WalletHub featured Lubin Professor Andrew Coggins in “Ask the Experts: Best Hotel Credit Cards”

Even the best hotel credit cards usually aren’t among the best or most popular cards overall – why do you think that is?

I think for most people plane trips are valued much more than free hotel nights. More thought goes into booking a flight than a hotel. You are going somewhere and need a hotel, so you book it as opposed to flying somewhere when you will try to earn FF miles and pay more attention to schedule and choices.

Who should get a hotel rewards credit card? If you travel a lot and spend many nights with one hotel chain it might be worthwhile. Is there a minimum number of nights a person should spend in hotels per year to justify getting one?

If you are in the elite frequent guest category it might be worthwhile.

How much is flexibility worth when it comes to credit cards and travel rewards?

It all depends on one’s degree of loyalty to a particular hotel brand if you are very loyal flexibility will not matter much as you will first look to book with your preferred brand. For example, how much more does a branded hotel credit card need to offer to be a better deal than a card with rewards that are good for travel at any hotel? The ability to transfer points/miles to partner airline(s) and rent-a-cars and non-expiring points.

What are the most important things to watch out for with hotel rewards?

Points that do not expire. Several years ago my wife and daughter were able to spend a week at the Maui Marriott for our niece’s wedding for under $100 by using points that I had accumulated over the years. Even if you do not spend many but some nights in a hotel each year they add up.

Read the full WalletHub article.