Difference between revisions of "Best western credit cards"
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The no-annual-fee version gives you Best Western Gold status instead, which doesn't entitle you to the 10% discount on award redemptions. | The no-annual-fee version gives you Best Western Gold status instead, which doesn't entitle you to the 10% discount on award redemptions. | ||
| − | <li>'''40,000 annual bonus points (with a $5,000 spending requirement)'''. If you are planning on holding onto the card, it is worthwhile to try to make $5,000 of purchases each year. You'll earn about {{Value|BestWestern|40000}} worth of extra points, which works out to about | + | <li>'''40,000 annual bonus points (with a $5,000 spending requirement)'''. If you are planning on holding onto the card, it is worthwhile to try to make $5,000 of purchases each year. You'll earn about {{Value|BestWestern|40000}} worth of extra points, which works out to about a total of 6% on your first $5,000 in purchases. The business version of the card provides 32,000 bonus points (with a $25,000 spending requirement), which is probably not worth it. Spending is based on every 12 billing cycles since you open your account.</li> |
<li>'''Access to a special cardholder rate on room reservations'''. You'll get 10% off the flexible rate, similar to what you'd likely get from a AAA discount. </li> | <li>'''Access to a special cardholder rate on room reservations'''. You'll get 10% off the flexible rate, similar to what you'd likely get from a AAA discount. </li> | ||
Revision as of 19:10, 16 February 2021
Credit Card List, Hotel Credit Cards
First Bankcard Webpage
Guide to Best Western Rewards
Send comments or suggestions to editor@travelstrategies.com or leave a comment below.
Annual Fee
$59, waived first year
Typical Signup Offer
50,000 Best Western points
$1,000 initial spend
($280 net value, .28/$)
Bonus Categories
10x Best Western Purchases (≈6%)
2x Everything Else (≈1.2%)
No Foreign Transaction Fee
Getting the Best Western Card is unlikely to be a high-priority for most people. However, the personal and business version of the cards have pretty generous signup bonuses, with the added benefit of letting you spread your applications to an additional bank.
If you sign up for the business version, it night be worthwhile to hold onto it. You'll maintain your Platinum elite status, which gives you 10% off the normal number of points for award reservations, without paying an annual fee.
Jump to:
Best Western Credit Card Options
There are two Best Western credit cards.
- Regular version. Offers the most attractive signup bonus and ongoing reward rates. Also provides automatic Platinum status. $59 annual fee. First Bank Card Webpage.
- No-annual-fee version. Comes with a substantially smaller signup bonus, Gold elite status (rather than Platinum), a substantially lower reward rate on Best Western purchases (3x rather than 10x), and no opportunity to earn the annual bonus points (with $5,000 spend). First Bank Card Webpage.
Best Western Points
You should be able to get values of more than .6 cents per point on many Best Western award bookings and you can sometimes get much more on particularly good redemptions (when rates are higher than normal). How Much are Hotel Points Worth?
Collecting the Signup Bonus
- It is worth signing up for this card, just to collect the signup bonus. The typical signup bonus is 50,000 points, valued at $300 (at .6 cents per point). After subtracting the opportunity cost of using the card for $1,000 of spending, the calculated net value for the initial year is $280 (28 cents per dollar spent). Your value may be higher or lower, depending on how much you value the the points. How Much are Hotel Points Worth?
- You may be able to earn the signup bonuses from both the personal and business version of the card. If you have any kind of side business, you are entitled to apply for business cards. If so, you can earn the signups from either or both versions. Unlock Extra Reward Points with Business Credit Cards.
Notable Benefits
- Best Western Platinum elite status. Entitles you to a room upgrade (upon availability), a beverage and snack at North American hotels, and a 10% discount on award redemptions. Best Western Status Benefits.
- 40,000 annual bonus points (with a $5,000 spending requirement). If you are planning on holding onto the card, it is worthwhile to try to make $5,000 of purchases each year. You'll earn about $240 worth of extra points, which works out to about a total of 6% on your first $5,000 in purchases. The business version of the card provides 32,000 bonus points (with a $25,000 spending requirement), which is probably not worth it. Spending is based on every 12 billing cycles since you open your account.
- Access to a special cardholder rate on room reservations. You'll get 10% off the flexible rate, similar to what you'd likely get from a AAA discount.
The no-annual-fee version gives you Best Western Gold status instead, which doesn't entitle you to the 10% discount on award redemptions.
Bonus Categories
- The regular Best Western card earns the highest rewards on your Best Western purchases. 10x Best Western points are valued at 6 cents per dollar, which is more than you can get from any other card (unless you highly value using your points for premium cabin frequent flyer tickets). However, you might prefer the additional flexibility you'd get by earning transferable points like Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards points.Best Credit Cards for Travel Spending.
- You don't want to use this card for your everyday spending. You'll earn higher rewards from a good general-purpose reward card. Get a Great General Purpose Reward Card and Use It for All of Your Spending.
The business and no-annual-fee version's 3x points is not very interesting.