad credit

There are many choices for hotel credit cards, and it can feel overwhelming to choose one. Before you dive into your search, use these questions to help you choose the best hotel card for bad credit.

How much can you afford for a security deposit?

Secured credit cards typically require a security deposit to establish a credit line. The amount required varies depending on the card. Typical security deposits start around $200 but can increase from there. The security deposit is often equal to your initial credit line but there could be opportunities to earn your security deposit back over time, depending on the credit card. If you don’t want to pay a security deposit, consider an unsecured credit card if your credit score is high enough for the best approval chances.

What is your credit score?

Before you apply for a credit card, it is important to know your credit score rating. Credit card issuers use your credit score as a determining factor for approval. Some credit card issuers have a minimum threshold for what credit score will be accepted, which impacts which credit card you apply for. If you’ve established fair credit, you can apply for unsecured cards with more perks than secured cards and won’t have to put down a security deposit. However, people with bad credit may need to solely consider secured cards to access hotel rewards.

What rewards and perks are important to you?

Not all hotel credit cards have the best travel perks and benefits. Especially if you have bad or fair credit, you’ll rarely see benefits like free nights or account anniversary bonuses. If earning the highest possible rewards on hotel stays is the most important to you, a card like the Credit One Wander card is one of the best options. For people who want to earn rewards on general travel, then a Capital One travel card may be a better fit.

Are you willing to pay an annual fee?

Credit cards are not always free, and in fact, many travel cards charge an annual fee. Generally speaking though, the higher the annual fee, the more perks and rewards are associated with the card. You will need to balance how much you are willing to pay annually versus how much in rewards you can realistically earn, so you can ensure you are getting your money’s worth with the card and the annual fee is worth it.

Maximizing your hotel card with bad or fair credit

Once you have access to the hotel credit card, there are steps you can take to maximize the potential. Not only do some of these actions help improve your overall credit score, but taking full advantage of card perks will often save you money while traveling.

• Always pay off your balance: Paying off your balance each month means you avoid costly interest charges, potential over-the-limit fees and it keeps your credit utilization in check.
• Pay on time: When you make on-time payments, not only do you avoid pricey late charges, it can improve your credit score since your payment history is reported each month.
• Take advantage of rewards and perks: Look for a credit card offering miles or points, which allows you to convert your purchases into cash back or travel rewards. When you manage these cards wisely, you are rewarded for purchases you would make anyway.
• Choose a card with automatic hotel status: If possible, select a hotel credit card where you receive elite status with the hotel loyalty program. This gives you access to money-saving advantages, such as free breakfast, lounge access or complimentary room upgrades.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the credit score needed for a hotel credit card?

  Most hotel credit cards require a credit score in the good to excellent range of 670 to 850. It may be harder to find cards geared specifically to hotels if you have fair or bad credit, but there are still a few options available if you’re rebuilding your credit score.

• What is the easiest hotel credit card to get?

  If your credit isn’t in the best place right now, it may be easier to apply for secured credit cards that earn rewards on hotel purchases. These types of cards typically don’t require a minimum credit score and require a security deposit, which acts as your credit limit.

• What features should I look for on a hotel credit card?

  Most luxury hotel credit cards offer features and benefits like premium status with the hotel loyalty program, free award nights, property credits, trip cancellation insurance, and concierge services. However, you may not find the same features on hotel cards for fair or bad credit. You may still want to keep an eye out for features like credit monitoring services, automatic credit line reviews, or travel accident insurance as you compare the top cards for you.

The bottom line

Having fair or bad credit does not necessarily limit your opportunity to access amazing rewards and hotel credit cards, it simply means you will need to select a card that can get you closer to your financial goals. With responsible usage, such as paying off your balance monthly and on-time each month, you can use a hotel card for bad or fair credit to potentially improve your credit score or even save money towards your future travel amid inflation.

*The information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card and Bank of America Travel Rewards Secured Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.