Chase offers some of the best credit cards for getting Big Travel with Small Money. But under their “5/24 rule,” if you’ve opened 5 or more credit cards from ANY bank in the past 24 months (excluding certain small business cards), Chase will NOT approve you for most of their cards.
And lots of folks who have been in the points & miles hobby for a while are over 5/24.
So I put together a list of the best hotel cards that are NOT impacted by 5/24. That includes a number of great hotel cards from Chase and other banks!
Let’s take a look at the top 5 credit cards for folks over 5/24.
1. Chase IHG
Link: Chase IHG Card
Link: My Review of the Chase IHG Card
For a limited time, you can earn 80,000 IHG points after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening a Chase IHG card. And this is one of the few Chase cards you can get if you’re over 5/24!
While this isn’t the best offer we’ve ever seen on this card, you can get LOTS of Big Travel with Small Money with 80,000 IHG points!
You’ll also get:
- 5 points per $1 spent at IHG hotels
- 2 points per $1 spent at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 5,000 bonus IHG points adding an authorized user and making a purchase within the same 3 month period
- Free night at any IHG hotel after each cardmember anniversary
- Platinum Elite Status as long as you have the card (50% bonus points, complimentary room upgrades if available, priority check-in)
- 10% points rebate (up to 100,000 points back per year)
There are NO foreign transaction fees with this card. And it has a $49 annual fee, but it’s waived the first year.
The most expensive IHG hotels cost 60,000 IHG points per night. So a sign-up bonus of 80,000 IHG points means you’ll have more than enough points for a night at any top-notch IHG hotel in the world. Or you could use them for multiple nights at a lower tier hotel.
It’s one of the cards I keep in my wallet (even with the annual fee!), because I get lots of value from the card’s perks.
2. Chase Hyatt
Link: Chase Hyatt Card
Link: My Review of the Chase Hyatt Card
With the Chase Hyatt card, you can earn 40,000 Hyatt points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, it’s one of only a few Chase cards you can get if you’re over Chase’s 5/24 rule.
You’ll also get:
- 3 Hyatt points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels, which includes Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Resorts, Hyatt House, Miraval Resorts, and Park Hyatt brand hotels
- 2 Hyatt points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from airlines, and at car rental agencies
- 1 Hyatt point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- A free night at a Hyatt Category 1 to 4 hotel each cardmember anniversary
- Automatic Hyatt Discoverist elite status
- 5,000 bonus Hyatt points when you add an authorized user and make a purchase within the first 3 months of account opening.
This card has a $75 annual fee, which is NOT waived the first year. But the free night each cardmember anniversary can easily offset the annual fee.
3. AMEX Starwood Cards
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
Currently, both versions of the AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest card come with a 25,000 Starwood point sign-up bonus after meeting minimum spending requirements.
If you’re over 5/24 and can’t get any more Chase cards, the AMEX Starwood cards are worth considering. Because in addition to the sign-up bonus, you’ll get perks like:
- 2 Starwood points per $1 you spend at Starwood, Marriott, and Ritz-Carlton hotels
- 2 stay credits or 5 night credits toward Starwood elite Status
- Access to AMEX Offers, which can save you money on everyday purchases
- Free in-room internet at participating Starwood hotels
- No foreign transaction fees
And the $95 annual fee is waived the first year on both versions.
Plus, if you don’t want to use the points you earn for hotel stays, you can transfer them to Starwood airline partners for award flights! And you’ll get a 5,000 mile bonus for every 20,000 points you transfer to airlines with a 1:1 transfer ratio.
That said, I recommend getting the AMEX Starwood small business card if you’re deciding between the two. Because the business version has extra advantages, like access to Sheraton Club Room lounges and AMEX OPEN discounts for small businesses. Plus, it will NOT count against you for Chase’s “5/24” rule if you want to apply for more Chase cards in the future!
4. AMEX Hilton Cards
Link: Hilton Honors™ Card from American Express
Link: Hilton Honors™ Surpass® Card from American Express
You’ll earn 50,000 Hilton points after you make $1,000 in purchases within 3 months of opening the AMEX Hilton Honors card. And 100,000 Hilton points after you make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening the AMEX Hilton Honors Surpass card.
These aren’t the best offers we’ve seen for these cards. So if you don’t need Hilton points immediately, it might be a good idea to wait for a better bonus. But they could be worth considering if you like staying at Hilton hotels and are over 5/24.
Just don’t forget, Hilton no longer has an award chart, so you’ll have to check each hotel for the going rate.
The no-annual-fee AMEX Hilton card comes with:
- 7 Hilton points per $1 spent at most Hilton hotels
- 5 Hilton points per $1 spent at US gas stations, US restaurants, and US supermarkets
- 3 Hilton points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Free Hilton Silver elite status (late check-out, 2 free bottles of water, and 15% points bonus on Hilton points earned)
- Free Hilton Gold elite status (free breakfast at certain hotels, upgrades when available) after spending $20,000 in a calendar year
- Terms & limitations apply
And the AMEX Hilton Surpass card comes with:
- Free Hilton Gold Elite status (free breakfast at certain hotels, upgrades when available)
- Free Hilton Diamond Elite status when you spend more than $40,000 in a calendar year (better upgrades)
- 12 points for every $1 you spend at Hilton hotels
- 6 points per $1 you spend at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations
- 3 points per $1 you spend on everything else
- Terms and limitations apply
5. Barclaycard Wyndham Rewards
Link: My Review of the Barclaycard Wyndham Cards
With the annual fee version of the Barclaycard Wyndham Rewards card, you’ll earn 30,000 Wyndham points after your first purchase. And another 15,000 Wyndham points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening, for a total of 45,000 Wyndham points.
You’ll also get:
- 6,000 Wyndham points on your account anniversary each year
- 5X Wyndham points per $1 you spend at Wyndham hotels
- 2X Wyndham points points per $1 you spend on eligible gas, utility, and grocery purchases
- 1X Wyndham points on everything else
- Automatic Platinum status
The $75 annual fee is NOT waived for the first year. But you can get lots of value from the sign-up bonus alone if you book stays at pricey locations. Because all Wyndham award nights cost 15,000 Wyndham points per night.
For example, The Mills House hotel in Charleston, South Carolina can easily cost ~$350+ per night. But you can book a 3-night stay with 45,000 Wyndham points instead. And save ~$1,050+!
Million Mile Secrets team member Meghan stayed at The Mills House this past December. She loved the central location, describing it as the perfect spot to explore the city from because of it’s location in the heart of downtown. You can walk from the hotel to most of the city’s popular tourist spots!
Bonus. Cards for Folks Not Concerned With 5/24
Link: Barclaycard Arrival Plus
Link: Capital One Venture Card
Link: Capital One Spark Miles for Business
If you’re over 5/24 and aren’t trying to get back under it, you could consider cards that earn points you can redeem for travel purchases, including hotel stays.
Cards like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus, Capital One Venture card, and the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, all earn different types of flexible points you can use to offset the cost of common travel expenses.
The Barclaycard Arrival Plus card comes with a sign-up bonus worth $500 in travel purchases of $100+ after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
The Capital One Venture card offers 40,000 Venture miles (worth $400 in travel) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months.
And with the Capital One Spark Miles for Business, you can earn 50,000 Spark miles (worth $500 in travel) after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months.
Bottom Line
If you’re over Chase’s 5/24 rule, it’s unlikely you’ll be approved for most Chase cards. But you can still use miles & points to get Big Travel!
I made a list of 7 great hotel cards folks over 5/24 are still eligible for. Including the AMEX Starwood personal and business card, Chase IHG card, and the Barclaycard Wyndham Rewards card.
If you’re impacted by 5/24, which of these hotel cards would you get first? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!