Plentiful sign-up bonus — for some
For a card with such a low annual fee, the sign-up bonus on the Best Western Rewards Premium MasterCard is surprisingly rich — especially for moderate to heavy spenders. Cardholders who spend at least $10,000 in the card’s first year (around $834 a month), for example, are awarded 70,000 bonus points, which is enough to purchase up to a week’s worth of hotel stays. That benefit alone makes the card worth an application — especially if you’re hoping for a free vacation stay sometime next year.
If you don’t want to use your card that often, you could still spend $5,000 in the card’s first six months and earn 50,000 bonus points — roughly worth around $500, depending on how you redeem your points. Or you could spend $2,500 in the card’s first three billing cycles and take home 25,000 bonus points — around a $250 value.
Ample rewards for repeat guests
The Best Western Rewards Premier card also awards a generous amount of bonus points if you use your card to book a reservation. Cardholders are automatically awarded 10 points for every dollar spent on Best Western stays. If you combine your points with Best Western’s loyalty rewards program, you’ll receive up to 20 points per dollar spent. With that kind of rewards rate, you could potentially earn a rewards-funded night after staying with Best Western for just four nights — not a bad deal for a card with a $59 annual fee.
On the downside, Best Western’s credit cards don’t offer bonus points on any other purchases, so there’s less incentive to use your card for non-hotel purchases after the first year. Many hotel cards, by contrast, offer bonus points on everyday spending categories such as gas and groceries so you can continue earning points when you’re at home.
Modest perks for Best Western guests
To get the most value out of this credit card, you need to be a relatively frequent guest at Best Western. The hotel automatically upgrades Premier cardholders to platinum elite status in its loyalty program. But the perks aren’t nearly as exciting as the ones offered by competitors. Platinum elite cardholders receive a 15 percent points bonus for every hotel stay, free room upgrades, a recognition gift and a 10 percent discount on hotel stays. But you may still have to pay for Internet and other hotel services.
Huge number of hotels
In addition to its ample sign-up bonus, the best perk offered by the Best Western Premier card is the extensive number of hotels connected to the program. Best Western operates 4,100 hotels in more than 80 countries, so you should have no trouble finding a hotel in the city of your choice.
Watch out for pricier hotels, though, if you want to book a room with your rewards. The price of hotel rooms varies widely, depending on the city and Best Western property.
If you’re short a few points, don’t worry. Best Western lets you to purchase a limited number of points.
Few restrictions
Best Western imposes relatively few restrictions on redemption of points, so cashing in your card’s rewards should be easy. There are no travel blackout dates, so you don’t have to alter your plans around the hotel’s schedule. You also can redeem your points for hotel stays, airfare, merchandise, gift cards or other card rewards.
Rewards points don’t expire, and there are no limits on the number of points you can earn. You may have trouble booking a rewards-funded room during a hotel’s busy period, though, since Best Western reserves the right to restrict the number of rewards-funded rooms. You also have to go directly through Best Western to book a rewards room, so you may not get the best deal.
Reasons to get it:
- You want a large sign-up bonus and are willing to use your card for regular purchases to get it.
- You’re a frequently traveler and prefer to stay at Best Western.
- You want a card with an extensive hotel network.
How to use it:
- To earn the card’s largest sign-up bonus, temporarily use your card for all your everyday purchases. If you use your card for gas, groceries and other everyday purchases, you should have little trouble reaching $10,000 by the end of the card’s first year.
- Use your card when booking a reservation and be sure to include your Best Western rewards details as well. If you book online or through a third-party site, mention your rewards membership to the front desk when you arrive and they’ll credit your account.
- Once you’ve reached the sign-up bonus threshold, consider limiting this card to hotel and travel purchases and using a card with a more generous rewards rate for everyday purchases.
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